What’s a blog-powered web site? Well, the LarsonCreative.net web site is one! kathy’s-art.com, themainplace.com, and villagetheatrearts.com are examples too. While they looks and act like a regular web site as seen in LarsonCreative.net blog-powered web sites take advantage of a comprehensive set of off-the-shelf, often open source tools that allow modules to be added and customized. I use design to make these interact seamlessly.
Basic Web Site Features
- Distinctly-designed home page.
- Main navigation found on every page and other elements entice visitors to explore your entire site.
- CSS-driven pages that define the color, fonts, and other design elements and gives the site a cohesive “look and feel†and brand.
What the Blog Platforms Adds:
posted by Eric Larson at 1:51 pm
The Broadway Musical, Grease presented some challenges in producing an eye popping advertisement. Like how do you make a font look like grease stains? How do you capture the theme of the show? Check it out and see if you think of Grease when you see this ad.
In this piece I originally did search lights in an “X” formation on the Grease sign logo but, then realized the search lights looked like legs with the title just below the crotch. Do ya think that was the right message? Probably not…
As much as I like the gradients used in the lenses of the search lights and the layered look of the light paths criss-crossing the Curtain Call logo I realized I needed to drop them. I think it made an improvement (check it out below). I’ve found in many cases the simpler the design the better.
I really like the pink used in the background it goes with the 50’s theme of Grease. The yellows and oranges remind me of the signs done in neon light.
These pieces was created with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.
posted by Eric Larson at 4:31 pm
A little history about the musical.
West Side Story is based loosely on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, which was, in turn, based on a narrative poem by Arthur Brooke entitled. The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet (1562).
Set on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, the musical explores the rivalry between two teenage gangs of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The young protagonist, Anton (”Tony”), who belongs to the white gang, falls in love with Maria, the sister of the leader of the rival Puerto Rican gang. The dark theme, sophisticated music, extended dance scenes, and focus on social problems marked a turning point in American musical theater. Bernstein’s score for the musical has become extremely popular; it includes “Something’s Coming”, “Maria”, “America,” “Somewhere,” “Tonight”, “Jet Song”, “I Feel Pretty”, “One Hand, One Heart”, and “Cool”.
West Side Story has always been a favorite of mine because of its musically rich score. West side story is one of those scores that bridges Broadway Theater to the Classical Performing Art Center venues. The art and imagery stand out in the Romeo and Juliet style tale.
About the artwork
I stayed very true to what is out there as far as graphic design - with color and shadowing being the only minor changes. Tools used were: adobe photoshop and illustrator
posted by Eric Larson at 11:10 am
