Sleek Black Backgrounds and Unappealing Earth Tones

I love this poster which is a part of the green campaign. Obviously, the campaign promotes being environmentally friendly.

This poster works for a few reasons. There is a decent amount of blank space. The poster is simple, and not cluttered. It is straightforward and right to the point.

The headline is catchy and creative, as is the visual. The only color in the poster comes from the two big globes which are cleverly used as the bike wheels.

I am a fan of black backgrounds. I think, with the right choice of color placed on top, they make type and visuals stand out. They are simple, and draw your eye in to either the bright white, or the color wherever it may be. I also think that a black background adds a dramatic effect to a poster, which is fitting for this poster.

Another poster I love happens to also have a black background. Again, the black background really grabs my attention if created correctly and used with the right colors.

Once again, this poster is visually appealing and has a creative headline. The designer of this poster thought of a catchy headline, “What’s your identity?” and then made the question mark very large, filling it in with a person multiple times in various bright colors.

The colors chosen for this poster work very well together. The “What’s your” is a neutral color. The “identity” is a bright magenta which is highlighted throughout the question mark as one of the chosen colors for the person. The same color is used again for the website at the bottom. The other colors chosen for the people in the question mark are bright colors consisting of warm and cool colors. Although they vary and are from different parts of the color wheel, they still work together nicely.

The “Hope Markets” poster is terrible. To begin, I don’t quite understand the headline. It says Hope Markets clearly, but then what is the “street” and “design?” I don’t think these words fit well where they were placed. Is it meant to read “Hope Street,” “Design Markets,” as two separate phrases?

Aside from the unclear headline, which is also in a type I don’t think is visually appealing, the colors of the poster are awful. They are all very dull and toned down colors. They are earthy tones, and it sets of a kind of disgusting feel for the whole poster. There isn’t a hint of an attractive, bright, or non-earthy tone color in the poster, which I think is a mistake. This is especially misleading for this poster because it is a poster for Art markets, which makes me think the poster should be especially attractive and pretty. In my opinion, a hint of a pretty, warm and eye-appealing color would have helped. Instead, it is grotesque. I think it is totally unattractive and I wouldn’t want to go to these markets.

In addition to the poor choice in colors, I don’t like the visual. It is creepy and doesn’t send the right message. It offers no insight or hint as to what exactly might be found in these markets. When I look at this visual it reminds me of a gross tattoo and almost looks like an ad for a tattoo parlor.

Think Different. Be Stupid. And Don’t See “The Romantics.”

This first poster/ad is one of my favorites of all time. Luckily it makes great use of the color wheel … because it is one! This unique look with a simple “YUM.” under it is very appealing, especially with its large amount of white space.

This poster/ad also works because during this time, the Apple iMac was the only computer that dared to be different in its look. All other computers preceding this were beige.

The vibrance and intensity of colors in this ad really make it appealing, the white space making them pop even more. All of these colors are bright hues (magenta, orange, cyan, green, and purple) that all make for a successful showcase of this product’s differentiation.

Even though this ad uses five colors to showcase itself, it works in that they all compliment one another successfully. Their equal intensities draw the eye in perfectly to the viewer’s color of choice, as well as the overall scheme.

The next ad by Diesel uses colors that have recently become popular together within these last few years – black and pink. I believe this monochromatic scheme works great together. The boldness of the black mixed with the bold pink font compliment one another nicely.

This entire “Be Stupid” campaign made by Diesel makes very effective use of complimentary colors. It uses nearly every color in the color wheel in its fonts included in the Be Stupid ads, but uses the same font for a cohesive feel.

Another reason this poster works is for its simplistic approach. It is staying true to Diesel’s brand of brash and outlandish behavior without going overboard. In my opinion, this ad works great without even showing off their clothing line. The slogan included in the ad is enough.

Diesel’s use of one “pop” color worked 1000X more than “The Romantics” movie poster. What is this purple color!? It doesn’t even pull colors out of the photos to accentuate them. It actually does a fine job of stealing all attention away from the photos and information, and not in a good way.

Whereas Diesel and Apple made great use of white space, this poster, in the words of Bridget, fails miserably! It is crammed with too much information, too large of photos, and the ugliest purple color I’ve ever seen.

The intensity of this purple does nothing for the poster. No colors even close to its spectrum, compliments, or anything is shown on this poster. I think the use of a lime green or intense orange (and white instead of black for the background) would’ve helped to make it pop in an acceptable way.

Think Different. Be Stupid. And Don’t See “The Romantics.” Those are the messages I am getting from these posters/ads. Two work amazingly. One “fails miserably.”

Blog Assignment #6

This week we will be discussing the use of color in your poster designs.  In design color is a very important element, it can either make or break your overall design depending on how the colors interact with each other and the rest of the design.  If you have an awkward color it will make your design flop.

To better understand how color effects the viewer and how to successfully use color in your designs there are some basics you must first learn…

1) I’m sure you have all seen the color wheel, but if you do not fully understand why red and green are complimentary colors and what that means check it out.

2) There are three major properties of color, hue, saturation, and value, that effect the mood of the color and should be considered when you are choosing colors for your design.

