José Antonio Roda Martínez's 'Fantastic Forms' are a set of 3 laser-cut MDF characters. Martínez uses bold, primary colours; basic shapes; and satisfying symmetry to achieve a particular sense of charm in these characters. 

I love the way he has developed abstract, geometric-based illustration and created something tangible. Bringing a 3D element to my work is something I'd be keen to explore. It can often act as a nice accompaniment to printed media such as a zine or poster series.

https://joseantonioroda.com/THE-FANTASTIC-FORMS

I love this project for many reasons. One being the sense of nostalgia captured in the theme and illustrations. Another being the mix of panel layouts, double page spreads and spot-style illustrations accompanied by small amounts of text which provide context. 

Though the designs are printed in just three colours, more tones are achieved through layering. I think this provides a lovely, unified feel to the images and the consistent pallet adds to the sense of narrative.

The publication uses just two spot colours - orange and blue - yet still displays a breadth of tones and textures in the illustrations. This is definitely something I want to capture in my Authorship outcome.

After purchasing a copy and exploring it’s qualities, I was drawn in by the range of layouts and variety of images used by Schrauwen. In the centre spread he exhibits images which appear to be rough and developmental - breaking up the general flow of the narrative in an impactful and charming way.