From fantasy, blockbuster films from the 70s to the 2000s, a large part is given to the artwork of posters. where nowadays most posters are just poor photoshop Jobs that fail to capture the imagination But in olden times, posters were made by hand. Drew Struzan, one of the most revered artists of his craft, has tragically passed away at the age of 78 after a battle with Alzheimer’s.
After attending the Artcenter College of Design, Drew Struzan found himself doing cover artwork for many big-name bands in the early ’70s, such as the Beach Boys, Bee Gees, Black Sabbath, Earth, Wind & Fire, and more. After this he started his own company and started making film posters for B-movies. kingdom of ants And food of the gods,
However, he got his big break in 1978. His fellow artist Charles White III was hired to create a poster version for the re-release star wars, Only White did not feel comfortable depicting human characters on the poster, as the images did not suit him. So while White contributed his craft to ships like spaceships, Vader, and droids, Struzan found himself drawing the likes of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, and Obi-Wan Kenobi for posters. The unique design of the “Circus” poster was unconventional compared to posters of the time, Struzan said:
“It was a necessity that led to the invention of it. They discovered there wasn’t enough room in the design for the typography and the billing block. What could we do to create more space on an already printed poster? Let’s say it was posted, then they could put the type at the bottom of the actual poster. We painted Obi-Wan at the bottom to make it wider and deeper and filled in stuff on the bottom.”
The rest, they say, is history. Struzan would become a staple of the marketing of many iconic franchises, creating handmade film posters that have become as influential and integral to the film’s identity as the cast or score. The films he acted in include at, Indiana JonesThe star wars The prequel and 1997 release versions of the original trilogy, GoonieS, hook, The Thing, Blade Runner, Back to the Future, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and many more. He also designed the first logo for Industrial Light & Magic. With the rise of digital poster production, demand for his work decreased, and he turned more attention to comic books. After this he will retire Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Crystal SkullAvoid doing weird things here and there, like alternative posters power awakenings, which I personally find far superior to the theatrical version and a series of posters how to train your dragon 3 Issued.
I would argue that his work is part of the language of the films listed above. There is something magical and whimsical about hand-drawn posters that spark the imagination in a way that digitally photoshopped posters fail to do. Although he lost his battle with Alzheimer’s, his work will live on as part of the visual identities of some of the most iconic and beloved films of all time.
