Fairy forest Print Series
For this personal project, I designed prints inspired by the whimsical and earthy aesthetics of 'forestcore' and 'fairy gardencore,' imagining the perspective of a reclusive explorer living alone in a forest.
What?
Personal Project
Category
Print Design
Year:
2020
The task
The objective of this project was to create a series of prints that captured the enchanting perspective of forest exploration through the aesthetic niche 'forest-core' and 'fairy garden-core'. The project imagined the life of a reclusive individual deeply connected to nature, scavenging the forest, making notes about mushrooms and plants, and practising holistic healing. The challenge was to visually embody this persona and their relationship with the wilderness while also thinking about appealing to these niches' market, where home decor's appeal became more mainstream during Covid.
What I did / Challenges
Researched the 'forestcore' and 'fairy gardencore' aesthetics, studying visuals, colour palettes, and symbolic imagery tied to the idea of a lonely forest explorer.
Analyzed nature photography, botanical illustrations and explored anatomy-related images for inspiration.
Focused on photo manipulation techniques in Photoshop, sourcing high-quality stock imagery and brainstorming ways to overcome limited resources.
Altered and combined images of mushrooms, plants, and forest textures to create surreal and interesting compositions.
Experimented with layering, blending modes, and textured overlays to achieve a unique composition and researched ways to manipulate images to imitate realistic preservation.
Designed with a scrapbook-inspired feel, embracing purposeful imperfections to reflect the raw and personal nature of the imagined character’s life.
Incorporated symbolic elements, such as anatomical imagery to represent the connection to holistic health.
Used scratchy overlays and worn-out textures to create prints that looked weathered.
Outcome
The project was well-received, and I sold some of the prints online, demonstrating their appeal to an audience interested in nature-inspired designs. The photo manipulation techniques and the unique scrapbook style were praised for their ability to evoke a sense of purposeful worn design and connection to nature.
Key takeaways
This project taught me how to work creatively within resource limitations and to utilise free and personal imagery effectively. I improved my Photoshop skills, particularly in layering, blending, and creating depth with texture. The process also deepened my understanding of how certain aesthetics can tell a story, helping me create visuals that resonate with a niche audience.