Give two #AerieREAL girls a blank wall and a few days, and they’ll make a masterpiece! When we realized our SoHo Pop-Up was in need of a little something extra, two of our graphic designers made it happen. Most days, Nicolette and Brittany work on the beautiful Aerie designs you see in print, but this time we asked them to PAINT! They worked for two days (and nights!) straight to create an amazing, free-hand mural inspired by our Fall 2017 photoshoot.
Read on and find out how they turned their idea into a full-sized mural that shows #AerieREAL in all its beauty.
What was the inspiration behind the mural you designed?
B: The inspiration for our mural was the beautiful landscapes in Kenab, where our Fall photoshoot took place. We took inspiration from the lines, curves, tones and overall diversity of the earth’s landscape that so beautifully, and, in a way, artistically depict some of the different characteristics that make each one of us unique!
You hand painted it from start to finish! Tell us about the process.
N: Brittany and I gathered different photographs from the shoot, all including various landscapes, colors and shapes. We studied these and used them as our inspiration while we hand-drew an outline of what we were envisioning for the mural. We then scanned these onto the computer and began adding in colors inspired by the color palette of the Aerie Fall products along with colors found in nature. We matched these colors to real paint colors and once we drew the outlines on the canvas, used them to fill in all of the white space and began to see the mural come to life!
B: I have to say, this was definitely a first for me! My entire life, I had been artistically inclined and painted and drew as a hobby, however I had never painted anything larger than 18” x 24”, let alone a mural!
How is #AerieREAL reflected in your designs?
B: We incorporated the characteristics that we found in our shoot that we felt closely resembled some of the different characteristics our bodies have: different curves, different shapes, lines, stretch marks, wrinkles, freckles, tones. We truly believe that these are things that should be embraced; if they are beautiful in art and nature, then they are beautiful on our bodies.
What advice do you have for aspiring graphic designers?
N: Don’t ever hold back your creativity. Always be on the lookout for inspiration. When I visit new places and cities, I soak it all in and let it inspire my work. Design trends are never-ending, so I always make sure to do research any chance I get. It’s amazing how much you can grow as a designer with time and practice.
B: Graphic Design is a rewarding career. You can do what you love, while also communicating a positive message (such as #AerieREAL!). That being said, it can be very competitive and the best advice I could give is to stay #AerieREAL and not compare yourself to fellow graphic designers, in the same way you should never compare your body to someone’s else’s body. There will always be amazing designers. There will always be great ideas you wish you thought of. But that gives you the opportunity to admire, rather than compare. I would also advise I would give is: practice, practice, practice. The more projects that you do, the more you will develop your skills. xoxo.
Visit Nikki and Brittany’s mural IRL at 72 Spring Street now! Want to learn more about our pop-up? Read more here.