Artwork from the First World War came from multiple sources - from letters from the front line, to commissioned artists asked to represent the impact of the War. The first half of this post will look at our young people’s work alongside Hall of Remembrance artists. These are works commissioned during the First World War and are available to view physically in the Imperial War Museum in London. The second half of this post will look at our young people’s artwork alongside field artwork from artists in the American Expeditionary Force, which are available at the National Archives in Washington, DC. Check out the outlined suggestions for ideas on how to incorporate the techniques explored in this post into your submission.

Ada, 16-18, sweden, *NOt repairable!* [ink on paper], never such innocence archives, london, (photo © never such innocence)

A work from our archive that we’ll start with is ‘NOT repairable!’ by Ada (16-18, Sweden). The monochromatic* pen illustration uses clouds as a distortion method where the face under the prosthetic eye/cheek melts into the surrounding, suffocating the birds around him. This feeds into the themes of “severe psychological trauma, permanent injuries and loss of human life” that persist post war, which Ada refers to in her submission.

While birds are considered symbols of life and the suffocation can be seem as impacts of generation trauma caused by the PTSD of soldiers, the use of the raven can be seen as symbols of death and representative of the ghosts of their trench mates following them past the war.

Even though the composition shows a dark message, the negativity can be used to underline key messages like learning from the past, compassion and avoiding conflict/war due to the physical and psychological impact on those that fight.

*This refers to a single colour scheme like a work that is completely blue or completely green; here it is pointing out the black and white nature (achromatic as there’s no hue here) of the ink work which makes everything in the drawing visually blur together.

Percy Wyndham Lewis, (1919) *A Battery Shelled* [oil on canvas], Imperial war museum, london, (photo © Kulsoma khatun)

A similar work is ‘A Battery Shelled’ (1919) by Percy Wyndham Lewis, which combines man and machine on the battlefield. The jarring abstract painting strengthened people’s feelings of the horrors of war and the ways soldiers were treated. the colour palette especially illustrates the polluted nature of the trenches that soldiers squeezed themselves into.

In the foreground, a man, perhaps the leader as suggested by the different uniform - his amalgamated heads pointing in two different directions as if he’s constantly turning around to keep an eye on his team and equally thinking hard about something.

The suffocating feeling of the painting can be recreated easily through the use of a cool colour palette and distortion play. But colour is not necessary to perfectly portray a theme, as can be seen by Ada’s work.

Experimenting with wet paint or chalky pastels and smudging it with your hands can stretch different elements and give it that depressive feeling similar to the idiom “Why the long face?” to to give a melancholic tone to your work.

Julia, 14-16, GErmany, *battle scars* [acrylic, colour pencil and graphite on paper], never such innocence archives, london, (photo © never such innocence)

In ‘Battle Scars’ by Julia [14-16, Germany) she works with the many grey and colour tones to highlight the differences between the battlefield and back home. She mentions how “the people that survived were never able to leave the battlefield behind” and this is clearly shown through the veteran’s forlorn expression, as if he’s thinking about the soldiers who didn’t make it home.

Julia was inspired by “The battle of Verdun in 1916, where more than 305,000 people were killed on both the German and French side”. The shadow falling on them however suggests the perspective of the light comes from the colourful home behind him and he’s just looking back at the memories, which illustrates his trouble in adjusting to civilian life as he is “expected to carry on with their lives as normal”.

George clausen, (1918) *in the gun factory at woolwich arsenal* [oil on canvas], Imperial war museum, london, (photo © IWM (Art.IWM ART 1984))

George Clausen’s painting ‘In the Gun Factory at Woolwich Arsenal, 1918’ depicts the British Homefront effort during the First World War. The massive factory and small figures create a sense of organisation, as everyone appears to follow orders in their place. Light streaming through the glass roof highlights the workers, almost blessing them, appealing to the public by honouring their contribution.

To replicate this effect, experiment with light paint layers, leaving a bright spot like a streak of light.

Like Julia’s "Battle Scars," colour (light) symbolises hope, while the monochrome sketch (shadow) conveys regret and struggle.

Steele, 14-16, USA, *family remembrance* [colour pencil on paper], never such innocence archives, london, (photo © never such innocence)

Steele’s work ‘Family Remembrance’ (14-16, USA) uses a candid style to provide a peek of “mom's hands [as she shares] a picture of my grandfather when he served in the armed forces”, commenting on memory and grief. The watercolour uses a centralised burst of colour to highlight the ritual of having tea and going through photos of their “grandfather and aunt on the anniversary of their passing”. This displays the continuity of modern life despite the aftermath of conflict.

