1. Election 2008
Campaign
Posters as Art

2. Decoding The “Design Rut”-
Election 2004
• Font- what kind of feel
does it have? Assertive
or Friendly?
• Are the letters thin or
thick? What does that
convey?
• Switch from regular to
all upper case what
could that suggest?
We Begin with your Typical Campaign Poster…

3. The Opponent
• How Does this Poster make
us feel?
• Is it Pretty? Does it have a
masculine or feminine
quality?
• How is the space divided
between the two names-
which take up more?
• Is the flag naturalistic or
geometric?
In comparison…Using JUST
text and the traditional
image…..

4. 2008: Has Design Improved?
Social Realist inspired poster of Barack Obama by Los Angeles
graphic designer and street artist Shepard Fairey.
-What does this poster tell you?
-What is traditional and what is new?
-Who is the target audience?
What is missing and is it needed?

5. 1968 poster for Eugene McCarthy by
Ben Shahn
-Using Ben Shahn’s
signature loose linear style-
It exudes an image of…?

6. In 1984, vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro was depicted as
Lady Liberty in a convincing send-up of Eugène Delacroix’s 1830 painting
“Liberty Leading the People.”
-Parody of an
existing artwork/
Graphic humor.
-Forces you to do a
Double take.
-Impresses the image
In the mind.

7. Addressing the Issues
• 1973 Berekely
• Illustration used in
poster does what?
• Is it important to see
an image to get a
point across?
• How does text work
with theme?

8. W.W.II Posters
• Look at shapes and
symbols in this
poster- what do you
see?
• Do the image and
text fight/conflict with
each other in the
space?
• What kind of text is
used?

9. Using Fame to Promote
Patriotism
• Who is depicted
here?
• What message is
this photo trying to
get across?
• Does it appeal to
you?

10. Political Cartoons
• Who are the
characters in this
image?
• What is the cartoon
trying to tell us?

11. Project:
• In this historic election-
Your vote is a chance
to make a statement.
• Create your own
campaign poster, using
elements that you feel
would draw in the
viewer, addressing a
specific issue of your
choice.
• It may be for a specific
candidate or issue in
his platform.
• Make YOUR statement.

12. Examples: Artists For the
Candidates
By:
Robert Indiana

13. Posters that Address Issues…

14. More Issues..

15. And More…