the posters.

Mettez le casque. Ou priez. Put on the helmet. Or pray.
Poster Standee, Vevey

Object Poster. A very minimal, stark image. Clear cut type, clear message, clever concept. The concept is quite clever once translated. The orange helmets form hands that “pray”. It is a strong message about safety and definitely an image that causes viewers to stop because of its unfamiliar look (viewpoint). It is almost a puzzle or riddle to decipher and takes a second glance. The imagery looks like a simple but very clear and vivid photo. At 55 it’s simple white and bright orange catch the eye and form enough of a picture to cause question as to its content and meaning. I think also at this point one could probably read the type causing further confusion about the image. At 5 the image because clear. Helmets definitely. But with another glance the helmets also resemble hands placed in prayer. At 5 inches the detail of the image is seen as well as the fine print sponsor information. The majority of the image, concept, and design of the poster is successful at 5 feet. I was initially attracted by the striking image, the clean layout. Then it held my attention as I tried to figure it out. I believe this poster is very successful with all the information and translation (for me at least). It causes one to think about the message, and then hopefully about their involvement in or disregard of the idea of wearing a helmet.




Passions d’oranges Papiers d’agrumes. “Passions of oranges, papers of citrus fruit” (rough translation…)
Poster Standee, MUDAC, Lausanne.

Postmodern, International. Postmodern in the fact that it is playful, complex and illustrated (images). International in the fact that it follows a definite grid and has sans serif typeface. The concept (to me) follows that of paper, seals, and how they are used to wrap fruit. All the illustrations and parts of the whole have a boutique paper feel to them, almost a texture and pattern resembling fine paper. The variety and number of them feel like many different kinds of fruit with their bright colors and some even have fruit pictured in them or about fruit in general. Functioning as a exhibit advertisement this poster grabbed my attention with it’s beautifully colored illustrations and grid like layout of them. The impact of the different images was the 55 for me, creating almost an optical allusion. At 5 feet the type is read, understood, (especially the practical information of date and time at the bottom of the poster) and the images are beginning to make sense as identity, seals, etc… This poster is especially interesting at 5 inches because the detail of the images is now appreciated and type read within these tiny pictures. I was attracted to this poster again because of the color and grid layout. I especially appreciated the beauty of the images with a closer look and tried to duplicate a few in my sketchbook. I could see it successful if it is fact what I believe it to be. The attention it grabs with its attractive layout, color, and illustrations along with its clever and curious title gets enough interest for a second and closer look in which one finds the exhibit information, dates, and times available at the bottom of the poster.




Print Basel (Sorry for the unfortunate photograph. I only found this poster in a construction zone…)
Poster column, Marketplatz, Basel.

International. Grid based. Sans serif type (majority) BUT interestingly flush right and left. Also a vertical type layout across the horizontal forming a grid in itself. No photography but definitely no illustration. Very clean and ordered, stark, and strictly type based. In the event that it is layered text could draw on postmodern influences. The concept is that again of an informational poster. Informing the public of a contemporary graphic works of art fair called “Print Basel”. The only other information is the date, place, and a web point. Also there is some more flush left ragged right very small print information in the lower left with what I am assuming as sponsor information. I believe the concept is a focus on the work—the play on words and influence type and graphic art have on Basel. Its stark presentation leaves room for the other great works one would find at this “Print Basel”. It reflects a work of graphic art in itself. Produced by a layout program I assume, no illustration, photography, or collage of any kind. At 55 the juxtaposition of the type and the color read attract the eye and a curiosity as to the meaning or purpose behind the poster. At 5 feet all the information but the fine sponsor information is readable and understandable, also noticebly in English. The layout and overlap is appreciated as well as the contrast between the heavy san serif “print” to the serifed “Basel”. At 5 inches the sponsorship information is readable as well as the rest of the poster. I was initially attracted by the subject of graphic art and the interesting layout. I would guess someone like me who has a background in the subject would notice these things and have their interest grabbed quicker and more effectively than someone else. If their intent as to attract designers, I believe this poster to be successful. If it was designed to attract non designers, I don’t know that it would have had as much of a striking effect. It is a little sparse and vague I think for that.

there you go Bob. And here is my name. Natalie Hartley

Matt Nelson's Posters

This poster can be found in train stations all over but this one was in Vevey. It is definitely inspired by the Postmodern movement with some International Style inspiration. It is one of a series of posters that are so similar that for the most part could easily be confused with each other. It uses exclusively sans-serif typefaces and the text on the bottom is broken into two groups, one flush left and one ragged right. The rest of the posters in the series are strictly graphic in that the poster appears flat, but his one incorporates a photographic element, where it looks like someone has scrunched it together in the middle.

I'm having a hard time understanding the concept of the scrunched middle, aside from making it more visually intriguing so that you'll want to stop and look at it. The website listed on the bottom is for Swiss Youth Hostels and the imagery is that of a house and a tree which makes me think that it's saying that staying in a hostel will be just like staying at your own home. The color they use for the background is a nice cyan, a nice cool, comfortable, inoffensive/peaceful color.

From far away and at first glance you think that someone has come along and defiled the poster. They successfully recreate the shadows and highlights that would be found on curled paper. From 5 feet away you start to notice the texture of the metal backing simulated on the poster and you can read the words. From 5 inches you can really see all the texture.

I'm always drawn to strong graphic elements more than photography. Photography has to be done right for me to really enjoy it, otherwise I think it can really cheapen the image. They use nice bright, clean colors that are contrasted in the relative darkness of the train station. Overall it seems like a very successful campaign.




