WPA Poster

WPAポスター / 1935–1943 / Style / Public Design

Carries a public purpose broadly and forcefully through simple imagery and few printed colors.

WPA Poster — Harry Herzog / Federal Art Project, See America, 1936–40 — Library of Congress / No known restrictions on publication
Harry Herzog / Federal Art Project, See America, 1936–40 — Library of Congress / No known restrictions on publication
WPA Poster — WPA, See America, c.1937 — Wikimedia Commons / Public domain
WPA, See America, c.1937 — Wikimedia Commons / Public domain
WPA Poster — WPA Federal Art Project exhibition poster — Wikimedia Commons / Public domain
WPA Federal Art Project exhibition poster — Wikimedia Commons / Public domain

At a glance

Visual cues

  • Simplified landscapes
  • Bold sans-serifs
  • Screenprint color
  • A clear call to action

Best used for

  • Inviting participation in community, culture and public services
  • One-glance positive action for many people

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Dictionary entry

Type
Heavy geometric sans in short imperatives
Composition
One symbolic place or figure, large; information confined to top and bottom
Material
Three to five flat colors, the paper's own tone, simple shading
Caution
Don't borrow only the nostalgia. Be clear about who is being asked to do what, publicly.
Further study
Federal Art Project / Works Progress Administration poster collection

Related entries

More from Public Design

Continue through styles in the same Public Design family, prioritised by shared effects.

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https://indexstyle.org/styles/wpa-poster
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