Poster

Design a poster, celebrating a moment in art, architecture, or design, that pairs two typefaces. Explores space on the page and uses scale contrast to maximum effect. Work with type, typographic ornament, and rules only.

Tasks

1. Initial type choice

Choose several interesting typefaces from the list, which includes both open-source fonts and designs available through Adobe Fonts. All of these fonts are revivals of historical models, whether strongly or more distantly. There are at least two significant dates for each of these typefaces: the date that the face was drawn in digital form, whether as a revival or a new design, and the date of the original model face. We are interested in the date of the original. The most recent original design in this last dates from the 1970s, and most go back at least 100 years.

Pick serifs and sans. Print out a type sample sheet showing a line of each of these fonts.

Fonts for this project

• IBM Plex Sans and IBM Plex Serif (ZIP)
• Helvetica or Helvetica Neue
• Jenson
• Mrs. Eaves
• Frutiger (if you have access—it’s not on Adobe Fonts)
• Myriad
• Franklin Gothic
• Filosofia
• Futura
• a Baskerville (ex.: Libre Baskerville)
• a Garamond (ex.: Cormorant Garamond)
• a Bodoni

2. Final font choice

Choose one main font. Do research into the font’s history, and into the time period of the original font. Also choose a secondary font that provides a contrast. Pair a serif and a sans-serif.

3. Subject matter research and writing

Choose a work in art, architecture, or design—but not graphic design or typography—from the same period as the original version of your main font. Draft text for a poster that celebrates this work. In addition to headlines, give us a few lines of information about the work.

4. Conceptual design

Sketch out concepts, then prepare three rough posters. Work in InDesign or Illustrator. For critique, bring these printed at full size, with edges trimmed.

5. Design refinement

Produce one final design that incorporates the lessons from your critique. Again, bring this in printed and with edges trimmed.

Specifications

• Trim size: 10 × 16 in., vertical/portrait
• Elements may bleed off of the page
• Two inks (two colors). Black is a color.
• Use type, typographic ornament contained within your fonts, and rules only
• No photographs, illustrations, or figurative images
• Work in InDesign (preferably) or Illustrator (at your own risk)
• Turn in drafts and the final to Canvas as a PDF