“Music sounds so much better when you listen to it outdoors, surrounded by trees,” says Asuka Watanabe. The Toyko–based designer and illustrator, who grew to love nature as a kid on her parents’ mushroom farm, has been a fan of al fresco festivals since attending her first one as a teen. Going to all-day (and all-night) house, techno, and electronic shows surrounded by the elements and her closest pals became a favorite pastime. “It’s such a special experience with friends and family — people I love.”
This year, of course, has been different: “2020 has been so bad for the music industry, and for those who love live music,” she says of the global pandemic that has cancelled so many plans. In lieu of going to any performances, Watanabe instead channeled the bright spirit of those IRL gigs into a poster, made with Adobe Illustrator on the iPad, for an imaginary festival.
Here, she explains how to capture dynamic sonic vibes in a compelling visual format. As told to Jordan Kushins.
Come up with your concept.
My style is very geometric and abstract, but it’s still very playful, uplifting, exciting, and a little edgy — which is how I feel a music festival should be. For this poster, I started with pen and paper sketches. Generally, I just use these for reference, and for this project, I didn’t follow them too closely at all.
Because I was a newbie to Illustrator on the iPad — I usually work on desktop programs like Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop — I then spent some time experimenting with the app, making and arranging simple forms with the Pen and Shape tools. I was so surprised at how easy it is to draw on the tablet. I’m usually too distracted to work at home, so I enjoy being able to work anywhere, like a cafe or park.
Made with Illustrator on the iPad.
Refine your composition.
I sarcastically called the festival “Stay Home 2020,” and initially included the title on the poster but eventually decided to take it off.
The composition was centered around a focal point — an eye — which represents people gathering together. I used perspective to make it look like a road leading to the destination, with an arched “gate” to welcome everyone in. Even though the illustration is very flat, it has a sense of depth.
Normally festivals can last 24 hours or more, through daytime and nighttime, so I included the sun and some planets. Lastly, I added botanical elements like leaves in the foreground.
Made with Illustrator on the iPad.
Liven things up with color.
I picked the dark colors first, and then the brighter, more cheerful colors, like pink, orange, green, and blue. I had to consider the balance between them to get the right contrast.
Add the final touches.
I finished on my laptop, aligning details in Illustrator, and adding some little effects in Photoshop. I hope whoever sees the poster would want to go join the festival.
Check out more from Asuka Watanabe on Behance and Instagram.
See more inspiring articles about Illustrator on the iPad.
Header image made with Adobe Illustrator on the iPad.