The bittersweet moment however is overshadowed by the desaturated blurred edge of the painting which suggests it's only a light moment in the midst of a depressing situation. The compositional focus can be used to highlight parts of your work that centralises themes like peace etc.

*rounding up german prisoners in a recaptured village on the marne (Rounding up Boche Prisoners, 1917*) *Drawing with colour pencil and watercolour* by george harding [Local Identifier 111 SC 31699], photo © smithsonian museum (US)

In July 1918, George Harding, an American AEF soldier, painted ‘Rounding Up German Prisoners in a Recaptured Village on the Marne’. The blend of watercolour and pencil highlights a burst of blue behind a broken house sheltering an old woman, with soldiers walking briskly in front, creating a sense of safety.

Like Steele’s tea ritual, it shows how life continues amidst disaster. The damaged roofs reflect the war’s duration, while the clear sky symbolises peace. Dead bodies emphasise the soldiers’ mission, and the broken houses suggest hope for repair. This composition symbolises hope despite destruction.

How can you work with pops of colour or a different medium to draw your viewers attention?

The watercolour sky in contrast to the beige buildings are a sign of clear skies and reduced bombings, similar to the brown table and skin contrasting the blue drink and photos in Steele’s drawing which creates a past/present divide indicating the photos are symbolic of a far memory.

Ke, 16-18, China, *war* [watercolour and graphite on paper], never such innocence archives, london, (photo © never such innocence)

Ke’s ‘War’ (16-18, China) looks at separation and loss. Much like a movie poster, the graphic design elements, such as the critical eye, give a dramatic view of a violent scene. “The initiator of the conflict pulls off the mask of concealment, he plucks down the curtain of battle with his fingers and glances in with one eye”. The well-lit soldiers appear to be shouting orders to shoot, while the child in the foreground, wiping her tear-filled eyes, looks terrified, feeling alone, “separated, and hopeless” amidst the chaos.

The rule of thirds* can be seen dividing the work and allowing a story to unfold. The chromatic difference between the eye and the scene in front further highlights the physical separation between the instigator and the War. The stark contrast between the singular child in the empty third and the busy pileup of soldiers speaks more on the unfair population difference in war zones as well due to military takeovers of small towns and villages.

*A composition technique that tells you to divide your work into a 3 by 3 grid and then place the important elements of your work onto the third lines or the points of intersection. I’ve linked an Adobe resource for photography down below which explains it with diagrams better.

*Among the wreckage. Troops going forward at night. (1918) charcoal Drawing* by Capt. Harvey Dunn, E.R.C. SC. Photos Laboratory, Vincennes, Seine, France. [Local Identifier 111 SC 31699], photo © National archives (US)

While Ke’s work focuses on people, Captain Harvey Dunn’s charcoal drawing ‘Among the Wreckage, Troops Going Forward at Night’ (1917) uses silhouettes to create tension. Your eyes are drawn to the silhouetted soldiers marching in darkness, then to the broken window shutters lying on a presumably dead person. The helmet reveals it’s a fallen enemy, likely German, reminding us of the tragic effects of conflict and the theme of loss, as even the enemy had family and comrades.

The empty buildings are the stars of the show here, with the soldiers as mere props, to show the damage to the accommodations and no signs of life.

How can you use negative space* to draw attention to a visually neglected part of your work?

Dunn’s silhouetted soldiers draw attention to the detailed yet empty buildings that seemed unimportant at first glance until you realise the area has been evacuated/forcefully emptied similar to Ke’s blank landscape behind the child which makes it look like she has been left behind.

*Negative space refers to the space outside an object. The whites of the building is the leftover space from the silhouettes and the roof. The lack of detail in that area compare to the detail of the rest of the drawing makes you notice the empty doors and windows more.

In conclusion, visual media from the First World War was heavily shaped by different experiences and allowed us to view different opinions of the war. Through light, shadow, and emotional scenes, artists captured the complex human experiences of conflict. These works serve as both historical records and emotional narratives, highlighting the different experiences of artists, from official recorders to soldiers. These themes were similarly used in the Archive works and can be reutilised to fit in this year’s theme “How Can We Prevent Future Wars?” By using contrasts to promote ideas like diplomacy, learning from the past, utopian societies etc. to effectively communicate what steps can we take to avoid future conflicts.

If you want to check out more about the works or institutions listed in this post, make sure to check out the Further Reading section below!

Further Reading: