Here we are in the middle of a raucous 2017 and the next iteration of the Power to the Poster project has just launched. We took the most powerful, most compelling posters created since Election 2016, according to us, and built a website around them. Graphic design in its purest form, the poster, on display for the Resistance Age.
And Now This
While the urgent, visceral emotions and reactions to the results of Election 2016 would’ve been put to better use in the actual election itself, those emotions and reactions have been amazing to see nonetheless. In America, there’s only so much bullshit a thoughtful, well-informed person can take before you decide it’s time to jump in and fight like hell.
As thoughtful, well-informed Americans who draw lines in the sand when it comes to truth, inclusivity, and overall progress come out en masse to rally, march, and protest, the burning fire of activism starts to overtake the feelings of defeat. Yes we lost, and to the victors who think they hold the torch of American direction, we’re coming for you.
It will be a long game. There will be setbacks. This “resistance” will need to shift to full on “opposition” at some point. (Democrats! Where you at?) And the purists will need to be okay with not getting 100% of everything because this is politics. The game of leading, compromising, and holding the line.
This is America. Diverse and beautiful, intolerant and fucked up. A place of dreams and nightmares. A full-spectrum citizenry of half-participation, almost constant hyperbole, and a political national discourse that does not serve us well. The way we as Americans sort of, sometimes, do the right thing and the way we go about it has done okay for us in the last couple decades. But moving forward, our previous methods won’t be enough. That’s for damn sure.
Given where we’re at, with the party of closed-minds running the government, there’s a clear before and after. Where we were before Trump became President. And after. There was a certain quality to the reality during the Obama administration. Especially in its twilight. We had made it. It was, in even mild terms, a success.
Big, medium, and small things accomplished. Without a single major (or even minor) scandal. And the torch was being passed to a Democratic successor who would lock in a good amount of things that could be undone by another political party. And then, in the most unexpected, cruelest of ways, the other political party won the day. The form the win took was in a vile human being spewing forth a view of reality that makes the thoughtful, well-formed among us cringe and hold our loved ones close. This reality is what we must deal with.
And now, graphic design.
On Goals
Copy and pasted from JoeSparano.com (because I agree with it):
Hunter S. Thompson on goals — “The goal is absolutely secondary: it is the functioning toward the goal which is important.… [B]eware of looking for goals: look for a way of life. Decide how you want to live and then see what you can do to make a living WITHIN that way of life.”
Don’t Read The Comments
This is true for virtually all articles posted on the Internet. Pretty much all Facebook posts. And Twitter? Well, Twitter...
Today in modern society everybody has an opinion about everything. Seem like by default. Whether they should or not. And while criticism is good to receive, comments on the Internet are not. Comments are a different thing. Mostly I consider them disqualified communication because they’re lazy. Snarky, dickish, mean, sarcastic, etc. But mostly, they don’t count because they are lazy.
I used to be in the camp of all dialogue is good dialogue. Comments makes the original post better. The Internet is the great unifier for all types of discourse. I don’t think that anymore. Sometimes there are shining exceptions. But today, a Don’t Read The Comments mantra is the best way to carry oneself online.
Payment By Exposure?
This is not a thing. Please do not ever suggest that it is. Of course there are exceptions. But unless you’re the 44th President of these United States Barack Obama and you have something you want discuss, do not ever think that myself, or anyone I work with, is OK with the idea of getting paid with exposure. There’s a chance I would make an exception if Arcade Fire wanted me to come up with some crazy shit for their next album, but even then. Hard to say if I’d be down.
How do you get better at design?
Do a lot of design
Do more design
And then do some more design
Work with open-minded, thoughtful collaborators who have high standards and keep their word
Then make sure you still feel good about doing design
Find inspiring clients you want to help
Do more than just sell
Take feedback and criticism gracefully
Have your own very high standards
Never think you know everything
Be stubborn
Be brave
Be humble
Remember to also have a life
Keep a (public) journal
Add to it often [...]
We enjoy working with candidates
2018 will be here before we know it. For candidates running for office, branding, graphic design, and web design matter.
Brand design will play a key role as it cuts across every part of a campaign. It’s there when people are calling supporters at campaign HQ. It’s there when people make donations online. It’s there when people are pounding the pavement, going door-to-door, and talking to the members of their community.
