Wedding: Daniel and Ate Liezl

Save-the-date Drafts

Initial Guidelines – Seattle, simple, quirky, classic, something that could be also be a poster, feature Peridot Green (wedding color) as key color

FINAL DRAFT

GABE GOT HIS SAVE THE DATE IN THE MAIL. JOY!

My sister suggested I try several sky/water gradient options (purples, blues, reds, oranges). Unexpectedly, she also suggested I try a gray gradient (or GRAYdient, haha!). It really highlighted the Peridot while simulating what the skies will probably look like on the New Year’s Eve wedding date. To give the piece more dimension (and pop!), I also added an outer glow on the hands and the names at the top. For the back, I went with a color reversal on the border and a washed out illustration of hands. What do you think?

Now to the invitation…

Draft #5

Interesting what I’ve been able to learn about my sister while working on this project. She’s not a big fan of the color pink. Makes sense now, but it was just interesting. For this reason, this newest version is void of any hint of it. Dan really enjoyed the skyline, so I included in fusion with the forest, providing a foundation for the Mt. Rainier centerpiece. Adding a lake (referencing both Lake Washington and Lake Michigan) and changing the typeface for “Daniel & Liezl” are the major changes for this draft. I think I’m getting close…

Draft #4

To my relief, my sister and Dan expressed that I was starting to move in the right direction. Correcting the brightness of the Peridot Green was the one edit suggested. I was still not happy with the composition of the piece. To me, it didn’t say wedding, let alone express anything affectionate. Without the text, it was just a “plain Jane” illustration glorifying a Seattle view. My intention wasn’t to attract tourists; it was to illustrate this important event for both of our families. It needed something to connect it all. The addition of the heart shaped hands was my attempt to remedy my dissatisfaction with the work. I also added some purple and pink accents to play with the greens.

Draft #3

Drafts #2 and #3 were sent simultaneously. As a minor change, I shifted the skyline off -center just a bit, highlighting Mount Rainier.

Draft #2

Ok. The fish idea didn’t really float. I had almost convinced myself that the tagline “What a catch!” would be too clever to dismiss. Oh well :p

Returning to the drawing board, I prepared something that was a more picturesque Seattle featuring Mt. Rainier, the Seattle skyline, and a multitude of evergreens. In this version, Peridot is first featured as the prominent key color.

Draft #1

Getting these things started is always the hardest part. This project was particularly daunting because it was for MY SISTER’S WEDDING (AH!).

After checking out a few venues, Dan and my sister eventually pegged the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) as the reception space. Recently inspired by old Western-esque design (ex: The Well), I was tickled to see these elements present in the Boomtown Seattle and replica Alaskan fishing ship exhibits  at the museum. Because each location represented their hometowns (my sister from Seattle and Dan from Soldotna, Alaska), this was particularly fitting. Taking these items, I readied a draft that played with fishing elements and Western-looking typefaces.

BACKGROUND

On the sunrise of Sunday, April 4th at the shores of Lake Michigan, Daniel proposed to my sister, Liezl. Dan cleverly hid the engagement ring in an Easter basket (it was Easter Sunday after all) so my sister never saw it coming.

Ok, that’s a lie. Both families had a sense that this was going to happen sometime or another. My sister even hinted at my design-related involvement with the whole shebang if it were to happen.

Since that fateful morning, I’ve been inundating my design consciousness with wedding stuff (save the dates, invitations), vintage posters, and other stuff my sister finds aesthetically pleasing. From my request, Dan and my sister sent me lists and images that were meaningful and indicative of their relationship.

From this, I have tried to grasp what they want this event to look like (this is an ongoing process).

In addition to the save-the-dates and invitation designs, I have also lent a hand in researching and visiting wedding reception spaces. Michael, wedding planner extraordinaire? Perhaps. But for now, I’ll settle (primarily) with designing save the dates and invitations.

Congrats Ate and Dan and thanks for this extremely meaningful opportunity!

Love,

Michael

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 12th, 2010 at 10:30 am and is filed under Doodles 'n Sketches, Events, Latest, Print and tagged with Ate hates pink, Congratulations, Daniel, Easter Sunday, Family, GRAYdient, Hands, Heart, Invitation, Lake Michigan, Lake Washington, Liezl, MOHAI, New Years Eve, Peridot Green, Postcard, Proposal, Save-the-date, Seattle, Skyline, Sunrise, Wedding, Woo hoo!. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.