I found this poster for the Communication Museum while in Bern on the way to the Communication Museum. It was in a standee on the side of the road. It seems to be mostly influenced by the International Style with its use of the grid and sans-serif typeface. It also uses photography but the use of it seems almost Art Nouveau or like the Japanese Posters. The photograph fills in the graphic element but keeps it flat because there's no contour to the shapes. It's like looking through a computer shaped window. To a certain degree it also has pulled some influence from Object Posters in that it is very stark and minimal.

The exhibition that this is advertising is all about the relationship between man and technology, the computer in particular. This is shown through the visual relationship of the photograph of the man creating the fill for the graphic illustration of the computer. It's really the photograph that pulls you in from afar. The computer doesn't read until you get closer and can see the details, it just looks like three squarish shapes. I really enjoy the level of detail, especially on the keys. It would have been so easy to have done the keys as square tops, but they rounded the corners and put a slight curve on it to make it look slightly concave like most keyboards are.

Thanks to many companies, but especially Apple, clean design is very trendy right now, so their use of clean design makes them seem hip and current, not how you stereotypically think of a museum. And it worked for me, after seeing this poster I was very excited to visit the impending museum.




This poster was found in one of the tunnels connecting platforms in a train station. It is a straight-up example of an object poster. It is minimal and elegant, has a stark white background with no frills and the focus is directly on that glorious ball of ice cream. A lot of movement is created by the two splashes of chocolate hitting the ball and it creates this nice calligraphic line.

The purpose of this poster is to sell ice cream. I'm sure it works. With how hot and humid it is, especially inside the train stations, you're suffering and then you see this perfect, creamy savior. So you reach in your pocket to make sure you have 3 francs and head to the closest kiosk.

The font that is used doesn't have a lot of weight so from afar all you can see is the photo of the ice cream. You have to come quite a bit closer to be able to read it.

I absolutely think this is a successful poster. It glorifies the already excellent ice cream here in Switzerland and capitalizes on the overall humidity of the location, as ice cream tends to do.

Jackson Couch's Posters

INTERLAKEN: This poster was placed in the Murren train station at eye level of the passengers leaving or arriving at the station. It is a classic example of the Early Swiss Travel posters of the early 1900's. It is a reproduction of the original poster, that was probably a litho print. Then it served to boost tourism from all over the world.  Today with the ability of amazing photographs  it's function has changed. It reminds the viewer of the history of the area and that it still attracts people today for the same reasons it did over a hundred years ago. The poster attracted it's viewer then and now with the scene of natural beauty, and upon closer inspection the viewer was rewarded with information concerning the location of the the beauty, and given a chance to enjoy the pleasant artwork of the poster. I was attracted to the poster because of the sense of antiquity it portrayed about the area. It reassured me that I wouldn't find this beautiful place destroyed by gross modern development and out of place architecture. It is a place of little change where the main focus is still the natural beauty of the area. It is a success if the poster has the ability to make other viewers feel the same way as me.

PAUL KLEES ZAUBERG

ARTEN: This poster stands in a row with other posters in front of the Natural History Museum in Bern. It is a high traffic area in the museum district with a large fountain nearby. It is a postmodern poster that has an unusual type face that from a distance appears to be fuzzy. In the background there are leaflike designs which make sense because Zaubergarten is German for Magical Garden. The bright green color of the text and the unique stitched look of the type is what attracts the viewer.  As the viewer comes closer the background begins to show depth, design, and color.  It is some of Paul Klees artwork.   The viewer really then starts to get a sense of this "Magical Garden".  To me it seems like the garden that might be a little creepy.  This sense of a garden with some secrets might also serve a

s some of the attraction to the poster, and spark interest in the exhibit. The poster functions to inform the public about the Museums exhibit of Paul Klees artwork.  I think it is successful because of it's use of a unique type face, and also because of the complementary color differences between the background and type.

                               

OPEN AIR CINEMA MARTIGNY: This is not your normal sized poster. It is actually a billboard that stands right in front of the place that it is advertising. It is aimed at motorists traveling on the main road which passes by the cinema.  It is influenced by postmodern design principles. The type is fluid and looks like it could have been done by a giant with a large sharpie marker. It advertises the cinema which is actually an ancient roman amphitheater.  The billboard shows two cows fighting at night in an arena filled with onlookers. I image it is showing the final cow fights which are held in the amphitheater in the fall. The size of the billboard allows the motorists to read the information from a good distance away and then enjoy the scene shortly as they drive by. It is kept simple for this reason. The poster needs to be able to grab the attention of the viewer and give enough information, but not too much due to the length of time the driver has to read it before passing it by.  The red behind the text really contrasts the green mountainside, and the black and white illustration is easily understood. I think the billboard is successful at catching the attention of drivers and reminding them of the upcoming social event.

Black and white meets color!