3) When you combine different colors you are creating a color scheme.  This is one area where color can become difficult.  It is easy to make your colors work when you are only using one, but the more you add the more you have to pay attention to how they work together.  For ideas of good color schemes check out the latest color trends and palettes.

Now once you feel you understand the above aspects of color I want you to find three examples of color use in poster design, two of which you feel are successful and one you feel fails miserably. (three all together!)

I want you to post all three examples, compare and contrast what works in them and how they utilize color using the design vocab we are learning in class.

Be critical and concise with your argument look at how color effects every aspect of the design, from overall feel to type and visuals.

Hint: when looking for two good examples try to find one that uses only one color and one that works with a definite color scheme, it will give you more things to talk about.

Floaty skirt, curvy letters

When I looked at this poster I immediately noticed the hectic, overcrowded look of all of the images and copy.  My eyes were confused at where the focus of the design was.  Seeing that I am unfamiliar with this poster, I am unsure of what the event even is.  To improve the poster, I would try to focus on only a few key images rather than overcrowding the background with the silhouette of the man, woman, and the shadowed crowd.  I also would take away one of the headlines and minimize the headline.

I do, however, love the vintage look of the poster.  The colors, as others have mentioned, are very appealing because they are soft and warm.  This 50’s look is very soothing.  I think the greatest thing about this poster is the way the curves of the woman’s skirt complement the soft, wavy sans serif typography in the top right of the page.

I do not think this design hold’s relevance because now people are looking for white space.  They look to create a clear message, rather than throw many ideas together in one.  The digital age that we are in now is all about being clean cut and out of the box.

I do not think this poster could be replicated by a computer because of the coloring in the background.  The way the letters bleed into the background give the poster it’s soft, flirty look.  Although computers nowadays are great with creating shapes, distorting images, and developing the perfect shade of color, there are some downfalls that come with the use of all the technology.  The charm of the old time designs will always be best when done by hand.

A new definition for ‘retro’

When I first look at the poster I am surprised that it is Moulin Rouge because the colors seem to be so dull.  The is the main principle that I would change in this poster; update it with the red and black motif that Moulin Rouge is now known for.  The figures in the poster and the type definitely appear dated because of the lack of crisp definition, but in a way I think that it works for a production such as Moulin Rouge.  Today when many younger people think of this production they think of the recent movie that was created which is all glitz and glamour and special effects; this poster is reminiscent of what Moulin Rouge originally was, it is authentic.

As far as this poster’s relevance in the digital world goes I think it still is significant.  Yes, any designer that looks at the poster will see that it is old and not a digital production, but many designers today strive to get this old-fashioned ‘retro’ look, if you will.  This is a very fun and free style without definite symmetry or clarity, it is raw and I think that many designers can appreciate such a work of art.  If this poster was recreated by a computer I don’t think it would have the same effect.  Computers would make it too perfect.  Each letter would be the same font, evenly weighted and with the same stroke width.  I could never be quite as natural, just as recreating an antique piece of furniture would never have quite the same charm.

Le Beau Paris

I like the design of this poster because it reinforces the cache of the Moulin Rouge. In fact, Moulin Rouge is written on the poster four times to make sure you remember the name. There is a picture of a woman flipping her skirt and a ringmaster-like man in the foreground. These give you the idea of the Moulin Rouge without showing naked women. Instead of leaving white space between the woman and the writing at the top, de Toulous-Lautrec put the silhouettes of people. There is no question that the Moulin Rouge is a spectacle. The colors he chose are muted, possible because of lack of technology. The strongest colors are the yellow and the black. He has lighter red and yellow tones in the background as well. This palate obviously is warm and therefore comes forward, but more than that, it makes the poster seem less imposing than it might be given the ostentatious nature of the Moulin Rouge. I think the yellow lights make the poster much more abstract, and, in my opinion, detract from its directness.

I think this design is still relevant today, simply because it is representative of the past and France. A similar poster is Le Chat Noir, which has colors like this one and gives a feel of a time long-gone in Paris. There is something sophisticated and unattainable about being french at this time.

If this design were replicated on a computer it would not have the same effect simply because the inconsistencies would not be there. While an almost exact replica could be done on the computer, the fold in the middle and the color discrepency by the word “bal” in the top right would be inauthentic.

Effective, but not my cup of tea.

I have to say, I love vintage but I definitely don’t love this poster. While I have a great appreciation for manmade art ( I work in an art gallery) I sometimes believe creativity can hurt clarity. The yellow blobs on the page don’t seem to have any relevance. Perhaps they are supposed to be lights? That’s the only thing I could picture them being and even so I think they clutter the page and take away from the rest of the graphics.

That said, I do think that the typography is a work of art. The large M catches your eye right away and the repetitive headline of Moulin Rouge is very effective in setting the overall mood of the poster and grabs the viewer’s attention. The type continuing down the page is also very effective in creating the atmosphere of the poster and the subject it is advertising. I love how he tied in his word mark. You barely notice it and yet it is very creative almost proving that he is an artist and he knows what he’s doing. The other portion of the poster I believe is very successful is how he uses the warm colors with the bold black type and crowd.

