Post 1 - Ivy Markham

Hollis: 7 – 36 | From Graphic Art to Design 1890 – 1914

 Posters play a very prominent role not only in graphic design but also in the world. They contributed many different styles and processes to design, and they also reflect the “economic, social and cultural life (Hollis 11)” of the time in which they were produced. For these reasons, they have a very important role in design and a long history. Within that history, something that I found interesting was the influence of Japanese prints, characters, and art on French designers. For example, one famous poster discussed in the book for the Avenue Theatre in 1894 uses a font in the header that is styled after Japanese characters. I’ve seen fonts similar to this many times but never knew it originated from late 19th century France. Besides the font, the graphic on the left side of the piece draws the eye in. The simple but clear lines and polka dot pattern create a dynamic contrast.

Beardsley, A. (1894). Avenue Theatre, A Comedy of Sighs! [Poster]. Retrieved from moma.org/collection/works/5114 (14 January 2020).
Cappiello, L. (1910). Isolabella [Poster]. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/ISOLABELLA-VINTAGE-LEONETTO-CAPPIELLO-POSTER/dp/B002WI309G (14 January 2019).

 Another section from the book that caught my attention was about Leonetto Cappiello. I’ve seen a lot of his work before and love the graphic contrast of the image to the solid background. The illustration in this poster has a lot of interest, with the dynamic motion of the bottles and the way they work together with the positioning of the person. The color palette and pattern of the clothing and bottles also work together very well with the solid black background and heavy yellow lettering to create a very attention-grabbing piece.
Mucha, A. (1889) Job, Cigarette Paper [Poster]. Retrieved from https://pixels.com/featured/job-cigarette-paper-alfons-mucha-alfons-mucha.html (14 January 2019).
The book discusses Alphonse Mucha and his Art Nouveau advertising posters. However, this poster is much less delicate and intricate in pattern and form than some of his other pieces. In this advertisement for Job cigarette paper, the typography is just as important to the visual appeal as the graphic of the woman. The image and type also work together very literally, where the smoke from her cigarette intertwines with the word Job.

Comments

  1. Lauren LewisJanuary 15, 2020 at 11:09 AM

    I love that you choose the Isolabella, weird but it used to be in an Italian restaurant by my house when I was young so I have a weird attachment to it. I enjoy the fantasy aspect of the poster with the floating figure with the bottles around it. I also enjoy the warm color scheme of the figure which contrasts the dark background, it really makes it pop off if the page.

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  2. UnknownJanuary 15, 2020 at 1:06 PM

    I find it interesting that you bring up the multiple influences in poster work with your first example of French artists being inspired by Japanese lettering. I think that poster design, since it is sort of a "one off" medium (meaning posters are not solid works of art or concrete things of design, they are used for a specific thing or event and then essentially moved on from) allows for designers to take some risks and experiment with new techniques and mediums. Thus making posters the base of a lot of graphic design movements. (psychedelic movement of the 60's, Russian Propaganda posters)

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  3. Ramsey BellJanuary 15, 2020 at 1:09 PM

    I find it interesting that you bring up the multiple influences in poster work with your first example of French artists being inspired by Japanese lettering. I think that poster design, since it is sort of a "one off" medium (meaning posters are not solid works of art or concrete things of design, they are used for a specific thing or event and then essentially moved on from) allows for designers to take some risks and experiment with new techniques and mediums. Thus making posters the base of a lot of graphic design movements. (psychedelic movement of the 60's, Russian Propaganda posters)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Gabrielle StephaniJanuary 15, 2020 at 1:18 PM

    I was also extremely drawn to the images that incorporated Japanese techniques into French design. I believe that it creates a harmonious piece with the lettering in the Avenue Theatre piece with the feature of a woman in the background. It don't believe that one aspect of the print takes away from another, but rather they build upon each other. The woman Japanese lettering serves its own presence, while the vertical divide in the piece allows for the woman to be highlighted on the other side of the print.

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    Replies
    1. Elizabeth JacobsJanuary 15, 2020 at 2:59 PM

      I also talked about the Japanese's influence on French designs! But I love the first poster that you chose; the colors, composition, and font choices are great. You can definitely see that the distinct style of the headline's font was inspired by Japanese lettering, which is crafted in a very pleasing way, but I also never would have known that this originated from late 19th century France. I enjoy the way the poster feels like it's split in half, two different designs on each side, which I feel I don't often see, yet it feels cohesive and works well here.

      Delete
  5. Dolores WilberJanuary 19, 2020 at 2:07 PM

    Classic examples and a strong range of images to consider. Well done!

    ReplyDelete

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