Walt Disney
Role
Product Designer
User Research, Visual design
Background
Walt Disney was an American motion picture and television producer and showman, famous as a pioneer of cartoon films, including Mickey Mouse, and as the creator of the amusement parks Disneyland and Disney World.
The Process
The creating process for this collection was extensive and methodical. I started on paper and conducted research on Walt Disney. I brainstormed Ideas and then proceeded to sketch design layouts on paper. As I was researching Walt Disney, I found this striking image of him in black and white that caught my eye. I started with the original image seen below and Played around with it in photoshop. I turned the original photo into the vectorized image below.
Color Process
As I continued to edit the image in photoshop, my goal was to simplify the original image into something I could transform on another level. I definitely knew I wanted to add color to this project to make it more dynamic. I started to play with different color schemes, primarily monochromatic.
Monochromatic Color Schemes
Triadic Color Schemes
After adding color to the image, I felt like it needed more in order to add some different elements. I wanted to experiment with some more color variations so I went in a direction of triadic color schemes. The triadic color schemes add more color that I utilized in different elements in the final product.
Simplify
After further experimentation with triadic color schemes, I chose the red, yellow, and deep blue. I thought that these colors really captured the essence of Walt Disney in a pinnacle time period. After receiving feedback, I wanted to add some other elements in terms of typography and incorporating Walt Disney’s most iconic creation. Before adding the secondary elements, I felt like his suit was so strong with a pattern that I simplified it into a solid color.
I further simplified the photo in Adobe Photoshop. I solidified the original Suit to clean up the image and make it less distracting. I also wanted to take out some of the excess spots in the background to decrease distractions and make it more cohesive to add typographic elements.
Typography
I wanted the typography to be simple and eye-catching. I started by brainstorming words that captured the essence of Walt Disney and his numerous accomplishments in all the he created. I landed on the word Magic because this word is the epitome of all things Disney. Walt Disney created an empire that is created on the belief of all things in relation to the word. I experimented with numerous typographic choices, overall I wanted something that was bold and complimented the existing imagery.
Secondary Images
I also experimented with incorporating secondary images in relation to Walt Disney. Ultimately, I incorporated Walt Disney’s most popular Icon that carries huge relevance in todays society (Mickey Mouse). I also experimented with Using a silhouette of the original castle to showcase Walt Disney’s theme parks and animations as a whole.
Final Print
This is the final print. I went with a more straight forward approach so Walt Disney would be the main emphasis of the print. For the primary typography choice I used a serif font called Birch. I felt like this was a bold type that wasn’t distracting from the main imagery and still complimented the word. I also incorporated a secondary San-serif font for the word Maker.
Continued Design
After the final print I continued to use multiple Adobe products to transform the overall piece into a book cover for a Walt Disney Biography. I took pieces from the final print and redesign it into a book cover. I used a mockup to display what the different aspects book would look like from the spine, front, and back cover. I incorporated quotes from Walt Disney along with his original signature.
Book Elements
Front Cover
Back Cover
Products
Since the creation of this product, I have received a significant amount of positive feedback. The feedback inspired me to experiment further with numerous products for this design. The imagery and typography has made for some interesting product creations. Below I utilized different mockups from t-shirts, coffee mugs, and tote bags.
