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The Art of Drew Struzan
He is the favorite artist of both George Lucas and Steven Spielberg and the artist behind some of the most iconic images of our time… he is Drew Struzan.
Struzan has worked on the posters for the biggest films of the last 30 years. Blade Runner, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park and The Extraterrestrial to name but a few.
The first ever book to cover Struzan’s iconic poster artwork in depth, with the final artwork for each piece accompanied by background and anecdotes from an exclusive interview with the artist. With an introduction to Struzan’s philosophies and techniques, this stunning hardcover will include photos, sketches and reference material, plus closeups and a brief history of each poster featured, from Star Wars to The Goonies.
Struzan has worked on the posters for the biggest films of the last 30 years. Blade Runner, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park and The Extraterrestrial to name but a few.
The first ever book to cover Struzan’s iconic poster artwork in depth, with the final artwork for each piece accompanied by background and anecdotes from an exclusive interview with the artist. With an introduction to Struzan’s philosophies and techniques, this stunning hardcover will include photos, sketches and reference material, plus closeups and a brief history of each poster featured, from Star Wars to The Goonies.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published September 14, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
March 13, 2016
This was a fascinating book to leaf through and think over. Drew Struzan is perhaps the king of movie poster art, and this book gives a gorgeous look at some highlights of his work over the years. Particularly valuable are the many "comps" or drafts, often roughed out in pencil, showing the many different concepts Struzan came up with before picking one for the final composition.
The text mostly focuses on Struzan's memories of working on each piece--working with directors, cutting up paintings to save time on painting new figures so as to hit deadlines, finally having his artwork repeatedly nixed by studios in favour of Photoshopped floating heads through the 90's and 00's.
I was fascinated by Struzan's comments on his vision for his art--taking advertising, a very commercial proposition, and making beauty out of it. Some of his best work--the Pan's Labyrinth poster (you've probably never seen it), the Waterworld poster (you've probably never seen that either)--has a very remarkable, transcendant quality about it. Even the posters that hew more closely to the floating-head genre--the Shawshank Redemption or Revenge of the Sith posters--are spectacular. I think that at best, Struzan's artwork awakes that feeling of sehnsucht that CS Lewis spoke of, and by awakening that longing, hints that the film itself may help to satisfy it. Given this elusive note of beauty and drama, it was terribly sad to read about the decline of Struzan's career as studio executives became convinced that painted poster art was out of date.
I was also fascinated by Struzan's occasional comments on composition. You don't have to actually know anything about composition to know that Struzan is clearly a master at it, and I would have loved to have learned more from the book. But perhaps it was beyond the scope of the work.
The text mostly focuses on Struzan's memories of working on each piece--working with directors, cutting up paintings to save time on painting new figures so as to hit deadlines, finally having his artwork repeatedly nixed by studios in favour of Photoshopped floating heads through the 90's and 00's.
I was fascinated by Struzan's comments on his vision for his art--taking advertising, a very commercial proposition, and making beauty out of it. Some of his best work--the Pan's Labyrinth poster (you've probably never seen it), the Waterworld poster (you've probably never seen that either)--has a very remarkable, transcendant quality about it. Even the posters that hew more closely to the floating-head genre--the Shawshank Redemption or Revenge of the Sith posters--are spectacular. I think that at best, Struzan's artwork awakes that feeling of sehnsucht that CS Lewis spoke of, and by awakening that longing, hints that the film itself may help to satisfy it. Given this elusive note of beauty and drama, it was terribly sad to read about the decline of Struzan's career as studio executives became convinced that painted poster art was out of date.
I was also fascinated by Struzan's occasional comments on composition. You don't have to actually know anything about composition to know that Struzan is clearly a master at it, and I would have loved to have learned more from the book. But perhaps it was beyond the scope of the work.
