A poster is a large sheet that is placed either on a public space to promote something or on a wall as decoration. Typically, posters include both textual and graphic elements, although a poster may be either wholly graphical or wholly text. Posters are designed to be both eye-catching and informative. Posters may be used for many purposes. They are a frequent tool of advertisers (particularly of events, musicians, and films), propagandists , protestors , and other groups trying to communicate a message. Posters are also used for reproductions of artwork, particularly famous works, and are generally low-cost compared to the original artwork. The modern poster, as we know it, however, dates back to the 1840s and 1850s when the printing industry perfected colour lithography and made mass production possible.
62-620: The Empire Marketing Board was formed in May 1926 by the Colonial Secretary Leo Amery to promote intra- Empire trade and to persuade consumers to 'Buy Empire'. It was established as a substitute for tariff reform and protectionist legislation and this is why it was eventually abolished in 1933, as a system of imperial preference replaced free trade. During its brief existence, the Empire Marketing Board
124-520: A black light (ultraviolet light). Pinup posters, "pinups", or "cheesecake" posters are images of attractive women designed to be displayed. They first became popular in the 1920s. The popularity of pin-up girl posters has been erratic in recent decades. Pin-ups such as Betty Grable and Jane Russell were highly popular with soldiers during World War II , but much less so during the Vietnam War . Large posters of television actresses, for example
186-798: A community that collect rare or vintage posters, analogous to fine art collectors. Popular categories include Belle Époque , movies , war and propaganda, and travel. Because of their low cost, the number of forged posters is relatively low compared to other mediums. The International Vintage Poster Dealers Association (IVPDA) maintains a list of reputable poster dealers. Collectable poster artists include Jules Chéret , Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec , Alphonse Mucha , and Théophile Steinlen . Many posters, particularly early posters, were used for advertising products. Posters continue to be used for this purpose, with posters advertising films , music (both concerts and recorded albums), comic books , and travel destinations being particularly notable examples. During
248-461: A complement to a talk or scientific paper, or as a publication. They are of lesser importance than articles, but they can be a good introduction to a new piece of research before the paper is published. They may be considered as grey literature . Poster presentations are often not peer-reviewed , but may instead be submitted, meaning that as many as can fit will be accepted. Poster sessions have also been used as an alternative to oral presentations as
310-419: A hundred years", writes poster expert John Barnicoat, "it has come to be recognized as a vital art form, attracting artists at every level, from painters such as Toulouse-Lautrec and Mucha to theatrical and commercial designers." They have ranged in styles from Art Nouveau , Symbolism , Cubism , and Art Deco to the more formal Bauhaus and the often incoherent hippie posters of the 1960s. Posters, in
372-529: A new landscape poster, advertising their rail and steam packet link to Ireland. In 1908, for the Great Northern Railway (GNR), John Hassall produced the famous image of the " Jolly Fisherman " with the "Skegness is so Bracing" slogan. Fortunino Matania painted a number of posters for the LMS . The development of this commercial art form throughout the first half of the twentieth century reflected
434-429: A rally to a play, may be advertised with posters. A few types of events have become notable for their poster advertisements. Boxing Posters were used in and around the venue to advertise the forthcoming fight, date, and ticket prices, and they usually consisted of pictures of each boxer. Boxing Posters vary in size and vibrancy, but are not usually smaller than 18x22 inches. In the early days, few boxing posters survived
496-823: A result of government cuts and the introduction of Imperial Preference . The film unit was moved to GPO , and during World War II was reorganised into the Crown Film Unit . There is a collection of the EMB's posters at the Manchester Art Gallery and some originals at the Victoria Falls Hotel , Zimbabwe, as well as the National Archives of Canada . Secretary of State for the Colonies The secretary of state for
558-405: A special type of graphic art in the modern age. Poster artists such as Théophile Steinlen , Albert Guillaume , Leonetto Cappiello , Henri Thiriet , and others became important figures of their day, their art form transferred to magazines for advertising as well as for social and political commentary. Indeed, as design historian Elizabeth Guffey notes, "As large, colorful posters began to command
