Artfinder and the Imperial War Museum present Great British Posters from WWII - as an App!

Artfinder's new App in collaboration with the Imperial War Museum is now available to download free for iPhone and iPad

The Imperial War Museum has a collection of over 20,000 posters. Too much to handle? Artfinder has teamed up with the Museum to select the best of them for a new iPhone and iPad App, IWM’s Great British Posters from the Second World War, Volume 1. This exciting new App features over 30 of the greatest British posters from the war period – some of them classic icons, some forgotten gems, but all characteristic of this time with striking designs, an inherent humour, memorable slogans and a defiant spirit that helped carry Britain through some of its darkest hours. The App allows you to discover the stories behind some of the best known pieces of 20th century graphic design – who created them and the roles they played in public motivation and morale – with supporting information for each poster written by the Imperial War Museum’s expert curators.

'Keep Calm and Carry On' (1939). With its message of paternal reassurance, this poster was intended to allay public panic following the predicted air raids at the outset of war. In the event, German air attacks would not come for another ten months, and the failure of Keep Calm’s sister posters to engage the public ensured that no copies of this now famous poster were ever distributed, despite a print run of over a million.

‘These posters were not only remarkable for their sophisticated communication and proficient design; they played an integral propaganda role,’ says Richard Slocombe, Senior Art Curator at the Imperial War Museum. ‘Through their subtle humour, memorable slogans and modernist approach they helped to support a variety of vital wartime initiatives informing the public and building morale.’

Harold Forster, Keep Mum - She's Not so Dumb! - Careless Talk Costs Lives (1942). This poster warned British servicemen of the dangers of idle talk while on leave. The artist, Harold Foster, had produced cover designs for boxes of Black Magic chocolates, so was well-suited to the portrayal of glamorous, if treacherous, females. However this and other careless talk posters featuring seductive female spies attracted criticism for their chauvinistic attitudes.

This is the first Volume to be released, which is free to download for iPhone and iPad. The App features over 30 high resolution images, and has a special Pinch and Zoom feature that allows you to examine each poster in close-up detail. If you like what you see you can share your favourites with your friends over Twitter and Facebook, and even buy high quality prints direct from the Imperial War Museum print shop.

'Dr Carrot - the Children's Best Friend'. The Ministry of Food introduced the humorous characters Dr Carrot and Potato Pete to promote greater and varied use of non-rationed foods, especially among children. The health benefits of these foods were emphasised, even exaggerated. Notably, a surplus of carrots led to the suggestion that the vegetable improved night vision – particularly amongst pilots.

Philip Zec, 'Women of Britain - Come into the Factories' (c.1941). Under the 1941 National Service Act, unmarried women aged between 20 and 30 had to serve in the women’s auxiliary forces, Civil Defence, or work in war industry. This poster by Daily Mail cartoonist Philip Zec presents war production as a means of female empowerment. Zec was known for his socialist views and the triumphant worker has often been compared with 1930s Soviet images of heroic proletariat.

What are you waiting for? Relive history and discover these beautiful graphic posters now! Browse and buy posters from the collection here, and download the app for free here.