How i [redesigned] the 50 Gourdes bill — a case study.
I wanted to challenge myself by redesigning one of the most popular Haitian banknotes: the 50 Gourdes bill. As a design nerd, I’ve always loved redesigning existing stuff or creating realistic vector imagery, so this was right up my alley. Right off the bat, I’m not affiliated with BRH or any financial institution in any form.
This redesign case study is for creative purpose only, it might never come out.
The Challenge
The 50 Gourdes bill is nice, with a simple but effective design that makes it easy to use. The problem is, you can’t find it online in vector format or even in good resolution. After many unsuccessful searches, I decided to scan the actual bill and do all the work myself.
Here’s what I came up with: A realistic vector image of the 50 Gourdes bill without modifying too much of its core elements.
And then… I decided to tweak it and add my creative touches!
Research & Brainstorm
Banknotes are usually designed with national heroes or remarkable people who made history; the Haitian ones aren’t different — they have heroes on one side and monumental sites on the other. The Haitian government did a pretty good job by highlighting some of their bravest heroes — so why replace them? Well just for fun! So among a lot of Haitian figures, Konpè Filo was the right fit for me. He was a humble man and true to his beliefs, a man who raised his voice during some of Haiti’s toughest times.
Pain points overview
- High resolution not available online
This is one of the most painful points for all my fellow designers out there. We’re not sure how many times we’ve found a fantastic image and then realized that it was only available at low resolution, or in a format that doesn’t work for what we need. It’s frustrating! - Lack of Haitian resources library
Poor Haitian design resources are available online. Most Haitian designers rely on alternatives whether for designing Haitian identity, flyers, social media artworks, or anything that require unique Haitian branded solutions. Finding vector formats is quite impossible.
Redesigning / Vectoring solution
I wanted to redesign some more bills, such as the 100, 500, and 1000 Gourdes bills. That would be a lot of work just for fun! For this creative work, one is ok.
Looking back on this process, I’m reminded that there’s always room for improvement. As a designer, it’s important to observe, learn, create and most importantly challenge yourself.
The only way to get better at something is by challenging yourself and pushing your boundaries.
And that’s a wrap. Thank you for reading!
