A Menu card

The Brief: 

"For this exercise you are asked to provide an illustration for the use on the menu of a sophisticated, quality fish restaurant - one in a chain sited in major European cities. The menu uses fresh ingredients and the ambiance of the restaurant is modern, bright and contemporary in design. Any food depicted needs to be visually appetising. 

Although the image will be used at a small size on the actual menu, if it is successful the restaurant would be interested in also using the image as a logo on their stationery and vans. As such the image needs to be reasonably simple and clear. 

You will probably want to work on the artwork at a large scale but you need to provide an example reduced to 40mm x 40mm as it will be initially used". 

I have highlighted the key words of this brief to steer me in the correct direction. 

Brainstorm: 

I took my favourite words from this, fresh, sea, ocean, blue, turquoise, fishing boat, waves, still, anchor, octopus and put them together. 

MOOD BOARD: 

As the client is a restaurant chain, I selected different types of seafood and put them together to  see what colours and texture were the most striking. The most visually interesting textures are that of the octopus (my favourite element at the moment) and the marks on the shells of the shell fish. 

Extending from the inspiration of the photos above, I also created a sheet of lines and strokes, colours and textures. This was really wonderful to create. I used watercolour, ink, pencil and coloured pencils. This was a really good way of starting my thought and design process. I have realised that using a large sheet of paper as an extended mood board is a really good way for me to work, it is here, whilst I have no fixed idea as I enter the blank sheet of paper, I often find something that I can work with. I especially like the giant enlarged crashing waves. 

From here, I spotted this doodle on a separate sheet, this sketch combines the sea, waves, octopus textures and fishing boat. It's fascinating to see what can develop from doodles on a sheet of paper. I enjoy the way the fishing boat is being held above water by an octopus.Again,  I also love the movement in the waves. 

Working with this starting point, I re did the sketch again. This time I focused on the textures and the shapes of the octopus, it this is liked during the ideas process. I kept the movement of the waves and the fishing line. 

The brief asks for an illustration of 40mmx40mm. In order to draw this design I doubled the size to 80mmx80mm for readability.

For a contemporary feel, I kept the lines clean and simple. I am so pleased with this drawing, I have purposefully left out the colour. This would best suit a quality printed black and white menu. Even without colour, I feel a fresh, bright white menu card would fit the brief of contemporary, modern and bright, simple and clear. 

MENU CARD FINAL DESIGN:

REFLECTION: 

I found this exercise thoroughly enjoyable. I am satisfied with my final drawing and have established a design process that works for me. Starting with a large sheet of paper and drawing with colour and textures, marks and movement. Working with the elements I like from my mood board and following the flow of my thoughts. I sought reaffirmation of this way of working from artist Jorge Goytizola " reading the brief, getting some ideas in my head, and then I go into researching the internet to see what other people make of it and for additional inspiration: however, I do usually stick to my first idea"...

'Thinking Visually for Illustrators' by Mark Wigan has also helped me progress with this exercise. 'Pencil (thoughts), ink for decision. A white sheet of paper for clear mind. State of stillness'. 

REFERENCE:

'Thinking Visually for Illustrators' by Mark Wigan