Assignment #3

Illustrator/ Vector Portraits & Poster

Vector Art Portrait Making & Poster Design Using Adobe Illustrator!

We will bring together the applications of a vector art, portrait-making, composition, image manipulation, typography & collaboration

 

Assignment #3 – Vector Portrait & Poster Design

Project Title: “New Voices” – Fictional Museum Exhibition Poster

Software: Adobe Illustrator (with optional Photoshop integration)

Deliverables: 1 Self-Portrait Vector Illustration + 2 Poster Layouts (Portrait & Landscape)

Objective:

This project explores how artists use self-portraiture, visual storytelling, and cultural/historical references to create powerful graphic design works. You will create a fictional museum exhibition poster using your own vector-based self-portrait as the central artwork.

We will focus on the design principles of composition, style emulation, vector illustration, color theory, type & image integration, and poster design layout.

Step 1: Concept + Style Research

You will select one or more historical or contemporary art/design movements to draw inspiration from. Your self-portrait should clearly reflect the visual style, techniques, and spirit of the movement(s) you choose.

Choose from (or propose your own):

Pop Art (Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein)

Surrealism (Salvador Dalí, Frida Kahlo)

Mexican Muralism (Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros)

Afro-Futurism (Sun Ra, Octavia Butler, Wangechi Mutu)

Graffiti & Street Art (Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Lady Pink)

Fauvism (Henri Matisse, André Derain)

Anime / Manga (Osamu Tezuka, CLAMP, Studio Ghibli)

African Masks & Tribal Art (Igbo, Yoruba, and Baule traditions)

Political Poster Art (Shepard Fairey, Emory Douglas)

Video Game Aesthetics (8-bit/16-bit, cyberpunk, open-world concept art)

OR a Hybrid / Original Mashup of Two or More Styles

Your research should include at least 4–6 references: artworks, posters, or artists from your chosen style. Save these to a folder titled “Self-Portrait-Poster-Project.”

Step 2: Vector Self-Portrait Creation (in Illustrator)

Using your reference images and personal style, draw a self-portrait entirely in vector using Adobe Illustrator. You may trace from a photo using the pen tool or draw freehand with the pencil/brush tools.

This portrait is the feature artwork of your poster – it should reflect YOU through the lens of the movement you’ve chosen.

Optional: Once your vector self-portrait is complete, you may bring it into Photoshop for added textures, lighting, collaging, blending, or digital effects.

Step 3: Poster Design Composition

Create two posters (same content, different orientation):

1. Portrait format (vertical)

2. Landscape format (horizontal)

Suggested size: 11 x 17 inches (or slightly smaller)

Your design must incorporate:

• The vector self-portrait as the main artwork

• All required poster text (see below)

Typography and layout that fit the aesthetic of your chosen movement

• A clear visual connection to a museum-quality exhibition poster

Required Text for Poster Design

New Voices Exhibit  
April 15th – May 30th 2025  
Opening Reception, April 20th 7PM–9PM  
https://www.seattleartmuseum.org  
(Include the SAM logo)

You may add more creative text (quotes, artist statement snippets, fake curator’s name, etc.), but the above must remain intact.

Poster Design Inspiration / References

Here are some artists, designers, and posters to study:

Barbara Kruger – Bold type + image integration

Shepard Fairey – Political poster design

Paula Scher (Pentagram) – Museum and cultural poster layouts

Tadanori Yokoo – Surrealism meets pop and psychedelic styles

Swiss Modernist Posters – Josef Müller-Brockmann, Armin Hofmann

Contemporary Museum Posters – Check out MoMA, The Whitney, The Design Museum (London), or past campaigns from the Seattle Art Museum (SAM)

Design and Technical Considerations

• Pay attention to hierarchy, alignment, balance, and typographic contrast

• Use CMYK color mode for print output

• Illustrator vector file (.AI) and exported poster PDFs must be saved

• File naming: Lastname_Firstname_SelfPortraitPoster.ai / .pdf

Optional Bonus Challenges

• Create an animated GIF version of your poster using Photoshop

• Add augmented reality elements (QR code that links to your process video or artist statement)

• Create mockups: simulate your poster on a museum wall, city street, or bus stop ads.

Submission guidelines:

When both parts of the assignment have been completed please save them as an .ai (adobe illustrator) .JPG file and as a PDF then add them to our class google drive shared folder 

*Please make sure to name your files with your name – an Example is this:  R_Seslow_project3.JPG

R_Seslow_project3.ai