The brief: choose an important event that happened on your birthday, research it, then design a poster to showcase it.
The first issue of The Daily Universal Register, 1 January 1785
The Times's first issue came out on the 1st January 1785, although back then it was named The Daily Universal Register. This event peaked my interest out of so many others because of my fascination with editorial design. I was excited at the idea of creating a newspaper-like layout, and I immediately researched the oldest issue I could possibly find.
My research revealed even more interesting aspects. The use of typography and printing, and The Times's role in the industrialisation of newspaper production. These are all topics I am passionate about, so it seemed only logical I research it.
The poster design was greatly inspired by the fist issue's front page. Setting the text was the easy part, the real struggle was adapting the title. I needed it to catch attention, so I used the words 'breaking news', which also work as the announcement of The Times's founding. I used modern magazine covers as an inspiration, oversizing the typeface.
The whole thing is obviously in Times New Roman, commissioned be The Times to Stanley Morison in 1931.