August 9, 2025
استعرت الكتاب من المكتبة كتحضير ل سلسلة من الفيديوهات عن بوسترات الافلام هينزل قريب ع قناة جرافيميديا ع اليوتيوب
@graphimedia.workshops
مع فيلم وثائقي جميل اوي عن drew
الكتاب تحفة ورسوماته جميلة اوي متوضح الاسكتشات لغاية لما وصل ل البوستر النهائي
هصور الكتاب برضوا بشكل سريع ع انستجرام
@mai.designer92
@graphimedia.workshops
مع فيلم وثائقي جميل اوي عن drew
الكتاب تحفة ورسوماته جميلة اوي متوضح الاسكتشات لغاية لما وصل ل البوستر النهائي
هصور الكتاب برضوا بشكل سريع ع انستجرام
@mai.designer92
March 16, 2017
Movie buffs are likely familiar with the works of Drew Struzan, as are many casual fans of cinema even if they don't know his name. With an incredible knack for producing detailed, dead-on portraits of a film's actors and capturing the sense of excitement and grandiosity of cinema, he has illustrated and painted some of Hollywood's most famous movie posters. A frequent collaborator of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, he was the official illustrator of posters for the Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Back to the Future film series.
The Art of Drew Struzan chronicles much of his work, beginning with Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981 to his retirement in 2008 and the final, unused image he produced for Hellboy II: The Golden Army at the request of his friend Guillermo del Toro. In between are selected works from an extensive portfolio of images now part of the canon of some of America's most celebrated films. Struzan shares the illustrations produced for Blade Runner: The Final Cut and the anniversary release of The Shawshank Redemption, and offers up interesting glimpses of comp work that was never fully developed into a final form, like his work for the 1992 theatrical version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Writing with David J. Schow, Struzan provides a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at designing movie posters by assembling collections of comp artwork (basically the rough drafts) that would eventually lead to the final images. It's a great chance to see the ideas Struzan worked with as he built towards many of his now famous works. It's also intriguing to see the images that could, or should, have been, but for various reasons never quite congealed. Throughout the book Struzan speaks briefly of the commissioned work, the changes that were requested, and how the ideas were formed, shared, and collaborated upon with the filmmakers in order to develop the art that would come to represent and identify the movie itself.
Created with an irreplaceable style and a strong sense of composition his painted illustrations drew in movie-watchers and created a sense of connection between the film and its viewers. By creatively employing the use of direct gaze, filmgoers took part in the experience of a film's world directly, establishing a personal connection with the impeccable portraits of Harry Potter and Indiana Jones, who met their viewer's gaze and invited them into their worlds. His paintings created a cohesive story representative of the movie, showcasing the sense of adventure and excitement of an Indiana Jones movie with perfection, the macho, clueless buffoonery of Big Trouble in Little China's Jack Burton, and the epic space operatics of Star Wars.
As enjoyable as it is to share in the visions of Struzan, it is also a bittersweet journey as it highlights the death of the relationship between Hollywood and illustrative art in the marketing of a film. As the years rolled on and technology progressed, movie studio execs learned how much easier, cheaper, and brainless it was to create a movie poster from publicity stills and promo images in Photoshop. It truly is a shame, and since Struzan's retirement in 2008 there has been a noticeable lack of creative, artistic imagery prior to a film's release. Gone are the days of a collective tingling of spines amongst cinemaphiles when the official poster of a long-awaited film was unveiled, as occurred on March 11, 1999 forStar Wars: Episode I when Struzan's image was introduced as the worldwide promotional piece for George Lucas's widely awaited continuation of the Skywalker saga.
Over the last decade, the spectacle of movie posters has eroded into simplistic images of generic backdrops populated with floating heads staring off into the distance, severing the relationship between the film and its viewers almost immediately. The grandiosity of cinema, the sense of excitement and fun, have been relegated to budget lines. Illustrations that were once sought after by Hollywood's biggest directors were now being scuttled by studio executives who no longer saw the appeal, who simply viewed movies as nothing more than a bottom line in their operating budget, or worse yet, just didn't get it. When asked by a reporter why Struzan's commissioned poster wasn't used for Pan's Labyrinth, a studio representative said, "We didn't use it because it looks too much like art."
Struzan's greatest gift, of course, was that he was able to marry the artistic merits of film and painted illustration. Having produced some of the finest images for many of Hollywood's most enjoyable fare, Struzan now offers fans a look at his creative process and showcases the work he is most fond of. Seeing his work collected in The Art of Drew Struzan one is instantly reminded of the glory of film and the emotional and cultural investments we've made in particular favorites. For more than 30 years, his posters have brought to life all the drama, adventure, humor and camaraderie of the movie itself, rising far above a simple marketing gimmick and into the realm of art. They were, and are to this day, a celebration of cinema at its best.
