OUGD502: Graphics x Fashion x Photography Posters

I decided to make some posters for the event, putting them up around the three departments. To incorporate an aspect of each department was key, by showing a clear Swiss graphic style and a fashion photograph.

Alec and I brainstormed names for the event and thought to keep it simple, a X would suggest a collaborative process- much like 'Vs' (Warhol vs Basquiat etc). So decided to call the event Graphics x Fashion x Photography, in no necessary order other than the priority being on a service for the graphics department (my personal bias), and working hirachichally off that.

To gather these photos, I asked Alec to do a call for photos on his course, as well as asking the same from a Level 6 photographer Michael Savage.

Initial designs:

I used a 5 column grid to give formal qualities, aligning the typography, image and negative space in a grip like hold on the page (ref. Helvetica doc). Both designs are just constructed in black & white for now. The second style is inspired by the polaroid format using the full grid and Futura Bold with reduced kerning for a sophisticated but contemporary impact. 

The posters will be printed at A3 yet the scalings (smallest type is 16pt) may be adaptable to smaller printing sizes.

Developments:

Added subtle colour elements in the X aspect of the concept. I showed the designs to Alec and he advised on the images to put in. We chose Mike Schofield from Level 5 Photography, experimenting with a mixture of black and white and colour. The submission for images wasn't very varied and we chose the best from the images featuring garments. I felt that this was a necessary factor as this was also a fashion event.

*pdf saved glitched so the kerning is all off. Even spacing would occur like in the design below.

The vivid green, fuscia and cyan tinted grey are loosely assigned to each colour in a a pattern, with fashion being pink, graphics being green and photography being grey (referencing black and white medium and photo).

I presented the designs to Alec and Tara Pertwee from Fashion and collaboratively we chose these final designs. We made sure to credit the photographer Mike as exposure is a big thing we need to convey within the tone of this event. A collaborative, unexclusive community with a sleek aesthetic. The use of Futura with tight kerning is resemblant of The British Journal of Photographers and countless fashion brands.

Resolutions:

<pictures in situ>

The event wasn't a big success as few people remembered about the event in the heat of deadlines and other commitments. Fashion did attend though and I presented the idea of a possible mixer event (inside or outside of uni, possibly The Fenton) to share details and allow people to make their own contacts. 

Going on from this, it would be interesting if there was a database of some kind which stored submitted work under different categories, so when someone needed to find a collaborative partner within a certain field or style, they could simply search by key words (e.g.: fashion photographer, minimal, branding, glitch art etc,) and find the right person for them... Basically a giant LCA portfolio.