I asked my colleagues to choose which design was their favourite and what worked well with the typeface. Most of them picked the bottom left design because “The white against the red background makes the poster more engaging and would lead the target audiences eyes to the focal point; the red eye.
The chosen typeface is called ‘Blackout’ which is an ironic name for the subject matter. The colour choice was bright red as its an engaging colour which symbolizes warning, danger, blood, war and power. The words that I chose relate to P.T.S.D like the side effects and mental illnesses during the P.T.S.D process.
I experimented with text to see if it increased the dramatic effect to the posters, was relectant to include text as sometimes imagery speaks louder than words. The quote from the 1979 Vietnam film ‘Apocalypse Now’ “The Horror….The Horror” was included to convey a more sinister approach and referencing a cult film dealing with the same subject matter.
These poster designs convey a more haunting yet eye catching effect due to the distorted imagery The fragmented poster (Left) to influenced by my other fragmented designs, instead an image is placed behind the shapes revealing dead soldiers in trenches. The other poster (Right) users low opacity to reveal the same image making the poster more disturbing.
These experimentations visualise the mind and conveys strong events during conflict and what they see in the head everyday. The first experiment (Left) creates a haunting feel as the imagery covers the veterans eyes symbolizing power and mastery over the veteran like a disease. The second experiment (Right) is the same but features a smile, this was included as I wanted to create a juxtaposition between a serious message and a misleading visual giving it more attention and gives the target audience something to think about.
These experimentations are really effective as the fragmented shapes convey isolation, unforgotten and depression. The black and white increases the mood of the poster as it hits the target audience (people who know or a family member suffering from P.T.S.D) stronger including the sad facial expression from the veteran placed in the shapes. Which in a way makes the poster more sinister to look at. This also conveys that they’re mind is lost and is spiralling out of control.
These are rough ideas of how to convey my message across to the target audience by using impacting imagery and dark tones of colour. This will increase its attention and message and hopefully raise eyebrows to the target audience.
Harry Twyman Art & Graphic Design Blog 