I found this poster on a poster standee on one of the streets in the city of Basel. It was hung at about eye level. The main style that has influenced this poster is the photomontage. You can see that there is black and white photography, and some of them are colored, and the photos arent all one image, it's many put together. The main thing that attracted me to this poster was the contrast of the color photos with the black and white. It's unual to see a lot of black and white photos, and these ones look kind of old, so it caught my eye and made me wonder what the poster was all about. It's interesting to me because the photos that are in color look modern, and the ones that are in black and white look like they could be from the 50's. The 55-5-5 rule applied here because from 55 feet away it caught your attention and you could probably even read some of it. From 5 feet away you can definitely read it all and some of the smaller print, and can see the photos. From five inches away, you can read the fine print and see details in the photos that you couldn't have seen from farther away. I think that this poster is probably successful, but it's hard for me to tell for sure because I don't exactly know what it's advertizing for because I can't read the language. However, I do find it visually interesting and so I think that it's successful in that respect.

sylvia post number 3

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2008

I walked past this poster at the Brig train station. It was very large in size and situated directly above the station entrance. I felt that this poster was very much a mixture of many movements. It was a modern travel poster, so obviously it received some influence from early swiss travel posters. I also feel that there is a little bit of modern photomontage going on because photos are combined in this poster to get the message across. It is obvious that this scene is not actually taking place so I deduct that more than the use of one photo might characterize this poster as a photomontage even though it is not as obvious as it's early inspirations. I also think that this poster definitely fits the postmodern category with it's concepts, complexity, spontaneity, and disregard for rules in general as it places a modern twist on a combination of old techniques. I believe that the main point of this poster is to get people who wish to travel the country to take trains. They used two huge attractions on the same poster (which two destinations are not close in proximity) and they squished the distance between them like the wrinkling of a floor mat. I thought this was a very clever and interesting way to portray the way the trains can shorten a distance when traveling. The imagery is very complex and I'm sure that they used many, many layers, photos, and some computerized illustrations to enhance the overall image and to create the puckering effect of the landscape. They did a good job with the placement of this poster and the scale as well. It was in a place that tons of people would have to look at it everyday, and it was a large enough scale that is works out perfectly with visibility. I was first attracted to this poster because of the beauty of the scene, then I was impressed by the clever way that they portrayed their concept. I think it is very successful because it is very well done, and uses such strong imagery as to make an impact. I've been very impressed with the BBC posters. They have been around for a while and they have definitely become masters of their trade.

sylvia post number 2

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2008

I saw this poster standee on the sidewalk in Bern in plain sight to those walking past. I think that this poster was mostly influenced by the international style poster. The point of the poster is to get people to go visit the museum, and the design is perfect for doing so. The choice of photo of einstein is hilariously perfect because it shows what a character and interesting individual he was. The choice of font and placement of type only add to the poster. It is a very simple design, but I feel that it does a really good job of advertising for the museum. In fact, I think that it was the type that attracted me to it in the first place. It was bold, and the contrast between the word "einstein" and the white tone of the background was incredibly noticeable and readable from quite far away. Next I saw the picture which made me contemplate whether i should go see more about einstein. I believe that the design accomplished what the designers intended for it which in my opinion makes it successful. 

This is a post from SYLVIA

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2008

I saw this poster hanging next to a light post in Basel. I would say that this poster is postmodern, but has been slightly influenced by object poster style. I am actually not sure what the motive for this poster is because I can't read the foreign words. I don't know if ANIMATUS is a band, or an animation/design company or anything, but I'm pretty sure that the designer wanted it to be impressive and odd (maybe even a little bit humorous). There don't seem to be any set rules for the grid which adds to the crazy "skeletal duck flying through the air" idea. The imagery looks very flat, besides the figures, who look computer generated. I feel that the font size isn't quite working because it was pretty hard to read the small type due to the height in which it had been placed. Even the little duck men were indistinguishable from a distance. I think it is a little bit short of the 55-5-5 rule but not by much; when I recognized the figures I was pretty enthralled by the imagery. I think it is an attention grabbing poster. The black and white contrast with the blue haze was very attention grabbing. I wish i knew what the poster was trying to accomplish or what it was advertising; I think that it was meant to stand out and I think it accomplishes that goal.  

Camels!

I also found this poster walking along the streets in Thun coming from the panorama museum. I noticed it on the way there, and for some reason it jumped out at me so on the walk back I stopped to look at it closer. It was being displayed in a “standee” along the sidewalk by a busy road in Thun. The poster stood about eye level like the rest of the posters around it. In general I thought that most of the posters along this street were well done, but like I said this one jumped out at me above the rest. This poster, I thought, followed the postmodern trend. It had bright bold colors, and multiple layers of sketch like drawings. The text was not in just one location, but at the top and bottom and it layered over the drawings. The point for the poster was for either a show or an art exhibition as shown by the times to come view it. The imagery was produced by what looked like a collection of sketches layered on one another with bright water colors in the background. How they actually got that affect I’m not sure. The bright colors are the first thing you notice from 55 feet away. It is what grabbed my attention. When you come up to it about 5 feet away you can read most of the text and you can see the illustration in the background behind the text. Then as you get right up next to the poster you can see the fine print of the details of showing times, and you are better able to see the illustrations and their detail. I thought this poster was a success. It was attention getting, which is the biggest key factor in creating a poster. If it doesn’t grab the public’s attention in some way then there is no point in having made the poster. The text was very obvious and in your face, but the background was equally as strong, but in a different way so you could notice both. The placement of the poster was also an excellent choice. It stood against a drab industrial background, and most of the posters surrounding it had more dark and neutral colors, therefore, making its already bright colors stand out even more.

CLAUDE KUHN

This poster was created by the amazing Claude Kuhn this year for the Natural History Museum in Bern.  I actually saw this one right outside the Einstein Museum with a herd of other posters.  Most of Claude Kuhn's style is post-modern because he doesn't play by the rules, he's spontaneous and layered.  

I love his poster's because there are so many different layers.  This one is intriguing because from fifty five feet away you only see the rich colors and bug on this poster.  From five feet away you start to realize that more than one critter is on this image.  Once you get to five inches away you realize what the poster is about.  Claude always uses bright rich colors and great compositions to draw you in.  But his text is usually small and intimate.  The function of this poster is used very well it advertises for the museum.  It corresponds very well with this composition.   The reason I was so attracted to this poster is the colors and the image within a image.  

