the graphic imperative

DESIGNER AS AUTHORVISC 402 | FALL 2012PATRICK DOOLEY

THE GRAPHIC IMPERATIVEPROCESS WORKJORDAN KEY

01. RESEARCH MATERIALSPROJECT ASSIGNMENT

ASSIGNMENT

The Graphic Imperative | International Posters for Peace, Social Justice, and the Environment, 1965-2005 Spencer Museum of Art, September 5 – November 30, 2009

“The poster is the prime field for experimenting with visual language. It is the scene of changing ideas and aesthetics, of cultural, social, and political events.” -PIERRE BERNARD, FRENCH DESIGNER, GRAPUS

Our first project of the semester will be to create advocacy posters in conjunction with the Spencer Museum of Art exhibition – The Graphic Imperative: International Posters for Peace, Social Justice, and the Environment, 1965-2005. The Graphic Imperative is a select retrospective of forty years of international sociopolitical posters. Themes include dissent, liberation, racism, sexism, human rights, civil rights, environmental and health concerns, AIDS, war, literacy, and tolerance, and collectively provide a glimpse into an age of profound change. The 111 posters in this exhibition emphasize the issues of our turbulent times and endeavor to show the social, political, and aesthetic concerns of many cultures and divergent political realities.

Our project will entail the design of a pair of advocay postes – one using type and image and the other using type as image. You will be able to pick 1) the issue/message of the poster, 2) the actual advocacy group that would sponsor the message, and 3) the targeted audience that it seeks to address.

FOCUS ON FOUR PARTS:1. Broad issue2. Organization3. Problem to be solved4. Call to action

Project Assignment

Why are advocacy posters still around today? ‘Ode to Ink Saturated Paper’ and ‘Why the Poster in the Internet Age’ bring valid points and arguments to the table. Steven Heller and Carol A. Wells take a look at the art form that is advocacy posters and shares their point of view on how they are still alive today. Carol A. Wells focused in on the poster as a teaching and inspirational tool. Looking back over time Wells noticed that political graphics have had a leading role in many revolutions and protests through out history and across the world. Wells poses the question why posters if we have the internet a paperless poster. She made the argument that the internet will never become the complete source for political graphics until everyone has internet access or a computer. There are many way that the internet has improved protests or spread the word for different organizations, but it has not become the only way of getting the word out. Wells believes that posters will continue to be an international way of protesting for something you believe in for quite a while, do to the ‘digital divide’. Steven Heller focuses more on his idea that posters can be weapons. He states that advocacy posters are “designed to inform and illuminate, stimulate and inspire, agitate and attack.” Heller also believes that the message you are trying to convey should be clear and passionate. Something that will stick out in the viewers mind and be remembered. The tactile quality of a printed poster also lends itself well to being placed on visible surfaces and having lasting power. Heller also addresses posters and their online presents. Although it can be a very fast and effective way of getting your political graphics out there, it might not have the same presents. It is easier for people to overlook a poster if it is in a screen. Above all thought Heller sees a poster as the form the serves the function. Looking at the themes that appeared in these essays I really gravitated toward the idea of posters being a way to document history and larger movements of people. I think that the idea that a poster can be a weapon is very valid as long as it is very well designed. I think that there are very passionate people out there that do not truly know how to design and there are designers out there that do not have any passion in anything. I am a believer in clean simple design. I also agree with both Wells and Heller that the internet will never completely take over for posters. I personally like collecting different types of posters. I also can see Wells point that it will never fully take over due to lack of computers in some areas of the world. But I think the one theme that stuck out to me the most comes from Heller, that simplicity will always be more effective. Simplicity and passion together are a deadly combination.

Essay Analysis

01. RESEARCH MATERIALSPHASE ONE

GrapusPeaceWorld PeaceThe typography and images used in this poster are very raw. Typography is very minimal but is strong and powerful. The rotating pattern of type around the edges of the poster lend to the idea of peace needing to come from all sides. The image depicts the Earth regurgitating weapons as if the world is say that it does not want those items in its system. I think this a very straight forward and effective. This poster does not have a set headline. There are four places to look but they ultimately say the same thing Peace. This single word is a great intro to the image in the center of the poster I think this poster gets across its ideas with very little. The simplicity is fantastic! However, I do think there could have been a better way of representing the headline. Although the differing languages are interesting they are some what confusing especially with them all going in different directions.

Parisa Tashakori Create a blue sky for our childrenChildren are the world’s most innocent of creatures.The typography used on this poster is very subtle. There does not seem to be a headline on this poster till you take a closer look. The image speaks so strongly for itself. The idea of knitting sky is quite interesting. Creating something or making something some what permanent. I think that this effectively tells a story and delivers the message, that a blue sky needs to preserved for the children. The simple text at the top of the poster is a part of the design. It does not just sit on top it becomes part of the image. This poster is effective at getting your attention fast. I was really intrigued as to why there was a poster with a scarf on it. I don’t know how effective the headline is. This poster makes sense when you know what it is about but without the small headline I don’t think it would have been as successful.

