Posters Design NotesArt Nouveau
Definition: Art Nouveau started in France in the late 19th Century. Art Nouveau means “New Art” In French.
Characteristics of Art Nouveau Posters
A unique style characterized by the use of endless repeated motifs that have elongated movement.
Organic, plantlike line forms and repeated motifs dominate the visual forms such as color and texture.
Art Nouveau posters were about everyday life and events and they emphasized handcrafting and opposed machine manufacturing.
In art nouveau posters forms and lines were invented rather than copied from nature or the past.
Symbolic forms were also, a characteristic of Art Nouveau posters.
Intense high gloss color was applied in a smooth manner.
The use of large, flat, colored areas without perspective showed the influence of Japanese woodblock prints.
Dada/Constructivism.
Definition: The Dada movement claimed to be anti-art and had a strong and negative element.
Definition:Constructivism was a Russian movement where art was given a social role. Designers would use technology to promote issues in the society or the community.
The dada movement began in 1929.
Dada writers and artists were concerned with shock, protest and nonsense. They bitterly rebelled against the world war, the decadence of the European society, the shallowness of blind faith in the technological process, and the inadequacy of religion
Characteristics of Dada/Constructivist Posters
Dadaists invented photomontage.
Photomontage: is the technique of manipulating found photographic images to create jarring juxtapositions and chance associations.
Dadaists used propaganda to promote their causes or social issues.
Dadaists used negative messages in their poster designs.
Expressionism
Definition: Expressionists depicted subjective emotions and personal responses to subjects and events.
Expressionism began in the early 20th century in Germany before World War I.
Characteristics of Expressionist Posters
Color, drawing, and proportion were often exaggerated or distorted, and symbolic content was very important.
Line and color were often pronounced and color value contracts were intensified
Tactile properties were achieved through thick paint, loose brushwork and bold contour drawing.
Posters depicted issues about social crisis, especially the years surrounding World War I.
Expressionists had a deep empathy for the poor and social outcasts, who were frequent subjects in their work.
Surrealism posters
Definition: Surrealist used intuition, dreams and the unconscious techniques to create their poster designs.
Characteristics of Surrealism Posters
Poster images were created from dreams and fantasy. The Surrealists were the pioneers in new techniques for expressing fantasy and intuition in visual terms.
The poster messages and writings were derived from the human consciousness.
Modern Posters
The modern movement began in the early 20th century.
Characteristics of Modern Posters
Posters were created using symbolic imagery such as hero’s soldiers, flags, and heads of states.
The modern posters used objects to depict ideas in their designs or illustrations.
Swiss Posters
Swiss poster design began in the 1930s and it was part of the modern movement.
Characteristics of Swiss Posters
Photographic symbols were removed from their natural environment and linked together in unexpected ways.
Posters were created using photomontage and dynamic scale changes.
There was integration of black and white photography, signs, and color areas.
Conceptual Posters
Definition: The conceptual posters conveyed ideas and concepts instead of narrative information.
Characteristics of Conceptual Posters
The image is the primary means of communication and the verbal messages are reduced to a few words.
Metaphysical combinations were used to covey information about the subject matter. (Definition:Metaphysics is concerned with explaining the features of reality that exist beyond the physical world and our immediate senses)
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