Flat Design / Vector Minimalism vs WPA Poster
フラットデザイン / ベクターミニマリズム / WPAポスター
Flat Design / Vector Minimalism comes from UI Expression and WPA Poster from Public Design. They are reached for with some of the same intent, which is where they get confused.
Flat Design / Vector Minimalism
Reduces information to plain planes and color, portable across screens and media.
WPA Poster
Carries a public purpose broadly and forcefully through simple imagery and few printed colors.
| Flat Design / Vector Minimalism | WPA Poster | |
|---|---|---|
| Era | 2010s– | 1935–1943 |
| Family | UI Expression | Public Design |
| Kind | Style | Style |
| Cues | Uniform planes / Simple shapes / Few shadows / Clear color | Simplified landscapes / Bold sans-serifs / Screenprint color / A clear call to action |
| Best used for | Light, understandable explanation · Large sets of consistent figures | Inviting participation in community, culture and public services · One-glance positive action for many people |
| Type | A rounded sans-serif | Heavy geometric sans in short imperatives |
| Composition | Simple silhouettes and clear hierarchy | One symbolic place or figure, large; information confined to top and bottom |
| Material | Three to five colors; shadows only when they mean something | Three to five flat colors, the paper's own tone, simple shading |
| Caution | Figures easily become generic. Define your own ratios, lines and color rules. | Don't borrow only the nostalgia. Be clear about who is being asked to do what, publicly. |