620-719: A two-image hologram that changes as the viewer walks past. The resurgence of comic book popularity in the 1960s led to the mass production of comic book posters in the 1970s and onward. These posters typically feature popular characters in a variety of action poses. The fact that comic books are a niche market means that a given poster usually has a smaller printing run than other genres of poster. Therefore, older posters may be quite sought after by collectors. Promotional posters are usually distributed folded, whereas retail posters intended for home decoration are rolled. Posters are used in academia to promote and explain research work. They are typically shown during conferences, either as
682-410: A way of thinking about postcolonialism and globalization . Efforts by the Empire Marketing Board to increase consumer purchasing of Empire produced goods was pursued through a large scale aggressive advertisement campaign. The primary method of advertisement came through the use of posters and printed media with large print and vibrant colours to entice consumers. The posters were uniquely designed as
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#1732772347304744-402: Is carried out from the political angle of impressing the dominions with what it is doing rather than from the point of selling Empire Produce”. What opinions may exist about the Empire Marketing Board and its short campaign for inter-Empire trade did have a lasting impact through the posters, shopping weeks, radio shows and numerous other advertisements it ran. The EMB was ended September 1933 as
806-553: Is known to exist, is considered to be the most valuable film poster in the world. Poster advertising, proposing a travel destination, or simply artistically articulating a place have been made. An example is the Beach Town Posters series, a collection of Art Deco travel posters of American beach resorts that epitomise the advertising style of the 1920s and 1930s. In the early days of steam powered railways in Britain,
868-551: Is made aware of sowing and planting, of tending and harvesting; to show him how his produce should be graded and packed to ensure that it is transported safely and without deterioration: to suggest lastly how its presentation, in the shop window or on the counter, may be fitted to win the housewife’s critical eye. Scientific research took up a large proportion of the EMB's work and budget. It also assisted 126 agricultural and medical research projects and issued many Intelligence Notes, pamphlets and surveys . In 1931 Walter Elliot of
930-630: The Berlin Wall , on the statue of St. Wenseslas in Prague , and around the unmarked grave of Imre Nagy in Budapest . Their role was indispensable for democratic change. An example of an influential political poster is Shepard Fairey 's, Barack Obama "HOPE" poster . The film industry quickly discovered that vibrantly coloured posters were an easy way to sell their films. Today, posters are produced for most major films, and movie posters are some of
992-741: The Colonial Office was separated out as the Dominions Office , with its own secretary of state . The new office was responsible for dealing with the Dominions together with a small number of other territories (most notably Southern Rhodesia ). In the twenty years following the end of the Second World War , much of the British Empire was dismantled as its various territories gained independence. In consequence,
1054-723: The First and Second World Wars , recruiting posters became extremely common, and many of them have persisted in the national consciousness, such as the " Lord Kitchener Wants You " posters from the United Kingdom , the " Uncle Sam wants you" posters from the United States, or the " Loose Lips Sink Ships " posters that warned of foreign spies. Also in Canada, they were widespread. Posters during wartime were also used for propaganda purposes, persuasion, and motivation, such as
1116-639: The Royal Society detailed the research programs of the Empire Marketing Board in saying that a large group of grants is made towards the fostering of Central Institutions are trained, such as Cambridge University and the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture in Trinidad . For these two purposes £189,000 has been pledged. Another example is a grant of £65,000 for the study of animal health problems, to Onderstepoort Station at Pretoria ,
1178-623: The Secretary of State for the Northern Department . The Colonial Secretary position was first created in 1768 to deal with the increasingly troublesome North American colonies, following passage of the Townsend Acts . Joint responsibility between the secretary and board first continued at this time, but subsequent diminution of the board's status let it to became an adjunct to the new secretary's department. Following
