Taking inspiration from Alan Levine’s calling card for Bullitt, I also wanted a card people could turn to when they’re in trouble.
I got the still from the film, then found the kanji for “samurai” and made sure the phone number was in Tokyo/Osaka format. Created in GIMP, using the color from one man’s kimono as the background color.
There’s a lot that I like about this. The proportions of the gray sidebar have a certain feng shui, and the centered text gives it a classic feel, both of which are fitting for the subject. Pulling the color from the kimono was a good move too – something other than gray would have detracted from the image. And the way the sky is open on the top and left gives it a feeling of spaciousness. Good design work!