Functional design was essential: gothic type, flat colors, and
sometimes the split-fountain technique—where two colors at the top and
bottom of the card mix in the middle to give a multichromatic effect. The
occasional stock line cut or halftone might be used for decoration, and a
variety of eye-catching borders were required. “The border demands full
consideration in card design,” wrote F. A. Pearson in the 1925 edition of
“Ticket and Showcard Designing.” “Its effect is that of a frame round a
picture. It limits attention within its bounds.” In addition, bull’s-eyes,
stripes, and other geometric patterns, not unlike Russian constructivist
and Bauhaus compositions, guided the viewer’s attention to the message.
The genre has been both parodied and used as inspiration for
contemporary work. Paula Scher’s New York Public Theater posters, for
example, with their bold gothics of varying sizes set against yellow or red
backgrounds, are admittedly influenced by the show card. In its original
form, it is still used for carnivals, circuses, auctions, and concerts. The
classic show card has survived shifts in trend and fashion because it is the
essence of good design.
tuis.
(Tuis.)
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