Poster Analysis


Ester HernandezSun Maid IIPesticides have contaminated the water supplies in the center of raisin-raising territory. The image and coloring and typography are based on the Sun Maid raisin packaging. The skeleton is a theme seen in a lot of Mexican art work. These two combined together is an eye catching and startling take on something that is so recognizable to the viewer. The headline is fantastic. I think this is probably one of the best headlines out of all the posters. It is something so familiar but changed enough to catch the readers attention. The use of typefaces and color to mimic Sun Maid is spot on. I really love this poster and have a hard time figuring out what I might change. I feel like it does its job effectively. I would think about maybe showcasing the pesticide part of the problem more. But they do have that listed at the bottom of the poster as well. Over all I think this might be my favorite poster.

Lex DrewinskiHungerThe sinister nature of poverty. I almost feel like text is not needed on this poster. I feel like the image can effectively speak for itself. The difference in the two mens bodies stands out and make the difference so noticeable by showing the men in a profiled silhouette. If there had to be text I do agree that ‘Hunger’ should be the headline. It is simple and to the point just like the rest of the poster. The spacing of the headline is odd and dated. The spacing is not really needed. I don’t think that the extra text other than the headline is needed. Otherwise I think it is pretty great!

Doug Akagi & Kimberly PowellSave San Francisco BaySave the BayThe image is awesome! It is printed from a real inked bass. I think the imagery used is very spot on, especially for what they stand for. A fish as imagery for a group that wants to protect waters. They type treatment is okay. It is effect. I feel like the type at the top of the poster is too curly and girly for this cause. I like the handwritten aspect of it but not really the curls. The smaller type treatment is very nice. It does not draw attention to itself but is more informative on what is really going on.The fish works. The smaller text works. The headline text is effect but the typeface is not. I don’t mind the sloppiness of it. I just think it comes off as somewhat girly.

Klaus StaeckAnd New Life Blossoms From the RuinsConservation of nature in the time of car mania The image delivers one message, the headline is another message and the description given with the poster is another message. I think that they are all on one theme, conservation but they are some what disconnected. What is blooming from the ruins? Like I said before what is blooming from the ruins? I don’t mind the color and placement of the headline but the image and headline somewhat confuse me. Maybe it is the difference in language that creates a disconnect but I don’t quite understand what the ruins are? Although I think the juxtaposition is great and the imagery and interesting to the eye.


Surfrider Foundation is all about the protection and enjoy-ment of beaches. They are beach goers as well. They are engaged in protecting the coastlines. They want the oceans to be there for generations to come.

This organizations was founded by three people from Malibu who discovered that their favorite wave, First Point, was about to be destroyed. They worked with Municipalities until they were satisfied that their efforts to preserve that iconic wave would be successful.

Their mission is the protection and enjoyment of oceans, waves and beaches through a powerful activist network.

1. Overview of the Organization

01. RESEARCH MATERIALSPHASE TWO

Beach Access

advocacy group: Beach Access

problem: The right of beach access is constantly being chal-lenged by private property owners, developers and even sea level rise. Of course, some wealthy landowners would like to lock up slices of the coast for themselves alone. Surfrider Foundation is actively fighting for beach access in places where private property owners have cut off long-standing publicly used coastal access.

solution: Fight the courts and make public beaches com-pletely public

action: support chicago surf access, check out beachpedia,

Know Your H2O

advocacy group: Know Your H2O

problem: Clean drinking water is taken for granted, there are lots of things that can pollute our drinking water

solution: To educate people on what can pollute our water

action: Reduce, reuse and recycle to fundamentally reduce our water consumption and solve ocean pollution issues at the same time.

2. Areas of Advocacy


Ocean Ecosystems

advocacy group: Ocean Ecosystems

problem: ocean ecosystems in danger

solution: Protects and restores ocean ecosystems through a proactive approach to conservation. Our core areas of work include: Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), Offshore Drilling, Renewable Ocean Energy, and Marine Spatial Planning. action: get involved, get educated, donate to help, get con-gress involved.

