American Kitsch 1940-1960

 Poster for British movie "Fiend without a Face" directed by Arthur Crabtree in 1958, artist unknown.
sourced from www.fridaynightboys300.blogspot

This poster is a good example of those produced for B-movies in the 1950s. The exaggerated facial expressions, the sexy girl and the fascination with sci-fi horror are all elements of this design period. The hand drawn type used for the title is equally dramatic and this was often used in advertising. The simple colour scheme of red with a minty green is typically 1950s.

"Girl at Mirror" by Norman Rockwell for The Saturday Evening Post in 1954.
sourced from www.best-norman-rockwell-art.com

This artist had a very idealised view of 1950s America, and many of the covers he did for The Evening Post reflect this viewpoint. He often used children as his subjects in a typical American setting. This painting shows a wistful young girl comparing herself to the magazine ideal of the 50s (it looks like its Jane Russell, so he had a wry sense of humour!) Many American men at the time wanted to revert back to a traditional life after the war, with housewives and perfectly adorable children to come home to.


I like this type of design because it is quite witty and cartoonish. It feels fun and youthful.

Art Deco 1925-1940

"Vichy Comite de Fetes" poster created by Roger Broders in the 1920s
sourced from overstock.com

This vibrant poster is typical art deco with its elegant subjects shown in profile at an exclusive soiree in France. These posters were basically an enticement to travel and implied a life of luxury. The oriental lanterns show an interest in other cultures which was piqued by the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs in Paris in 1925 and the Ballet Russes from 1909-1929.
The fashion and hairstyles are also true to the time period, with many women sporting bobbed hair and streamlined clothing. The flat colours and simply drawn objects are also typical of this time.








The Chrysler building in New York, built in 1926-30.
sourced from answers.com

This beautiful building has classic art deco features in its streamlined geometric outline and the interesting sunburst rays incorporated at its summit. Although decorative, the building has clean lines and symmetry making its overall look elegant. It was built at the height of the Art Deco period, when luxury and expense were encouraged.

I love this era in design because of the lifestyle it projects, one of glamour, luxury and elegance. Art and everyday objects were imbued with all these elements, which made it a great time for design. The symmetry and streamlined shapes are pleasing to the eye, especially in architecture and furniture design.

Early Modernism 1910-1935

Poster created by the Stenberg brothers, Vladimir and Georgii in 1925.
sourced from martinklasch.blogspot.com

This image has a modern look to it because of the simple colour combination of red, blue and white with accents of black. The image is drawn with an extreme perspective and tilted axis typical of the time. The font used is also simple, sanserif and integrated into the picture. The subject matter is reminiscent of wartime, which would have struck a chord with the audience seeing this poster.

"The Persistence of Memory" painted by Salvador Dali in 1931.
sourced from philipcoppens.com

Later in the period artists like Dali explored surrealism and cubism in abstract forms. This painting conveys some of the anguish and despair felt in this time by many people recovering from war. The limited colour palette and the distorted asymmetrical composition show this as part of the early modern genre.

Although I find much of the art from this period to be quite confronting and tortured, I like the way artists used new perspectives and experimental ways to combine images into a whole piece. The images from this time still look modern and innovative now and I enjoy the underlying humour in many of the graphic posters.

Art Nouveau 1890-1910

Advertisement created by Will Bradley
source blog.lemonshortbread.com

This poster is typical of Art Nouveau; swirled foliage, flat abstract images and minimal use of colour. It has a Japanese handmade feel to it, with the forms being quite organic and not completely contained within the frame. The print has a nice sense of movement to it and the font used is also typical for this design period.

1890 Illustration
posterclassics.com

This lovely picture has all the elements of Art Nouveau. The Grecian hairstyle, the swirl of birds adding movement to the picture and the side profile all add grace to this illustration. The restrained use of colour and the organic font, combined with the image not being constrained by the border are all typical Art Nouveau details.

I like this type of design for the fresh, organic shapes and colours used. The fonts used in this time are really nice and the Japanese influence is great, adding a sense of freedom to the artworks.

Arts & Crafts Movement 1850-1900

Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Design for a wall decoration 1896-1897
sourced from artcyclopedia.com

This illustration, although leaning towards Art Nouveau, shows typical elements of Arts & Craft influence: the natural colours, the medieval floral vines, flat 2D appearance, simple form and handmade look. It has a distinct folk style, drawing on the oriental influence apparent at the time. Although this was produced as a design for use on a larger scale, it is an artwork in its own right, with an appeal that lasts today due to its simplicity.

William de Morgan
Ceramic tile produced between 1839-1917
sourced from worldcollectorsnet.com

This beautiful tile has the vibrant colours used in the Arts & Crafts movement and the leafy natural background that was also widely used. This artist worked with William Morris, which shows in the composition of the image, and the medieval influence. He was also inspired by Persian designs which  you can see in the paisley-esque shape of the flowers.

This style of design is one that I love because of the use of natural images, the harmonious colour combinations, handmade look, and the simple graphic style.

Victoriana 1840-1900

1875-1900 advertisement for "Magical Pain Extractor" sourced from tidbitstrinkets.com.

This image shows many Victoriana details e.g. curved lettering on a ribbon banner, romantic portrayal of people which has nothing to do with the product, framing around the image and a faded symmetrical background. The clothing worn is also overdone, particularly the hats, and the sleigh is very ornate.
 This image has a very traditional emphasis, but the colouring is quite nice and the winter scene is reminiscent of a festive atmosphere.

1867 original cover of the first Harpers Bazaar fashion magazine sourced from their website.

This shows classic Victorian details such as the illuminated font of illustrated capitals portraying an idyllic country scene and cherubs. The subtitle is on a lacy banner and the whole thing is on a background of twining leaves with very little white space. The full length illustrations further down the page are also very sentimental in feeling and the background shows the Victorian love of symmetry and ornate architecture. It is also drawn with soft shading which gives the idealised romantic feel that Victorians indulged in.

This is not a style I like, because of the sentimentality and unrelenting filling of every available space, but elements of Victorian style can be interesting when used in a modern artwork.