Assignment 3

Zine and poster

 Mind map

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 Idea generation

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 Idea
• I plan to do a zine focused on the axolotl’s facts between the generic drift
between the domestication of the axolotl due to lab testing. These facts will be
changed throughout the zine, with the ‘wild’ axolotl facts being in the first two
pages, the middle pages shows the differences that the human population has
affected the axolotl in the two difference ways, with the first captive ones being in
1864, in the last two pages showing the lab domesticated axolotls and their effect
in medication. In the poster it shows both axolotls reaching for each other. The
flowers that surround the axolotls are an integral part of the design as the
axolotl’s lake, in Mexico city is renowned for flowers, which I ended taking into the
design, and the domesticated axolotl’s flowers are all native to northern France, as
that was the original place of the first set of experimented axolotls. I ended up
wanting to have a water colour style for the axolotl, in contrast the vector style
flowers which give it a nice colour. My main message in the design shows the
great impact that humans have on axolotl and their population
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 Audience
• My audience would be alternative artsy people or the elder
generation due to the mix in styles which appeals to the art scene.
With the elder generation floral designs are rather popular, as
doing a survey with a few people, it the final design does feel like
grandparents' interior design. These facts can also be appeal to
both demographics as axolotls are a fond animal with artsy,
alternative people as they are seen to be an ‘exotic’ pet that not
the usual person would have, and with the elder generation, an
introduction for information and facts are usually liked to be read
upon.
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 References – flowers
French flowers; poppy, Lilly, tulip, iris

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 Reference – flowers
• Mexican flowers; dahlia, carnalian, azalea, gladiolus

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 inspo – axolotl designs

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 Flowers designs

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 Vector art style
• I ended up making each colour of the flowers which I can recolour and copy
across multiple pages of the zines. The flowers are drawn in procreate by
using the selection tool and gradients. I mainly used the warmer red, orange,
yellows and purple to go with the yellow backgrounds with the wild
axolotls, compared to the cooler toned of those colours to fit with the dark
blue background of the captive axolotls.
• With the axolotls I plan to use the watercolour with warm earth tones that
complement the background which contrasts the flowers. I can achieve the
watercolour effect with adobe fresco.

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 Front progression

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 Page 1 progress

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 Page 2 progress

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 Page 3-4 progress

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 Page 5 progress

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 Page 6 progress

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 Back progression

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 Poster progression

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 Progression
• Steps for each page include, backgrounds, only using gradients for the main
pages, (front, middle and poster). Then I would sketch out the design of the
axolotls, start off in adobe fresco with the watercolour brush, using a base
colour, with rendering with watercolour, by adding details on another layer,
which separates the water bleeds, and gives it some texture. With the tails I
would dry the original layer, then use an opaque water-brush which allows it
to bleed into a sheer colour which is like the actual axolotl’s tail. I would
then go in and paste the flowers from procreate and copy it across the
design, with some behind or Infront of the axolotl to give it some layers.
Then I would go over a texture tool and put it into opacity to give some
texture in the design.

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 Text used in each page

The text I used is Bondi MT, throughout the zine, I used a light pink In the dark blue
backgrounds and dark blue in light yellow backgrounds. I used the bold font. I made sure
that in each design I drew I made sure I had spaces for each text to be put in. The tone of
voice is educational and non-biased with facts being the main driving force of the purpose
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 Text said in each page;
• Page 1; Axolotls are native to Mexico city • Page 5; One white axolotl, absent of Melensile, starts
lake, Xachimilo. There are only roughly the gene drift of the species
50-100 left in the world • Page 6; due to their ability to cheat aging and being
• Page 2; Axolotls are salamanders unable able to generate growth on almost any limb, they have
to undergo metamorphosis and evolve been a popular animal for lab testing
sexually in lava state • Front ; Axolotl facts
• Page 3; The first testing of axolotls • Back ; Written and Drawn by Grace smaniotto
started in 1984 in Paris, which started
the process of change of the
domesticated Species
• Page 4; Due to extreme pollution in the
Mexican lake, this had affected Axolotls
to a critically endangered species

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 Final zine and poster

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 Final zine submission

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 Final conclusion
• I really liked doing this assignment, I wish I had more room for
experimentalising in the final print of the design, but due to the small
amount of room for the subject, I felt like It really conveyed my design ideas
well. I am proud with how the colours came out and it was exactly what I
wanted. I really wanted at the start to do it all physical watercolour and
gauche, but the digital format made the colours come out much more. I had
such a hard time with InDesign, but I felt like it a great learning curve for me,
and using a large range of platforms to create the product made it an
enjoyable and stressful experience for me. I felt like if the individuals knows
flowers, will understand the references to each flower shown in the design
for the locations that were shown throughout the zine.

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