Description
- 18 x 24 inches, vertical
- Mixed-media digital collage
Publication Date
10-13-2020
Keywords
pandemic, graphic design, digital collage, poster
Disciplines
Art and Design | Graphic Design
Recommended Citation
King, Gracie, "Gracie King: 1918 & 2020 Pandemic Poster" (2020). COVID-19 Graphic Design: Posters. 26.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/stu_vad_covidcollage/26
Comments
The 1918 flu pandemic as well as the 2020 corona-virus pandemic both had the issue of citizens of the United States not wanting to wear masks. In today’s pandemic, wearing a mask has become an issue of invading “our rights” as Americans. In 1918 and in some states, people were actually fined or jailed for not wearing a mask. Fines could cost up to $5, which is the equivalent to $84 today. In today’s society, that would be seen as too extreme or going against our rights.
Our president, Donald Trump, didn’t wear a mask until July of 2020. The past few months, especially the few months leading up to July, our president seemed to be in denial of the events occurring in our world such as the pandemic. In my collage, I would like to compare how our president’s actions would have been addressed in 1918. Had he not worn a mask during the 1918 pandemic then he could have been fined, jailed, or both. In my collage, I illustrate the results of his past actions. President Trump is seen in a mugshot photo due to not wearing a mask. I also combine elements of the 1918 pandemic within the collage such as headlines from that time period as well as a drawing of the 1918 flu virus. Some elements of the 2020 pandemic include our current president, some drawings of the coronavirus, and the modern mugshot background displaying height.
I began this process of making by replicating a mugshot from the 1920s time period. In Photoshop, I gave my composition a sepia filter, which was inspired by the 1920s mugshot. Later, I transitioned into color. I experimented with balancing color and contrast throughout the piece. I included a mixture of digital photos as well as hand-drawn scans within the composition.