Grandes carteles de cine

More about the book

Drew Struzan discovered the distinction between a "fine artist" and an "illustrator" while in art school. A fine artist creates freely, while an illustrator works for pay. Struzan chose the latter, driven by the desire to paint for a living. Over nearly four decades, he witnessed illustration evolve into a respected art form, with his iconic movie poster paintings playing a pivotal role in this transformation. His remarkable talent for portraiture defined the visual identity of beloved franchises like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, the Muppets, and Back to the Future, among many others. This collection offers a behind-the-scenes look at the numerous "comps" (sketches and rough illustrations) that led to these famous images, along with abandoned concepts for projects like posters for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. It provides insight into Struzan's studio and chronicles the rise and decline of movie poster illustration in Hollywood. The narrative unfolds in the artist's own words, capturing both triumphs and disappointments, and presents a project-to-project timeline that highlights the history of a craft that is slowly fading, cherished only by a select few.