Posterwire.com is a movie poster weblog. From images of the latest Hollywood one-sheets to vintage movie posters, this film poster weblog hopes to offer a bit of insight into film key art.
The Gallery Nucleus in Southern California is hosting an exhibition of movie poster key art created by legendary artist Bob Peak. The Bob Peak: Father of The Modern Hollywood Poster gallery show will feature over 40 of Bob Peak’s original illustrations, paintings, and a new line of limited editions prints.
Bob Peak was one of the bedrocks of classic movie poster illustration. His key art and promotional artwork for films includes West Side Story, My Fair Lady, Camelot, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Superman, and Apocalypse Now.
A one of a kind edition 40″ x 60″ print of Bob Peak’s “My Fair Lady” movie poster key art will be auctioned off at the show with the proceeds donated to the Audrey Hepburn Children’s Fund.
The Bob Peak movie poster exhibition runs June 6th through June 23rd 2009 at the Gallery Nucleus, 210 East Main St, in Alhambra CA.
There is a very short list of famous movie poster illustrators: So far we’ve mentioned Drew Struzan, John Alvin, and Richard Amsel. Adding to this very short list of commercial illustrators impacting movie poster design we come to artist Bob Peak.
By the 1950s, Bob Peak had already gained fame as a leading commercial illustrator for periodicals and print advertising, including clients like Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, and Winston. His graphic style of illustration, including his talent for conveying a sense of fashion and style in his subjects, made him a favorite of commercial art directors, which lead to the ubiquitous style label: “the Peak look”.
In the 60s, Peak began his long and distinguished career in movie poster illustration, with over 130 one-sheets to his credit. His artwork for My Fair Lady was the first movie poster to win an award from the Society of Illustrators. Constantly in demand by the studios, some famous Peak movie posters include: Superman: The Movie, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn, and Excalibur. While his style was constantly changing, some of the earmarks of a Bob Peak movie poster include: graphic outlines, strong and saturated color schemes, and an uncanny use of negative space.
