Bachelor Pad

Society of Illustrators 48th Annual of American Illustration, 2006, p338
Illustrator: Dan Sipple

The designer's "assignment was to create a hip, modern, masculine card [for American Greetings] featuring an African American male" using an assigned palette of colors. I like how the designer was able to pull off the design with minimal detail by using subtle textures. The strie painting behind the man is just enough to separate him from the wall. The textured lanterns, chairs, and patterned floor add visual interest and rhythm. The solid white pants are the focal point and the negative shape of the pants seems to create an arrow pointing to the man. The lanterns hanging directly over the man in combination with the stripes in the wall give the appearance of light raining down on the subject further enhancing the focal point. Finally, the lone orangish-red square hanging alone on the right side of the wall is the final detail to balance the image. Oh, and, of course, you can't deny the importance of the glass on the table. It adds ambiance to the scene and sets the mood. The glass says "it's time to relax and chill out."

Seasons in the Sun

Society of Illustrators 48th Annual of American Illustration, 2006, pp244-245
Illustrator: Andrew Selby

This illustrator creates entire landscapes with simple geometric shapes and limited color palettes. His work is interesting because the more you look, the more you see. I love the illusion of hills and how each drawing has a feeling of perspective created with the bottom of the illustration appearing to be closer. Both illustrations create perspective by size with objects in "front" being larger in proportion to objects at the top of the drawing. Notice the pumpkins larger than trees and the fox larger than the horses. The autumn image also has a road which appears to wind toward the "back" where it eventually disappears in the horizon. Even the ground appears to be flatter in the front with the shapes becoming more rounded and then pointy, indicating hills turning to mountains, as your eye travels upward. The final clue is the cloud shapes at the very top.
Another detail I enjoyed is the illustrator's buildings. None of the buildings are squared. They seem to lean every which way furthering the concept of hills and uneven ground. The combination of the misshaped buildings and curvy shapes create an inviting, interactive atmosphere enticing the viewer to stop and gaze for a while.
As for color, the illustrator's limited color palette very clearly indicates which season each image represents. The limited use of white creates added interest and breaks up what would otherwise be monotonous image.

The Capuleti & the Montecchi

Society of Illustrators 48th Annual of American Illustration, 2006, p239
Poster illustration, Illustrator: Rafal Olbinski

This poster was created to promote the opera The Capuleti & the Montecchi based on the story of Romeo & Juliet. The illustrator introduces a clever solution to showing the two "star-crossed" lovers being torn apart by their respective families.
One's focus is immediately drawn into the faces and the strong negative space between them. Your eyes naturally follow the zipper downward to the ropes attached to the zipper which continue to pull your attention downward toward the message. The symmetry of the two groups of men pulling and the way they span the writing seems to enhance the message by framing the text. I like how the men dressed in business suits bring the classic tale to modern times and how the men's body language reinforces the idea of pulling your attention downward. Furthermore, the perspective type treatment creates more visual stimulation and interest to the design.
The concept of "star-crossed" lovers is introduced with the faces being formed in the sky and the eyes of the lovers looking upward to the stars (or heaven). I am wondering if the idea of the two halves being torn apart from the top down like a curtained backdrop is representative of the biblical account of the temple veil tearing in two from top to bottom at the moment of Jesus' death. Is the darkeness of the heavens that is revealed symbolic of the darkness that descends upon the families upon the lovers' deaths?