Michael Thornton

BA Graphic Design with Photography Minor

ARTIST STATEMENT: For my project, I wanted to use my photography and graphic design skills to create 9 posters pertaining to portraiture. I wanted to utilize a studio setting to draw focus to the facial expressions of each subject while making the posters interesting and appealing with the addition of text. These posters will be made for the intention of being hung up in and around business type areas such as offices, lobbies, etc. I would also like this to be printed element in my own home studio so people can see the art in its physical form rather than just the digital form.

The reason I am taking the direction of portraiture is because I see a lot of landscape artwork and photography posted up but not a lot of portrait work. With the posters that include text, I am working and experimenting with hierarchy and trying to make it more interesting with the word placement using single words to describe the photo as well as using poems to add a bit more to each individual poster.

The process of this project included taking professional level images in a home studio a drawing visual inspiration from various social platforms including Pinterest and Instagram. Using natural post processing techniques to produce the final images, I was then able to start on the final step of the project which was add text and typography to the 9 different pieces. All the text has direct relation to the specific image and the theme overall.