Objective
This project focused on designing a visually engaging typographic poster that develops a cohesive visual system to effectively communicate a clear message and persuade viewers to attend an event. The poster should highlight the significance of a person's contributions through thoughtful typography, composition, and visual hierarchy while demonstrating research, analysis, and the ability to communicate ideas creatively through effective visual communication.
Research
For this project, we received a category of people from Cincinnati to choose from. My category was Paper Constellations: Stories that Keep Finding New Light, and I chose Harriet Beecher Stowe. I began researching Harriet Beecher Stowe, who she was, what she stood for, and read some of her work.
Physical Concept Making
After conducting thorough research, I began the ideation process by exploring a wide range of concepts through hands-on word association and visual experimentation. Rather than starting with a single defined direction, I focused on generating as many creative possibilities as possible inspired by Harriet Beecher Stowe's life, work, and legacy. I experimented with typography, materials, objects, and compositional layouts to translate her ideas into compelling visual concepts, allowing exploration to guide the development of a strong final direction.
After working with others, I used these sketches to help influence my digital designs. However, I was still struggling with a strong concept, so I went back to trying out new concepts on paper.
Digital Ideation
I began creating work digitally, still trying to figure out what I wanted to convey through this poster. These pieces were able to help me find out what was wrong so I could work out what was right.
I then had the idea to use one of Harriet Beecher Stowe's quotes and make the surface look like a constellation, since the category prompt she was under was Paper Constellations: Stories that Keep Finding New Light. I first started by printing out her quote and folding in the shape of a constellation. I chose the Big Dipper because it has deep ties to the Underground Railroad, with slaves sharing ways to escape the South by following the North Star through songs.
Concept Iteration
Digital Iterations
After finding an idea that I wanted to explore on paper, I then experimented digitally. After trying to create a similar effect on the computer, I decided the best option would be to just use the photo of the folded paper.
Final
For my final design, I used the axis of the constellation to align my text to create a sense of unity. I also added blue to represent the sky where they would look for the constellations, and to represent the resilience of slaves.
