Masters of the Poster

Here are some interesting and useful books to put on your Christmahanukwanzaaka list, for designers but also anyone who needs inspiration for print work.

I like studying classic posters and artists, especially in terms of compositional elements like balance and color scheme, and  The Complete “Masters of the Poster” is a definitive collection of the most influential poster artists from the 19th century. This book includes works by Jules Chéret, Toulouse-Lautrec, Bonnard, Mucha and more whose works were complied into a supplemental portfolio for subscribers of the time period. Having all of these great artists in one reference book would be useful to have.

For a compilation of more modern poster designers, check out Juxtapoz Magazine‘s book of poster art. Juxtapoz is a good source of inspiration for illustration, graphic design, and modern art in general. This book is the third in a series of compilations of poster art, centering mostly around print/lithography. Some of the work included in this book is by really interesting design studios like Aesthetic Apparatus; kind of a who’s who in the design field right now.

Even though its easy to just Google designers for inspiration, having a tangible book to flip through (compiled by the experts instead of an arbitrary search engine) is still good to have on hand at a moment’s notice. If you get a chance, flip through the design books section of Amazon for even more inspirational books like these.