What makes a good poster?

[ladeda]

Aside from title or a certain subject you collect regardless of the art. What to you makes a good poster?

Is there a common thread that runs through your collection? What elements of a poster make up a poster you're drawn to?

I'm intrigued to find out. Since starting to downsize my collection. with what remains I can clearly see certain themes that they all share.

[oldposterho]

Leaving aside title, genre, and art doesn't really a leave a lot of reasons to collect a poster, imo.  Having quality in any one of those categories goes a long way to making a good poster.  When it doesn't have any of those three it's time to dump it.

[110x75]

Having quality in any one of those categories goes a long way to making a good poster. 

We know that. We've seen your posters... 

[eatbrie]

The title is essential to me, since I don't collect posters of movies I haven't seen.  First the title, then the subject matter (i.e. Hitchcock, Tarantino, Academy Awards nominated films, etc).  The art is okay, but not what drives me to a purchase.

I don't see a common thread aside from the first two mentioned.

T

[okiehawker]

Hi Ladeda,  I like a striking, large, colorful, painted element in the poster design.  If it's Stone litho, even better.  If there are smaller vignettes, I want them to complement the larger image.  Luckily for me (and, many more than me) many posters from the 1950s on back have this element. Even a newer poster now and then draws me in via the above.  Thank goodness for some great posters with this element from the U.S.A., Argentina, Italy, Germany, Thailand, Mexico, France...  Okie

[mattsw]

I like titles, too.  I also have bought posters of films I have never seen because of the actors names on the poster.  And still others I have bought because I just liked the poster.  Not sure if this is off topic but one thing that I shy away from is a poster that has moisture damage.  Tears and paper loss are okay.  But for some reason, moisture damage completely turns me off.

Matthew

[erik1925]

For me, it's all about the graphics, color and imagery for films I have seen and even for those I haven't. If the poster combines all the right elements and pulls me in, then I will hunt down the flick to watch, even if it's one I haven't seen before. And whether the poster is for a US or foreign film doesnt matter.

In that case, the poster did what it was made to do -  make me want to see the movie.

And if the poster works on those aesthetic levels, it's one I might strongly want to add to the collection.

Side note: stone lithos are the bomb for me, too. I particularly love that style and technique, (as well as drawn, poster art, in general).

[patrickh]

For me it's all about Dutch history at WOII, like this:

[Crazy Vick]

Printing type does it for me.  The old lithos or silkscreen posters where the process and effort involved means so much more then just the push of a button.

[erik1925]

This poster imagery works for me, too.. bold color, vivid imagery and the composition and title font all pull me in. And it has elements of that old school, litho style, and looks to be the original poster font, too.


And if this was printed, I'd be happy to pick up a copy.

[okiehawker]

This poster imagery works for me, too.. bold color, vivid imagery and the composition and title font all pull me in. And it has elements of that old school, litho style, and looks to be the original poster font, too.


And if this was printed, I'd be happy to pick up a copy.

What poster is this, Jeff?  Is it recent art someone created?  Thanks, Okie

[eatbrie]

It’s a print by Francesco Francavilla.  You can get it for cheap on EBay.  I think I have one.  Can’t remember which version and too lazy to check my website.

T

[erik1925]

It’s a print by Francesco Francavilla.  You can get it for cheap on EBay.  I think I have one.  Can’t remember which version and too lazy to check my website.

T

Thanks for the artist's name, T,

I did see that there were a couple versions/colors done. And I think this red style knocks it out of the park, POP-wise.

[eatbrie]

I don’t like any of them, to be honest.  Don’t even know why I got one.  I’m no fan of Frankenstein and I can pretty much say that I will never own a Frankenstein poster.  Not my thing.

T

[erik1925]

Different strokes for different folks.

[eatbrie]

For sure.  I’d say 99% of the stuff I collect means nothing to 99% of collectors.  But it’s still interesting to see what other people like, even if it means nothing to you.

T