Final Stamp Work

Various images of my work on photoshop and illustrator for our stamp project:

I started off with the very simple idea of messages carved into trees and the idea of the tree actually producing this sort of silent message that goes unnoticed - just like deforestation, trees can't speak for themselves. However I dont think my idea was conveyed really well through photoshop- I think it's due to my inexperience with effects on PS but my gut feeling weas to move on to something more exciting and that would deliver the message in a more ideal way.

In the stamp below, I was trying to convey the idea of a gap and something missing. There are a few problems however in that the outline of the below tree doesnt match the forest around, this could be easily overcome though. But the other problem is how to create an exciting series of stamps without looking too similar.

Below: Whlst brainstorming i was looking at the idea of the life of the tree and how it is cut short through deforestation. Then looking at how the effects are global therefore incorporating the image of Earth. I thought of calling it ''4 the Earth''. I like the dark background and I feel that nice white writing with opacity would stand out well. I had to create the trees on PS myself using the clone tools and airbrushing; so despite this not being my final collection I did learn a lot on PS in the making. =)

Below, are all trials of my favorite idea. 4 different stamps with 4 different gestures (fist, a stop hand, a peace sign and a thumbs up) all with the background of a tree bark texture. It was a good experience creating these stamps dealing with layers on Photoshop and then creating text layouts on Illustrator.

Playing about with the brightness of the bark and background as in the above image, as the above image due to the darkness of the background the outline of the fist is lost.

Trying the darker colors with thicker outline:

Trying out a lighter shade of bark. I don't feel it is tree-like enough and the illustration of the hand isn't simple enough. The detail of the crease go the wrist is rather distracting and detracts from the peace hand.

The above stamps were my favorite idea however there was something lacking from them. I don't know whether it was the flat background color or the idea of the bark and how it wasn't entirely 'tree-like' but i wasn't happy. They were my final stamps before Easter Break however our assessment was pushed back till after the holidays so this gave me a chance to work more on the stamps and push the ideas forward. Therefore below are my further experiments into this cut-out idea. I felt the stop hand idea was the most appropriate however i took the image of the hand with the fingers separated as it looks more desperate almost ... helping deliver the urgency of my message against deforestation:

I used a simple sans serif font Myanmar Sangam MN. All in capital letters but using the big and small caps option on PS.

As well as designing the front of a stamp, I thought of designing the background or page that the stamps come on. When the stamp is peeled off, underneath the user can view various facts on Deforestation.

Trying out a centralized layout:

Throughout the project I wanted to use simple sans serif type. Clarity was key so I was staying clear of decorative typefaces. I tried out some fonts on Photoshop like Helvetica and Verdana and the likes and also tried out different layouts and styles like the small caps feature seen throughout the fonts on my project. Usually when one reads sentences all in caps they seem AGGRESSIVE as if you are SHOUTING at the reader and this was the last thing I wanted so the small caps helped deliver the important message with a certain urgency but not a forceful one!

I also created a first print envelope which I will post a picture of soon.