The feeling of nature and togetherness

While creating my mind map, I noticed that many small dishes and ingredients trigger special feelings in me. I did not want to leave any of these elements behind, but too many individual dishes would not have been significant enough either. So I decided to create a snack plate with my most important dishes.

Singing and eating together

I had several concepts in mind for the composition. On the one hand, I wanted to convey the feeling of community and on the other hand, I also wanted to integrate the people with whom I enjoy the food. First, I decided on a bird's eye view above the »Brettl« from which several hands are eating. The second idea was more about little helpers assembling the plate (see references). Finally, I arrived at a concept that also takes the musical aspect into account. Because people often sing with guitar accompaniment during a snack in small huts. I then decided to create a kind of song page with minimalist drawings that take up the character of the simple peasant meal.

Simple but strong

While I was making sketches for the final composition, I thought a lot about the color palette. I made a few attempts, but I was not really satisfied. Then I remembered the essence of my statement:

A simple dish that gains strength by being together

Then I realized that without color, the message becomes much more meaningful. So I looked for simple line illustrations and came across Javi Aznarez (see slides 2 and 3 above). Javi illustrated, for example, the fictional magazines in Wes Anderson's last film, The French Dispatch. He worked only with the most necessary contour lines to depict the characteristic facial features of the characters.

My sketches from early stage to final concept

My final illustrations created with ink on paper

The final illustration with color correction

The illustration combines the shapes of the guitar and the wooden snackplate. Around the plate my family members hold the richly filled »Brotzeitbrettl« to symbolize the togetherness the importance of company around this dish.

On the plate itself, you can spot red currants, which I used to collect with my grandparents. Above them on the right site I placed a typical Bavarian sweet called »Auszogne« or »Schmalznudel«. It’s doe is fried like the famous Berliner (Krapfen in Bavaria). On the very top, the eyes can spot a »Semmel« (Bread roll) which I always enjoy after a hard hiking tour. On the left site, I added some usual ingredients like tomatoes, different cheese variations and pickles as well as grapes for the cheese.

Also the ladybug known as a motive on the Octobre Fest porcelain cups can’t be missed as a hidden detail! :)

A song to support the mood

I decided to put the illustration together with a song text on my double page spread. Thus my contribution gives the impression of a folk song book that one unpacks for this communal snack at the hut. The illustrated song text comes from the Archive for Bavarian Culture and is about a festive stay in a tavern.

On my final spread you find the English translation. The original text has versions in the dialect of Oberbayern and Franken.

My Fanzine spread

Other than the main illustration and the songtext, the page also contains a stone mug for beer and a Bavarian knife (Hirschfänger) that was used during a hunt back in the days. To support the musical vibe, I also added floating scores.

My informative poster

For the DDS Poster, I focused on the »Brotzeitbrettl« itself and composed it as an informative Illustration to describe my ingredients on the snackplate.