A Brief History of Posters PDF

A brief History of Posters  R|R What is a poster? A poster is a piece of material designed with images and text with the purpose of conveying a message or information to its audience at a glance. Most of today’s poster printing trends are...

A brief History of Posters  R|R What is a poster? A poster is a piece of material designed with images and text with the purpose of conveying a message or information to its audience at a glance. Most of today’s poster printing trends are not limited to certain rules and regulations. Initially, though, posters were used for political reasons. Later, the idea was embraced by other people to use as a mode of advertisement. 1880-1895 THE BIRTH OF THE LITHOGRAPHIC POSTER Before the 19th century Lithography was expensive for poster production so they were made with simple wood or little colour. This all changed around 1880 with the so-called Cheret's "3 stone lithographic process" which allowed artists to achieve every color with just three stones - usually red, yellow and blue. R|R  In each country, the poster was used to celebrate the society’s unique cultural 1890-1900 institution. In France, the cafe and cabaret was omnipresent; in Italy the opera and fashion; in Spain the festivals; in THE BELLE EPOQUE AND ART Germany trade fairs and NOUVEAU magazines, in Britain and America literary journals and In 1891 the Moulin Rouge poster by the circus. Toulouse-Lautrec elevated the status of the poster to fine art. So, during the 1890s, referred to as the Belle Epoque in France, poster exhibitions, magazines and dealers proliferated. Just three years later, Alphonse Mucha, a Czech working in Paris, created the first masterpiece of Art Nouveau poster design. 1900- 1914 EARLY MODERNISM By 1900 a young Italian caricaturist named Leonetto Cappiello rejected the detail of Art Nouveau. Instead, he focused on creating one simple image, often humorous or bizarre, which would immediately capture the viewer's attention and imagination. This ability to create a brand identity established Cappiello as the father of modern advertising. 1914-1919 WORLD WAR FIRST AND THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION World War I meant a new role for the poster: propaganda. They were used for raising money, recruiting soldiers, and boosting volunteer efforts. The US produced about 20 million posters. In Russia, posters were used as modern propaganda and a weapon to win the civil R|R war. 1919-1938 BETWEEN THE WORLD WARS By the mid-Twenties, a new international decorative movement called Art Deco appeared. The term Art Deco is derived from the "Decorative Arts" Exposition of 1925 in Paris, which proved to be a spectacular showcase for the style. R|R 1939-1950 WORLD WAR II The poster again played a large communication role in World War II, but this time it shared the spotlight with other media, particularly radio and print. They were used to spread messages of patriotism and encourage citizens to support the war effort. R|R 1946-1972 POST WORLD WAR The end of World War II created a new ‘50s consumer society with the arrival of television and global brands. Advertising method changed to adapt ‘60s the times. A new illustration style was born, which borrowed freely from Surrealism, Pop Art and Expressionism. 1980-1989 POST MODERNISM By the early Eighties, the style began to give way to the Post Modernists, who sought to break the formal rules of the previous style. The posters were complex and chaotic, playful and spontaneous. 1990 on THE POSTER TODAY The role and appearance of the poster has changed continuously over the past century to meet the changing needs of society. Although its role is less central than it was 100 years ago, the poster will evolve further as the computer and the worldwide web revolutionize the way we communicate in the 21st century.