I do try to do some research before I begin to sketch ideas.
I try to get a sense of the era, the genre, the trends of the time, the
typefaces frequently used, the colors, what was in-fashion at the time of my
subject, anything I can gather about the style.
I then try to determine what, if any, imagery I may use. An
illustration a photo, what? I think about the colors of the image and how that may
fit into the overall design. I save those images in a file on my desktop.
Next, I really try to be honest with myself about what I can
design with my current skill set. If I have a design idea that requires a level
of software expertise I currently do not have or cannot not learn relatively quickly,
I don’t try to tackle the idea. I stick with what I can do and I feel more confident
doing so.
Next, I arrange the images and then I begin to position the
text. I really just go for it. Very quickly into the design I can tell if it is
working or not and I don’t mind getting rid of it. Personally I enjoy it!
