2nd Place Winner, Theme of "Vintage"
DENALI'S DESIGN-A-THROW COMPETITION 2015
The theme of the Denali 2015 Design-a-Throw competition was Vintage. Our graphic design class was urged to each submit a couple designs by our professor. To me, "vintage" has always referred to something timeless and beautiful. My idea of timeless beauty is inspired a lot by John Donne's poem, "The Sun Rising," (link to full poem here.) Specifically, these lines inspired this design:
"Busy old fool, unruly Sun,
Why dost thou thus,
Through windows, and through curtains, call on us?
Must to thy motions lovers' seasons run?"
It's a romantic poem. In it, Donne personifies the sun, taunting him and his lover with it's rising as if to say they will not last so long as time marches on. Yet, he goes on to declare that their love is timeless and beautiful, and will remain, unchanged. These ideas really evoke that vintage vibe to me: something that remains, never dulling or growing tiresome.
I decided to make my final design as a complete piece as opposed to a repeating pattern. This decision creates the effect of dynamism and eccentricity. I created the design based around the abstraction of a flower as well as an integrating an old-fashioned bicycle abstraction (very subtle) into the vines to represent the theme of vintage. I ultimately went with black and white instead of mauve and white because from a consumer standpoint, I think black and white appeals to a bigger audience and will sell better if it were to ever be chosen and sold.