Creating a Travel Poster | GDT Week 2 - Project 2

POSTER

A poster is an art technique used for both decorative and informative purposes. It's usually a large printed sheet that combines text and images to communicate a message. You can use a poster to advertise an event or business, as propaganda, or as a way of protest. 

This time I created a poster of a travel/touristic destination (Cerro Negro volcano in Nicaragua). This project's goal was to put into practice the principles of graphic design, and typography, and also expand my photo editing skills. I'd like to add (before you check the poster) that I used images from Google, this is a practice design, the editing though, is my work...

WHAT I WAS HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH

What is the message? 

To make known a different kind of activity for adventurers like it is volcano surfing, and with it promote tourism in an amazing area. 

Who is the audience?

To answer this question, and before creating my poster, I had to think like I was my target and ask myself why would I like to visit the place I chose. My poster is aimed at nature explorers or nature enthusiasts. If you like extreme sports, trying different things, or if you produce content (photographs or videos for magazines, cinema, etc.), volcano surfing is a great option for you.

How do the colors I chose help reinforce the message?

I chose colors from the same images I used in the composition, to make it look coordinated. The main text in my design is actually filled with a texture, an image of hot lava, which is the material produced by a volcano. For the other text, I picked a light yellow color from the woman's suit in the image. Yellow is associated with joy, energy, warmth, and happiness. When doing something like volcano surfing you might think of yellow. 

How and why did I choose the typeface?

For this project, I only used one typeface, Impact (Regular). I gave a contrast between the main text and the auxiliary text with different font sizes. This sans-serif typeface, impacts the readers like its name says, thanks to its thick shape, and because of it, I was allowed to fill it with the lava texture and get a striking text, something that keeps the people reading.

Did I consider other alternatives, and if so, why were the choices I made superior?

I had a different idea for the topic of my design but when searching for images I just couldn't find the ones that fit in my concept. Then I started thinking of other topic ideas, and when I finally decided on what to do I searched for my elements and started organizing and editing, even with the right ideas I created something different from what I was expecting, but I think I got something better.

What did I learn from doing this project?

Apart from learning to use new tools in Photoshop, and putting into practice the principles of design, I learned that you can create great things if you are resilient, and have patience with yourself. When something doesn't get the way you wanted at first, doesn't mean you have to stop trying. Also, I learned that posters are a great way to promote tourism if done well.

Will you dare to try volcano surfing?

If you want to know more about Cerro Negro volcano, you should check this: https://www.laidbacktrip.com/posts/volcano-boarding-nicaragua-leon-things-you-need-to-know