The document provides instructions for students to complete a visual communication project on poster design. It includes 5 tasks: 1) creating a timeline of posters and writing an artist statement, 2) learning about design elements through typography exercises, 3) creating a practice eco-friendly product poster, 4) making a mood board and mind map to plan a poster, and 5) designing a finished eco-friendly product poster using principles of visual design. Students are directed to use their knowledge of poster history and design skills to communicate an important message through their final poster.

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.

14. TASK 2A:
CREATE MEANING OF A WORD THROUGH TYPE.
In your visual diary CHOOSE 2 OF THE FOLLOWING WORDS AND EXPRESS THE
MEANING OF THE WORD THROUGH THE TYPE FACE YOU CHOOSE. SKETCH THE
WORDS ONTO PAPER AND USE COLOUR AND TONE TO ENHANCE THE MEANING.
STICKY
SCARY
STRONG
ELEGANT
FAST

15. TASK 2: LEARNING ABOUT DESIGN ELEMENTS &
PRINCIPLES. CONTINUED….
• TASK 2B: 1 poster design 2 different ways.
Considering Colour, Type, Proportion, Contrast,
Cropping, Hierachy – Choose an existing poster
and change it.. Do in your visual diary.
• Do this by:
• Re-drawing the design
• Changing the colours.
• Changing the hierarchy of the pictures (make 1
picture more important /bigger than others)
• Changing the contrast (the lights and darks in the
image)
• Changing the name of the product or title.
• Changing the ‘type’ (font).

16. TASK 3: CREATE A SMALL 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.

17. 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.

18. 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.