The Rock

Coming down from the Toubillon Castle Ruins and the Valere Basilica I saw a row of posters lining the street being displayed in single covers hanging on the wall that also lined the street. The one that caught my attention was at eye level, and had a large picture of a stone artifact covering almost the whole poster. The poster had been influenced by the photomontage movement. It did this by creating a collage and collaborating the one large photo in the middle, and taking small photos of other artifacts and faming them in boxes along the edges of the poster. The photo's and poster's purpose is to promote the artifact exhibit going on in a museum in Sion. The large middle photo was the part of the poster that would grab your attention from 55 feet, then looking closer at the poster from 5 feet you can see that there are many other photos along the edge and some of the text. Once you get up close to the poster you can see the details in the artifacts and the smaller text. I would say that the 55-5-5 rule is how I went about being attracted to this poster. The large stone in the middle is what caught my eye, and then as I got closer I noticed the other photos around it, and that it wasn't just a stone but an artifact with a design on it, then I studied closer to see the details in the rest of the photos. I thought the pster was a success because it gave you a taste of what the exhibit is all about and gives you a view of some of the collection in the museum, and therefore spark your interest to go see it.

I like eskimos

This poster was found inside the chocolate facotry, hung up along one of the walkways next to a lot of other posters for their factory. The thing that attracted me to this poster was the fact that it featured an eskimo. I found it kind of strange, and I don't really know what it is about an eskimo holding a giant candy bar that will make me want to buy it, but it does catch my attention and the image does stick in my mind. The main style of poster that informed this poster is the object poster. The main thing that you see is this big, red chocolate bar surrounded by mostly black and white. Your attention is drawn to the chocolate bar.  Also, the fact that this poster was painted drew me to it because most of the posters that we see now, are either pictures or computer generated. The 55-5-5 rule applies because from 55 feet away the red chocolate bar and white clad eskimo catch your attention on a black background. You come closer, and from five feet away you can read all the text on the bar and down at the bottom of the poster. From five inches away you can see the details on the wrapper of the poster and on the eskimo's face and clothes. I think that this poster is successful because it's different and a little bit out of the ordinary so it sticks in your mind. 

MUSEE SUISSE PHOTOGRAPHIQUE

This poster has by far been my absolute favorite poster I have seen yet.  We all saw it outside of the photo museum, it was on a poster stand and was literally right outside of the museum doors.  This poster is to inform you that you are at the museum, to make it stand out and so you don't pass by.  I really didn't see this poster anywhere else, I saw another poster for this museum but this one was unique to it's spot.   I think this poster is a post modern photo montage.  Obviously the entire poster is a black and white photograph, the text is layered and cut off.  The entire poster is a little in your face because of the size of the portrait.  I always love images with extremities in shape and contrast.  That is what really caught my eye with this poster.  From fifty five feet away this image was enticing because of the extreme contrast and shape.  When you got to five feet away it was still great because of the composition layout.   From five inches away it was informative.  

I love the simplicity of this image in the background, yet the lighting and prop make it substantial and complex.  Having an image that is so interactive is a great advertising method.

JAPON

This poster I saw outside of the cathedral in lausanne, right next to the suisse rebel museum.  It was eye level and on a stand with many other posters.  It has characteristics of early swiss posters from the color and the abstract objects.  It is also an object poster with advertising for an art collection in lausanne. The poster is  what I presume an actual piece from the exhibition.  

The 55-5-5 rule really did apply to this poster and worked because from a distance of fifty five feet you could see the abstract bird because it is black, it is an abstract shape that takes up most of the frame, also the red and white text are very noticeable and eye catching.  From five feet away you get closer and you can read the text and you intrigued further to read what the poster is for.  From five inches it's not as intriguing because there is not a lot of detail but the fine print telling about the museum is effective.  

I think what attracted me to this poster was the colors and the abstract shape.  The colors to me are soothing, the combination of darker tan and black.   The contrast of the white and red text with the neutral image are very appealing to me.  Also the fact that the text is centered and block letters and so contrasting with the black framing around the image.  I just loved the simplification of this poster. It flows, catches your eye and keeps you drawn in, while conveying the advertisement for the museum. 

The Old and the New

Walking back along the street from the panorama museum in Thun, this poster caught my eye. It was located alone in a “standee,” but was in a row of other single posters that were all at eye level. I think that this particular poster falls under the photomontage category because of combination of the two photographs on the top and bottom. The poster is advertising an exhibit going on at the art museum in Bern, a photo exhibit I'm guessing. The red strip with large white print in the middle is what I think most people would notice right off the bat from 55 feet away. Then as they approach it from 5 feet they will see that the background above and below the red are two photos, and they will notice how similar the new modern photo is to the painting below it. Then from 5 inches they will be able to see the dates of when the exhibit is being shown, and to see all the details in the photos. For me personally this poster was a success. It caught my attention with the striking color in the middle, because it contrasted so well with the photos around it. The font got my attention as well, but wasn't overbearing. It didn't distract me from looking at the rest of the poster, and I thought that the selected piece from show was a strong photo and made me intrigued with what the rest of the collection looked like. How they got the image from the exhibit on the poster itself I'm not sure of, but I think it was well done overall.

