Since the advent of mass communications, governments have posters for propaganda purposes. Initially intended to encourage enlisting in the national armed forces, posters gradually over time became tools for arousing and manipulating the populace. Beginning with World War One, mass-produced color lithograph posters meant the message could be both more attractive and more powerful.
And perhaps nowhere except Nazi Germany was the propaganda poster used more extensively (and effectively) as in the Soviet Union. The government saw posters are big, colorful billboards across which it could sway the masses. All through the 1930s, posters reflected the war for the soul of the Communist Party going on amid Stalin's purges, so that by the time WW2 started, Soviet propaganda posters were among the most-interesting in the world.
Numerous companies have released poster sets for World War Two previously, but now FC Modeltips has released a series of three sets of World War Two Soviet propaganda posters.
The print quality is generally good, though some have too much contrast and a "hot," neon color palette. The "clotting" of colors is a problem with repeated copying, and I have no way of knowing where these images originated. All of them are now in the public domain to my knowledge, so they are frequently reproduced.
The selection covers "classics" like Mother
Russia appealing for volunteers, but also many, many others I have never seen before. The posters are printed in color on approximately 4" x 6" white paper stock in vivid color, and contain on average 30-40 period posters. Because they're actually printed on paper, mounting with white glue, weathering or even tearing them should result in a better approximation of the scale item.
conclusion
While other manufacturers have released sets of Soviet propaganda posters in the past, nothing rivals these three sets (each sold separately). My only quibble is that the posters come with no reference material, so be sure you don't use a poster that looks good but perhaps has the wrong message.
Thanks to FC Modeltips for providing these review samples. Be sure to mention you saw them reviewed on Armorama when ordering your own.
SUMMARY
Highs: A very broad selection of posters covering the entire war with Germany.Lows: Colors are a bit over-saturated, and some of the details are lost from too-frequent copying.Verdict: A very useful series for modelers doing Eastern Front dioramas and buildings.
Our Thanks to FC Model Trend! This item was provided by them for the purpose of having it reviewed on this KitMaker Network site. If you would like your kit, book, or product reviewed, please contact us.
Comments