The Art of Drew Struzan chronicles much of his work, beginning with Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981 to his retirement in 2008 and the final, unused image he produced for Hellboy II: The Golden Army at the request of his friend Guillermo del Toro. In between are selected works from an extensive portfolio of images now part of the canon of some of America's most celebrated films. Struzan shares the illustrations produced for Blade Runner: The Final Cut and the anniversary release of The Shawshank Redemption, and offers up interesting glimpses of comp work that was never fully developed into a final form, like his work for the 1992 theatrical version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Writing with David J. Schow, Struzan provides a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at designing movie posters by assembling collections of comp artwork (basically the rough drafts) that would eventually lead to the final images. It's a great chance to see the ideas Struzan worked with as he built towards many of his now famous works. It's also intriguing to see the images that could, or should, have been, but for various reasons never quite congealed. Throughout the book Struzan speaks briefly of the commissioned work, the changes that were requested, and how the ideas were formed, shared, and collaborated upon with the filmmakers in order to develop the art that would come to represent and identify the movie itself.
Created with an irreplaceable style and a strong sense of composition his painted illustrations drew in movie-watchers and created a sense of connection between the film and its viewers. By creatively employing the use of direct gaze, filmgoers took part in the experience of a film's world directly, establishing a personal connection with the impeccable portraits of Harry Potter and Indiana Jones, who met their viewer's gaze and invited them into their worlds. His paintings created a cohesive story representative of the movie, showcasing the sense of adventure and excitement of an Indiana Jones movie with perfection, the macho, clueless buffoonery of Big Trouble in Little China's Jack Burton, and the epic space operatics of Star Wars.
As enjoyable as it is to share in the visions of Struzan, it is also a bittersweet journey as it highlights the death of the relationship between Hollywood and illustrative art in the marketing of a film. As the years rolled on and technology progressed, movie studio execs learned how much easier, cheaper, and brainless it was to create a movie poster from publicity stills and promo images in Photoshop. It truly is a shame, and since Struzan's retirement in 2008 there has been a noticeable lack of creative, artistic imagery prior to a film's release. Gone are the days of a collective tingling of spines amongst cinemaphiles when the official poster of a long-awaited film was unveiled, as occurred on March 11, 1999 forStar Wars: Episode I when Struzan's image was introduced as the worldwide promotional piece for George Lucas's widely awaited continuation of the Skywalker saga.
Over the last decade, the spectacle of movie posters has eroded into simplistic images of generic backdrops populated with floating heads staring off into the distance, severing the relationship between the film and its viewers almost immediately. The grandiosity of cinema, the sense of excitement and fun, have been relegated to budget lines. Illustrations that were once sought after by Hollywood's biggest directors were now being scuttled by studio executives who no longer saw the appeal, who simply viewed movies as nothing more than a bottom line in their operating budget, or worse yet, just didn't get it. When asked by a reporter why Struzan's commissioned poster wasn't used for Pan's Labyrinth, a studio representative said, "We didn't use it because it looks too much like art."
Struzan's greatest gift, of course, was that he was able to marry the artistic merits of film and painted illustration. Having produced some of the finest images for many of Hollywood's most enjoyable fare, Struzan now offers fans a look at his creative process and showcases the work he is most fond of. Seeing his work collected in The Art of Drew Struzan one is instantly reminded of the glory of film and the emotional and cultural investments we've made in particular favorites. For more than 30 years, his posters have brought to life all the drama, adventure, humor and camaraderie of the movie itself, rising far above a simple marketing gimmick and into the realm of art. They were, and are to this day, a celebration of cinema at its best.
September 12, 2015
A fascinating glimpse into the dying days of the movie poster illustration business. The best part of this book is getting to see many of Struzan's comps, which led to the final poster designs (in some cases, comps for posters that were never made!). Struzan is a real master of composition, and I know I will be pulling this book off the shelf next time I am trying to figure out the design for a book cover. This is a book bursting with ideas, and there are plenty of amazing final illustrations as well that'll take your breath away.
