Fear Propaganda

In the above propaganda posters, fear is used. Both poster play on the fear of Nazi's. The first shows the Bible being stabbed by someone wearing the Nazi emblem. To Americans at that time it would be viewed as vile. The second poster plays on the fears of Nazi's coming for children. 'Buy War Bonds' because if you don't Nazi's will kill your children. That is basically what it's saying.





These contemporary advertisements also use fear to get your attention. All three deal with something horrible. Cancer and death are the main ideals. There are many anti-smoking ads that deal with the fear of getting lung cancer and dieing. Advertisers know it works. The last poster also ties in the tragedy of 9/11 and how cigarettes have killed more people than the 9/11 attack.

Constructivism and Alexander Rodchenko

Mossel' prom (Moscow Agricultural Industry) cafeteria
1923




The Battleship Potemkin
1926




Poster for the publishing house Gosizdat
(portrait of Lilya Brik shouting out the word "books")
1924

Constructivism was an artistic and architectural movement that originated in Russia from 1919 onward which rejected the idea of "art for art's sake" in favour of art as a practice directed towards social purposes. Constructivism as an active force lasted until around 1934, having a great deal of effect on developments in the art of the Weimar Republic and elsewhere, before being replaced by Socialist Realism. Its motifs have sporadically recurred in other art movements since. Constructivism was a post-World War I outgrowth of Russian Futurism.

Constructivist art is committed to complete abstraction with a devotion to modernity, where themes are often geometric, experimental and rarely emotional. Objective forms carrying universal meaning were far more suitable to the movement than subjective or individualistic forms. Constructivist themes are also quite minimal, where the artwork is broken down to its most basic elements. New media was often used in the creation of works, which helped to create a style of art that was orderly. An art of order was desirable at the time because it was just after WWI that the movement arose, which suggested a need for understanding, unity and peace.

Alexander Rodchenko, along with many other Contructivists, designed pieces that demanded attention by featuring bright colors, bold lettering, and geometric shapes. His pieces clean and simplistic, featuring basic geometric shapes. Yet at the same time his pieces shout, which is characteristic of the constructivism movement.

Rodchenko often takes his own pictures that he then uses in his posters. Rodchenko utilizes bright colors, illustrations, and a blocky font in most of his pieces. He always incorporates shapes into his designs. The colors he uses insure that the main focus of the poster stands out. The composition of his works is very clean, you know exactly where to look so there is no confusion in the composition.

Jugend

Jugend, 1896
Art Nouveau

Alphonse Mucha

Alphonse Mucha
Job, 1896
Art Nouveau

Gilbert Shelton

Indian And The Phonograph (VG-8) Vulcan Gas Company poster
1967

Wes Wilson

Man with Sword

Rick Griffin

9th Wave Exhibition, 1986