On Youtube I often look for free Skillshare videos as I love seeing designers actually create a piece of work, and also because youtube is free and Skillshare is not normally!
After watching the Aaron Draplin's video on logo creation I was directed to a video on a designer called Jon Contino. Originally from New York, Jon moved from Manhattan to Hudson Valley - he thinks the more relaxed life suits him better and also helps his work, as he describes himself as kind of a traditionalist.
Jon likes to do things by hand, and draw type out instead of placing it in digital software, which is something I'd like to get better at. His Skillshare video was about how to create a 'secret society' bandana for his wife's company Past Lives - which is a company that sells products which have a vintage, used vibe, perfect for his style of working - and he takes us through the process from start to finish.
Conceptualise
Jon wants to have a theme based on 'secret societies.'
Find reference material
Over the years Jon has been collecting organsiational banners or pendants and he starts dissecting them and leaning from their structure in order to create his own banner. As well as looking at the shapes and decorative edging on the banners Jon also draws from his own past designs to include in the banner piece.
Start sketching ideas
Jon advises working small, he likes working in thumbnails, which I think is a great tip as I like to start small too, and add detail in later.
As well as this he also reminds to think of hierarchy to create a balanced design. The basic shapes get sketched out - and then he fills in the shape a piece at a time.
Revise sketch ideas and figure out compostition
Taking the sketch into illustrator he creates shapes over the scan to bring balance to the sketch, which is a method he prefers to using tracing paper as it is more accurate and uses 10% cyan (known as non reproduction blue which can be easily taken out when scanned back in.)
Printing out the shapes Jon copies over the original sketch but much bigger so he can add in finer detail and add ink to the drawing.
Ink, scan and get ready for
scanning in the now adjusted drawing, Jon traces it and makes it ready to be printed.
From here the piece is traditionally screen printed which gives the bandana the old school feeling.
What I particularly liked about this tutorial was seeing Jon's process and how he used a mix of traditional and modern techniques, for example preferring to hand draw yet using the printer and scanner to refine his piece. I also liked how he went the extra step to ensure his work was as perfect as he could make it when hand drawing.
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