Design history poster series
Posted
Image 1 - Orthogonal poster composition. © Seth Shaw, The Ohio State University, Visual Communication Design major program alumni
Image 2 - Diagonal poster composition. © Seth Shaw, The Ohio State University, Visual Communication Design major program alumni
Image 3 - freeform poster composition. © Seth Shaw, The Ohio State University, Visual Communication Design major program alumni
| Educator/s: | Paul Nini |
|---|---|
| Institution: | Ohio State University |
| Level: | Junior, Undergraduate |
| Duration: | 5 weeks |
| Category: | Design History, Graphic Design, Print, Typography, Visual Communication |
| Filed Under: | Campaign, Design History, Four-year Program, Iteration, Poster, Printed Matter, Process, Production, Storytelling |
| Bookmark Project | |
Project Brief
Students create a series of three posters using distinct compositional approaches. The subject matter is a fictitious lecture series, "Explorations in Modern Typography," delivered by the late author Herbert Spencer, addressing the work of early modernist graphic designers.
Poster 1 - Orthogonal composition.
Poster 2 - Diagonal composition.
Poster 3 - Freeform composition.
Learning Objectives
Students achieve a working understanding of:
1) The above-listed compositional approaches.
2) Effective use of typographic hierarchy and contrast in poster design.
3) Effective integration of imagery and color in poster design.
Deliverables
Three large-scale poster designs, printed and mounted to foam-core, and project documentation.
Readings/Resources
1) Herbert Spencer - Pioneers of Modern Typography (MIT Press, 1983)
2) Philip B. Meggs, Alston W. Purvis - Meggs' History of Graphic Design (Wiley, 2016)
3) Rob Carter, Sandra Maxa, Mark Sanders, Philip B. Meggs, Ben Day - Typographic Design: Form and Communication (Wiley, 2018)
4) Carolina de Bartolo, Stephen Coles, Erik Spiekermann - Explorations in Typography (101 Editions, 2019)
Reflections
My colleagues and I have taught this assignment many times over several years, so that it works well in our typographic design coursework.