December 4, 2012
(More pictures at parkablogs.com)
It's really great to see Drew Struzan's art in one wonderful volume. All those that I've seen before were in different making-of and art-of books, particularly the Star Wars books. This book has much more than that.
There are works dating back to the from the first Indiana Jones movie (1981), Star Wars (he drew for all of them), Back to the Future, Shawshank Redemption, Police Academy, Hellboy and a few movies which I didn't know existed. Going through this book made me feel like watching all those movies again. A very nostalgic collection.
The paintings are gorgeous, nicely reproduced, and many printed full page. Also included are many variations of the movie posters, both in sketches and colours, and all almost as detailed as the final piece.
There's some sort of magical quality in his paintings that evoke a sense of fantasy and adventure. Together with his traditional approach to art, he has created a style that's easily recognisable. Every page is a marvel to look at, to admire.
Besides the art, Drew Struzan himself provided some commentary on the background stories and working with people. It's all very interesting to read.
This is definitely one of the top art books for 2010.
You probably do not want to miss this fantastic book.
June 22, 2019
Drew Struzan was a poster artist working in Hollywood starting in the 1970s and continuing all the way up to the late 2000s. He's had an illustrious career, working on many franchises, like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Police Academy, and Back to the Future. He also worked with directors like Guillermo del Toro and Frank Darabont (who wrote the introduction for the book), creating poster art for their films and DVDs. Sadly, later in his career, the Hollywood dream factory became more factory and less dream. Struzan had a lot of jobs where his work eventually wasn't used or was photoshopped around to create something to sell tickets rather than to be art.
Struzan goes through a bunch of projects, he couldn't possible go through everything because he worked on over 200 films. He describes the creative process and the business side of the work. Sometimes he had to work with little information (like on Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, where the script and production were highly secretive) and sometimes with a tight deadline (his iconic John Carpenter's The Thing poster that he literally did overnight!). The stories are very interesting, even if the narrative arc leads to his retirement from a career that became more and more disappointing as the work became more and more corporate.
The art is fantastic and it is interesting to see various concept pieces that led to the final work. As a movie lover and an art lover, this is a great and fascinating book.
Highly recommended.
Struzan goes through a bunch of projects, he couldn't possible go through everything because he worked on over 200 films. He describes the creative process and the business side of the work. Sometimes he had to work with little information (like on Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, where the script and production were highly secretive) and sometimes with a tight deadline (his iconic John Carpenter's The Thing poster that he literally did overnight!). The stories are very interesting, even if the narrative arc leads to his retirement from a career that became more and more disappointing as the work became more and more corporate.
The art is fantastic and it is interesting to see various concept pieces that led to the final work. As a movie lover and an art lover, this is a great and fascinating book.
Highly recommended.
February 28, 2019
This is an autobiography in movie poster designs. Drew Struzan walks through a number of movies for which he has designed posters, including several that weren't released, and talks about the process behind them, where he was in his life when they came up, and what they meant to him. There's a surprising amount of bitterness in this book, from the introduction on, as artists (not just Drew) complain about the business of movie posters and the trouble dealing with art departments and corporate types rather than other artists. Some of it is interesting, and some of it comes across as sour grapes. But when you look at the designs in the book and realize most of them took Mr. Struzan a day or less to do, it's astounding. His style works in most of the cases, and you will probably agree that corporate choices may have been the wrong ones. Still, it's a weird balance between the art and the text. If you just want amazing movie posters, this probably isn't the book to get - this is more for those who want a touch more insight into the hows and whys.
October 29, 2025
With the recent passing of Drew Struzan, I decided that I should learn more about this iconic movie poster artist. This book was excellent in that it: a) gave Struzan's take on his most important works, including the development process for those posters, and b) provided lots of alternate designs (or "comps") that could have been used for the final design. This approach provided real insight into the movie poster design process and Struzan's thought process. Struzan's design approach and ability to create amazing likenesses and compelling compositions are second to none. Unfortunately, this career overview is tinged with sadness, as Struzan laments the demise of the artistic painted movie poster in favor of the cheaper, Photoshopped floating heads that have come to dominate the movie poster business.
October 23, 2018
It's really cool to see Struzan's process and some of his best work, but...
This is a small smattering of his work. I need to track down a more complete volume. And...
