I chose Political Button as my set from the Harvard Digital Collection. I limited the content using the following filters: metal materials, created in 1974, with a political campaign subject.
What are the different components?
Each political button is composed of the shape of the button the words on it, some had portraits or illustration and the color the design is in
Content:
- Name only
- Name and Year
- Name and position
- Name and Tagline
- Name and position and tagline
- Name and position and portrait
How are they similar?
- Majority shape is round
- They all emphasize the candidates’ names
- Simple and easy to read
- Red and blue are used very often
How are they different?
- Type leading
- Some had a border outlining the button
- Some states the year
- Some has a face portrait
- Some uses display font
- Some uses underlining
- Some only had a surname while others has the title one is campaigning for or a tagline
- Some words are curved to fit the alignment of the circle
- Some wants you to act (Elect… for…/ Vote… ), some are purely informational
- Some letters have an outline
How are they held together, both formally and conceptually?
- They are held together by the shape
- The visual language
- The context
- The year of their creation
How is your understanding of each component shaped by its relationship to the other parts in the set?
- You can find the candidates competing for the same position
- Different variations of one design
Is there an identifiable ‘grammar’ within the system?
- Does not exceed 3 colors
- Affirmative tone
- All solid colors
- Center aligned words
How is it presented, circulated, or accessed?
- They are presented in squares with a black background
- Caption Underneath
- The collection is presented through scrolling down the page