Animated Poster Illustration created by John Potter

Animated Poster Illustration: Deerfield Beach Festival of the Arts

Illustration, Design and Animation by John Potter - Escape Key Graphics

Sketch

This animated poster began as an entry for a local arts festival contest. While the design was not selected, the project evolved into a comprehensive portfolio piece that showcases my process from concept through illustration and into animation.

The concept centers on the iconic Deerfield Beach Fishing Pier. To create a distinctive perspective, I envisioned the scene from the viewpoint of a swimmer at the end of the pier, looking back toward the shore. This angle provides a dynamic, engaging composition dominated by the diagonal line of the pier pilings leading the eye to the beach and a dramatic sky. A touch of whimsy was added with a cartoon crab holding a painter's palette and brush, and a subtle self referential detail: a tiny easel on the pier holds a painting of this very scene.

The illustration was built digitally from initial sketches using Adobe Illustrator. I constructed the image with many layers, applying custom textures from my personal library to create depth in the water, wood, and clouds. The final static composition balances strong graphic shapes with detailed texture.

Following the illustration, I used this project as a technical exercise to refresh my motion graphics skills in Adobe After Effects prior to a separate client project. The layered Illustrator file allowed me to isolate and animate key elements. I focused on creating gentle, looping motions: the clouds drift, the water ripples and the crab's claw moves. This subtle animation brings the illustrated world to life, transforming the poster into a short, engaging sequence suitable for digital displays or online promotion.

This project exemplifies how a single illustrative idea can be developed across multiple formats, from a detailed vector illustration to a polished motion graphic.