By the end, you really get a sense that Struzan was grouchy and bitter. And I totally get it. His Art was being supplanted by "suits" with computers. I totally get it.
But this book seemed like an odd place to explore those feelings.
This is a small smattering of his work. I need to track down a more complete volume. And...
By the end, you really get a sense that Struzan was grouchy and bitter. And I totally get it. His Art was being supplanted by "suits" with computers. I totally get it.
But this book seemed like an odd place to explore those feelings.
August 31, 2020
I gave this book 5 stars because it does completely what it was meant to do. It gives beautiful images of Mr. Struzman's art with personal stories about each of the works. The introduction by Frank Darabont is both hilarious and scathing. I found my self laughing out loud while making an "OHHH! BURN!" face. It was a great way to start the book while also explaining why by the end of the book, you can understand Struzman's disdain with the movie industry.
August 5, 2021
“Why do movie posters suck these days? Because the idiots who run the studios are soulless corporate types who don’t trust artists, don’t understand why art matters, and don’t care to learn. Posters suck because the suits have forgotten Drew Struzan. But we who love great movies and great movie art won’t, and never will. And that, in the long run, is the only thing that counts.”
- Frank Darabont
- Frank Darabont
July 8, 2019
Fascinating to see some of the comps and see how the final poster came to fruition. And equally as depressing to read about some of the hoops he had to jump through, from people who haven't got a clue what good art is, or just didn't care.
Regardless, the man is a legend, and I wish the book had been longer.
Regardless, the man is a legend, and I wish the book had been longer.
December 30, 2021
Drew Struzan is an absolute legend of the art and cinematic worlds. This book is such a fascinating look at how Struzan composed his posters, seeing how they developed over time. It is also a journey through Struzan's struggle against the studios, not using his posters or compromising his artistic vision for crass commercial reasons.
August 24, 2024
Gorgeous collection of posters by the legend, Drew Struzan, that not only reprints many of these classics but also the process of how he made them, from alternate takes to touch ups. Fantastic read for fans of movie posters, especially from the master.
August 12, 2018
The perfect book if you're a poster nerd.
February 25, 2019
A beautiful book showcasing the work of the best movie poster artist there ever was.
July 25, 2022
A fantastic look into Drew's creative process.
I would have liked to have heard about how he did the Star Wars Special Edition Trilogy triptych.
I would have liked to have heard about how he did the Star Wars Special Edition Trilogy triptych.
June 2, 2014
I've been a big fan of Drew Struzan's work ever since I can recall becoming aware of movie posters. In my mind it was always a toss-up between Struzan and Richard Amsel as to who my current favorite was. That largely depended on whose poster was at the movie theatre. Amsel did The Sting, Struzan did Star Wars. Amsel did Raiders of the Lost Ark, Struzan did E.T. Amsel did Flash Gordon, Struzan did The Thing. Then, far too young, Amsel died of AIDS and settled that rivalry.
The art here is lovely and we are treated to many behind-the-scenes rough drafts. Unfortunately, the text isn't as informative except in a few cases, such as his trials and tribulations making (and remaking) the Adventures in babysitting poster. Struzan carries a lot of bitterness with him, and that really comes out on every page.
You'd think someone as successful as he is, who is much-lauded and did a job he seems to have liked, would have let some of this stuff go -- or, at the very least, able to put it into perspective, since he won out in the end against the people who "done him wrong."
He laments when studios took his comps and assigned the work to others (in a couple cases, Amsel), but then barely mentions when he did the same to other artists. His famous Back to the Future painting wasn't his idea at all, but the work of another artist. A couple times he even took work from Amsel. He doesn't seem to see the irony in this. It's just the nature of the business, and he's had more wins than losses.
Still, the paintings are lovely and the book is a high-quality product, with none of that aggravating "print the picture across both pages so you lose 30% of it in the valley" nonsense. I do wish there were some more representations of his early work, his Emmy-winning album covers and books covers, as well as his post-retirement art.
This is mostly a "greatest hits" collection of his movie posters, and just as with bands who release those kinds of albums, there are a few less-interesting bits here, such as the 1981 Lone Ranger movie.
