"Everything is Design... Everything!"
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This personal blog is where I channel my inner wordsmith, adding color to those design topics that often fall between the lines.

Creating Print Graphics

Even though I don't have formal training in graphics or print design, I've always enjoyed creating cards and invites (read: About page). Ever since the family took note of my interest, I've become the designated invite designer on all family occasions. So in this post I'll be sharing my process of creating print graphics, from ideation through implementation.

 

Wedding Invite

Background: This invite was created for a Hawaiian-themed, beach destination wedding in Goa, India. The wedding was between two different religious community members and had elements of traditional Indian as well as western culture.

Requirements: The bride and groom wanted natural colors that resemble Hawaiian flora to be used. A main card, inner leaflet and envelope were to be created keeping this requirement in mind.

Design Process

1. Ideation: I began by researching Hawaiian culture and beach scenery. The Hibiscus flower is closely associated with the Hawaiian islands and has full, large petals which I thought would be ideal to design around. I envisioned a detailed graphic print akin to the kind done on an Indian bride's hand with henna.

2. Sketching: To capture the hand-drawn henna designs I sketched the flower and filled it with intricate patterns along with sketching other floral elements, as shown below:

3. Digitization: For the final step, I scanned the sketches and used them as the base to trace the patterns in Adobe Illustrator with the Pen tool. At the end I added bright, contrasting colors, like shades of pink, yellow and green, into the design.

Main card

Inner leaflet - 1

Envelope

Inner leaflet - 2

 

Baby Shower Invite

Background: This invite was for a small shower to celebrate the arrival of a baby girl.

Requirements: The mom-to-be requested an elegant, vintage looking card and gave me complete flexibility to execute as I saw fit.

Design Process

1. Ideation: Keeping in mind a vintage look, I thought of making a post card invite. Just like traditional post cards, the invites could be filled by hand to add a personal touch to the intimate affair. When I pitched this idea to the client she fell in love with it and so we proceeded to the next step of photographing.

2. Photographing: I captured the mom-to-be in a candid, limited light setting that would accent her pregnant figure:

3. Designing: For the final step, I added a sepia-esque filter to the photograph and placed it on a slightly grungy background. So far the design looked vintage but lacked a feminine touch. In order to input this, I juxtaposed the background with floral designs in a clichéd pink shade.

Invitation Front

Invitation Back