Author Topic: ww2 Posters  (Read 306 times)

Offline Nwbie

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ww2 Posters
« on: May 11, 2004, 10:47:44 AM »
Not sure if this is a repost but found this cool site of WW2 posters

http://www.library.northwestern.edu/govpub/collections/wwii-posters/index.html



NwBie
Skuzzy-- "Facts are slowly becoming irrelevant in favor of the nutjob."

Offline gofaster

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ww2 Posters
« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2004, 03:17:21 PM »
Cool!

Some of my favorites:



I once read an art history book about WW2 propoganda that specifically called out "Someone Talked" and "He's Watching You", pointing out the artistic qualities of the prints.  For example, in "Someone Talked", the fingers are half-reaching for help and half-pointing accusingly at the viewer.


In "He's Watching You", the helmet is intended to have a machine-like quality to it, with a hidden face to indicate stealth and dominant eyes to emphasize the message.  Also, notice the use of yellow above - daylight - and dark blue below - nighttime or perhaps below water level.  Notice how the shoulder looks somewhat like a u-boat conning tower.  The vertical bar on the left - could be a rifle or a radio mast or a periscope.



In this one, notice the positioning of the burning ship and the lifeboat.  People read an image top to bottom, left to right, so the viewer will see the action first, the result second.  First we notice the burning ship, then we see the sailors in the lifeboat.  And notice how the man with his head down in despair is centered in the foreground so the viewer can't miss him.



Anyway, that's just a few that struck me offhand.  Pretty cool stuff.

Offline Replicant

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ww2 Posters
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2004, 03:43:05 PM »
I have this poster which I bought from Duxford museum.


You can see other posters from another website here (slow loading) http://www.earthstation1.com/British_Propaganda_Posters.html
NEXX

Offline Lizking

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ww2 Posters
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2004, 03:53:14 PM »
I have a couple of books that contain those posters-very interesting stuff.