Typographic Poster Series.
spring 2025
Project Objective.
Develop a cohesive typographic poster series designed to promote and showcase individual poets who exemplify the concept of being against the machine. The posters are intended to be distinct from one another yet maintain a clear connection through recurring design elements.
Research.
Understanding the poets and their ideas is essential for creating an effective poster series that accurately represents each of them while maintaining a cohesive design.
Experimental Type Studies.
To begin, I experimented with physical materials and type to generate rough ideas for sketching. The ones showcased below are a mix of traditional compositions and those that have been digitally altered. Exploring ideas of obscurantism, disorder, and rebellion became my focus.
Sketches.
When sketching, I primarily used geometric shapes instead of organic ones to emphasize the sterile, automated nature of machinery.
Typography Experimentation.
Sans-serif typefaces were tested below to identify which most effectively evokes a robotic and sterile appearance. Serif typefaces weren’t considered because they tend to appear more traditional and comforting, which doesn’t suit the themes explored by the poets. The typeface chosen was Helvetica Neue due to its' clean, non-distracting letterforms.
Chosen Typeface.
Digital Ideation Process.
These are ideations of the T.S. Eliot poster. During this stage, the focus was on exploring different styles and systems to find an approach that could create an unexpected yet cohesive poster series. The concept on the far right was selected to move forward into the iteration phase, where I would incorporate its style into the other two poets' posters.
All Poster Iterations.
The primary challenge was ensuring each poster looked unstable and fragmented without making the compositions too busy. Finding a satisfying balance required many micro changes. Below are the more noticeable changes between iterations.
Iteration 1. Iteration 2. Iteration 3. Final.
Understanding the Color Palettes.
While the main goal was to keep a consistent design framework across all the posters, it was also important that each one had its own unique touch. So, each poster was given a distinct color palette that reflects the ideas and themes conveyed by the respective poet.
The work of T.S. Eliot often evokes imagery that feels more industrial or "procedural." I associate this type of imagery with the colors orange, yellow, and dark gray. These colors are commonly used in construction and mechanized equipment.
Andrea Abi-Karam's poetry is unfiltered and pushes boundaries. Their exploration of queerness and gender inspired me to incorporate shades of blue and magenta into their work, reflecting these expressive themes.
Code-davinci-002 is cold, alien, and automated. To embody these associative words, colors like neon green and grey seemed fitting. The idea for the bright green accent came from the way lines of code are often depicted in green.
Each Poster System.
Created a more cohesive kit of parts to keep the posters unified while also having elements that are exclusive to each poster.
Final Poster Series.
The final poster series emphasizes the themes of each poet while allowing each design to keep its own sense of individuality. At the same time, the series remains cohesive through consistent typography, recurring visual elements, and a shared compositional approach. Overall, the posters are intended to feel mechanical, disruptive, and corrupted.
