This project explores the various relationships between type and imagery. The assignment is to create two posters that create a dialogue between typography and imagery. One poster that combines typography and image and another poster that utilizes type as image. Content is based off a class discussion. The objectives are to develop an awareness of the conceptual and expressive potential of typography, demonstrate sensitivity to the formal qualities of letterforms, and explore the communicative power of type as image.

After my most recent visit to New York City I was asked what were some of the things that really stood out and made New York City different from other places I had been. To me, the fashion culture, among many other things, seemed to play such an important role in the overall essence that as a result left a vivid impression of how I portray the city. Arcane Fashion Collective became the event.

Goal: To express the scene’s unique and eclectic approach, but to make it feel as though the big picture is not always translated to the average observer. The word arcane, meaning understood by few, or secret and mysterious - stays within the confines of meticulous design concept. Underground, edgy, hip, complex, obscure and esoteric were some of the other verbs I wanted to more subtly hint at within the event posters as well.

All of the parts seem to come in from several different directions and none of the elements are ever completely bound within the blue frames - the frame represents the viewfinder of those not involved. The larger type is set in Intro, a typeface that relies on a fundamental geometric structure, enforcing the primitive foundations of the fashion culture. The smaller portions of typography are set in Adrian Frutiger’s OCR-B, which was designed to be easily interpreted by two completely opposing parties, humans and computers - in this case the average viewer is the human and the fashion-forward individual becomes the computer. A reoccurring striped pattern was included to express the textures associated with many textiles and a set of familiar icons were incorporated on one of the posters.