Have you ever seen a design and thought to yourself, “Oh, wow! I need to try that some day.”
I quite frequently do that and a while ago I decided to start a list of these graphic styles I’d like to try. This list, along with a Photoshop document I’ve started of examples, helps me go a direction I might not normally attempt.
The list and examples have been particularly useful when I am stumped on a project and just need a little extra inspiration to really get the ideas flowing.
Interesting Styles to Try…
Without further explanations, take a look at some styles that intrigue me:
Rubber stamps (and the mistakes-skips, extra rubber touching down-and uniqueness that goes with them). The example to the right is something I’m currently working on. It’s not quite finished yet.- Passport
- Cargo/shipping crates
- Tickets (movie and stage theater, concert, lottery, travel, traffic!)
- Old World maps
- Old/antiqued and yellowed documents, parchments and pictures
- Illuminated manuscript, scrolls
- Victorian type posters
- Thick and thin strokes (varying weights)
- Watercolors. The example to the right is one of my favorite portfolio pieces!
- Folksy country (think county fair)
- Zen inspirational (Sumi-e calligraphy and watercolor paintings, rock gardens, Japanese gardens)
- Comic Books
- Scratch strokes with a real quill and India ink
- Torn paper
- Scrapbook (photo mats, stickers, handwritten material). Scrapbooking is my hobby, so I have plenty of examples! I’ve seen USPS (United States Postal Service) send out a few postcards using this technique for various ads
- Back to hand created media!
- Found art pieced together
- Strokes not precisely around the outside of the image (offset, maybe on top of the image or at an angle)
- When printing: emboss it, die-cut a unique and repeating shape on the cover
- Use only one or two colors
- Pure typography, even for images
- Scratchboard and India ink
What do you think? Does this list inspire you to try something new? Are there any styles not mentioned that you have tried or want to try?
This is a good idea. I’ve always wanted to try collage and incorporate it into a design.
I’d love to make something in the style of one of those old posters set in chunky slab serif — Western style.
You’ve inspired me to get on and do it. Thanks.
When I was at college one of my favourite techniques was torn paper, I used to approach a lot of illustration work using this technique, but at college most of my stuff was non computer – hand made. I should perhaps give it another go, I wonder if there is a way of easily mimicking the look on the computer too. I also used to paint in watercolors all the time, but can’t remember the last time I used them. Also I always mean to experiment more with painter/art rage but somehow never get round to it, I like the idea of trying to create some posters/prints using them.
Love to see some of your scrap booking inspiration stuff (or have I missed it somehow?).
I’m sure there’s a tutorial somewhere online that shows how to make the torn paper look in Photoshop. If you noticed, one of my styles to try was hand made media! I love working on that stuff; it’s somehow different to physicaly rearrange graphics and text and be able to feel the materials you’re working with.
I haven’t ever scanned in my scrapbook pages, Tara, so no, you haven’t missed anything! Maybe I’ll do some posts on these techniques that I’ve used and how to get the effect(s). Thanks for the idea!
Well this list inspired me to try something new rite away. Like the your points that you have written its really cool to try im surely will gona enjoy doing some thing new.
I just bookmarked this page. Simply awesome information here. Quite a comprehensive tips on creative graphics. Collage is something that I employ often to come out with colorful designs.
Melissa´s last blog …{scrap your life}: Scrapbook Your Heart!
I’m inspired just reading that list! I totally agree with just using one or two colors. Sometimes, we have too many options at our disposal, so it’s nice to create from just the basics.
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