New Masters of Poster Design: Poster Design for the Next Century - by John Foster, 2006

After adding a few contests to this site, I know that the majority of the competitions are focused on poster design. This type of design incorporates illustration more often than photography, and usually always includes typography. While you could browse through older books about posters, why not take this one on - it’s a new and scrumptious look into poster designs for the “next century,” even though it looks at posters from the immediate past in a definitive collection. What makes this book different is that writing is involved, and Foster’s take on the work contained within this book is definitely insightful.

In much the way that the CD replaced the album, the poster has waned as a messaging vehicle since Peter Max. The poster has now become a postcard and e-mail blast, leaving many to long for the lost age when posters were not only major promotional vehicles, but also artwork worthy of framing.

Some of the world’s best designers just could not stand idle while the poster fell by the wayside. They turned to the poster for personal expression and as an outlet from more restrictive mediums.

This book showcases their breathtaking artwork, which has proven that the poster can still serve as a worthy communications tool. In doing so, they’ve brought the poster back to prominence. In this book, the author has compiled the world’s finest new work at the height of this rebirth. There is currently no book on the market that can claim it features a “definitive” poster collection.

***

John Foster’s posters have been featured in every major design publication and numerous books. He is the author of Maximum Design, (HOW books 2005.) His clients have included MGM, Coca-Cola, AOL and Hilton to FX, National Geographic, and The National Zoo.