05 introduction 06 - 09 a parody of protest symbols 06 - 09 protest visuals 101 (a step by step guide)
In this part II of TFOAS a guidebook on protest visuals, is a step by step DIY guide for you to refer to create your visuals to protest / voice out your dissent against the fallacy of going to an art school. In Part I, we’ve showcased a few iconic protest symbols around the world, and how it has played an important role in defining the hopes and aspirations, the fears and the concerns of the people. As part of TFOAS, we’ve created a series of a parody of ‘iconic’ symbols as a visual of representation in protesting against the myths and misconceptions of going to an art school. You may use the provided stencils of these symbols to create your visuals.
As a part of the topic on the fallacy of an art school and protest visuals, TFOAS looked into various iconic protest symbols all around the world that is recognisable and well known, such as the peace symbol, ACT-UP iconic pink triangle symbol and the iconic anarchy symbol. TFOAS then created a series of parody symbols based on these worldwide iconic protest symbols, the parody symbols by TFOAS is created in a way that it is visually representing an art school, using symbols that are relatable to an art school, such as the symbol of pen tool, and RGB symbol. This series of posters showcasing the symbols would be showcasing the iconic protest symbol next to TFOAS parody of symbols, showcasing where the influence of the parody of symbols came from. As part of a parody of protest, these symbols aims to be a visual representation in protesting against the myths and misconceptions of going to an art school.
Remember that a protest is a symbolic action so your words count! You want people to see your sign and immediately get your message. - Use simple, catchy slogans - Funny and punny signs can be good as long as they’re respectful. - Avoid writing inflammatory signs — remember, you’re not trying to incite hatred or violence. - Compose a short, clear statement to represent your message. If you’re doing a physical protest visual : - Sketch out your words in pencil, using a ruler to keep your lines straight and ensure even spacing. - Make sure that everything fits and is centered before you follow up with marker/paint/spray paint. - You can also play around with size and framing.
As highlighted in TFOAS Guidebook Part I, symbols plays an important and effective role in protest visuals. You may want to convey your message with a symbol, which can be used either in place of text or alongside a written message. You could make your sign really popular by using an eye-popping and recognisable symbol.
As seen in the background of this image, the use of peace symbol is evident.
Make sure to take color into consideration. - White and black is good contrast but if there is a hot pink protest visual with colourful text, the eyes tend to focus on that. - Bright colours can draw more attention to your sign but if the colors of your letters don’t contrast with the color of your board, your words will be harder to see. Use a strong contrast between font color and the background design. - Limit your color palete. - Consider using two or three colors instead of incorporating every color you can imagine. - Some of the most successful protest signs uses a very limited color palette, so think about which two or three colors will work best for your message and keep it simple.
Voice out your concern, opinions and thoughts. Your visual would help to amplify your message. Share your protest visual with us at TFOAS by emailing us at T.FOAS2020@gmail.com or tagging us at @T.FOAS on instagram!