Semiotics in “Hiroshima Appeals”
Informational Booklet | Fall 2023
Informational booklet about semiotics targeted towards first-year design students. The aim is to educate young designers about how to identify the different aspects of the theory of semiotics.
I had the roles of researcher, writer, and designer.
Poster Choice
I was tasked with designing this booklet around a poster displayed at Poster House in New York City. I chose to use the "Hiroshima Appeals" poster designed by Eiko Ishioka in 1990 because it was visually striking. The poster made me stop and stare, wanting to learn more. "Hiroshima Appeals" is full of meaning and subtext that may not be apparent upon one's first viewing; making for an informational booklet.
Spreads
My goal was to make the information as clear and succinct as possible so that it could be understood by those who do not have an existing knowledge of the topic. Breaking the information up into smaller chunks was one of the strategies I used to achieve that. Keeping the audience in mind while designing was my main focus.
Successes
My booklet was shown to a group of first-year graphic design students to see if the design was successful. The students who looked at it said they had a good understanding of semiotics afterward. Some criticism I had received, however, was that the layout seemed lacking in interest.
What I would do differently
If I were to create this booklet again, I would refine the type more. Since making this, I have had a lot more practice with implementing whitespace and using a grid while working with text. I would have also made the layouts more visually interesting by changing up the fonts used and visual elements throughout. I want to make these changes to make the overall look of the booklet more appealing to those that are younger.