Ocean Friendly Gardens

advocacy group: Ocean Friendly Gardens

problem: Urban runoff from gardens and hard surfaces is the #1 source of ocean pollution.

solution: Apply CPR to your garden - Conservation, Perme-ability and Retention. CPR can be applied to vegetable and fruit gardens, too.

action: Change gardening practices, educate people


Rise Above Plastics

advocacy group: Rise Above Plastics

problem: Most plastic pollution at sea starts out on land as litter on beaches, streets and sidewalks. Rain or overwater-ing flushes that litter through a storm drain system or directly to creeks, streams and rivers that lead to the ocean. After plastics enter the marine environment they slowly photode-grade into smaller pieces that marine life can mistake for food, sometimes with fatal results.

solution: To reduce the impacts of plastics in the marine en-vironment by raising awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution and by advocating for a reduction of single-use plastics and the recycling of all plastics.

action: 1. Choose to reuse when it comes to shopping bags and bottled water.2. Refuse single-serving packaging, excess packaging, straws and other ‘disposable’ plastics.3. Reduce everyday plastics such as sandwich bags and juice cartons by replacing them with a reusable lunch bag/box that includes a thermos.4. Bring your to-go mug with you to the coffee shop, smooth-ie shop or restaurants that let you use them. 5. Go digital! No need for plastic cds, dvds and jewel cases when you can buy your music and videos online.6. Seek out alternatives to the plastic items that you rely on.7. Recycle. If you must use plastic, try to choose #1 (PETE) or #2 (HDPE), which are the most commonly recycled plas-tics.8. Volunteer at a beach cleanup. Surfrider Foundation Chapters often hold cleanups monthly or more frequently.9. Support plastic bag bans, polystyrene foam bans and bottle recycling bills.


Male35-50College degreeMiddle Class Grew up in a plastic society but was not educated about recycling too much. They are family men. They see recycling bins around and occasionally use them when they are convenient. They do not know too much about plastics and think that they are just going to go sit in a landfill somewhere in the Midwest, not hurting anyone.

3. Target Demographic


Mark is a CPA. He lives and working in Omaha, NE. He wear what his wife buys for him, mainly Gap and Banana Repub-lic. His favorite vacation spot is the condo him and his family own in Florida. They like to go and have a leisurely time and sit on the beach all day. He like to golf and watch golf in his free time. He graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in Accounting.

He likes smooth jazz but also could listen to the Rolling Stone for the rest of his life and be content. He love watch-ing James Bond movies and secretly thinks that he is James Bond. He also like any super hero film. He like to read Sail-ing magazine because that is a hobby he would like to have even though he lives in the middle of the country.

4. Portrait


5. Visual Audit


http://www.surfrider.org/

http://www.beachapedia.org/Main_Page

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/173e88e9#/173e88e9/1

http://www.facebook.com/surfrider

https://twitter.com/surfrider

Resources


Most plastic pollution at sea starts out on land as litter on beaches, streets and sidewalks. Rain or overwatering flushes that litter through a storm drain system or directly into creeks, streams and rivers that lead to the ocean. After plastics enter the marine environment they slowly photodegrade into smaller pieces that marine life can mistake for food, sometimes with fatal results.

Surfrider Foundation is an organization that specializes in the reduction of the impacts of plastics in the marine environment. They do this by raising awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution and by advocating for a reduction of single-use plastics and the recycling of all plastics.

1. Definition of the Problem

01. RESEARCH MATERIALSPHASE THREE

Reduce - Lessen the use of somethingReuse - use again or more than onceRecycle - convert waste into reusable materialPhotodegradation - Decomposition of a compound by radiant energySafeguard - a measure, such as a law or procedure, designed to prevent something undesirable

2. To Suggest

MarineRefuseImpactAwarenessDangersPackagingDisposableReplaceBanRecoverSalvageReclaimSave

ConserveProtectRescueStop AvertCleanupAlternativesPlanetPlasticWaterOceanLifeEnvironment

PollutionGarbageLandfillLitterBeachesRemainsTrashWasteAquaticNauticalScientificOceanic


3. Text

Your trash, anothers choking hazard- Most plastic pollution at sea starts out on land as litter on beaches, streets and sidewalks and can later become food for sea creature.- Help us clean up our streets to keep our seas clear- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Litter belongs in a landfill not in lungs- After plastics enter the marine environment they slowly photodegrade into smaller pieces that marine life can mistake for food, sometimes with fatal results. - Help us raise awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution and by advocat-ing for a reduction of single-use plastics and the recycling of all plastics.- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Would you eat plastic- Most plastic pollution at sea starts out on land as litter on beaches, streets and sidewalks and can later become food for sea creature.- Help us clean up our streets to keep our seas clear- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Recycle for the life cycleChoke and croakPlastic soup isn’t tastyGot plasticPlastic its what’s for dinnerWho wants to eat plastic Nice trash canOceanic LandfillNo one wants plastic confettiSmoke don’t chokeRecycle don’t chokePlastic planetPlastic polluted planetSalvage our oceansDon’t have to be a rocket scientist to recycleRecycle even a kid can do itLife taken by trash Why would you throw plastic/trash in another persons house Would you feed your kid plastic


01. RESEARCH MATERIALSCLASS NOTES

8.21To that end our first research step is to write a paper (minimum 500 words) that analyzes the points of view of the two main essayists for The Graphic Imperative, Heller and Wells.

