100 years after the
19th amendment
the students of s452 design a gotwv poster
Heidi Peng
Dedicated to: My family and SOAD friends I always try to put 120% effort into any project I complete here at SOAD; thus, I’m thankful to my family for always supporting me and to my friends at SOAD for pushing me to work harder and become a better designer as well as student.
~Heidi Peng
TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1: a look into the past FOR COUNTRY AND WOMAN “GET OUT THE VOTE”
4 5
Chapter 2: DESIGNING FOR NOW VOTER, SHE WROTE VOTE AS YOU PLEASE a part of history
6 8 10
Chapter 3: toward tomorrow references Artist’s statement
12 13
4 | INITIAL RESEARCH
for country and WOman
S
uffragettes had been fighting for the right to vote for decades before the eventual ratification on the 19th Amendment. Throughout the movement, several notable women were identified as leaders in the struggle for universal suffrage—Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. Stanton is best known for her work in drafting the “Declaration of Sentiments,” a revised version of the “Declaration of Independence that included the stipulation that both men and women were created equal. At the time it was revolutionary to assert that the two genders could stand on equal ground; however, this push back from society did not stop these women or their constituents.
Mr. President:
vocabulary PICKETING: A form of protesting in which individuals assemble outside a particular location. ABRIDGED: The act of curtailing a specific right or privilege.
Anthony is more well-known for the actions she took during the suffrage movement. She traveled around the country to garner support for the movement and gave speeches wherever she went; no matter what, she never missed an opportunity to let her voice be heard. One particular event of note was when Anthony was arrested for “illegally” voting. She famously refused to pay the $100 fine and never paid a penny. These two women were crucial figures in the struggle for the 19th Amendment. Truth be told, however, that the fight did not end in 1920. While we must honor the impact of these women, we must also recognize that we continue to fight to this day.
American suffragists protest about voting rights outside the White House.
GOTWV INSPIRATION | 5
Randi frye This design served as a huge source of inspiration for me. The color palette used the stereotypical “American” colors, but Frye changed the hue of each in order to give them a new character and voice. I particularly loved her pinkish-red color, which inspired my brick red color that use throughout my poster. Frye’s treatment of type is also extremely successful. Her “justified” column of text helps to elevate the hierarchy and readability, and her typefaces are beautiful. I knew I wanted to incorporate ornamental lines and “vintage” typefaces as well after seeing this poster.
6 | INITIAL SKETCHES
Voter, she wrote Book COVER: Voter, She Wrote One of my first ideas was to use a book in the poster. For some reason, “Murder, She Wrote” popped into my head, as I felt it would be easy to replace the word “Murder” with “Voter” to create a pithy book title about voting. I ended up pursuing the book concept for the first comps and final design of the poster, but I dropped the “Voter, She Wrote” idea because I did not think it would be as effective in conveying the overall voting message.
AIGA’s civic engagement initiative, part of Design for Democracy. Learn more: aiga.org/vote Design by Heidi Peng, Bloomington, Indiana
In partnership with Nonprofit Vote nonprofitvote.org
INITIAL SKETCHES | 7
V is for "vote " as you please" As I was doing research, I found an image of a women protesting with a sign that said, “Vote as you please, but please vote.� I instantly fell in love with the catchphrase, as it was both simple and powerful. I also thought it perfectly captured the urgency around voting in 2020. I wanted to use the traditional, American flag colors to form a 3D V shape. To create more depth, I also added an inner glow. I ended up using this slogan in my final poster design.
8 | FIRST CRITIQUE
vote as you please
T
he first critique is always the most nerve-wracking; however, critiques are a critical part of the design process. They allow you to show your in-progress work to others and get constructive criticism from your peers. The best ideas often come from collaboration, which is why keeping an open mind during critiques is also vital. In going into the first critique, I presented two comps that were based loosely on my initial sketches. As the project goal was to inspire people to vote, while remaining
vocabulary FRANCHISE: To have the right to vote in general elections. Female suffragists specifically sought to be fully enfranchised.
non-partisan, many of my design choices focused on the concept of unity and a shared American identity; thus, both incorporate the author “Your Fellow American.� These posters also demonstrate my personal love for typographic design and how to give type a voice and feeling. Moreover, these designs attempted to push the boundaries of what is considered a “voting� poster. I had never seen a poster that incorporated graphic elements like flyers or a book, which pushed me to try and develop these ideas.
THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW!
vote it’s up to you!
We are calling on all Americans to make their voices heard. It has been 100 years since the passing of the 19th Amendment, yet voter turnout is lower than ever. It’s up to you to make a difference. Vote for your future. Vote for our collective future. Go out to the polls and vote on November 3rd.
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AIGAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s civic engagement initiative, part of Design for Democracy. Learn more: aiga.org/vote Design by Heidi Peng, Bloomington, Indiana
In partnership with Nonprofit Vote nonprofitvote.org
The first design I brought to our initial critique was based on my flyers idea. The primary flyer is in English while the rest of the posters are in different languagesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; Chinese, Spanish, French, Japanese and Koreanâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;as I wanted to acknowledge the importance of other cultures that exist within the U.S. The poster has an ominous mood in order to emphasize the necessity of the vote.
FIRST CRITIQUE | 9
WHAT WENT WRONG
1. The Empty Box The box next to “AS YOU PLEASE” looks random; thus, a checkmark was added to hint at voting.
3. The Connection to History The biggest problem identified was that the book did not read like a history book. It seemed as if the book served no purpose other than to create a unique poster, which led to large changes in the final design..
