Project Brief: Instagram Graphic Slider for Police (@politie)

Objective:
Create a graphic slider/carousel for the Instagram page of the Police (@politie) to inform and alert young people aged 17 to 29 about the dangers of a drug lab. The goal is to prepare them to recognize and respond if they encounter a similar situation in their own environment.

Thought Process:
I was enthusiastic about this project and found it challenging. The target audience, which includes people in my age group, was a good fit for me. Initially, I needed to research what a drug lab looks like since I wasn’t very familiar with it myself. I often saw news reports about drug labs, especially in Brabant’s rural areas.

I started by watching videos about drug cartels in Colombia and looked at photos of drug labs. I debated whether to create a farm-like setting, as seen in the news, or a lab in a neighborhood. From my experience (with a neighbor who was involved with drugs), I realized that people might not readily report a drug lab. Thus, I chose to depict a farm-like drug lab, as it seemed to fit the scenario better.

I selected seven colors from the ones provided and limited my design to these colors.

Process:
I began by sketching houses, as these would be the primary objects in the Instagram story. I considered whether to show an open drug lab with visible glass containers and chemicals or a normal house with subtle hints of a drug lab. I decided on a normal house because, if I were running a drug lab, I would keep it as hidden as possible.

I then worked on the text placement, ensuring readability without overloading the slides. After several hours of illustration, I created a farm scene where, in the first slide, nothing is immediately apparent. This was designed to pique curiosity, starting with a question: “How do you recognize a drug lab? Is it a farm or a house?” This question was meant to draw viewers to the second slide.

The second slide needed to cover two subjects, which was challenging. For the first point, I drew inspiration from Inspector Gadget, imagining an exaggerated “camera” coming out of the house. For the second point, I used the idea of hiding and referenced the meme of Homer Simpson disappearing into the bushes. I tend to create directly in Illustrator based on ideas rather than making multiple sketches.

Conclusion:
While I would have liked to include more details, the key question is how this project aligns with the social media channel. The style I used is universal, clear, and effectively communicates the topic. I incorporated humor (as seen in your Sinterklaas film) and adhered strictly to the seven colors provided.