I love to play games so when I saw this poster I was attracted to it. Monopoly is a fun game but sometimes it can get pretty annoying. This poster is not annoying however, it was done really well. I saw this poster on my way through Vevey. I was just relazing and enjoying the city and then I saw this poster. The red along the side is what first caught my eye. They order and organization of it is great too because it makes it easier to read and understand. The organization was influenced my the International style and it looks like this could be an object poster. I looks as if it is advertizing games because it has Monopoly and tic –tac- toe. The font is a nice font and it is easy to read. So the 55-5-5 worked because the red caught my attention from far away and then when I got 5 ft away I could read the font and from 5 inches away I could read what was on the bottom and who the image rights and what not were done by. This was probably made through different images put together from photos and then just drawings for the tic-tac-toe image. Also the different colors in the writings brought more attention because if it was all the same than I wouldn’t have wanted to read and look closer, so the black and white and red colors were very intriguing. This poster was done very well because it caught the attention of the whole group I was with by its nice simple design and easy reading and the red with the white colors.

Knife!

I found this poster on a poster standee in Bern,  just on the street. It was hung at about eye level. Clearly, it is an object poster. It is simple, you can tell exactly what it's advertizing, and it has a clear-cut type. What attracted me to this poster was the contrast of the red on white and all the different things coming out of the knife.  The imagery was just a simple photo, and then a computer was used to place on the text and logo. The 55-5-5 rule applied because from 55 feet away you could see it, and was able to recognize what it was, from five feet away you could read it, and from five inches away you could see little details in the shadows, and were able to read the smaller text at the bottom.  I think that this poster was successful because it got the message across and was very striaghtforward, which is what you what when you're advertizing something. 

Disneyland is one of my favorite places to be and go see, when I saw this picture I didn’t know what to think of it. I was walking along the streets of Aigle and in one of the shops I saw this out of the corner of my eye. This poster looks like it would be from the postmodern style. The character Mickey is drawn in a weird way and looks out of the ordinary. The font is also not a original nice font, it is funky and unusual. It attracts my eye because it is not what I am used to. It could have a little bit of International style because the words are organized but the font just makes it look non traditional. I think this poster is used for adversizing. It looks like there is a festival that has to do with cartoon characters and weird things. I don’t really know what festival it is for but I know because of Mickey it has to do something with a show of cartoons. The 55-5-5 works really well because from 55 ft away I could see that is was Mickey and I could tell that there were words. From 5 ft away I could read what the words were saying and all of the sponsor names. From 5 inches away I could tell that the background was not just a plan background. It has a design on it but it is just really light. It looks like it could be some kind of leafing or leaf design. I don’t know if this design has any significance to the poster. It probably does, it could be meaning where the festival is going to be or something like that, but I honestly do not know. This poster is really successful because it attracted my attention because of the cool design. If you saw this poster and saw that it was an evil Mickey Mouse wouldn’t it attract you? I really enjoyed this poster.

De La Cuisine A L'usine

I found this poster along the shoreline by the gigantic fork in the lake in the town of Vevey. It was right across from a large pole full of painted posters in a regular old poster standee. At the time of viewing there was a small old man sitting on a bench looking quite lonely. I was attracted not to this poster because of the little old man, but because of the great contrast between the bright red and white. I would classify this poster as international style because of the simple design and the flush left rag right text. The object of the poster is to advertise fine food and cuisine. The large red shape draws the viewer in and connects them with the information and title in the upper right corner. From fifty five feet away the contrast between the red shape and the white background draws the viewer in and grabs there attention. From five feet away the finer details of the background picture is apparent, and the information in the upper right hand corner is more defined. From five inches away the advertisers on the bottom of the poster are more pronounced. I was drawn to this poster because of the colors and the background image. I thought it was successful because it elevates something as normal vegetables to high art, while giving off the impression that the companies products are better than the rest. 

My first poster is an advertisement for the Kuntsmuseum Bern, the “Intermezzo: Die Sammlung in Bewegung” exhibit. Translated it means “a collection of movement”. I found it while walking along the banks of Lake Thun in a poster standee. It was created after and influenced by the international style. It has a definite grid like layout, and basic sans serif typeface. There is nothing to flashy or complex about the poster. It is a museum advertisement, which compares and contrasts the subjects of an old painting to subjects in modern day. A comparison of movement through time and through changing ideals. It contains a mixed media of photography and painting. The 55-5-5 rule isn’t so apparent in this case. But I do think it definitely grabs your attention by having similar, but at the same time quite different pictures on top of one another. The title being in a bright orange in the center also helps to catch your eye. At five feet you definitely do see the comparison. And at five inches all you gain really is the name of the exhibit and museum. I think it is successful because it draws you into at least see what it is advertising. And it ties the modern in with the old to draw both crowds in.


This poster didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me but it did grab my attention. It was also along the banks of Lake Thun on a poster standee. It is an advertisement for the Lost Paradise, “the View of and Angels”, exhibit in the Zentrum Paul Klee Museum. It screams postmodern because of the centered type, layering effect, and complex way of presenting the information. Also, it uses a conceptual way of actually using the letters. You know it is a “d” even though the hole is filled in. A collage of different media is used to create a busy background. I was first attracted to it because of the bold bright type, which takes up most of the space, and because of the way they broke up the words. They use a very subtle design in the background as well. I think it was mildly successful is attracting you to it but it is a bit of a let down as to what it is advertising. You only figure out it is an exhibit by reading the name of the museum on the very bottom. They could have done more to explain it.





