Poster Partners

Sam's Take on Jessica's Posters

1. What is the visual strength of the image/line study selection and pairing? How could it be improved?

    Jessica has strong compositional strengths. She understands how to effectively utilize the entire page without getting too heavy. She isn't afraid to manipulate her line studies to a degree of abstracting, but does it well enough to maintain the relationship. She could improve on this by experimenting in the opposite ways, to gain understanding of both sides of the equation. Meaning, allowing the viewer to see more of the image and grounding them more in the 'real world'.

2. How is the photograph legible, well composed, engaging? How should it be improved?

    Her compositions are engaging, with rapid, cohesive movement from line study into photo. Perhaps the visual movement is too rapid, causing the viewer to move too quickly through the image. A calming focal point should be integrated to counteract the rapidity of 'city life'.
   
3. Is line quality study well crafted? Where should it be improved?

    The line studies are well crafted, yes, but not entirely visible in some compositions. For example, in her Union Station posters, the line study and the photo become one in the same - losing their independent voices.
   
4. Is the type choice and placement integrated and appropriate?

    Type is where Jessica is struggling the most. She needs to divorce herself from Helvetica.

5. How does the overall composition dynamically employ principles of scale, framing, orientation, alignment, continuation? How could it be improved?

    Jessica is using composition beautifully. She isn't afraid to cut up her photos and/or line studies and arranging them in different ways. Her Penn Valley posters employ fluid continuation, making an elegant poster. The down side of her overall compositions is that from time to time, she loses the overall relationship between the photo and the line study. She also needs to think of her type compositionally, not informatively.

6. How well do the graphic elements communicate the neighborhood?

    Overall, she communicates three distinct neighborhoods in three distinct areas very well. She captures the soothing nature of Penn Valley Park, the bustle of Downtown, and the emerging modernism of Union Station. She understands the vibe of each neighborhood and is communicating them effectively... except for her use of Helvetica.




Jessica's Take on Jessica's Posters

1. I improved my pairings by going back and fixing the alignment of the line study with the photograph. I tried to maintain the pairing by making sure I used equal proportions of each image. This might have been a bad idea because putting any kind of restrictions during the collage making process.

2. I tried to incorporate as much of the image as I could so that you can obviously tell the area that it is in, but not so much of the image that it overpowers the entire composition. I suppose my main focus whilst making all of my composition was maintaining a sense of balance within all elements of the assignment.

3. My line quality could be improved in certain areas. The arrangement and fluidity in the lines could be reworked.

4. The type in all of my compositions needs some major reworking. Like Sam and Jamie suggested, I need to steer clear of using solely one typeface, not just because Sam hates it, but because using one typeface is very limiting.

5. I did a lot of experimenting with my compositions and how I was going to execute each one. I tried a few different orientations with each one and paid a lot of attention to scaling.

6. Capturing the essence of the neighborhood was easy. Maintaining it in the composition is another story. I made sure I was careful in how much I edited in my photos so that there was still some reference to the place i took the photograph.