Leader of the pack

Downtown for the Holidays.

So you want to create your own downtown scene and make it either quaint or edgy, uptown or downtown, back alley or main street. This is not a problem.

We recently created a downtown scene for a theater group in Deadwood S.D. for their Christmas show, and the end result was impressive. The objective was to make a believable looking street in Downtown Deadwood. The problem was they needed stores and shops that are not necessarily in the same proximity to appear on the backdrop as if they where actually there.

Using several provided digital assets, we created the new custom street digitally, complete with window decorations, snow, wreaths and the like to make the audience feel like they where standing in the actual street days before Christmas.

The end product was not only believable, but it put you in the mood for the holidays at first glance.

Denim? done’em

In the United States today, and maybe across the world, nothing is more beloved than a good pair of jeans. That emotional attachment can be used on a grand scale on a backdrop, without having to rip up the entire crew’s wardrobe to make it happen. Why not use digital denim?

Illustrated or photographically rendered denim can be created to whatever custom color or texture, stone wash or weathered style that fits your needs. Illustrated seams and rivets can be added to add accents in just any way your heart desires. Actual rips and tears can be added to areas to reveal back graphics or add a glow of light.

It’s all about capturing the essence of the artist and emotion at your show.

Urban fabric graphics-

Sometimes you want your show to convey an urban edge. Nitty Gritty, concrete and steel, graffiti and decay. Attitude! I recently designed just such a graphic for a touring band. Using several concrete photographic assets, I created a 40′ wall that looked like it was straight out of south Detroit.

We added the band name in chipped paint like it had seen seven years of rain and snow. The thing that I think would put it over the top would be to have custom cut graffiti letters sewn to sharks tooth scrim and drop down over the wall like the logo and wall had been tagged.

The power of the progressive unveil. Something to think about when planning your show.

Digitally Speaking

Creating graphics the size of a building can be an intimidating prospect for some people. I deal with the issues of proper files set up all day. Questions like “should the art be vector or raster, what resolution do I need to provide and so on come up every day. I’ve found, over the last few months, that if you provide your artwork as a .tif file with an end resolution of at least 75 ppi, you should be golden. Most artwork doesn’t need more than that. If you are doing something complex in Illustrator, I find that it’s the file rips and works better if you rasterize your art before you send it to us. In other words, give us a .tif file. For the most part, a .tif is the least complex of digital files from a data standpoint and the simplicity rips and prints much easier. You can call me if you are in doubt but for the most part, this is the case.

Sharkstooth Scrim with a twist.

Sharkstooth Scrim is one of those fabrics that is so versatile and fun to work with from a creative stand point. When properly lit from the front, Sharstooth appears to be opaque and when the front lighting is turned off and it is back lit properly, you can create stunning lighting affects that can be viewed right through the material. One thing you might want to consider is combining custom cut pieces of digitally printed opaque material with the sharkstooth. This will in effect give your design an incredible dimensional quality creating eye catching shapes, shadows that add to the wow factor of your show.

Important color

Sometimes getting a particular color is very important. Most people who deal with printing on a regular basis or that are in control of their corporate logo I.D. are familiar with the PMS or Pantone Matching System. What some of you might not know is that Pantone has several books in what I call its ”Bible” to help you dial in just the color you are looking for. The one book I go to on a regular basis is the Pantone to CMYK conversion book.

Some people think just because you assign a Pantone color in Photoshop it will automatically print that Pantone color on press. Actually, if you want to give your logo the best chance of printing correctly, get a conversion book, look up your desired pantone color and dial it in by the numbers based on what pantone conversion book tells you.

Architecturally speaking (Creative Juice)

Something that is often overlooked today when in the throws of the creative process is the use and/or influence of architecture. I am lucky enough to have lived near Detroit for the last twenty plus years. I know to the rest of the world Detroit has a less than desirable status but I can tell you the people are great and the old architecture is second to none from a creative standpoint.

My point here is to take a look around you at the architecture near you. It’s often overlooked or taken for granted yet it standsthere in all its glory and history, either grand and opulent or rundown, burned out and beaten down, you can find beauty and creative juice right in front of you if you look.

Take a look at the backdrop we did for Flogging Molly for example. A grand old building in Detroit with busted windows makes an awesome digitally printed backdrop. (http://www.sewwhatinc.com/graphic_design.php)

What is Steampunk? (Creative Juice)

According to Wikipedia, “It involves a setting where steam power is still widely used- usually Victorian era Britain- that incorporates elements of either science fiction or fantasy.” Many times you’ll see the use of futuristic machines made of brass and copper, dials and gauges and cogs that make the impossible seem likely or at least somewhat possible.

I bring it up today because I think the fantasy quality of it allows for amazing creative opportunities in a stage setting. The use of printed backdrops on a grand scale with real world brass, dials and gauges on your stage can make your audience gape in awe of your next production. Just some creative juice if you’re struggling. (see header graphics here for an example- http://www.sewwhatinc.com/graphic_design.php  

Image resolution and quality

It’s the time of year when Holiday shows are ramping up. Sets are being developed, designed and produced. I’ve worked on a couple of shows lately creating winter downtown areas complete with decorations like ribbons, wreaths, decorated trees and the like using supplied photographic assets. The one thing I’ve run into lately that I felt some people needed help with is understanding the importance of starting any design project with the highest quality imagery you can get your hands on. If you’re creating the design in house using photographic assets and assembling them to create a desired look, it will help you in the long run if you either shoot or have shot the desired photos. You can also use a stock photo house that sells royalty free high res images. Some photo houses now allow you to download up to 25 images a day for a nominal cost. Resolution, quality and image size add up to a better quality printed piece from us, and will enhance the production quality of your show.