Create a Swiss design inspired gig poster for your favourite musician/band. Your design can only contain TYPOGRAPHY and GRAPHIC SHAPES. Apply your knowledge and skills to this design project. Reflect on the process of designing and pairing image and typography

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Swiss Style Design

Inspiration Weekly: Swiss Design

Poster designs from the 1950s and 60s by Joseph Müller-Brockmann, demonstrating modular, rotated, and even radial grids.

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GRID SYSTEMS

In graphic design, a grid is a structure (usually two-dimensional) made up of a series of intersecting straight (vertical, horizontal, and angular) or curved lines (grid lines) used to structure content.

History of grid systems in graphic design here

Grids Systems (Alignment)

A grid can create an invisible structure on which visual elements can be placed on. These grids can ensure accurate alignment and consistency in a large piece of design work.

COLUMN GRIDS

This is the most common type of grid used by graphic and web designers. It involves taking a page and splitting it into a number of vertical fields, which objects are then aligned to. Newspapers and magazines use column grids extensively.

MODULAR GRID

Kind of an extension of the column grid, a modular grid involves taking a column grid and adding rows to it. The intersecting rows and columns create “modules” that can then be used to govern layout decisions. Magazines and corporate reports often use modular grids.

An incredible number of possibilities are created through the modular system can be seen in much graphic and web design today. For example, we can see a digital version of modular system at work on the Guardian’s website 

Learning How to Use Grids for Poster Design

When designing a poster, starting with a blank canvas can often be bewildering, but if we start with a grid, it can help give us a framework to help layout our visual elements. If you sometimes struggle with your design and want more ideas and inspiration, then this may be the video for you!

SWISSTED DESIGN

Swissted takes rock concert posters of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s and remixes and reimagines them through a Swiss modernist lens. You see the website here

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ASSIGNMENTS

INTRODUCTION
1. Create a new webpage "Swiss Design"
2. What is your understanding of Swiss Design and the grid system?
3. Include examples of Josef Müller-Brockmann work
4. Include your C27 Room Sign and your name experiments
5.  Highlight some of the characteristics of Swiss Design in your work

Creative Brief 1: C27 Door Sign

Instructions:
Asymmetrical Layouts: Arrange elements (text, shapes) in a non-central, dynamic way.
Use of a Grid: Use a grid system to ensure alignment and structure.
Sans-Serif Typefaces: Choose a simple, sans-serif font for clarity and modernity.
Graphic Shapes: Add graphic shapes to add more interest to your design
Text Alignment: Align text flush left and ragged right.
Bold and Impactful: Ensure the sign is bold and easily readable from a distance.

Content:
The following information can be included on the poster. Remember to use hierarchy!
- C27
- Computer Room, ICT Suite
- Rules or Reminders
(minimalist phrasing like: “No Food or Drink”, “Log Out After Use”, "Chairs Under Tables", "Do not remove keyboards and mice")

Steps:
Create your design using Photoshop.
Apply the grid to align your text and any additional elements.
Choose a sans-serif font and make sure your text alignment is flush left, ragged right.
Use minimal colours and shapes to maintain a clean look.
Present your final design on your website

Creative Brief 2: “Swiss Style Name Art”

Objective:
Design your name in the Swiss Design Style using Photoshop. Focus on clean typography, bold colours, and geometric shapes to create a striking, minimalist composition.

Choose a design from the Swissted book and copy it!

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Key Rules:

1. Typography: Use a sans-serif font (e.g., Helvetica, Arial, or Futura).
2. Colour: Stick to 2-3 bold colours (e.g., red, black, and white).
3. Layout: Align your name to a grid for precision.
4. Style: Keep it minimal—no clutter, just clarity!

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Steps:

1. Open Photoshop and create a new document (A4 or square).
2. Type your name in a sans-serif font.
3. Experiment with:
   • Size and spacing (make it bold or stretch it out).
   • Colour blocks (add shapes or lines behind/around your name).
   • Alignment (try centring or off-centre layouts).
4. Save your design as a JPEG or PNG.

Student Examples

Creative Brief 3: SWISS-INSPIRED GIG POSTER

Create a Swiss Design inspired gig poster for your favourite musician/band/DJ.
Your design should only contain TYPOGRAPHY and GRAPHIC SHAPES.

SWISS DESIGN PRINCIPALS / SUCCESS CRITERIA
- Clean, minimalist, bold impactful
- Asymmetrical layouts
- Use of a grid (alignment)
- Sans-serif typefaces
- Flush left, ragged right text

PLANNING
Consider the genre of music (rock, pop, hip-hop, drum and bass, country) and how your choice of typography, colour and design might visually describe the music

POSTER CONTENT
- Name of artist
- Venue Name
- Address
- Date
- Time

Example
‘Brixton Academy’
‘211 Stockwell Rd, London SW9 9SL’
‘July 10th 2022’
‘DOORS 8PM’ 

Homework
Upload your final outcome to to your webpage.

Reflection Questions – Swiss Design Poster
What message or mood were you trying to communicate about the artist or band?
How did you use Swiss design principles like grid, alignment, and simplicity in your poster?
How did you choose and use typography to reflect the style of the music?
How did you use shapes and layout to create visual interest and balance?
What worked well in your final design, and what would you improve next time?

Photoshop Guides

PHOTOSHOP TOOLS
Ruler – “ctrl r”
Type tool – “t”
Move tool “v”
Shape “u”
Duplicate – cntrl/cmd + j
Blending Options – FX

How to create a 5×7 grid

View > New Grid Layout
Gutter = 0

CREATIVE ASSIGNMENT 3
Sports Day