The document outlines the tasks for a visual communication unit on poster design. Students will write an artist statement about posters, create a timeline of posters through history with examples, and learn about design elements like type, color, and hierarchy. They will practice applying these elements in poster redesigns and creating posters for eco-friendly products, including research and a final poster design. The unit teaches students graphic design processes for communicating messages through poster design.

1. YEAR 5
VISUAL COMMUNICATION : POSTER DESIGN

2. INQUIRY: THE GRAPHIC DESIGN PROCESS CAN CREATE
IMPORTANT MESSAGES TO COMMUNICATE TO THE WORLD.

3. TASK 1: ARTIST STATEMENT AND
CREATING A TIME-LINE OF POSTERS THROUGH THE AGES.
• 1A: Write an Artist’s statement by answering these questions:
• What do you know about posters?
• Have you ever made a poster?
• Why do we make posters?
• How do you think you might create a poster?
• Which elements of art do you see in a poster? E.g. line, colour, shape, balance,
cropping, hierarchy, scale, contrast, pattern, type.

4. TASK 1 CONTINUED:
• 1B: After discussing and viewing the various posters through history, create a
timeline. Example below. You can hand draw/ collage the timeline or create on
your iPad. One example picture should be beside each. E.g. a poster by Andy
Warhol from the 1960’s. Be creative in your presentation. (Assessed).
POSTERS THROUGH TIME.
16TH CENTURY
19TH CENTURY
World War 2
1960’s
21st Century
PICTURE
PICTURE
PICTURE
PICTURE
PICTURE
PICTURE
TODAY

5. A LOOK AT POSTERS THROUGH HISTORY.
16th Century
The first posters took the form of printed notices. They
replaced the town-crier and were largely text-based.

6. A LOOK AT POSTERS THROUGH HISTORY CONTINUED
• 19th Century
• Visually interesting posters
appeared with pictures and text.
Improved printmaking meant 3-
colour posters. Mainly theatre
companies and book publishers in
London & Paris created them. The
posters were printed on a very large
format.
• Why were these poster printed on a
very large format?

7. A LOOK AT POSTERS THROUGH HISTORY CONTINUED
• 20th Century: French painter, Jules
Cheret created many captivating
posters between 1860’s-90’s.
Including vibrant performers and
night-life.
• Later, Artist Toulouse Lautrec
created posters of the Moulin
Rouge. They were known for their
expressive nature, humor and
strong colours and lines.

8. A LOOK AT POSTERS THROUGH HISTORY CONTINUED
• 1940: Outbreak of World War 2: the
role of posters changed. Suddenly the
power of persuasive images and words
could help to change the course of
history. The poster was the cheapest
& effective way to get a message
across. It could reach 100’s of people
and communicate in bold & clear ways.
• What other ways were there to get a
message across during this time?

9. A LOOK AT POSTERS THROUGH HISTORY CONTINUED
• 20th Century: the importance of the
traditional paper poster declined as
photography, radio and TV became more
important.
• 1960’s: Posters started to play a role in
protesting, advertising and promoting
festivals and music. The silk screen process
became the common method.

10. A LOOK AT POSTERS THROUGH HISTORY CONTINUED
• 21st Century: Posters are most
often printed digitally and are
used alongside other forms of
advertising such as TV, radio
for political, social and cultural
purposes with persuasive
images and text. Often slogans
are included and logos.
• What is a slogan?

11. A LOOK AT POSTERS THROUGH HISTORY CONTINUED
• TODAY: Posters are created digitally, using programs as Adobe Illustrator
InDesign or just using an app on your iPad. Designers are highly trained in visual
communication skills. Posters can communicate a strong message, important
information, promote products or raise awareness.
• Where do you see posters in your community?

12. DESIGN ELEMENTS AND DESIGN PRINCIPLES USED
IN VISUAL COMMUNICATION & DESIGN (VCD)
• The design
elements and
principles
shown here are
a vital part of
visual
communication
and design.
Graphic
designers use
these elements
and principles to
make their
design better.

