While the track itself showcased the sonic talent of Collarts, the cover artwork told its own story. Created by Graphic & Digital Design student Tahu, the piece became a striking visual symbol of the project: a heart-shaped collage made up of little fragments representing the different parts that make Collarts what it is.
We spoke with Tahu about what inspired the artwork, where his creative sparks come from and what advice he has for anyone wanting a career in graphic design.
Picture above: Final artwork by Tahu for the Sound of Collarts project.
Because the Sound of Collarts song was comprised of samples essentially stitched together from the different departments of Collarts, I thought a collage of images representing those departments would be a cool way to bring it to life visually.
I played around with a few ideas for what the collage as a whole could form: a face, a speaker, and lastly a heart. I didn’t really think they’d go for the heart idea, but as is the way of the universe, that’s the one chosen!
So yeah, it’s a heart made up of all the little pieces that collectively create Collarts.
I get inspired by a pretty broad range of things - fine art fuels a lot of my visual ideas, but anything from album art to old skateboard graphics finds its way in. I just bought a great book about the studio and work of Jim Phillips - the guy who created the Screaming Hand for Santa Cruz - which has been a great read. I also love old 60s and 70s sci-fi pulp book covers. I’d say I’m unashamedly greedy when it comes to sources of inspiration.
Picture above: One of the draft 'face' concepts for the artwork by Tahu
I’ve had the chance to do some illustration in collaboration with Collarts and Melbourne Fashion Week, which was cool :) Beyond that, just having teachers with real industry experience has helped me step up my game and understand the full start-to-finish process of working with clients.
It's really great that the teachers and lecturers encourage you to get creative and let your creative inclinations or niche skills shine.
Picture above: One of the mood boards created by Tahu for the project.
The sooner you do it, the sooner you’ll have done it. I didn’t think I’d like uni because I wasn’t a fan of high school, but it’s such a different environment.
If you’re studying something you actually want to be there for, it becomes a lot more enjoyable.
Interested in bringing your design ideas to life? Discover Graphic Design at Collarts and see where a creative career could take you. You can even study Graphic Design 100% online, at your own pace.