The last poster is actually my favorite. I found this along a busy street in Vevey, right outside the train station. It was on its very own poster standee. It is a photograph of two helmets put together. It is a public service announcement to “Wear your helmet or pray”. It is definitely influenced by the object poster movement. It is extremely minimal. It is on a stark white screen, with very thin writing and only the helmets on the bottom. It is very clear-cut and gets to the point. The first thing that caught my attention were the helmets. I could tell what they actually were. At first I thought it was an orange, but upon further investigation I realized what is actually was and what they were trying to make it look like. Hands, praying. And then once you were right up to the poster you could read the type and it all made sense. It thought it is extremely clever and creative. It brings a lot of attention to the message and is one of those things that will pop into your head from time to time. It is a great safety reminder. Very successful.

Fete De La Musique

I found this poster across form a Coop in one of those poster standees in Vevey. The Poster was grouped with other posters along the sides of the sidewalk, this one caught my eye first because of its vibrant colors and the contrast between the white bunny and the hot pink background. Because of the illustrations and the chaotic nature of the design I would characterize the poster as Postmodern. It is easily and catches the eye form far away. The sans serif type contrasts with the hand drawn illustrations and makes for a more modern poster. From fifty five feet away the white bunny catches your attention, from five feet you notice the type and what exactly the poster is advertising, and by five inches you notice the advertisers on the bottom and the finer details of the drawings. I noticed this poster first because the color and design was different from all the other posters around it. I thought it was very successful because of its style. It is advertising a music festival of more modern bands and is trying to appeal to a younger crowd. The poster is a little more punk-rock than the other posters around it, which works well with the audience it is trying to advertise for..

This poster was located in the hallway of the Caillers  chocolate factory along with a number of other posters.  It seems to me that this poster was once or is displayed in the window of a shop or cafe.  The poster was just at and above eye level.

This poster is of Postmodern style.  It is very playful, with a free style, with no lettering other than the chocolate labels.  It just tells the story by the illustration not by words. 

The concept of this poster seems to be making chocolate a child's dreamy desire and delight.  The look on his face and the candy bars floating above his head implies good thoughts. It functions in painting a pretty picture in the consumption of Caillers chocolate.  It displays a pleasant child desiring the chocolate and therefore inspiring a desire in those who see the poster.

This poster was painted.  It may not draw loads of attention from 55 feet away because the the subtlety in the colors, but the concept is still intriguing.  From 5 feet it is at it's peak of interest because you get the details in color and the concept.  At a 5 inch distance the colors flowing lead your eye to interests.

What attracted me was the way that the child really come out of the poster.  It seems to be a pretty successful poster although it does require your memory of chocolate since it does not show any directly.

Got Milk?

I saw this poster in one of the train stations and it kept popping up from city to city. It is plain to see that this poster is an object poster advertising milk. I really enjoyed this poster, I though it was very creative how they used soccer to help advertise the ad during the Euro 08. They definitely knew what they were doing. In the picture there is a line of younger girls’ soccer team all wearing Swiss jerseys waiting to do their share of milking the cow. This poster gave national pride while advertising their product.
This poster also did a very good job by using the 55-5-5 rule. This poster was a relatively large poster which got your attention and which each step closer you can view each girl in their uniform, all the girls with different expressions.
I thought this was a great ad. I thought it was fun to look at, and even though I saw it all over I always wanted to stop and take another look.

I found this poster leading me up the hill in Lausanne just straight up from the train station.  It was at eye level, almost standing like a person in a line up of posters.

This poster is of the Photomontage Artist era and style.  With the black and white photographs put into a collage with a red shape and white lettering it is very apparent.  

The concept of this poster seems to be proclaiming and displaying Switzerland's independence and possible rebellion against the European Union in a museum.  This poster functions as an advertisement catching the modern eye with the bold red and also moving emotions with photographs of powerful moments in history and thus encouraging attendance to this museum or event.

Two photographs and a computer collage are the means for producing this poster.

  The red arrow like shape with contrasting white lettering draw attention from 55 feet away.  From a 5 foot distance the photographs in general hold a persons attention. From 5 inches away the faces and details in the photographs catch and keep interest.

What attracted me to the photograph was the contrast of red with black and white as well as the imagery in the upper photograph. I think this poster was a success because it seems to bring about curiosity by displaying a glimpse of what it is advertising, it provokes emotion from the events displayed, as well as draws in the people of today by adding the bold red shape . 

Cheese Please.

While running to catch the next train of the day I saw this poster. This is a photomontage of two pictures from two different time periods put together as one themed picture. This poster uses both black and white imagery to help the viewer recognize the differences and similaries of the two.

The 55-5-5 is used in this poster as it can be seen from a far distance and be interesting to a viewer. Once you walk up closer you are still intrigued with the image and if you get even closer you can see even more detail. I really enjoyed looking at this poster. There are many things that grab your attention, from the black and white photos to the cheese in the corner.
I thought the cheese company that advertised this poster was very smart in how they used all the traditional Swiss themes. Everyone that walks past this poster feels the rich Swiss culture with the cows, the cheese and the alps all in the picture.
I think this poster was great and really caught the viewers attention and lets them know of the great tradition of cheese in Switzerland.

Art in Nature

I found this poster in Lausanne while walking along a busy road by the lake. It was on a path that a lot of poeple walk, bike and drive by. The poster was about eye level with a person walking by.
This poster is a very International Style poster. The font is sans serif and you can see they followed a very mathematical grid system. The writings are in different sizes but all look as if they were set in a grid. The largest font is what catches your eye but the arrows make your eyes move throughout the poster.
The concept of this poster is to advertise an art show going throughout this summer in Lausanne. I am not confident that this poster will be very successful because the actual information regarding the details is a small font and could not be read by a person riding or driving by. If you were on foot, you could stop and gather the information (such as the website address) but other than that the fonts are all too small to see from further than 5 feet away. The 55-5-5 rule does not work from 55 feet away. From 5 inches it does stay interesting and attractive and is most informative from 5 feet away.
What attracted me to this poster was the natural photography and simple font. The red arrows also caught my eye, then i saw the other arrows that kept my eye moving. I liked the message of "Art in Passage" and the connection of art with nature.

