Developments
Digital concepts
Utlising the alphabet built in my weekly developments, I used digital tools to efficiently assemble a typographic slogan that I was interested in working with.
MONOPRINT EXPERIMENT
Following on from the ideas explored in the PEACHES weekly developments, I tried to use digital tools to imagine what a outline monoprint overlay utilising a flower motif could look like. While I wasn’t certain the exact direction I would go with this I did some quick research into the symbolism of flowers, as symbolism and the deeper meaning behind imagery can help benefit the messaging that protest art may be looking to put out.
Green - Daffodil
Seen as a symbol of hope, as they reach full bloom in conjunction with the start of spring and so are also related to rebirth.
Associated with the month of March in the UK, and so alos associated with the zodiac sign for Pisces (19th Feb-20th Mar) which is associated with empethetic and kind people.
I don’t think that this design worked particularly well. While this is partially due to the angle I chose, I also think that the simplistic nature of the Daffodil works against the overlay approach used here, as it is not adding a significant layer of texture nor and it is losing details that make it easily identifiable against he black text.
Yellow - Lavender
I would love to use
lavender in one of my designs as it is associated with historic LGBTQ+ resistance. This is due to a couple of reasons - first, it is inherently a blend of blue and pink, which are commonly heavily associated with gender. Secondly, the term “lavender scare” or “lavender menece” was used by the american government and corporations in attempts to dehumanise and persecute gay workers and women - however, this was quickly and effectively reclaimed by the LGBTQ+ community and instead turned into a term of community - often describing social groups and safe spaces.
Also associated with calmness and peace. Often used in “calming” scented soaps, etc.
I actually really like how both of these look. The left Lavender plant is using an overlay mode and is only visible over the text, and the right laveneder plant is using a texture crayon texture but also is visible on the white background. I would only be able to achieve these effects with digital tools but I think they’re both adding a sense of depth to the image and are contrasting well with the text while mainting the overall “messy, homemade” aesthetic and without losing visual clariy.
Pink - Rose
Roses traditionally represent romance and love, which is not entirely relevant here, but I thought that the shape of a rose could make a very interesting print.
I think this design has worked out very well, the cyclical pattern of a the rose petals does not distract from the flow of the text yet invites the viewer to look deeper at the image and descipher the details.
Further Research
While I came to this phrase myself as something to work with; I was certain it was based on common literary roots. The idea of “Hope” being invaluable and intangible can be seen in many great speeches and works throughout history, for example:
“The answer lies in developing the capacity to accept the finite disappointment and yet cling to the infinite hope” - American Civil Rights Activist Martain Luther King Jr.
"To live without hope is to cease to live." - Russian Author Fyodor Dostoevsky, author of Crime and Punishment.
While both of these quotes are written by different people, with massively different social contexts surrounding them - we can see a clear throughline that connects them. The world is cruel and unfair and it is easy to give in to abject despair, yet it is exactly within these
parameters that we must choose to have hope, as this is how we can make change happen.
In addition, when it came to actually printing the letters, I decided to creation additional blocks instead of trying to use the digital creations, I researched some accessibility concerns suchs as readability to people with dyslexia, as for political messaging to be as powerful as possible it should be all-inclusive. I found that generally as long as the shapes of letters are distinctive; the lines are clearly spaced out and the letters reach destinct heights on the line between themselves, a mixture of captials and none capitals can be fine.
More Developments!
READING
https://www.vam.ac.uk/dundee/articles/violet-delights-a-queer-history-of-purple
https://www.rhs.org.uk/garden-inspiration/plants-we-love/daffodils-art-myth-folklore
https://www.nybg.org/planttalk/shades-of-lavender-symbolism-scent-sightings-and-species/
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/discover/history/art-collections/roses-in-art-and-collections-we-care-for
https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/draft-chapter-x-shattered-dreams
https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2022/02/80444/
https://www.dyslexiasupportsouth.org.nz/school-toolkit/dyslexia-friendly-guidelines-for-effective-communication-and-advertising/