1240-756: The Treaty of Paris 1783 , a new board, named the Committee of Council on Trade and Plantations (later known as 'the First Committee') was established under William Pitt the Younger , by an Order in Council in 1784. In 1794, a new office was created for Henry Dundas – the secretary of state for war , which now took responsibility for the Colonies. The office was renamed the Secretary of State for War and
1302-403: The red swimsuit poster of Farrah Fawcett and the pink bikini poster of Cheryl Tiegs , became popular during the 1970s and into the early 1980s. This refers to decorative posters that are meant to be motivational and inspirational. One popular series has a black background, a scene from nature, and a word such as "Leadership" or "Opportunity". Another version (usually framed and matted) uses
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#17327723473041364-659: The 1890s, poster art had widespread use in other parts of Europe, advertising everything from bicycles to bullfights. Many posters have had great artistic merit . These include the posters advertising consumer products and entertainment, but also events such as the World's Fairs and Colonial Exhibitions . The first widespread use of illustrated posters for political ends occurred during the First World War. War bond drives and recruitment posters soon replaced commercial advertisements. German graphic designers who had pioneered
1426-838: The Colonial Office was merged in 1966 with the Commonwealth Relations Office (which until 1947 had been the Dominions Office) to form the Commonwealth Office , while ministerial responsibility was transferred to the secretary of state for Commonwealth affairs (previously known as the secretary of state for Commonwealth relations ). In 1968, the Commonwealth Office was subsumed into the Foreign Office, which
1488-463: The Colonies in 1801. In 1854, military reforms led to the colonial and military responsibilities of this secretary of state being split into two separate offices, with Sir George Grey becoming the first secretary of state for the colonies under the new arrangement. In the latter part of the nineteenth century, Britain gained control over a number of territories with the status of " protectorate ". The ministerial responsibility for these territories
1550-485: The Empire Marketing Board to generate public support for purchasing Empire goods. The committee wrote “that the grant of £1 million per annum should be spent by an ‘executive commission’ which would undertake a ‘national movement’ to increase Empire buying by the British public”. The Empire Marketing Board would implement its budget on a variety of projects including scientific research and advertisement. The clear purpose of
1612-413: The Empire Marketing Board was to boost Empire trade through the promotion of Dominion and British goods while also improving their production to become more advantageous to foreign competition. The Empire Marketing Board's formal objectives were declared shortly after its creation in saying that scientific research and marketing tactics were primary objectives for the board to assist private industries across
1674-497: The Empire Marketing Board “used a series of five posters in a sequence, a little like a cartoon strip, with each of the posters telling a part of the story in pictures, or with copy and slogans… erected in over 1700 sites, in 450 British cities and towns”. This ad campaign flooded British markets and was to a lesser extent across to the Dominions. The messaging on the posters was tailored to men and women separately in order to support
1736-487: The Empire but the effectiveness of the campaign also drew criticism. Colonial governments were reluctant to join the EMB, however. Some Dominions of the Empire protested that the posters did not have an effect on their exports and there were unintended effects. The government of New Zealand reported that the poster series were “ineffective as sellers of produce and of little practical value… The whole empire propaganda work
1798-425: The Empire. This message is found in the first annual report of the Empire Marketing Board with an address by Secretary Stephen Tallents who wrote Fundamentally the stimulation of Empire marketing must depend on the private enterprise of producers and traders… The best service that can be done to the Empire producer is to place freely at his disposal the resources of science and economic investigation – to see that he
1860-466: The French historian Max Gallo , "for over two hundred years, posters have been displayed in public places all over the world. Visually striking, they have been designed to attract the attention of passers-by, making us aware of a political viewpoint, enticing us to attend specific events, or encouraging us to purchase a particular product or service." The modern poster, as we know it, however, dates back to
