As a “Passion Project” in my Capstone Design class, we had the option to work on anything we wanted. As an Upstate NYer, I had seen that New York State came out with 10 “regional” vanity license plates. However, I wasn’t satisfied with most of the designs, and I felt that this would be a great opportunity to improve my skills in digital illustration.
I began by researching the different regions of New York State, and assigning a specific location or scene to illustrate.
Each regions corresponding location:
Western NY - Niagara Falls; Capital Region - Empire State Plaza; Finger Lakes - Finger Lakes; North Country - Adirondacks + Thousand Islands; Southern Tier - Binghamton Confluence; Central NY - Mohawk Niagara Building; Mohawk Valley - Pixley Falls; Mid-Hudson - Walkway over the Hudson; Long Island - Montauk Point; NYC - NYC Skyline; Statue of Liberty
Each location showcases a unique aspect of the region. I began making sketches for potential designs.
I then tried to create outlined illustrations with a thick stroke, scanning these into illustrator, and filling with color. Some of these I felt were very strong, but others I couldn’t seem to get right.
From here, I ultimately decided to switch the type of illustrations I was doing. I made more detailed sketches, and from there I digitally recreated them with flat vector fills.
Ultimately, I’m happy with the way this project turned out. I struggled with different styles of illustration, but overcame these obstacles and made a cohesive series that I would be proud to see on the road.