DaY 29 - Au Revoir (adios)

Blog Post: Au Revoir (Adios) – A Mid-Century Goodbye

For Day 29 of my illustration project, I tackled Au Revoir (Adios) by The Front Bottoms, the opening track from Talon of the Hawk. This song is all about a breakup conversation lost in translation—one person says “Au Revoir” (French for goodbye), and the other throws back “Adios” (Spanish for goodbye), subtly implying that they both understand what’s happening but refuse to acknowledge it.

I wanted to represent this tension through a mid-century modern roadside sign—a visual nod to that fleeting moment before someone leaves. Inspired by the bold typography and neon signage of classic motels and diners, I designed the sign to feel like it belongs on a highway at sunset, marking the end of something.

The Process

This piece had an interesting evolution. I started in Adobe Fresco, sketching out the structure and layout. However, I quickly realized I needed cleaner lines and precise shapes, so I moved to Illustrator to refine the structure. After finalizing the vector work, I brought it into Photoshop for color, added riso-inspired textures, and distressed the edges for that vintage print feel.

Next time, I want to record my screen to document these transitions, as I feel there’s a lot of value in showing how each tool plays a role in the final piece.

What do you think of this approach? Let me know in the comments!