1922-510: The back, the better for affixing to a wall or other surface. Pin-up sized posters are usually printed on A3 Standard Silk paper in full colour. Upon purchase, most commercially available posters are often rolled up into a cylindrical tube to allow for damage-free transportation. Rolled-up posters may then be flattened under pressure for several hours to regain their original form. It is possible to use poster creation software to print large posters on standard home or office printers. There exists
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1984-492: The brothers Léon and Alfred Choubrac , Georges de Feure , and Henri-Gabriel Ibels . Chéret is considered to be the "father" of advertisement placards. He was a pencil artist and a scene decorator, who founded a small lithography office in Paris in 1866. He used striking characters, contrast, and bright colors, and created more than 1000 advertisements, primarily for exhibitions, theatres, and products. The industry soon attracted
2046-508: The changes in British society, along with the changing styles of art, architecture, and fashion as well as changing patterns of holiday making. Terence Cuneo produced poster art for the London, Midland and Scottish Railway , the London and North Eastern Railway , and British Railways . Sheffield artist, Kenneth Steel , produced posters for British Railways. Posters advertising events have become so common that any sort of public event, from
2108-621: The colonies or colonial secretary was the Cabinet of the United Kingdom 's minister in charge of managing the British Empire . The colonial secretary never had responsibility for the provinces and princely states of India , which had its own secretary of state . From 1768 until 1966, the secretary of state was supported by an under-secretary of state for the colonies (at times an under-secretary of state for war and
2170-589: The colonies ), and latterly by a minister of state . Colonial responsibilities were previously held jointly by the lords of trade and plantations (board) and the secretary of state for the Southern Department , who was responsible for Ireland , the American colonies, and relations with the Catholic and Muslim states of Europe , as well as being jointly responsible for domestic affairs with
2232-725: The end of the nineteenth century, during an era known as the Belle Époque , the standing of the poster as a serious art form was raised even further. Between 1895 and 1900, Jules Chéret created the Maîtres de l'Affiche series (Masters of the Poster) that became not only a commercial success, but is now recognized as an important historical publication. Eugène Grasset and Alphonse Mucha were also influential poster designers of this generation, known for their Art Nouveau style and stylized figures, particularly of women. Advertisement posters became
2294-502: The event and have thus become a collectible . Many concerts , particularly rock concerts , have custom-designed posters that are used as advertisement for the event. These often become collectors items as well. Posters that showcase a person's favorite artist or music group are popular in teenagers ' bedrooms, as well as in college dorm rooms and apartments . Many posters have pictures of popular rock bands and artists. Blacklight posters are designed to fluoresce or glow under
2356-631: The famous Rosie the Riveter posters that encouraged women to work in factories during World War II. The Soviet Union also produced a plethora of propaganda posters , some of which became iconic representations of the Great Patriotic War . During the democratic revolutions of 1989 in Central and Eastern Europe the poster was a very important weapon in the hand of the opposition. Brave printed and hand-made political posters appeared on
2418-401: The father of modern documentary film , which produced around 100 films with such names as Solid Sunshine (which promoted New Zealand butter ), Drifters ( North Sea herring ), The Song of Ceylon (tea), Wheatfields of the Empire , Industrial Britain and One Family . None of the "empire shops" proposed in the 1920s ever opened. A public art exhibit in 2016 used the empire shops as
2480-419: The feminine image as an advertising ploy. In contrast with those previously painted by Toulouse-Lautrec , Chéret's laughing and provocative feminine figures, often called "chérettes", meant a new conception of art as being of service to advertising. Posters soon transformed the thoroughfares of Paris, making the streets into what one contemporary called "the poor man's picture gallery." Their commercial success
2542-431: The form of placards and posted bills, have been used since earliest times, primarily for advertising and announcements. Purely textual posters have a long history: they advertised the plays of Shakespeare and made citizens aware of government proclamations for centuries. The great revolution in posters, however, was the development of printing techniques that allowed for cheap mass production and printing, notably including
