Something that I look at everyday is
this poster from Victory Gardens that I got from my boyfriend's twin
brother, who is an employee there. Although I've viewed this poster a
million times, now that I'm really seeing it, several things stand
out. Firstly, the “Fruity Nutty Five Contest” is quite humorous
to me, and it has captured my attention. The saturation of color on
the fruit leads my eye there after, noticing the hand grasping it
with purpose. As my eyes scan more of the photo, I see the phrase
“pick your future!” that I can relate to types of propaganda I
see in ads and on commercials (though it doesn't have a negative
connotation like some propaganda may possess). So far, I can gauge
this poster as a “good graphic design,” because it captured my
attention, controlled my eye movement across the poster, conveyed
information and evoked emotion (White Space Is Not Your Enemy, p. 6).
I feel connected to the message of this photo, not only because I
know someone working there, but because I have an understanding of
how Victory Gardens wants to improve the community.
Victory Gardens is just one of the many
establishments in Milwaukee that is trying to connect neighborhoods
together through growing your own food and making that food together.
This is in the hopes that more people will get into gardening and
therefore become more self-sufficient. By planting fruit and nut
trees in a “deserving” neighborhood, Victory Gardens can
establish healthy food options for that area, and begin to educate
those that are interested in growing their own food. This will
greatly improve quality of life and can save money. The “Grass-Roots
Movement” Victory Gardens has been pushing for can continue to
reach out in the community!
Brian Kennedy mentioned visual literacy
is about connecting cognition and memory. He states that, “Visual
literacy is the ability to construct
meaning from images. It is not a skill, it uses skills as a toolbox.
It's a form of critical thinking that enhances your intellectual
capacity.” (Ted Talk). The Victory Gardens Initiative Poster has
allowed me to look, see, describe, analyze, interpret, and finally,
construct meaning. If we all can construct meaning from the visual
aspects we see everyday, I think it will positively enhance our
learning experience.
Great poster, Katelyn! Two things I really like about the graphics on it. First, I like the hand picking the fruit. So much of the food we see today is removed from people. Meaning, machines plant it, water/feed it, take care of it and harvest it. It's hard to feel connected to your food or food source when you see none of the process! The hand picking the fruit makes that connection.
ReplyDeleteSecond, I like the typeface on the title Fruity Nutty Five Contest. It reminds me of earlier times (much earlier than I am!) and of the mid 20th century. And it's just a fun typeface - appropriate to the poster!
Jen P.
What an interesting poster. I'm not a fan of clip art but in this case it works, helping give the poster a retro vibe. The fruit being picked is an apple, but the color is orange. I like the incongruity: it makes the eyes linger a bit longer on the image—is that an apple or an orange? The rounded shape of the fruit behind the focal point contributes to the ambiguity. Is this a poster for only Southeastern Wisconsin or is it national? That would make a difference in one’s immediate interpretation. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could grow orange trees in Wisconsin?
ReplyDeleteWhat you have is a good start and you do make connections to the textbook and to Kennedy’s TED Talk. I’m a little surprised, however, that the Victory Garden Initiative logo wasn’t mentioned in your post. The hand grasping the fruit (the poster's focal point) echoes the logo, in which a clenched fist holds aloft a beet with greens. Upon seeing the VGI logo I immediately thought of Rosie the Riveter (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosie_the_Riveter, Westinghouse Poster) and that poster’s connotations of strength. What do you make of the VGI logo? What does the logo suggest to you? If you agree with me that the logo suggests strength, what kind of strength is being referred to? Did you notice that part of the hand and the greens crosses the logo’s top border? If everything in a logo design is intentional (it is), then what is suggested by that design element? Is there anything else about the logo that helps create a tone for the poster, represents the VGI organization and movement, and reflects on the organization’s mission? Did you visit the organization’s website? http://victorygardeninitiative.org? How does the website’s design and content inform the poster? I ask these questions to challenge you to dig deeper in your analysis of the poster. Dawn
Thank you, Jen! I agree that machines are taking over the production of our food. Victory Gardens is hoping to get people back to growing it themselves, which I'm hoping to do within the next few weeks (my backyard needs something aesthetically pleasing)! I also heard that gardening can be a form of therapy, and its been used to help people with ptsd? Makes sense to me! -Katelyn H
ReplyDeleteDawn, I see what you mean with connecting the VGI logo to strength, and it having a deeper meaning that I missed. To me, the logo displays meanings of: strength, progress, racial equality, and thinking outside the box. The logo suggests to me that VGI's movement is to bring people of all races and ethnicities together in a food movement (the hand is neither black nor white), something I feel is needed in Milwaukee (and everywhere for that matter). Think of what food means to all of us- not only a means of survival, but it makes us feel good, and it gives us energy. By incorporating the community with this movement, there is hope that everyone will come together (on account of the energy/happiness) in a positive way. Crime and drug/alcohol use could be reduced, neighborhoods can feel safer, and children can be educated on self-sufficiency and the need for nutritious food. The green coming out of the logo suggests change and thinking outside the box. VGI is telling us here that there needs to be new ideas and maybe even a fresh start, because change will not occur otherwise. That relates to the overall website, because it has primarily green and red colors, making me think of the sprouting of plants, and the red of tomatoes. The entire website is very modest and not in your face, but the peaceful habits of the site are encouraging volunteer work and the push for a stronger community.
ReplyDelete- Katelyn H, sorry!
ReplyDeleteKatelyn, I appreciate your in-depth look at VGI's logo and website. Much stronger! Dawn
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