WOW! This was an extremely fun exercise in my Make It In Design, Module 2 (Creating Your Professional Identity) course. This assignment was to design a concept board for a new line of stationery. I’m to imagine that my instructors are buyers from a (made-up) company called Delicious seeking to license a new collection which reflects my design style, appeals to their target customer, is fresh and exciting – and most importantly, is commercial/professional.
Here is a portion of the “brief” which gives a bit more information:
Target audience: Female – fashion aware and very stylish
Feel: Aim for a contemporary audience, trendy with a touch of sophistication.
Remember to add your own twist to bring something new and fresh to the marketplace. We are looking for something to stand off the shelf yet remain commercial and appealing to the target audience.
I was given specific items to create (writing paper and envelope, spiral notebook, notebook, diary, pencil case, and sticky notes…I could do some or all…I did all except for the sticky notes).
I came up with Watermelon in Blue Paradise Stationery Collection (watermelon for the red color and blue for the rest of the elements). I used one tropical leaf element I sketched and brought into Illustrator to manipulate to my liking, then created the hero pattern using three colors, along with making some coordinating patterns to accent the hero for my collection.
Had so much fun experimenting with not only some new Illustrator techniques (the whimsical squares and lines you see in the envelope liner) but also with various mock-ups I have, and with some I purchased from Creative Market.
Hope you like my Stationery/Writing Collection. Maybe one day you’ll see my products at your local favorite shop.
marylouwade.com 