Act I: Exposition

I designed a symbolic and typographic poster for a theatrical production of Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare. The goal was to interpret the story’s tension, wit, and dynamic character relationships through a modern and visually compelling identity of the play. My objective was to communicate the emotional heart of the narrative while building a unified, professional design outcome that reflects my conceptual thinking, creative problem-solving, and technical ability. 

This project allowed me to explore symbolism, type hierarchy, motion, and storytelling within a single cohesive deliverable that mirrors the expectations of real-world design for theater and entertainment.

Act II: Mind Mapping & Symbols Study

Mind Mapping Process:

I started with a mind map after reading and watching the play. Using different words and combinations that reminded me of the story’s theme and symbolism helped me discover visual connections I could play on. I explored ideas related to conflict, disguise, transformation, pressure, imbalance, and contrast. This process guided me toward symbolic imagery that felt tru to the play’s emotional tone.

Symbol Capture and Vectorization:

I got the opportunity to learn how to use Adobe Capture to bring my designs from the outside world to vectorized images in Adobe Illustrator. This was definitely a learning curve because my Adobe Capture wouldn’t fully link to my Adobe software. I ended up taking the photos from Adobe Capture and the image-tracing feature to create vectorized versions in Illustrator. 

Act III: Sketching the Concept

While sketching, I explored ways to visually express the relationship between control and resistance, one of the thematic tensions of the play. I tested compositions involving intertwined shapes, constricted forms, and opposing circumstances. These sketches helped me quickly iterate through ideas and evaluate which forms could evolve into a strong symbolic mark. I looked for designs that visually communicated the push and pull dynamic of the characters while remaining simple enough to develop into a unified identity.

Act IV: Drafting Ideas

After selecting my strongest sketches, I moved into Illustrator to refine them into more structured vector forms. This digital Step allowed me to explore alignment, symmetry, and proportion. I tested adjustments in stroke contrast, genative space, and how the symbol could work alongside typography or as typography itself. These vector drafts also helped me understand which concepts held up visually at both large and small sizes. 

Act V: Reflection and Mock Ups

Throughout the critiquing process, I refined the clarity, contrast, and spacing of the symbols. I improved alignment within the composition, adjusted my type hierarchy for better legibility, and refined color values to create more of a dramatic tone contrast. I was about to adjust to strengthen the narrative clarity of the symbol and reflect the energy of the play. 

 

I used the principles of design (alignment, value contrast, balance, etc.) to make enticing and dynamic pieces that attract the audience’s attention. The final composition supports the storytelling of the play through strong symbolic meaning, strategic type hierarchy, and a cohesive visual tone.