OUGD501 - Practical Work - Exhibition Main Poster Mockups

One of the main outcomes I will be producing is a large scale poster which advertising the exhibition in a very simple, functional way. The basic function of the poster is straightforward: make it clear what the title of the show is, where it is and how long it is on for. However, the designs have a subtle underlying conceptual message. Behind the large type in the foreground is some more type which appears to look like a paragraph or a document. The type is in fact a repeated list of all the trends listed on TrendList.com I formatted the list to look like a long paragraph to make a subtle reference to the theme of manifesto writings. 

The reason I included the list of trends was for contextual reasons and to make a general cynical comment on visual culture. I personally don't really have much against trendlist as a research tool, because there are some really great examples of exciting graphic design on there. But, the majority of the work found on the website does feel a bit pointless, illogical and direction-less. The work that features on there is the exact type of work that I feel is contributing to a sense of stagnancy and simulacrum within visual culture. Therefore, I included the list of trends to make a comment on how damaging they are. I deliberately overlapped the type to create a sense of chaos and unrest in the background of the design. 

In terms of colour, I initially stuck to the colour scheme of browns, yellows and greens to make a conceptual reference to stagnant water. These colours run throughout the rest of the branding which ties everything together nicely. I altered the hue/saturation purely to see what the results would look like and I really liked the vibrancy this produced. I am unsure as to whether or not I would use these brightly coloured designs to promote the exhibition as they break with the consistency of the other collateral. It was just fun seeing what other colour combinations had to offer to the aesthetic. 

I then mocked up the posters using a free PSD. I am really content with the final designs as they are simple, functional and communicate the message effectively whilst simultaneously carrying a conceptual message, giving away subtle hints about the cause and relevance of the exhibition.