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2604-529: The loss of the American colonies, both the board and the short-lived secretaryship were dismissed by the king on 2 May 1782; both were abolished later by the Civil List and Secret Service Money Act 1782 (22 Geo. 3, c 82). Following this, colonial duties were given to the Home Secretary , then Lord Sydney . Responsibility for the Colonies in the years between 1782 and 1854 included : Following
2666-431: The media and the advertising industry – as well as giving commissions to some of the most talented poster artists of the day. The EMB organised poster campaigns, exhibitions, 'Empire Shopping Weeks', Empire shops, lectures, radio talks, schools tour, its own library , advertisements in the national and local press and of shop window displays. Most famous was the EMB film unit led by John Grierson , often considered
2728-433: The mid-nineteenth century, when several separate, but related, changes took place. First, the printing industry perfected colour lithography and made mass production of large and inexpensive images possible. Second, government censorship of public spaces in countries such as France was lifted. And finally, advertisers began to market mass-produced consumer goods to a growing populace in urban areas. "In little more than
2790-695: The most actively collected. The record price for a poster was set on November 15, 2005 when US$ 690,000 was paid for a poster of Fritz Lang 's 1927 film, Metropolis , from the Reel Poster Gallery in London. Other early horror and science fiction posters are known to bring tremendous prices as well, with an example from The Mummy realizing $ 452,000 in a 1997 Sotheby's auction, and posters from both The Black Cat and Bride of Frankenstein selling for $ 334,600 in various Heritage Auctions. The 1931 Frankenstein 6-sheet poster, of which only one copy
2852-549: The old styled imagery connected to the Empire. The posters that were released by the Empire Marketing Board “depicted men as ‘Empire Builders’ and showed women buying empire products, especially food. The idea of women as citizen-consumers was spread further by the BBC's Household Talks in 1928 in collaboration with the EMB to encourage and instruct women in the use of empire materials and goods”. These advertisements attempted to use bold colours and stir patriotic feelings amongst citizens of
2914-638: The photograph, Guerrillero Heroico ), also became a common youthful symbol of rebellion. After the September 11 attacks , in the United States, public schools across the country hung framed posters of " In God We Trust " in their "libraries, cafeterias, and classrooms." The American Family Association supplied several 11-by-14-inch posters to school systems. Many printing techniques are used to produce posters. While most posters are mass-produced, posters may also be printed by hand or in limited editions. Most posters are printed on one side and left blank on
2976-401: The poster, arguing that the nature of the poster made public spaces ugly. But the real threat to posters came from newer forms of advertising. Mass-market magazines, radio, and later, television, as well as billboards all cut into advertiser's marketing budgets. While posters continued to be made and advertised products, they were no longer considered a primary form of advertising. More and more,
3038-483: The purpose of posters shifted toward political and decorative uses. Indeed, by the mid 1960s, posters were reborn as part of a broader counter-cultural shift. By 1968 the contemporary poster resurgence was described as "half way between a passing fashion and a form of mass hysteria." Sometimes called a "second golden age" or "postermania" however, this resurgence of popularity saw posters used as decoration and self-expression as much as public protest or advertising. By
3100-484: The rise of pop art and protest movements throughout the West; both made great use of posters and contributed to the revitalization of posters at this time. Perhaps the most acclaimed posters were those produced by French students during the so-called, " événements ", of May 1968. During the 1968 Paris student riots and for years to come, Jim Fitzpatrick's stylized poster of Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara (based on
3162-400: The service of many aspiring painters who needed a source of revenue to support themselves. Chéret developed a new lithographic technique that better suited the needs of advertisers: he added a lot more colour which, in conjunction with innovative typography , rendered the poster much more expressive. Chéret is said to have introduced sexuality in advertising or, at least, to have exploited
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#17327723473043224-558: The simple Sachplakat style in the years leading up to the war, applied their talents to the war effort. Artists working for the Allied cause also adapted their art in wartime, as well. During the Second World War many posters were distributed by the U.S. government and often were displayed in post offices. Many were designed to provide rationale for adaptation to the rationing of supplies such as gasoline and foods. The 1960s saw