2. The Background The background includes the “Declaration of Sentiments,” but it lacks a purpose in the poster.
4. The Motivation This poster didn’t motivate people to vote and lacked that needed “umph.”
There were several problems with my initial book cover design, concept. Let’s break them down.
100 years after the
19th amendment
A nation finds itself on the eve of election day
Your Fellow American
YOUR FELLOW AMERICAN
AIGA’s civic engagement initiative, part of Design for Democracy. Learn more: aiga.org/vote Design by Heidi Peng, Bloomington, Indiana
In partnership with Nonprofit Vote nonprofitvote.org
After choosing the book concept, I decided I wanted to make the cover read more like a history book than a novel. I also knew I wanted the book cover to be heavily based on typography, which led me to choose more “vintage” and bold display typefaces. Lastly, I wanted the book to feel like something you could actually see in a store and purchase, hence the book mock-up.
10 | FINAL DESIGN
A PART OF HISTORY
M
y final design attempts to remedy all the previous issues identified in the initial design. First, the checkmark was added to the blank box in front of “AS YOU PLEASE.” The other typography elements, however, stayed largely untouched. The most notable changes were to the mock-up itself. Instead of a single, thin chapter book, I used a series of thick, hardcover books, which read more like history books. The background was also changed to a sleek, black backdrop to create more contrast with the books.
Jenny also suggested the slogan “Become a part of history” in order to make the history connection even more apparent. Each of the textbooks also chronicle an important year in US voting history. Starting with 1920, the book is titled “To Vote For Country and
(Wo)Man” and reads, “With the ratification of the 19th Amendment, the vote can no longer be denied to a US citizen on the basis of sex.” The 1965 book is titled “Any Vote Can Rock the Boat” and reads, “The Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibits any racial discrimination regarding the right to vote.” Lastly, we find ourselves at 2020, which reads, “100 years after the 19th Amendment, a nation finds itself on the eve of election day.” This year, more than ever, we are feeling the pressure and urgency surrounding election year. It’s been a century since the passing of the 19th Amendment, albeit our work is not finished. We must each play our role this year to make a difference and let our voices be heard. The series will continue on, and we will become a part of history.
Behind the Poster
Here’s a breakdown of the different poster components. Color Palette C:4 M:83 Y:73 K:3 R: 223 G: 80 B: 71 Hex Code: #de4f47 C:100 M:90 Y:10 K:0 R: 37 G: 64 B: 143 Hex Code: #24408e C:0 M:0 Y:0 K:0 R: 255 G: 255 B: 255 Hex Code: #ffffff C:0 M:0 Y:0 K:100 R: 0 G: 0 B: 0 Hex Code: #000000
Typefaces
LABOR UNION REGULAR
PORTIA
AGED OBLIQUE
RANGER
ITALIC SHADOW
lichtspiele trailer
Zing Script Rust Semibold
BECOME A PART OF HISTORY
Poster design by Heidi Peng, Bloomington, Indiana
12 | RESOURCES
references VOTE AS YOU PLEASE British Library Learning. “Women’s Suffrage Glossary.” The British Library, The British Library, 6 Feb. 2018, www.bl.uk/votes-for women/articles/womens-suffrage-glossary.
for country and woman Burns, Ken, director. Not for Ourselves Alone: the Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton &amp; Susan B. Anthony. IUCAT, PBS, 1999, iucat.iu.edu/catalog/15208633.
“randi frye” Frye, Randi. “The Women’s Vote 100 Years Strong!” Get Out the Vote, AIGA, 2020, getoutthevote.secure-platform.com/a/gal lery/rounds/104/details/37694.
for country and woman Werft, Meghan. “In 1917 ‘Silent Sentinels’ Protested for the Right to Vote.” Global Citizen, Global Citizen, 10 Jan. 2017, www.globalcitizen. org/en/content/womens-march-white-house-protests-trump/.
“mr. president” “Women Suffragists Picketing in Front of the White House.” Library of Congress, 1917, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Women_ suffragists_picketing_in_front_of_the_White_house.jpg.
FINAL NOTES | 13
artist’s statement
W
hen I first began sketching, I felt as if I was going through a pseudo-creative block. I wasn’t satisfied with any of my sketches or concepts, but as I continued designing, I gradually found the inspiration that would lead into my final design. I believe the most powerful messages are often quite simple, and this is truly the case with the quote, “Vote as you please, but please vote.” As a part of a nonpartisan campaign, I struggled to find a way to motivate people to vote without taking a side;however, this quote does that perfectly. Moreover, I wanted my audience to feel like they were stepping into history themselves, which is why I created a series of books rather than just one while still focusing on 2020.
This year has dealt us some tough blows, but we’ve prevailed through it all. Now, we have the chance to make our voices heard, and in order to honor those who fought for the 19th Amendment and those who continued to fight for enfranchisement decades later, I believe it is our duty as citizens to vote. Change doesn’t always come about through massive movements; it can come in small waves. We each hold our own, unique power; it’s up to us to use it. As you look at my poster, I hope that you will not only enjoy it as much as I enjoyed designing it but also feel motivated to exercise your rights to the fullest extent. Let’s become a part of history together.
HEIDI PENG is currently a sophomore at
IU Bloomington. She studies Psychology and is also a student in the Graphic Design BFA. Heidi is also a freelance designer under her unofficial companyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;HPdesign. She focuses on typographic and identity systems design; however, she is also adept in several Adobe programs, including InDesign, Illustrator and After Effects. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to learn more about her, please use the following information to contact her or view previous projects. heidipengdesign.com | issuu.com/heidipeng3 Instagram: @designbyheidipeng Email: heidipeng01@gmail.com | IU Email: hhpeng@iu.edu
