Alfred Leete has to be one of the most influential designers of all time, that has inspired so many practitioners, by creating one of the most iconic communication pieces in history. Alfred Leete was an exceptionally talented designer who had his first cartoon accepted by the Daily Graphics when he was just 16, then he went on to work for a series of magazine's including the Punch Magazine.
http://www.magforum.com/mens/london-opinion.htm
Above is an illustration created by Alfred Leete that was used in the Punch Magazine, to promote young men to volunteer to fight in the war. This illustration was specifically designed to make people feel inferior if they don't join the war. The illustration to the left shows a man who hasn't joined the war, insinuating he's degraded as a person because of not joining on the war, and he's alone because people will look down on him and think less of him. The soldier to the right is such a contrast, his posture shows his self pride for joining the war, and his presence has such an impact on women, they just cant get enough of him, bewitched by his courage for fighting for his country.
The way the visual image communicates how you will be perceived if you don't volunteer for the war is so powerful and distinct, certainly any man wouldn't want to be the lonely degraded man on the left. This poster encourages you to become a soldier, by implying to men that women will find you so attractive for being so brave, giving them an incentive to join.
http://www.magforum.com/mens/london-opinion.htm
Alfred Leete is profoundly known for his 'Your Country Needs You' poster of Lord Kitchener that encouraged so many young men to volunteer to fight in the Great War (1914-1918). Alfred Leete's design originally appeared on London Opinion cover, which was the most inspirational magazine covers of all times that inspired people all over the world. The gesture of Lord Kitchener pointing out to you almost feels likes he's personally pointing at you making you feel so involved in the visual image, like it's aimed at you, you almost feel obliged to go join and make a difference. With such a strong gesture and the use of white space, helping add emphasis to Lord Kitchener delivers such a powerful message. The message was delivered successfully with the use of visual hierarchy. The image captures your attention, then you read the quote 'your country needs you' encouraging you to act upon volunteering to fight in the war.
http://s-pritchard1013-cts.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/lecture-2-graphic-design-medium-for.html
Alfred Leete's work was widely imitated by many other countries and practitioners, however still possessing the same characteristics of Leete's poster. A very stern masculine man incorporated in this American poster resembling the way Lord Kitchener appears. The same hand gesture shows it's implying the same message as Leete's work, reaching out to the public. Each imitation of the pose of Lord Kitchener seems to have the same chiseled jaw, an attractive feature, suggesting you'll be perceived as attractive if you join the army gaining attention from women, reflecting back to Alfred Leete's illustration for punch. Each imitation of the poster is adapted in different ways still adopting the main characteristics. The imitations tend to be a lot deeper and bolder, within the choice of typefaces and injecting colour into the design work as it's created in a later period. Overall I believe Alfred Leete's work was so inspirational purely because of how he visually communicated in such a strong language, that it encouraged people to take action once they had viewed his communication piece. The only way a design piece in my eyes is successful, if it makes viewers act up on it, which is exactly what Leete achieved through his work, he made a difference.
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