Design Challenge:
When it comes to popular tourist destinations, there are many that come to mind, and many that simply... don't. The original project was to create a dynamic Adobe Illustrator poster for a city that fell into one of these categories, and to advertise it in such a way that it would appeal to tourists in some fashion. The city I selected was Point Pleasant, West Virginia which is notable for only two things: the Silver Bridge collapse, and the creature that supposedly tried to warn of it -- the Mothman. With that initial project, I took the liberty of creating a complex bridge (which are iconic in the region, and making a small figure resembling the Mothman perched upon it. When it came time to pitch this project into my Portfolio class, I decided to push it and use other cryptids to advertise other small, and otherwise uninteresting areas.
Pictured directly below, is the original poster from my 2017 introductory course:
Design Solution:
After doing a little research, I was able to identify a few areas that are not particularly well known, and was quickly able to connect the nearby legends and mythical monsters to them. One was Clinton, New Jersey - which is the infamous birth state of the Jersey Devil: a strange creature that seems to be a devil and horse. The next was Fouke, Arkansas, where the movie and monster of Boggy Creek (the Fouke Monster) supposedly wreaked havoc across the small county. Of course, Point Pleasant was again included with the terrifying Mothman, harbinger of misfortune and overall frightening to behold. With each of them, I super-imposed an old parchment texture and used a greenish hue overtop it to give it that mystical vibe. The type had to look worn enough to mimic that same feeling of something old, and the two main faces greatly reflect a historical feel.
Campaign Potential:
Eventually, I would like to create an entire campaign focused around this set of projects, as there are plenty of cities with corresponding monsters to explore the idea with. It attracts a very specific kind of audience, and that audience is who these towns can truly profit off of - both financially and culturally speaking.
Front and Back Mock-Up:
Here is a potential mock-up of how the postcards would look, should they ever be produced in some fashion, which I used the Fouke card for. The back design is somewhat plain so that it can be easily interpreted by the mailer.
