Here are some examples of well integrated type. This first one is a PETA ad against animal discrimination. Whatever you think about PETA as an organization, you have to give them credit for their ads. They are attention grabbing and effective. The text in these is tilted so it draws more attention to itself but is still simple enough to read. Imagine if the text was just straight; it wouldn't be nearly as interesting.
The second ad is for Careerbuilder.com and is pretty hilarious. Notice that the type is integrated to the point that it is actually a part of the photograph. Text doesn't have to look added after the fact, in fact it's better if it isn't. If this text were just added on top of the photo this ad wouldn't make any sense and certainly wouldn't be funny.
This last ad is another PETA ad. The one I want to talk about is the one on the top right. The text in this is what makes it. The font fits the style of the illustration and highlighting the "eat" in "death" is what makes the shirt make sense. It's gross and smart and makes me not want to eat steak. Hopefully, I'll forget about it before I have steak next.I hope this gives you some ideas for how to more effectively integrate text into your design. Notice though that these solutions are still relatively simple. Be creative with your text. Flip it, add color, overlap it with other design elements, but always be sure it makes sense and that you can read it.
I never would have thought that text would matter so much in a design. The way the text is place will really make or break a design. No matter what the project, I am learning I need to play with the text in some way. By doing this, you draw the viewer in and make it ten times more interesting than it would have been. It is a challenge to come up with creative ways with type but it will be so worth it in the end and a great lesson to learn!
ReplyDeleteThis is very true. After thinking about design and posters that have caught my attention, I've realized that they are mainly linked by the creativity of the type. Keeping typographic syntax in the forefront of my mind when designing will better help me to design more creative, eye-catching work.
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ReplyDeleteAs a journalism major, the words are normally the first thing I think about. It's the integration of these words that gets a little bit tricky. Sometimes it's even an afterthought. Like, I've got my concept. I've got my graphics. I've even got interesting text. Oh yeah, now I need to place it. But, the more integrated the better. Sometimes I just need to push myself to think past the obvious.
ReplyDeleteI am really surprised that the type on the PETA posters does catch your eye. The simple act of tilting the words makes you want to take a closer look. I wouldn't be nearly as interested if it was just on the page straight across. Simple, yet effective. I have to say tho, PETA's logo is terrible. That lower case 'e' with uppercase
ReplyDelete'P TA' kills me. That text isn't working so well.
Love these all! My favorite is the "Don't Jump" one; I'm not sure what not jumping has to do with careerbuilder.com, but it definitely got my attention! And I agree the that the steak one is gross and disturbing, but that is not going to make me stop eating steak (I love my meat)!
ReplyDeleteI like the middle picture the best (with the text being on the truck). It catches my eye right away. I think that is the most affective because of how unusual it is and how simple it is. The other posters I probably wouldn't take a second glance at but the one with the words on the truck I would because it doesn't have a lot of words and is straight to the point.
ReplyDeleteI also really liked the "Don't Jump" poster. I had to stare at it for a while because the type fit so well into the photograph. I personally thought the steak poster was weak. I liked the way the type worked with the words "eat" and "death" but perhaps from years of being a restaurant cook, seeing a picture of a raw steak isn't bothersome. I'm guessing that this would apply to anyone who cooks meat on a regular basis. I think the real issue is reminding us that the steaks we cook and eat come from actual animals that we have killed. I think there could have been a much better image to put with the type, rather than putting a picture of a random piece of meat on the poster, although I agree that it is still effective to an extent.
ReplyDeleteThe don't jump poster is funny. I also really like the death t-shirt with the meat.
ReplyDeleteI really like the don't jump bus, because I feel like if I was about to jump off a building (just to clarify... I would never do) It would seriously make me reconsider which I think is great!
ReplyDeleteI'm always surprised by the simplicity of working type. Maybe not ordinary, but certainly simple. Turned a few degrees or a different color can make a world of difference as far as communicating goes.
ReplyDeleteI want to be simple and effective, always effective.
I love the Peta t-shirt with 'eat' highlighted in 'Death.' I find it rather hilarious, although I'm pretty sure that wasn't the original intent of the designer. It actually makes me want to eat steak more, but maybe I'm just odd.
ReplyDeleteAs Megan mentioned, the simplicity in these posters is great. I consider myself to be a very minimalistic designer, and sometimes I wonder if I am a bit too minimalistic. Examples like this show me that one can remain a minimalist without having to include insane amounts of white space. Color and texture is good, in moderation.
As an illustration major I tend to out off thinking about the text until I've got the image sorted out. Bad habit of course! Tends to leave me in the position of trying to come up with forced tag lines to stick on top of the image. I think the "don't jump" poster does a pretty good job of letting type and image work together organically. Neither element would make any sense on its own.
ReplyDelete-Ian