In March of 2021, I had the awesome privilege of working with McDonalds All American Games to create 4 custom illustrated backboards in honor of their 45th Anniversary. The final backboards were installed in inner city courts in KC, DC, IN, and IL. The experience was hands down one of the top 3 most exciting projects that I have had to opportunity to be a part of, but there were some creative/technical challenges. The illustrative style needed to be minimalistic enough to allow fluid and seamless interactive elements in AR to be engaging, and the appearances of the featured players needed to be reminiscent of, but not a 1:1 representation of, actual players who have participated in the MCDAAG games in the past. There were also large committees - that were comprised of numerous city officials, council members, and creatives - who ultimately had to consider the variegated, collective tastes and concerns of the group...and rightly so.
Here are some rejected backboard illustrations that I personally preferred over the final approved versions. As with any collaborative creative endeavor, it is inevitable that ideas will evolve and undergo numerous revisions. I often have to remind myself to lay aside my own personal tastes and predilections when creating client work...but it can be tricky when I have a tendency to get so personally invested and connected to the work I am asked to produce. It is definitely a delicate balance...one that I still have trouble figuring out.
