One of the unique things about the American illustrators, is that their posters were almost entirely government funded. They were almost all for the purpose of supporting government causes and concerns. The Same is true of these two posters. The First is by Coles Philip. It was published in 1918 and is entitled Light Consumes Coal. This poster was funded by the Federal Fuel Administration, and includes the caption "Light consumes coal, save light save coal." This poster coincides with the war-time economy the would have been present in the US during W.W.I. It is an excellent example of the simple, concise message of the illustrator. The background is a series of intertwined flowers and stems while the foreground is a large light bulb. Other countries had similar messages during the war, but the style here is distinctly American.
The Second Poster is entitled Give it your best! It was created by Charles Coiner in 1942. It contains, as the title suggests, the caption "GIVE IT YOUR BEST" in bold red letters. This is placed underneath an American flag. This poster does not have specific message or purpose, other than to foster pro-American consent. The most interesting thing about this poster is the publisher. In the third picture, the lower right corner of the poster has been blown up to reveal the publisher, the Division of Information Office for Emergency Management. When the date of production (1942) is noted, it becomes clear that this poster was created to keep Americans ready for involvement in W.W.II. The fact that this was published by the office of emergency management shows the true level of importance that was placed on propaganda.
![[IMAGE]](coal.jpg)
Light
Consumes Coal
Coles Phillip: 1918
![[IMAGE]](flaga.jpg)
Give
It Your Best!
Charle Coiner: 1942
![[IMAGE]](flagb.jpg)
Give It
Your Best!
Inset
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