[.T.D.N.] Teaching Designers Network

Brief:
You are asked to choose your favourite planet in our solar system.

• Firstly, state why you chose your planet, what attracted you to it?

• Now, using a combination of researched facts and your own imagination, describe your chosen planet in detail; this can be a combination of images, words, sounds, smells, textures etc. This research stage could take the form of a sketchbook, mood board, idea sheet etc., but should be as loose and free as possible. When considering its physical aesthetic some topics to consider would be: what does your planet smell like? sound like? taste like? or feel like? You will make a ten-minute presentation of your research to the group.

• Using only typography, produce one A2 poster that describes the main characteristics of your chosen planet. You can use quotes, scientific facts, words from a song or poem, construct your own typeface or simply use the character of your chosen typography to speak for itself. You should capture the ‘mood’ and ‘character’ of your planet. The measure of the success of this project is how well your poster communicates your initial feelings about your planet.

Consider the format of your design carefully. Be as inventive as possible. Use your knowledge of composition to emphasise elements of scale, movement, proximity, perspective, harmony, disharmony, negative space etc. Consider the qualities of your chosen letter forms (form and counter form), character, rhythm, etc. Consider how the observer interacts with your poster. Remember that in space many of our accepted laws of physics are challenged and many of the objects that roam the Universe do not conform! Maybe your poster reflects this dichotomy.

Suggested research topics (These are only intended as
possible starting points):
Use typography to create sound pictures, circular reading, concrete poetry etc.
F.T. Marinetti, El Lissitzky, Alexander Rodchenko, Kurt Schwitters, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Theo van Doesburg, Jan Tschichold, A.M. Cassandre, Paul Rand, Saul Bass, Neville Brody. Futurism, Dadaism, DeStijl.