Bright, Bold, Fun, IKEA

This poster caught my eye in Sion with its bright vibrant colors. When I first saw it I immediately wanted to know what it was advertising so I went a little closer and realized that the poster was sponsored by Ikea.
This poster is definitely postmodern with its playful print and and colorful imagery. This poster does not follow any traditional Swiss poster rules. It is fun and funky with different bold shapes and shades popping out.
This poster advertises Ikea and it's creative and original pieces. This poster stands out and catches peoples attention, making them take a double check to see what the poster is advertising.

This poster uses the 55-5-5 rule because it really draws a viewer in from a far distance and makes them want to come closer to see what the bold font says and with closer distance you are actually able to see what company/store is advertising it.

I really think Ikea did a great job in grabbing the viewers atteniton. I think they did a good job in conveying the creative and bold style they have at their stores. I think viewers are able to see that right away from their poster.

Poster #3- Dinosaur or Animal?

This poster is located in the underground walkway that connects the train platforms in Sion. It is placed on the wall of the station, surrounded by other posters, as you walk out of the tunnel to the outside.
In this poster you can see influences of photomontage. It is not black and white, but it only uses two colors (black and tan).
It is advertising an event for and exhibit of Japanese art displayed in Lausanne. It shows a strange animal looking thing in a dark black, surrounded by a plain, simple tan background.
I am not sure how the imagery was produced, but it looks like a painting with influences of printmaking.
From 55 feet away, the poster doesn't particularly stand out from wall because of it's nuetral colors. From 5 feet away, the poster catches your eye because of its non distracting design. The viewer's eye can rest in one area and then collect information about the exhibit from the smaller text. From 5 inches, you can gain the same information.
The strange animal attracted me to the poster. I still don't know if it's a dinosaur, bird, or animal. I like the simple design and that the artist didn't add anything to make it chaotic or distracting. I believe it is a successful poster once you take the time to notice it, but it doesn't stand out from the others because of it's neutral colors and location.

Chocolate's attraction

I found this poster in the hallway of the Cailliers Chocolate Factory. It was on the way to the room where the process and materials that go into chocolate making was explained to us. It was eye level with all of us walking by. Everyone was able to take our time looking and taking pictures of the posters in that hallway.
I would say that this poster was influenced by the early Swiss Travel posters era because it is an advertisement for Switzerland's chocolate. The silhouette picture of the lady is overlapped with a chocolate bar and there is a lack of rules which shows post modern influences.
The concept of this poster is to give a more adult attraction to chocolate. The beautiful lady is in the background, so it gives a more romantic feel to the poster. It also sends a message that chocolate is more important or satisfying than the woman.
The image must have been produced by photo montage. The lady is a painting then an image of the chocolate bar was put over top.
This poster would be attractive from 55 feet away. We saw the poster from 5 feet away and it was interesting. You could go 5 inches from the poster and still be interested in how the writing is gold tinted and the flowers have distinct pedals.
What attracted me to the picture was the stark contrast (but somehow obvious connection) of the beautiful lady and the chocolate bar. I think that this poster would be successful because it catches a persons eye and makes you crave chocolate. Yummy!

Poster #2- Go Vegan

I spotted this poster in Vevey, in a crowded area where lots of people are constantly walking. It is very large and positioned a little higher than eye-level. It stands apart from buildings, and it located next to a busy walking area off of a sidewalk.
I can see influences of a lot of different types of posters in this piece. It has influences of postmodern because of the blank, white background and it’s spontaneous, playful design. It can be linked to International Style because it uses photography instead of illustration as well.
The poster is an advertisement for Swiss Milk. It is an entire soccer team dressed in their uniforms waiting to milk a cow to drink. The poster is reminding you to drink milk and to buy Swiss Milk.
The entire poster is one large photograph with a small bit of text at the bottom. The design is very simple and organized.
From 55 feet away, you can see the large photograph and know what’s going on. From 5 feet away, you can read what it’s advertising, and from 5 inches- you can see detail of the photograph.
I was initially attracted to this poster because of the size of it and because it was located in so many different places around Switzerland, we saw it almost everywhere we went. The bright colors of the kid’s uniforms stand out against the white blank background. I think it is successful because it is seen everywhere and it’s a clever, aesthetically pleasing poster that appeals to a large amount of people. From kids to old people, I think the majority of people have seen this poster.

Poster #1- Ray-Ban Mama

This poster is currently residing in Leysin, one street down from the Hotel Au Bel Air on the same side as the Swiss–Rent-a-Sport. It is positioned at eye-level on the wall of a building connected to the Rent-a-Sport.
The poster design is very simple- a photomontage. The whole poster only has one picture accompanied by the words, “Never Hide”. Both the text and the photograph are done in black and white. The advertising brand Ray-Ban stands out in the corner of the poster by the bright red and white lettering. I can also see influences of International style because of the use of photography instead of illustration.
The concept is attraction. There are many things being used to advertise this. The woman is obviously female and attractive. She is appealing because of what she looks like and what she is doing- working on a car AND she happens to be wearing Ray-Bans. This poster appeals to most men, and some woman, and people that like sunglasses.
From 55 feet away, it attracts the eye because of the giant text and the scantily clad mechanic. The text being black and white also makes it stand out. From 5 feet away it still keeps your attention because of the organization/structure and it not being too chaotic or distracting.
Its simplicity and boldness attracted my attention to the poster. I think it is successful because of its appeal to men, by putting the woman doing non-traditional mechanic work in barely any clothing while wearing Ray-Bans and its simplistic/classic design.

