WHAT I LIKE...
SIMON PAGE
This design, along with the others in the series, really outlines the sort of styles, compositions and feels I admire. Firstly, the colour combinations are so simple and calm, offering no distraction or an overwhelming visual. Fitting to the subject, the red and yellow hint toward the Cold War 'Space Race' but are subtle in doing so. The matt shades and textures complement this theme and are in line with the design fashions of the 60's & 70's. The use of line and shape is so simple and clean which I feel is important in order to achieve such a minimalist aesthetic. The design doesn't look over crowded nor does it appear lacking or empty. My favourite aspect of the poster is the composition. The text is spaced and placed so modestly in the corner, offering the necessary information in a subtle and efficient way. Most of the page is consumed by the planetary rings which could easily be too much. The negative space between each ring, however, does well in maintaing the themes of the design. I also really like how the poster is not composed using a horisontal/vertical grid layout. The diagonal placement of the rings provides depth of field while, simultaneously, offering a slanted sectioning of the poster which i really enjoy.
WHAT I DON'T LIKE...
UNKNOWN DESIGNER
I am a big fan of info-graphics and think they can be both endlessly helpful/explanatory and visually beautiful. This piece, however, is an insult to information visualisation. Firstly, the contents and statistics are wholly inaccurate; there are way more than a hundred people supplying pirate footage in the UK, let alone the world, and each other figure is a lazy rounding of a multiple of 10. The breakdown of each step is vague and doesn't really give any true insight into what actually happens. There is, hence, a poor provision of information and explanation alike. Secondly, the composition of the design is appalling with no consideration of flow or accessibility. The sectioning of each explanation is hard to follow and, even with the lines attaching each paragraph to it's related image, one could easily get confused. The use of a pyramid to explain a descending trend is so typical and over used making the graphic seem lazy. The imagery used for each section is generic and very over simplified. The 'computer equipment' looks more like a stack of DVD players, further indicating that the designer has no insight into the topic of this design. Finally, the message of the info graphic naive and pseudo-intellectual. The red on red is a weak choice of colour but it does add to the negativity of piracy. Piracy, however, is not the evil it is made out to be through this design. The idea that 'pirates' are stealing from the 'wholesome' Hollywood film corporations and, in turn, the consumer is ridiculous. Major film companies charge ridiculous prices for their products and dominate the global film market with their founded wealth and influence.
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