Linocut vs WPA Poster
リノカット / WPAポスター
Linocut comes from Relief Printing and WPA Poster from Public Design. One is technique and the other style. They are reached for with some of the same intent, which is where they get confused.
Linocut
Cuts the smooth block boldly, giving few colors and repeated figures a driving rhythm.
WPA Poster
Carries a public purpose broadly and forcefully through simple imagery and few printed colors.
| Linocut | WPA Poster | |
|---|---|---|
| Era | 1890s– | 1935–1943 |
| Family | Relief Printing | Public Design |
| Kind | Technique | Style |
| Cues | Large cut planes / Overlapping color blocks / Simplified figures / Repeating movement | Simplified landscapes / Bold sans-serifs / Screenprint color / A clear call to action |
| Best used for | Showing crowds and daily motion as rhythm · A friendly hand-printed feel in few colors | Inviting participation in community, culture and public services · One-glance positive action for many people |
| Type | Letters sturdy enough to hold against the shapes; one color per block | Heavy geometric sans in short imperatives |
| Composition | Repeat forms with aligned motion; change the current in one place | One symbolic place or figure, large; information confined to top and bottom |
| Material | Two to five color blocks, broad cut planes, the paper's ground | Three to five flat colors, the paper's own tone, simple shading |
| Caution | The difference from woodcut is not mere roughness. Use linoleum's smooth curves and planes. | Don't borrow only the nostalgia. Be clear about who is being asked to do what, publicly. |