The art here is lovely and we are treated to many behind-the-scenes rough drafts. Unfortunately, the text isn't as informative except in a few cases, such as his trials and tribulations making (and remaking) the Adventures in babysitting poster. Struzan carries a lot of bitterness with him, and that really comes out on every page.
You'd think someone as successful as he is, who is much-lauded and did a job he seems to have liked, would have let some of this stuff go -- or, at the very least, able to put it into perspective, since he won out in the end against the people who "done him wrong."
He laments when studios took his comps and assigned the work to others (in a couple cases, Amsel), but then barely mentions when he did the same to other artists. His famous Back to the Future painting wasn't his idea at all, but the work of another artist. A couple times he even took work from Amsel. He doesn't seem to see the irony in this. It's just the nature of the business, and he's had more wins than losses.
Still, the paintings are lovely and the book is a high-quality product, with none of that aggravating "print the picture across both pages so you lose 30% of it in the valley" nonsense. I do wish there were some more representations of his early work, his Emmy-winning album covers and books covers, as well as his post-retirement art.
This is mostly a "greatest hits" collection of his movie posters, and just as with bands who release those kinds of albums, there are a few less-interesting bits here, such as the 1981 Lone Ranger movie.
April 12, 2015
For photos/video of this book, please visit my blog: http://www.movieartbook.com/2015/04/p...
Drew Struzan must be considered one of the best movie poster artists in history. His posters capture the spirit and excitement of some of the most memorable films ever made. In the 70s and 80s he was most prolific, creating posters for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Back to the Future. But he's done some remarkable work more recently as well, such as Hellboy and the first two Harry Potter movies.
As you'd expect, the book is full of artwork - some of it printed full-page in high quality. One of the interesting things about the book is that you don't see just the finished posters, but you see them in various stages of completion. There is often also alternate artwork for many of the movies - posters that Mr. Struzan completed but were not used by the studio.
But this isn't just an art book, it contains text as well. The book starts off with a great foreword by Frank Darabont (director of The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, The Mist), who frequently uses Struzan and writes about why his posters are the best in the business. And then as you flip through the book, Struzan becomes the author and writes about each project. Struzan's anecdotes are interesting to read, and he discusses what he was hoping to achieve with each poster and working with directors over the years. Another idea he puts forth is that he's not very happy with the way movie posters are heading these days. And I agree with him. I always preferred the more artistic painted movie posters over the typical mash-up photoshop jobs you see today.
Drew Struzan must be considered one of the best movie poster artists in history. His posters capture the spirit and excitement of some of the most memorable films ever made. In the 70s and 80s he was most prolific, creating posters for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Back to the Future. But he's done some remarkable work more recently as well, such as Hellboy and the first two Harry Potter movies.
As you'd expect, the book is full of artwork - some of it printed full-page in high quality. One of the interesting things about the book is that you don't see just the finished posters, but you see them in various stages of completion. There is often also alternate artwork for many of the movies - posters that Mr. Struzan completed but were not used by the studio.
But this isn't just an art book, it contains text as well. The book starts off with a great foreword by Frank Darabont (director of The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, The Mist), who frequently uses Struzan and writes about why his posters are the best in the business. And then as you flip through the book, Struzan becomes the author and writes about each project. Struzan's anecdotes are interesting to read, and he discusses what he was hoping to achieve with each poster and working with directors over the years. Another idea he puts forth is that he's not very happy with the way movie posters are heading these days. And I agree with him. I always preferred the more artistic painted movie posters over the typical mash-up photoshop jobs you see today.
February 16, 2017
So much great art. So many fun stories behind the paintings.
It was great to read the stories behind how the posters came to life. I enjoyed seeing the comps that Drew made as he attempted to find an image that would work for the production studios he worked with. I felt bad for Drew as he grew increasingly frustrated with studio intervention.
A book I'm glad to have in my collection.
It was great to read the stories behind how the posters came to life. I enjoyed seeing the comps that Drew made as he attempted to find an image that would work for the production studios he worked with. I felt bad for Drew as he grew increasingly frustrated with studio intervention.
A book I'm glad to have in my collection.
