Graphic Design Breadth Assignment #1

Retro Inspired Propaganda Poster

Areas of focus: Unity, Balance, Emphasis, Scale

Goal: When you hear the words "propaganda poster", you probably think of war posters of the 1940's. While there are many war posters that are forms of propaganda, propaganda posters aren't limited to armed conflicts. Propaganda posters are essentially trying to change the attitude or inform a group of people about something. The posters are specifically designed to cater to human emotion by using loaded imagery. Creating a sense of pride, guilt, or even fear is what made propaganda posters of the past so successful. Your goal is to create a propaganda poster about something current. Use propaganda posters throughout history as inspiration for your own design. Your design will change attitudes and/or spread information or ideas that help a person, group, organization, nation, movement, etc. Make sure that your topic relates to today's time.

Process:

1. Visit https://designschool.canva.com/blog/examples-of-propaganda/ to see 50 powerful propaganda posters. This is a good list since the writer, Caitlin Jordan, gives a brief explanation for each poster. As you view the posters ask yourself the following questions: What makes this poster so powerful? What design elements are being utilized? What qualities make each poster look "retro"?

2. Write down a list of qualities that make a design look "retro". Think about how artists used the elements and principles in posters throughout history.

3. Determine your poster topic. Remember - keep it current.

4. Create quick thumbnail sketches of some ideas.

5. Create some rough sketches that include color based on your best thumbnail sketches.

6. Create your final design on the computer. Your poster dimensions need to be 24" X 36". Check out this website that has several tutorials on poster design. https://design.tutsplus.com/articles/25-creative-and-challenging-vector-poster-design-tutorials--vector-4327 Really cool stuff!