My latest travel poster is available now, just in time for Washington D.C.'s peak bloom.
This original vintage-style travel poster was inspired by a recent trip to Northern Africa. The main composition shows the Jami’ al-Kutubiyah mosque, Marrakesh’s largest and most prominent, surrounded by palms and orange trees in the foreground. The Atlas Mountains form the backdrop. I’m proud of the detail in this piece, especially the Arabic script that forms the poster’s border.
Arabic calligraphy is truly gorgeous, and I enjoyed trying to replicate it with my Wacom tablet. I picked the chosen words and phrases carefully, mindful of their meaning and cultural importance. The repeated words are
“Morocco;” “Marrakesh;” “God, Homeland, King;” the Moroccan motto “If you glorify God, He will glorify you,” a verse from the Koran and the words that appear on the Moroccan Royal Coat of Arms.
Matt Hood
Matt Hood a freelance illustrator and publication designer. His company, Graphics Without Borders, is driven by the idea that exquisite illustration and delightful design have no boundaries. They don't stop at the state line or the date line. Now living near Frankfurt, Germany, Matt was born and raised near Kansas City, Missouri. He left the Midwest after college and has since lived and worked in Washington, D.C.; Moscow, Russia; Paris, France; and now Wiesbaden, Germany. Each new location – and cultural immersion – has informed and influenced Matt's work. His current passion project is the creation of modern versions of early-20th-century railroad posters featuring places where he has lived or traveled. He is also keen to create editorial illustrations for magazines and newspapers.