Entry 7 - The Laws of Media

The Telephone

1. The telephone acts to extend and enhance the human experience of listening, and talking. Verbal communication. The function of this technology is to connect people verbally even from long distances when they cannot speak face to face. It extends the function of the ears and mouth, and along with that the sense of hearing. It augments the human action of communication, and extends the individual and connects society.

2. The telephone mostly made telegraphs obsolete. In some senses it also made writing letters obsolete or more unnecessary as well. It bypasses the need to travel to talk to someone. The telegraph mostly becomes an object of nostalgia.

3. Mostly the archaic method of sending letters is used formally, or for fun.

4. The medium of the telephone when fully realized will in turn make people communicate less because they depend on a device in order to communicate. Texting gets integrated and calling becomes a hassle. Vocal communication starts to become an extreme, and overall it begins to become obsolete all together. Canceling out the main function of the device.

In conclusion the telephone was meant to bring people who are distant together verbally. However the telephone today has changed to the point where communicating verbally with it is many times not considered necessary.

Discourse

The New Typography
by Laszlo Moholy Nogy

Key Concepts:

• Typography must be clear in order to commuinicate
  
• Legibility is important
• Use all typefaces, type sizes, geometric forms , colors
• The New Language of Typography must be elastic, and have variables
• Most important aspect of contemporary typography is the use of zincographic techniques
  
• Inclusion of photography in typographic method
• The Objectivity of photo liberates the receptive reader from the crutches of the authors personal idiosyncrasies.
  
• New Typography is the simultaneous experience of vision and communication.

This image of a movie poster for the film Brick exemplifies key principles of Nagy's theory of The New Typography. It not only shows clear legibility with its typeface, but it has a bold creativity. It uses tone of color and variance of texture in order to give the viewer a sense of "experience and communication". Photography is implemented in marriage with the type and other graphic shape, as well as collage elements. The elements come together to give an overall cohesive feel and theme. Each part working to complement the other.

This is another example of a movie poster using very clear legible type in conjunction with photography and collage elements in order to portray a clear message. The type "I'm Fine Without You" grabs you right away and flows well into the photograph and other graphic elements.

Entry 6 - Unit 2 - Lecture 4

• Paul Shoctema - Use of overprinting typography
  
• Dutch objective photography integrated into total composition. Assembled on press bed.
• Werkman created abstract compositions called Druksels using small presses.
• Under Hitler - Blackletter is prevelant - No Sans-Serif
• Piet Zwarf - used collage technique with parts from the typecase
• DADA inspired
• Structured
• Found balance between the playful and the functional.
• Did not loose a concern for the readers needs.
• Quick grasp of subject
• Brief slogans large letters
• Bold type
• Diagonal lines helped attract readers.
• Post Cubism and Art Deco mechanized war devastated central Europe.
• Art Deco Moderne
• Expressed the designs of a modern era and a passion for geometric decoration for a machine age.
• A popular international geometric style.
• E. McKnight Kaufter - applied synthetic cubist ideas
• Known for London Underground posters
• WWII Propaganda:
• Nazi Party commissions steady stream of posters covering the rise of the party.
• Hitler rejects artistic Plakastil
• Ludwig Hohlwlen - Olympic games propaganda art
• Stylized realism with grotesque depictions of the enemy.
  
• Allies use mythical realism promoted patriotism at all levels of society through national symbols.
  
• Americans use stereotypical demeaning terms in propaganda
• Destruction of national symbols or flags was a common device in propaganda
• Demoralizing the enemy
• Herbert Matter - Swiss fullest expression of type and image during the 30's
• Integrates B&W photo with signs and color areas. Which became a model for later practitioners of the international typographic style.

The most interesting aspect of tonight's lecture for me was section on WWII propaganda. The posters from WWII have always been extremely fascinating to me. Not only fascinating but I think very well designed. I looked at them tonight and noticed how many techniques were being used that seem to be so ahead of their time. Things like type being used in perspective. My favorite of the posters is probably the one that says Talk Kills. I really enjoy the overlay style used and the realistic artwork.