I was particularly drawn to this image because of the visual image it creates not only with the type, but with the white space as well. The letters in the names of the states are kerned close enough together that the overall image is understood while not making the graphic seemed too squished. If you take the time to actually read each state name, they are all legible which must have proven to be a challenge for the designer.

A few years ago, a study came out about being able to read and comprehend jumbled text. Here’s an example from FOX News, too — http://www.foxnews.com/story/2009/03/31/if-can-raed-tihs-msut-be-raelly-smrat/. I thought it was very clever of IKEA to make use of this trend in one of their ads. Along with clearly rearranging the letters, the typeface that they used is very effective. It being large and essentially the only thing on the image is eye-catching and makes people stop and wonder what the ad is about. Also, the slogan that is printed on the bottom, “Make Home Fun” goes along perfectly with the message that their use of typography is conveying.

This is not just one of my favorite broadway shows, but one of my favorite posters. The aesthetic of Elphaba the bad witch and Glinda the good witch fitting together to create one image shows the idea of how these characters were once allies. The contrast in black and white counteracts this though and shows the good and bad characters, white being good and black being bad. Also, the big title and not much other text doesn’t overwhelm the viewer. The text font used for the title, being almost a gothic design, represents the eeriness of the play and mirrors the actual word “wicked.” There is not too much color so you are not overwhelmed, and the way the negative space reflects the green in Elphaba’s face is very cohesive. Overall, this simple but thought out poster truly reflects the aesthetics of the play.

While I am a huge fan of the Iron Man series, the posters are what originally got me to see the movies.  The layout of the design attracts your eye to the warm color and the largest figure.  In addition, the eye is attracted to all the commotion in the background.  The color of the type fades in from top to bottom and truly illustrates the tone of the movie.  Furthermore, the type at the bottom is the perfect size so it leaves enough room for the picture and it is still legible.

Being from Philadelphia, I am already a huge Rocky fan.  The type is very simple and casual, just like a man from Philly.  The poster utilizes the white space, while making enough room for the iconic main character.  The reason this poster is so powerful is because a person does not need to have seen the movie to understand; he or she can look directly into the main character’s eyes and feel the emotion.  This is the epitome of graphic and type combination.

The poster promoting National Poetry Month is creative and unique. The eye is immediately drawn to the large red type displayed across most of the poster, which stands out against the plain white background. The letters look “messy” in a variety of sizes and angles, but this design works effectively for the poster because poetry is supposed to be creative, unique and individual. The letters seem to be floating out of the image of the hands, which connects to how poetry is supposed to flow. The designer probably chose a sans-serif font since the letters would look messy, chaotic and hard to read with added serifs. The sans-serif font also keeps the poster from looking too formal. I like how the rest of the poster is simple – minimal black text in an attention-drawing font with a white background. The black text matches the black-and-white image of the hand nicely, so the hand doesn’t look out of place. Also, the blue box on the bottom of the page provides separation and serves as a nice contrast to the red “National Poetry Month” type. I think the poster does a good job at promoting National Poetry Month and capturing the essence of the event.