If I were to redesign this poster I would definitely take away the yellow blobs. The other thing I would change would be the dancer and strange man. I don’t like the dancer’s expression nor the position in which she is dancing I find it strange and it takes away my attention from the rest of the poster. I believe the man could be much more mysterious. He is obviously supposed to grab our attention based on his placement and texture/transparency. I think he could have been portrayed much more mysteriously had he been the black and maybe the crowd had been gray. As to not lose the details I would still include them with the thin gray lines.

I believe this poster still holds relevance, as many designers strive to produce hand drawn images on computers hoping they will have the same effect as this poster. Vintage is also very much appreciated in our culture. Although, it would not be able to compete as well as other posters that the consumer is expecting to find. However, I believe this poster would lose relevance if it were on the computer and would not have the same effect or feel. I think you can do great things with texture and graphics on a computer but computer graphics are a different category of art than this poster. Many may even think of this poster as art instead of looking at it directly as a design. Graphics may come very close and would still follow the same techniques of the rule of thirds and eyelines as seen in this poster.

Overall I believe this poster is a work of art and while it is vintage I don’t believe we would categorize it as a poster because we expect more clarity in design.

Moulin Rouge: Vintage and Classic

I really enjoy the aged look of this poster. I like how Henri de Toulous-Lautrec used yellow as the background color and red for the type. It really makes the words stand out in front of the yellow background. I also like the way Lautrec made the “M” in “Moulin” stretch because it makes the viewer’s eyes go straight to the words “Moulin Rouge”, which is what the poster is advertising so that is the best place for the viewers eyes to go first. The repetition of “Moulin Rouge” makes the name stick in the viewer’s head and is definitely a clever technique to make sure the public viewing the poster knows what it is definitely about. The repeated type of the title is stacked neatly on top of each other as well, making it visually pleasing. One thing I don’t particularly like about the poster are the images. They just don’t really jump out at me and appear somewhat dull.

I don’t really think the poster would be relevant today because it is very dated looking. If it were on a wall next to other vibrant posters, created with the amazing digital technology that is available to designers today, it wouldn’t directly jump out because it doesn’t look very modern. If the design were replicated on a computer it definitely wouldn’t have the same effect on the viewer. Using the technology available today would help make the poster more modern, but the aged and vintage look of the poster, which I think make it most appealing, would most likely be ruined.

Art vs. Design

I find this poster very visually appealing. It might be that I am comparing it to many of the modern (computer designed) posters I have seen, but I believe this poster is much more interesting because it was hand drawn. As others have stated, there is not all that much white space used on this poster, but I think the “clutter” of this poster really works. I think the mix of the visual and the text used are perfect for this poster. There is only one thing I would change about this poster if I could, and that would be the color. I would want to make the redish-orange color a deeper red, in the hopes to really grab the audience’s attention.

Two answer the two questions, “Does this type of design still hold relevance in today’s digital age? Why or why not? and If this design were replicated by a computer would it have the same feel/effect on the viewer?” my answer would have to be yes and no. Yes, this type of design still holds relevance in today’s digital age, and no, if the design were to be replicated by a computer it would not have the same feel/effect on the viewer.

In today’s digital age, a design like this works because it stands out as different. You notice the poster as a true art form, rather than just a piece of paper informing you of something. The beauty of a hand draw design really stands out. I don’t even think this design could be replicated but a computer design because it would really make the poster so different than what it should be. It would not have the same feel or effect because a computer design would make the poster too modern for what it is suppose to be. All in all this is a beautiful hand drawn poster, and no matter how old it may be this poster will always be relevant.

Moulin Rouge: Appreciate the Authenticity

There is definitely a clear visual hierarchy in this poster.  As we have learned time and time again, red comes forward as black recedes.  The red “Moulin Rouge” immediately comes forward and lets the reader know the purpose of this advertisement.  The repetition of the title only enhances this effect.  I also like how the red is used as a gestalt in the woman’s dress and in some text throughout the page.  After the viewer reads the title, their eye go to the black text to the right which tells you what you need to know about the Moulin Rouge: there are nightly dances.  If the viewer only glanced at this picture they would still probably be able to pick up on these important details.

If they continued to look, however, the reader would next see the graphics and the faded fonts which tell us about the masquerade dances on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The poster is advertising nightly dancing at the Moulin Rouge.  Although I think the poster is visually appealing, I do not think it sends the message “come dance and have fun.”  The gray silhouette shows a seemingly uninterested man with his eyes closed- not acknowledging the girl dancing next to him.  The dancing girl’s face is also bland.  In addition to this, the colors are not bright or flashy like one might expect from a nightclub advertisement.

On the other hand, the colors do make the poster appear more old-fashioned or vintage.  The fact that it was made by hand, even the typefaces, increases the authentic appeal.  Even in today’s digital age I believe we, as a culture, still have an appreciation for authenticity.  As much as I love to believe that computers can do everything, I think the effect of this poster would be much different if it were to be translated onto the screen.