The Art of the Poster
A poster is a tool that conveys information publicly using text and/or graphic images- pictures. It can be designed and displayed vertically or horizontally. These posters can be seen on a many flat surfaces including walls, windows and social media as flyers and post cards. A poster must convey its message with immediacy and purpose, because people are busy and in a hurry.
Posters, while artful, are basically advertising and merchandising tools. Posters in general are about either getting folks to do something or selling a product or idea.
Today’s modern posters can be huge in size, placed on buildings or fences seen from far away or may be billboards along the interstate. Smaller posters come in many forms such as postcards and flyers. No matter what size or shape posters have a functional job to do. That job is to convey information quickly and to the point – artfully.
The message on a poster can vary from calling a group to support or reject a concept or idea, alerting the public to some eminent danger or concern to announcing the opening of a new theatre play, music / dance performance or art gallery exhibit.
Posters that have the greatest effect must artfully grab ones attention so that one may be convince to support, reject, rally, take part or say – visit an art gallery. The marketing poster is an important tool to sell art and art events to the public.
One must consider that there is a distinction between the art of the poster and the art of painting pictures. However, there is often a blurred line of compromise between the two arts. During the late nineteenth century, lithographers found new ways to produce posters in a range of colors and variety of sizes that could not have been created before. In addition these new posters could now be produced quickly and at a reasonably low price. Many illustrators of that era began to exploit this new technology – hence “Golden Age of the Poster” (1880s through the First World War). Many of the artists during this Golden Age who designed posters were already well known as painters and artistic designers. Their artful success with these posters helped to bridge the gap between “high art” and popular visual culture – the poster. Moreover, it introduced those who have never visited museums or galleries to the arts.
Today the poster continues to be, an extraordinary social and artistic document many fine artists, craftsmen, architects, and designers view and use for getting their art and message out into the streets, deep into the interior and far beyond the reach of art galleries, high end salons and museums.
