02-28-2023, 07:04 AM
Don't let it discourage you, I think Cruptic has some good suggestions for pushing your designs further, but that doesn't mean what you've done is way off track. If we're talking about themes, the angelic double sword does have that, like I see that you even explored using the same kind of shape language as Erika like radiating pattern, crosses, pointed arches, to show holiness or divinity.
Is that information readable from the silhouette? Maybe not, but on the other hand Erika's designs are way on the other end of the spectrum. while they are very cool, some of them try to have so much thematic information baked in that it lands in the territory of being purely whimsical or fantastical, not practical. For certain projects that's perfect, and for others it would be over the top. So obviously it depends on what you're working on. Still some good ideas presented here though.
For the record, I don't think you are by any means going way outside the box. Outside the design language box would be like if the angel used a kite with sharp edges on it as a weapon and a shield at the same time... hey wait I think I might be on to something...
My 2 cents is that workshopping the practical side of things grounds designs and makes a happy blend of fantasy and reality. Like you mentioned, how is it put together, how would someone hold it, what elements does the closest functional real object have that seem important? You don't have to actually explain all these things, but thinking that way makes you make different choices than if you might have if you were focused on shapes alone. But obviously you can't do everything all at once, and exploring the shape language first seems to make sense. so maybe just file away all of these pieces of advice for the future if they seem useful.
Is that information readable from the silhouette? Maybe not, but on the other hand Erika's designs are way on the other end of the spectrum. while they are very cool, some of them try to have so much thematic information baked in that it lands in the territory of being purely whimsical or fantastical, not practical. For certain projects that's perfect, and for others it would be over the top. So obviously it depends on what you're working on. Still some good ideas presented here though.
For the record, I don't think you are by any means going way outside the box. Outside the design language box would be like if the angel used a kite with sharp edges on it as a weapon and a shield at the same time... hey wait I think I might be on to something...
My 2 cents is that workshopping the practical side of things grounds designs and makes a happy blend of fantasy and reality. Like you mentioned, how is it put together, how would someone hold it, what elements does the closest functional real object have that seem important? You don't have to actually explain all these things, but thinking that way makes you make different choices than if you might have if you were focused on shapes alone. But obviously you can't do everything all at once, and exploring the shape language first seems to make sense. so maybe just file away all of these pieces of advice for the future if they seem useful.