Vicky Patoulioti Illustration and Visual Media After my first attempt with poster design this year I decided to invest into more exploration and experimentation of the medium. Two books that I found particularly interesting that also influenced my way of thinking are: «Angura: poster of the Japanese avant-garde» by David G. Goodman and «New Poster art» by the authors Cees de Jong, Stefanie burger and Jorre Both. In a first glance the two books seem to convey two very different approaches on poster design. The first documents posters created for experimental Japanese theatre groups during the early 1960s and 70s as well as how their style inspired other countries, while the second showcases information and examples of the last decades of the 20th century’s poster art around the world. What striked me the most about the posters of the first book is that they use lots of written information and a large variety of typographical elements which are placed vertically or horizontally or sometimes both ways on the same poster. They are placed in such way as to interact with the image and become part of the composition. It becomes clear that the composition would not work without the text. These posters are extremely detailed and it takes lots of effort to read them, understand the image and text and as a result the reason why they were made. Even though they consist of such a large variety of elements, the posters are crowded but not stuffed as it sometimes might happen. The compositions breathe easily which is attained by the skilful placement of the forms inside the poster , the «negative» space between them as well as the clever use of colour. The second book «New Poster Art» showcases a different approach on poster design. First of all, Goodman implies that there was an era before the one he describes during which «it was important to show which product or event the poster was intended to promote, by means of clear typography, simple design and plain colour use». At this point I would like to stress out my thoughts on this approach. I believe that you can interpret it in two ways and come across two different outcomes. These outcomes is possible that they have existed together given that the writer is talking about the late 20th century’s art world. On one hand it is possible that it «forced» designers to create efficient simplicity and clarity in their artworks which is a highly challenging but very rewarding task and as a result led to the development of new art forms. On the other hand, by imposing these very specific rules it might have served as an obstacle to the expression of individuality and therefore the development of poster art and art in general. Looking back at the writers statement, it feels like the advertisement and general appeal of the product or event was the main concern of the designer. This attitude is very likely to have had encouraged extreme commercialisation which is inextricably interconnected with excessive consumerism. Goodman carries on by stating that «Nowadays, it is essential to evoke a certain atmosphere and create a unique world to attract the public’s attention». The posters of the latest decades of the 20th cen. don’t follow clear trends and emotional impact is the main criterion for judging the quality of a poster design. «The poster has now become a test of artistic skill rather than an advertisement. For designers the concept can simply be an excuse for conceptual and visual experimentation». «More than ever, it has become a medium for designers seeking the limits of their autonomy in order to demonstrate their artistic talents, release valves for the need to allow personal expression to dominate over the competing marketing principles of commercial industry». The two books seem to convey two different approaches on poster art. However, they are no different at all. It is clear that both styles follow the same design principles. Both styles rely on emotional impact through interaction between text and image, background and foreground, colour and form. It seems that the term «New Poster Art» can be applied to any new poster design movement that has challenged and replaced the one before it. It is the development of the same, preexisting principles that evolve along with society in order to meet its constantly changing needs. Being familiar with art and design history and their fundamental values is vital to developing current styles as well as creating new ones. Knowing these, you can adapt to any transformations that you are most likely to face as an artist or designer in the future as the principles remain the same. Considering that, would it be useful if our education system was to introduce those principles and theory to our curriculum? How would that change the future of art and design? Would it slower down its progress or would it create new potential and possibly chances for a better understanding of our practice?
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