Out Of The Strong Came Forth The Shadow Of The Apocalypse

In contrast to the cushion embroidery sweetness of my previous post, I will be writing today about THE APOCALYPSE. Or more specifically, a pretend film about a pretend apocalypse or revolution (it’s safer and equally fun really). I’ve been doing some promotional material for this film, with the idea that people may want to buy it and put it on the wall, where it will look down and make the room seem edgy and design orientated but also slightly violent.

This looks like it may be advertising violence, yep? 

This is the original photograph, there's no question it's much better in colour, but  I'm trying to keep the palette limited to monochrome for the time being because then I can afford to have them printed.

                                     

This is the background and border of the poster images. It's from a photograph I took from a window in the center of Manchester, thinking that the colours and the placing of the bridges looked very futuristic, and possibly post-apocalypse.

The reason this project began is because I was thinking about Che Guevara. I love Che Guevara, almost innappropriately. I love the semi-ubiquitous image on posters and flags and  the badges that the communists were flogging last year in Piccadilly, and I love his face in the regular photographs of him. I know he wasn’t a nice person, but that isn’t the point, because image of his face is iconic, and even though in principle any one of the rebel fighters in Cuba could have been photographed wearing a beret and looking into the distance, he’s the one that stands for revolution. This made me think about how any famous or iconic face is only there through chance, and anyone could be an iconic face. Later in this project, I hope to reference other themes that warrant promotional media, such as propaganda posters, and advertising for rock bands, but I’m starting with my imaginary film, you can decide what happens in it.

These images are square rather than rectangular, because that's their original composition, and I though that they made more impact as blog images, but I plan to place them on a oblong canvas for printing, as that's a more traditional shape for a poster. 

This photograph actually IS my sister, and most people who know her who have given me feedback have admitted to finding it mildly disturbing. She put the costume together herself and drew on the moustache and eyebrows.

I'm going to note here how I'm coming up with the slogans for my posters, because you are my special readers and can therefore be let in on some Trade Secrets. Well, semi-open if you have the internet secrets. I've been putting themes from the film, double identity, revolution, the apocalypse, into online slogan generators, and they tack meaningless advertising mush such as 'Brightens your day' onto the end. I was laughing for hours, and became concerned about what my neighbours would think as the walls are very thin. Here are some lovelies: 

'How many licks does it take to get to the center of the Shadow of the Apocalypse?'

'There's no wrong way to eat a double identity!'

'Easy, breezy, beautiful. Betray me and die!'

'1/10 of a revolution per minute-the other white meat.'

'The future is bright, the future is The Shadow of the Apocalypse.'

'Start YOUR day with the destruction of existence!'

Thank you for reading! I will update with links to my Etsy page once these have gone to print. Follow @PrintedGhetto on Twitter to see more poster designs.