This is an advertisement by Maybelline cosmetics in Marie Claire. I guess you can say it falls somewhere between advertising and technical illustration. It’s a fairly clever idea, show consumers how to use the products you’re trying to sell them. An interesting feature is that you can peel off the tutorial and stick it to your bathroom mirror, in case looking back and forth from the page of a magazine to a mirror is too much work for you. I don’t really wear make up all too much so I can’t say if this is helpful or not. Personally I think a make up ad is one of the last places I’d expect to find illustration, so it’s nice to see a company that usually uses photography (and let’s not forget graphic design for the heavy photo editing that is used in any given make up ad) embracing illustration. As for the illustration itself, it’s a simple black and white line drawing, only adding in color where the product is applied. It’s basic, and sticks to the point, which is good when your using an illustration to teach. It’s explanatory, and aesthetically pleasing, following the color palette of the advertised eyeshadows, liner, and mascara. This illustration does it’s job, fulling it’s purposes and pleasing the viewer. Although as far as advertising goes, it doesn’t posses me to run out and buy eyeshadow, sorry Maybelline.
This was an interesting choice to look at. I like how simple it is, and I think it's effective for advertising, especially for someone who might be looking for a different way to wear eye shadow.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about this lacking on persuasion as an advertisement.. the illustrated face looks like something out of a Barbie coloring book. But it does do a good job with instructions. Most people don't like referencing complicated/cluttered instructions, they want something really simple so they don't lose their patience and can find their answers instantly without hunting information out. So good choice, Maybelline, on your use of line drawing with minimal color to represent where the eye shadow goes.
ReplyDelete(And also nice post. I just noticed similar instructions on the back of one of my make-up cases. Yay for noticing illustration everywhere now.)
It's an interesting concept, since you're right, most cosmetic companies use photos to entice their consumer. I do like the feature that it peels off, but really, how hard is it to tape a magazine page to a mirror? I like the differences in line weight, but overall, it's not very captivating.
ReplyDeleteGood post!
ReplyDeleteYour last sentence brings up a great question for the whole class to ponder. If an illustration works well as a drawing that is pleasing to the eye, but doesn't serve its main purpose (in this case, making you want to purchase Maybelline products), can we still say that's a good illustration?
The artist was hired, ultimately, to make people want to buy Maybelline, but that didn't work here. So, what could have been done differently to make the illustration work better as an advertisement?