February 18, 2011
Amazing artist - incredible skill at portrature and composition. His comps are to die for and to imagine that it's only the tip of the iceberg for what he created. Fascinating to read about his exploits. I did feel he used the book to whine about the state of the industry (non existant now of course)but can certainly understand the mourning of the passing of something that really was not only a visual landmark but trully hand done and truthful. There's nothing to compare to a well done movie poster! Pity the young'uns to have never seen a masterpiece to ramp up the excitement before you went to see the movie. Now the visuals are more about trying to entice you to spend the money and aren't always true to the film itself (usually promising more than what it really ever delivers).
A great book for a peak at a master. And to think he did it all by hand before computers.... it's really mind blowing.
A great book for a peak at a master. And to think he did it all by hand before computers.... it's really mind blowing.
August 11, 2011
Struzan's movie poster work exceeds the iconic (Harry Potter, Back to the Future, Blade Runner, Star Wars, Indiana Jones ...). Reading about his professional career and seeing both examples of his work (and the variety of evolutionary steps in each piece) is endlessly fascinating.
The tale, though, is a sad one, as Struzan's career progresses but the creative environment in Hollywood changes. Ultimately, he's designing gorgeous work that stars and directors love but the studios decide to kick to the curb for their own aesthetic / commercial purposes. That Struzan has retired because of that is a loss to both art and to the movies.
Recommended to anyone who loves the movies, or commercial art.
The tale, though, is a sad one, as Struzan's career progresses but the creative environment in Hollywood changes. Ultimately, he's designing gorgeous work that stars and directors love but the studios decide to kick to the curb for their own aesthetic / commercial purposes. That Struzan has retired because of that is a loss to both art and to the movies.
Recommended to anyone who loves the movies, or commercial art.
January 9, 2015
I love his work and ingenuity. It's sad that the companies started phasing him out. Rejecting a piece because it 'looked like art'!
I first watched the documentary and realized I've seen his work all over and even had a couple posters but I never really asked who created them. Drew Struzan has since moved into the top of my favorite artists of all time.
His story reminds me of what happened with Joss Whedon's Firefly series... A really good thing put down before its time.
I'm glad he can do work for himself now and not worry about pleasing the suits. I would love to see what he's been up to since the last movie poster.
I first watched the documentary and realized I've seen his work all over and even had a couple posters but I never really asked who created them. Drew Struzan has since moved into the top of my favorite artists of all time.
His story reminds me of what happened with Joss Whedon's Firefly series... A really good thing put down before its time.
I'm glad he can do work for himself now and not worry about pleasing the suits. I would love to see what he's been up to since the last movie poster.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2013
I've been a fan of Drew Struzan's work since I was a kid. His creations are amazing as well as iconic. Here in this book you get to see what drawings made the final cut and what didn't. Plus you get a very direct commentary on each work by Struzan himself. I had no idea it was such a struggle for him; he was treated very poorly by the studio execs (or suits as he calls them) in Hollywood and his talent and creativity were taken for granted. Now that I know, it only makes me appreciate his incredible work even more.
April 20, 2014
While the paintings of gigantic floating heads are as iconic as they are, beautiful, the commentary is SO bitter. There are some passable anecdotes, but for someone who has such strong opinions about the aesthetics of movie posters, you'd think he'd use his book to explain them, rather than just sniping at the whippersnappers who stole his job with their computers and their Napsters and their baggy pants. I know it must be hard, being a Hollywood Legend for over thirty years, but somehow I think he'll survive.
October 5, 2013
An amazing collection of Drew Struzan artwork. Iconic movie posters are presented with their initial comps along with fully rendered pieces. Drew's insightful commentary is as powerful as the pieces presented. It's a shame that a genius of his caliber has been forced out of the industry by talentless hacks - a sad reflection on contemporary society.
December 31, 2016
I've had this book for years but finally got around to reading it. The gorgeous artwork is accompanying ed by some quick info on many of the pieces, which start out with some insight into their creation but generally turns into tales of how awful studio and marketing people are now. It makes for some melancholy reading by the end. But overall I enjoyed the book a great deal.
December 22, 2011
If you went to a movie in the last twenty to twenty-five years then you have probably seen Drew Struzan's beautiful posters. The book is a great view on his work over the years, and includes many alternate versions. I want this book.
April 23, 2011
A beautiful book of original artwork the did and did not make it on to movie posters.
July 29, 2013
Beautiful art, beautiful beautiful beautiful
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