8.23first phase research. What were each essayist’s main points? Is there agreement or disagreement in how the views of the authors were received by you? We will also review the posters that you analyzed, in particular the one you found most effective.

ideas for my issue/company recycle sierra club deforestation save the whales gardens in cities dirty water deserted cities - factories leave aids gay rights love 146 world wildlife fund

8.28surfrider - decided on my companyhave you defined specific problems, solutions and desired audience response

8.30Review and discuss decide on a few headlines

9.4critique first round of sketches and type explorationsdirections to go in -x-ray with full tummy of plastics -symbols filter into recycle -fish pattern - work with color, smaller patterntext explorations -play with scale, weight, cut, color, texture, cropping, tensionother notes -try a frame -work on color, make a palette(aquatic)

9.6work on -get rid of “trash another choking hazard” -belly trash - get ride of it

Class Notes

type and image to type as image what is the main quality of your appeal? theme? recycle, consequences, reuse, preservation, salvation, compassion, empathy, prevention remember scale of text, does it need to be that big?

9.11intro to project two: public typography

9.13stay on trackimage -pattern - bring in dead fish in pattern, good scale, type at bottom, green title -filter fish - smaller scale fish, lot of stuff going into it, could try as a type basedtype -flow chart - good concept, really strong, extending it -polar bear - ghost bear, whole page text and make ghost bear -art piece - visually strong, needs a conceptother notes -use a grid to figure out placement of the text, type version (keep it abstract), you don’t have to go in the opposite direction of your comfort zone - you can push yourself in different ways

9.18first group of photos for public typography -movie theaters -cut it down to just theaters I can go inside of -vintage theaters

9.20other groups critique -type is kind of hard to read - type at bottom kind of just “placed” -big image - add texture overall, looks flat -some images look pixilated -put logo on all posters -two big printed out posters are the favoriteswork on the secondary type - reinforce your hierarchy

9.25image -more contrast in the two dark blues -clean up images -try the funnel, speak bubble -patrick likes the block lock up of r.r.r. -kern the title -smaller text(font size)type -scale down water bottle -get rid of white in image make it all blues -check the dark colors - test print -smaller text more legible - heavier weightother notes -check spelling -get foam core

9.27IT IS ALL DUE!01. RESEARCH MATERIALS

CLASS NOTES

02. DESIGN DEVELOPMENTTYPE STUDIES

02. DESIGN DEVELOPMENTTYPE & IMAGE

02. DESIGN DEVELOPMENTTYPE AS IMAGE

03. FINAL PROJECTCONCEPT STATEMENT

Most plastic pollution at sea starts out on land as litter on beaches, streets and sidewalks. Rain or overwatering flushes that litter through a storm drain system or directly into creeks, streams and rivers that lead to the ocean. After plastics enter the marine environment they slowly photo-degrade into smaller pieces that marine life can mistake for food, sometimes with fatal results. Surfrider Foundation is an organization that specializes in the reduction of the impacts of plastics in the marine environment. They do this by rais-ing awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution and by advocating for a reduction of single-use plastics and the recycling of all plastics.

Concept Statement

This project was more challenging than I thought. I came up with a color scheme base off of the oceanic feel. I also learned a lot about this issue and organization. I have be-come a huge advocate of recycling even thought I am no where near an ocean. I didn’t know that photodegration was a thing. This issue was challenging due to who causes and whom it effects. I had a little bit of trouble staying on mes-sage but in the end I was able to stay on message. I thought that I was still speaking to my audience in the end. I had a really hard time in the end transitioning from type and im-age to type as image. I was able to get over that. I feel like I ended this project successfully and strong.

Reflection

03. FINAL PROJECTFINAL TYPE & IMAGE

reduce. reuse. recycle.

RECYCLE FOR THE

LIFECYCLE

Most plastic pollution at sea starts out on land as litter. The waste on beaches, streets, and sidewalks can later become harmful food for sea creatures.

Help us clean up our streets to keep the seas clear.

03. FINAL PROJECTFINAL TYPE AS IMAGE

REDUCEREUSE

RECYCLE

Most plastic pollution at sea starts out on land as litter on beaches, streets, and sidewalks and can later become food for sea creatures.

Help us clean up our streets to keep our seas clear

the graphic imperative

Documents

advocacy posters

political graphics

internet age

printed poster

paperless poster

social justice

political events

internet access