Bio-Diversity

This Poster was found outside of a natural science museum in Sion, down the street form the Tourbillon Castle. Ut was hung with other posters for the same museum along the wall at eye level. The poster implements Postmodern style, with its sans serif fond in its speratic nature. The elements contrast with color, the green of the font and the pinks of the flower and butterfly. the poster also only has two font faces, the headline font, which contrasts with the stylized subheading font. the point of the poster was to inform passerby's about the exhibit going on in the museum. The exhibit is all about bio-diversity which is shown well within the poster by the imagery. The randomness of the imagery is complementary to the stability of the type, which then leads to a more successful poster. The poster catches the viewers attention from fifty five feet with its bright colors. From five feet away the website and dates of the exhibit is visible. and the details of the background imagery is more apparent. From five inches away the address of the museum and other information about the exhibit is seen, along with the finer details. I was attracted to this poster because of the hot punk of the flower and the green of the text. Also, it was positioned on a neutral creme colored wall and the contrast of the poster was what really caught my attention.

chocolate

       This poster was displayed inside along the hallway wall of the Caillers chocolate factory.  It was just at or above eyes level. It seems that this poster was once displayed out in the window of a shop or along a city street.

       This poster has elements of Early Swiss Posters because of the patterned clothing and figure style.  This poster also displays elements of the Post Modern Poster with it's originality, blank white background, and fancy cursive writing followed my a standard all caps lettering.

       The concept of this poster is simple and cute. It is showing that the giving and tasting of chocolate is a delightful experience.  It is showing a simple clear display of two nicely dressed girls probably looking respectable in society at the time and therefor making it a the fashion to consume this chocolate.  The function seems to appeal to an appetite for chocolate, but also a social and emotional state of ease.

       This is a painting in a collage form because it is simple two figure subject placed on a completely white background.

       The poster did catch my attention from a far distance away and was still interesting at 5 feet. It wasn't as interesting at 5 inches because of the simplicity of shapes and colors, but at the same time it holds you because of the strong contrast.

       What attracted me to this poster was the stark white background, the clothing and hair styles of the little girls, and the clarity of the poster in content and concept.  I think this poster was very successful. It made me feel that eating a piece of Caillers chocolate could be just a bright, cute, and simply delicious experience and anyone including sweet little girls will enjoy it.

This poster was outside of the photography museum in Vevey. this poster drew my attention by having a big dead fly on it, its not often that you see something so small blown up so big, let alone something that isn't really viewed as art or anything attractive. dead flys are usually viewed as disgusting and so i think it interesting that the designer chose it as a method for grabbing attention and especially that it works so well. the type on this poster is a sentence that repeats over and over as well as changes colors on certain works for better legibility because the text is black and is run over the fly it makes it almost illegible in those parts. because of the unusual imagery and the way the type is laid out i would place this poster in the post modern category. the poster is pretty easy to spot from far away because of the imagery but as you get closer the text begins to fill in letting you read what the exhibit is and where its located as well as the finer details within the fly body. i love the overall look of the poster and how the subject matter as well as the choice in type and how it is displayed have a slightly disturbing nature about them that works great for attracting attention as a poster advertisement.

this poster was on one of the walkways in lausanne. this is a very attention grabbing poster that uses a variety of angles as well as a high contrast color scheme that catches the eye as you pass by. this poster is an advertisement for an exhibit at the museum for the history of science. i can't tell what the exhibit is on exactly, but judging from the picture im going to go with the history of the bomb and explosives. the clock on the bomb is also resemblant of the doomsday clock in which the clock face resembles minutes to midnight, with midnight representing our own destruction. the composition of the poster uses many various angles of type which ignore any sort of grid system. this and the bright colors clearly show influence from the postmodern. as you get closer to the poster you are able to read more information, you are also able to tell at close range that the bomb is constructed out of paper and pipe cleaners which gives it an interesting effect, making it feel more playful than one would expect a bomb to be.

I saw this poster in Thun on our walk to the panorama exhibit. This poster is an object poster because of it's minimalistic design, limited color palette and use of type and focus on a single object. It's purpose seems to be an advertisement for a hobby shop from what i can tell, which i feel fits the theme of the ladder being a symbol of construction. It's minimalistic approach is what originally drew me to this poster, it was positioned between two posters that were very busy and i felt that the clutter of those posters made the simplicity of this one stand out even more. the overall color of this poster is a dull leaf green which is complimented by the small bits of red accents in the ladder. in terms of the 55-5-5 rule this poster isn't one of the better examples because it is so simplistic, from far away you can tell it is a ladder and upon coming closer the only information that is really gained is the store stamp on the bottom right and the finer details within the ladder.

poster #3

I found this poster in the city of Bern on the way back from the poster museum. It was located on a cork board in one the side alleys.
This poster is most Influenced by the post modern style. All the imagery present i built up in layers that all overlap one another. It is tied together with the theme of paint swipes, but as far as colors and text is concerned it also seems to break many of the other rules.
I was first attracted to this poster because of the imagery present and how spontaneous it looks. It is not a very big poster maybe 17 inches by 8 or 9 inches, but among all the other poster hung up on the board it still caught my attention, That is the biggest give away of the success of the poster. From far away you cant read the text very well but the imagery draws you in and makes you want to take a closer look and find out what the text says and what the poster is all about.
-Sarah Webb