Open Studio is a weekend event at Kent State University in which design students can submit some of their best pieces to be part of a show during which fellow students, professors, and other faculty can view, appreciate, and give feedback on what students have submitted. 

This is the complete poster for the Open Studio event. The theme given for the poster design was "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly". This was an inclass assignment, given as a short-term project challenge. Included in the poster is the required text about the event, dates and times, small illustrations, and a 'timeline' made from a class design tool, the ruler. 

Intial illustrations

I chose to use light bulbs as representations of the 'good', the 'bad, and the 'ugly' ideas invited to take place in this event, since light bulbs are a classic image of ideas. 

 

Each bulb is changed in color and 'quality' to represent the ideas. The good bulb is gold and shining bright.

 

The bad bulb is burnt out, the filament broken, and instead of a bright, fiery gold, it has faded to a dull grey. It reminds me of those times when you have an idea that seems brilliant, but as you work at it, it slowly fades away, whether because you don't know how to do it yet, you don't have the time, or it just plain doesn't work. 

 

I imagined the ugly to mean the broken ideas, the projects that failed, where nothing seemed to work out, they were full of frustration, and the final project seemed like it just wanted to blow up in your face. I think every creative has felt this at some point, and for me, the best representation of this was an explosion. 

 

Therefore, this light bulb has burst under the pressure, and has gained burning color at the base that fades to grey at the top, as the project it represents burns out. 

Finally, here is another look at the final poster. 

 

I loved making this, I felt that while light bubs were not the most uniqe idea, the way I illustrated them gave them their own edge. Unfortunately, my ruler timeline came out bulkier than expected, and were I to go back and update this poster, I would work to find a better way to incorporate this concept. 

 

However, I really do love this project, and I hope you enjoy it!