13. TASK 2: LEARNING ABOUT DESIGN ELEMENTS &
PRINCIPLES.
’TYPE’ = TYPEFACE = THE FONT USED FOR WRITING. TYPEFACES CAN HAVE STRONG
PERSONALITIES AND CAN INFLUENCE THE MOOD OF A MESSAGE.
TASK 2: LEARNINGABOUT DESIGN ELEMENTS& PRINCIPLES.
’TYPE’ = TYPEFACE=THEFONT USED FORWRITING. TYPEFACESCAN HAVESTRONG
PERSONALITIESAND CAN INFLUENCETHEMOOD OFA MESSAGE.

14. TASK 2A:
CREATE MEANING OF A WORD THROUGH TYPE.
Do this task in your visual diary. Select 2 of the words
underneath and express the meaning of the word through
the Typeface you choose. Sketch the words (using line and
shape) onto your paper and then use colour, tone to
enhance the meaning of the word. If you finish early do
some more!
STICKY MIRROR
SCARY SHADOW
STRONG BROKEN
ELEGANT FUZZY
FAST JUICY

15. TASK 2B: LEARNING ABOUT DESIGN
ELEMENTS & PRINCIPLES. CONTINUED….
• TASK 2B: 1 poster design 2 different ways. Considering
Colour, Type, Proportion, Contrast, Cropping, Hierarchy – Choose
an existing poster and change it.. Do this on a new page in your
visual diary or use pic collage to manipulate the poster.
• Change the composition (how the images/text are arranged in
the poster)
• Change the colours.
• Change the hierarchy of the images/text (make one more
important /bigger than others)
• Change the contrast (the lights and darks in the image)
• Change the title.
• Change the ‘type’ (font).

16. TASK 3A: ECO FRIENDLY DESIGN
What does “eco friendly” mean? Find a definition.
What products are eco friendly? Write down 2 products and why they are eco friendly.
How can you tell if a product is eco friendly?
What colour(s) and shape(s) do you associate with eco friendly? Write down you answer

17. TASK 3B: CREATE AN A4 PRACTICE POSTER.
• Reflecting on your knowledge of how to use ‘type’, colour,
hierarchy, contrast and other design elements and principles;
create a poster of an eco-friendly product.
• You may choose between: an eco friendly face mask OR : an
eco friendly holiday lodge
• In your poster design you need to consider:
• What images you will include,
• Choices of colours, type, composition, cropping, contrast, line,
tone.
• Include a heading / name/ slogan for your product.
• Explain the product – what are its best features?
• Do this in your visual diary. This is a practice piece , so it may
be in sketch format.

18. TASK 4: MOOD BOARD /
MIND MAP.
• Reflecting on your knowledge of posters,
design elements and principles and
experience creating posters and designs in
this unit.
• Choose an eco-friendly product ( you may
like to talk to your parents and friends to get
ideas).
• Create a mood board / mind map which
shows your research and planning for a
poster.
• Include; images, information about the
product, other posters you have seen of this
or similar products, sketches and notations,
colour considerations.

19. TASK 5: HIGHLY FINISHED POSTER
• By referring to your mood board and reflecting on
your knowledge of posters, design elements and
principles and experience creating posters and
designs in this unit.
• Create a highly finished poster of your eco-friendly
product. This must be created on the large heavy
weight paper you collected. You can include
elements that are hand drawn, collage, elements you
have created on your ipads and put all together into
the one poster.
• The design elements and principles must be
considered.
• Make sure you are communicating your message the
best way you know how through your poster.
• This piece is assessed.

20. TASK 6 EVALUATION
WRITE AN EVALUATION ABOUT THE CREATION OF YOUR ECOFRIENDLY POSTER. USE THE
FOLLOWING QUESTIONS AS A GUIDE TO WRITE YOUR EVALUATION.
• What is the name of your ecofriendly product and why explain have you chosen
this?
• Describe what the composition of the poster looks like. (how have you arranged
your images/information etc)
• What materials have you used in your poster?
• How have you made the ‘ECO FRIENDLY’ aspect visible in your poster?
• What part stands out in the poster most and how have you achieved that?
• What part in the poster is not working or could be improved?
• What have you learned about designing posters in this unit?