Natasia Martin, the designer of the 2017-2018 music mainstage promotional illustrations, kindly provided us with some insight into her creative techniques. Her approach to the design process began with listening to the repertoire for each concert, while sketching any images or words the music provoked. These inspired sketches were eventually transformed into this season’s brochure concept, where every component from the basic design to the colour palette is intentional.
Based on her initial sketches, Natasia concluded her designs needed to convey a sense of dance and movement to coincide with the theme of this season’s repertoire. Therefore, in order to portray the bold imagery she desired, she structured her designs usinggeometric shapes. By using these geometric shapes, Natasia was able to “simplify the elements she used to represent each performance”. She shared the purpose behind the simplification was to create a cohesive collection of separate illustrations that appear to be intertwined.
Natasia chose to display the playful nature of this season’s repertoire through the use of multicolored dots, which decorate her designs like “confetti”. The continuous use of these dots throughout each individual illustration functions to reinforce the imagery of dance and movement.
Lastly, these bold illustrations were devised to have a colour palette mirroring the Studio Theatre designs in order to create a sense of harmony between the two. The only exception to these identical colour schemes was Natasia’s inclusion of bright yellow in the music designs to symbolize “energy and vibrancy”.
These fantastic designs will be displayed throughout campus during the school year to help showcase the abundance of wonderful shows the 2017-2018 season has to offer!