Sicario

“You will not survive here. You are not a wolf, and this is a land of wolves now.”

March 2021

24x36” Screen printed poster inspired by Denis Villeneuve’s Sicario. Written by Taylor Sheridan.

Client: Private Commission.
Printers: Lady Lazarus
Colour Separations: Saniose.

Synopsis: An idealistic FBI agent (Emily Blunt) is assigned to work a dangerous stretch of the US-Mexico border by her superior officer (Josh Brolin). She's exposed to the brutality of the Mexican drug cartel, and becomes partners with a defector from the cartel (Benicio Del Toro) who possesses keen knowledge about the organization. As she gets deeper into the ruthlessness and corruption surrounding the FBI sting to find the organizations leaders, her moral and professional boundaries are pushed to their breaking point.

In Mexico, Sicario means Hitman.

9 x Colour Screen Print on 100# Cougar White paper.

Creative Process.

Sicario explores the concept of character morals and those willing to stretch these boundaries for a cause. For this reason the posters composition is split down the centre line. Those who cross the moral line side on the right (Brolin + CIA) and those who keep the moral line secured side on the left (Kaluuya + FBI). However those on the centre line have their morals changed by the borders they need to cross (Blunt + Del Toro).

Both Alejandro Gillick (Benicio Del Toro) and Kate Mercer (Emily Blunt), have their characters altered because of life events thrown their way. Alejandro, a former Mexican prosecutor turned assassin and Mercer, an FBI agent forced to push her moral and professional boundaries to the limit.

It was important to convey that internal character conflict by having their placement be on the centre line. Indicating Kate’s struggle to conform and Alejandro’s acceptance to turn from once prosecutor to now sicario.

The dessert colour pallet is inspired by that of the engagement at the climax of the film, also seen in the iconic silhouette shot on the poster captured by renowned cinematographer Rodger Deakins. It also relates to the themes of conflict, morals and light v dark in which the design of the poster is based on.

Created using Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom on a Wacom Cintiq.

Portraiture is some of the most difficult yet rewarding sections of a poster to paint. The entire aim is to capture that characters personality in a flat image. This can be conveyed in expression or applied colour theory. Mostly all portraiture is painted on as minimal layers as possible, similar to a fine art approach. Mistakes are not erased but worked over, adding character to the digital strokes.

Sketch to Final.

Not all references work the same! The Josh Brolin reference and background scene were completely altered during the development stages of this piece.

Brolin was switched to a reference matching more the dessert colour pallet being applied to the art. It was also important to paint his full likeness and not have it obscured with his shades.

The background scene was also removed in favour of an aerial shot from the drone at the climax of the movie. The b/w pallet helped contrast the tan creams, reinforcing the concept of conflicting morals both present in the poster and film.