PROJECT
Merch Aid
The Brief
Create a piece to support the Black Lives Matter movement to raise money for the National Bail Fund Network. I wanted to create something that I would wear or hang in my home, and illustrated exactly how I felt: angry at the current state of the world, and the last 400 years of American racism and global anti-Blackness.
an image with the text: Bria Benjamin in support of The National Bail Fund Network #BlackLivesMatterWhite text on a black background. "Merch Aid connects artists with small businesses to create exclusive merch, with all profits going back to the businesses. It is currently running a special collection to benefit nonprofit organizations supporting the Black community."
My design
The art had to be no more than 14” by 14”, and use no more than 4 colors. I used the tradition of protest posters and art that came before me as inspiration. I played with bright color palettes, but ultimately wanted the woman in the art to be unmistakably Black with brown skin. Rather than my usual shadows, I used the same color for her hair, turtleneck, features and separating body parts. For the size, I wanted to take up the full space on the shirt, so she couldn’t be missed when people wore it out in the world.
Sketches of a woman with her first raised tilted at a 45 degree angle.A woman with her fist raised on a purple background with the words "WE WANT A REVOLUTION" on a white t-shirt.A framed image of a woman with her fist raised on a purple background with the words "WE WANT A REVOLUTION" on white.