3286-585: The spaces of public streets, markets, and squares, the format itself took on a civic respectability never afforded to Victorian handbills." In the United States , posters underwent a slightly different evolution. By the 1850s, the advent of the traveling circus brought colorful posters to tell citizens that a carnival was coming to town. While many of these posters were beautifully printed, the earliest were mass-produced woodcuts; that technique, as well as their subject matter, crowded style, and bright colors,
3348-649: The sum of £58,000 to a wide investigation into the deficiencies of natural pasture centred at the Rowett Institute at Aberdeen , and £160,000 to the Low Temperature Research Station at Cambridge, with its allied Cold Store at East Malling in Kent . The mandate to focus on scientific research would prove to be a large undertaking when accompanied by an aggressive advertising campaign that would run until 1933. The scientific research
3410-596: The technique of lithography , which was invented in 1796 by the German Alois Senefelder . The invention of lithography was soon followed by chromolithography , which allowed for mass editions of posters illustrated in vibrant colors to be printed. By the 1890s, the technique had spread throughout Europe. A number of noted French artists created poster art in this period, foremost amongst them Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec , Jules Chéret , Eugène Grasset , Adolphe Willette , Pierre Bonnard , Louis Anquetin ,
3472-436: The various rail companies advertised their routes and services on simple printed sheets. By the 1850s, with increasing competition and improvements in printing technology, pictorial designs were being incorporated in their advertising posters. The use of graphic artists began to influence the design of the pictorial poster. In 1905, the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) commissioned Norman Wilkinson to produce artwork for
3534-563: Was initially held by the Foreign Secretary . By the early years of the twentieth century the responsibility for each of the protectorate territories had been transferred to the colonial secretary as well. The League of Nations mandated territories acquired as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 became a further responsibility of the Colonial Office in the aftermath of the First World War . In 1925, part of
3596-514: Was large and widespread across the Empire encompassing a multitude of the branches of the sciences with large amounts of funding put into each program. The research would continue across the Empire with investigations into improving Empire production and industry with large amounts of funding until 1933 with the closure of the Empire Marketing Board. The EMB made links with buyers and produced analyses of markets to help producers. Tallents decided that EMB's staff should employ personnel directly from
3658-489: Was often derided by contemporary critics. As chromo-lithography began to reshape European posters, American artists began to take that medium more seriously. Indeed, the work of designers such as Edward Penfield and Will Bradley gained an audience in Europe as well as America. Challenged by newer modes of advertising, the poster as a communicative tool began to decline after the First World War. Civic groups had long assailed
3720-763: Was renamed the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Sometimes referred to as Secretary of State for the American Colonies. Office abolished in 1782 after the loss of the American Colonies. Responsibility for the colonies held by: Following the British Nationality Act 1981 , the term "colony" ceased to be used; Britain's rule over Hong Kong , the last significant colony, ceased in 1997. Britain retains certain overseas territories . A few title holders were born in colonies under their portfolio and some beyond: Poster According to
3782-461: Was such that some fine artists took up poster design in earnest. Some of these artists, such as Alphonse Mucha , were in great demand and theatre stars personally selected their own favorite artist to do the poster for an upcoming performance. The popularity of poster art was such that in 1884 a major exhibition was held in Paris. By the 1890s, poster art had widespread use in other parts of Europe, advertising everything from bicycles to bullfights. By
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#17327723473043844-506: Was unsuccessful in raising Britain's imports of products from the Empire. Amery was its first chairman, Sir Stephen George Tallents its secretary, Edward Mayow Hastings Lloyd its assistant secretary, and Walter Elliot was chairman of its research committee. The EMB had three principal aims: In 1925 the Imperial Economic Committee; a board which hosted representatives from the Dominions and Britain; conceived
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