Plain Folks Propaganda

"Plain folks" propaganda, AKA the common man, is a technique in which a speaker or general authoritative figure presents his ideas words and gestures to frame himself in such a way that he/she is relatable to the wider, more moderate general population. The focus becomes less about the ideas being presented, and more about that fact that said ideas are coming from someone "just like you, with concerns just like you." Take the image below...

The Nazi regime as presented here is not about radical totalitarianism and genocide, it's about a man ensuring the welfare and protection of his family, no matter the cost. It's about protecting the ones you love, and providing for them. Wouldn't you do anything to protect your family from insidious outsiders?

Here, one is asked to ignore the fact that Citgo is a $32 billion dollar profiting, global company... instead, Citgo is simply the employer of your next door neighbor.

This lovely lass is your sister, your daughter, your sweetheart back home fighting on the homefront. This isn't uncle sam or some presidential politico asking you to contribute, this is your mom, and who knows better than dear ol' mom.

And speaking of presidential politicos, if you're trying to get millions of people to understand that you're just as concerned about the everyday-to-day issue, that you too are effected by the economy, and that you support your local, independent business, you don't want to be seen eating your lunch on fine china in the White House dining room with 4 forks, 3 spoons, 2 knives, a linen tablecloth and a personal waiter... no, you go down to the burger joint down the street, make sure there are tons of photographers, and enjoy a fast food meal just like dear ol' dad used to treat you too when you were a kid.

De Stijl - Piet Mondrian

De Stijl, meaning The Style, is characterized here in the work of Piet Mondrian by the simplification of design and composition down to the barest abstract essentials... Black, white, the primaries red, yellow and blue... Vertical lines, horizontals lines, geometry... distinct assymentry, and a balance of positive and negative space.

Composition with Yellow, Blue, and Red (1937-42)

oil on canvas.

Composition II in Red, Blue, and Yellow (1930)

oil on canvas.

Composition 10 (1939-42)

oil on canvas.

Wes Wilson VS. Leonetto Cappiello

The Greatful Dead and The Doors at the Fillmore (1967)

Maurin Quina (1906)

Milton Glaser VS. Koloman Moser

Bob Dylan Poster (1966)

Ver Sacrum (1901)

Victor Moscoso VS. Alphonse Mucha

The Miller Blues Band (1967)

Moët Chardon - Grand Crémant Impèrial (1900)

X-Men (NYC Graffiti Crew)

There a sense of excitement in their work, which is not necessarily unique to the X-Men crew alone--virtually all graffiti artists display the fun and thrill of bombing and tagging, enjoying their after-hours art. What really set the X-Men apart from every other group I saw was the level of skill on display. Look at the bold, white lines which make every letter distinct, the incredible use of color, the impressive size and layouts... everything about these images reeks of talent and energy, and they're really just quite impressive.

Mehemed Fehmy Agha

Agha grew up with many cultural influances ranging from such geographically diverse places as Turkey, Russia, France, and Germany. He eventually began working in New York for Condé Nast publications as an art director for such magazines as Vogue, and shown here, Vanity Fair.


The design is described as Art Deco, characterized by its bold use of form and color, and its clean and rigid lines. These lines are often called streamlines (a piece might be referred to as being streamlined) for the way that the details are less important in organic objects. In this way, a person becomes a broad caricature but still bold and stong in resemblance.