The Second World War brought paper and ink shortages which impacted the design but it was the 1950s that saw a drastic change to creative experimental graphic design. The 1920s and 30s were inspired by Art Deco and Art Nouveau, while the 40s had no distinctive theme in the design. The book is organized around the designers and emphasizes the key contributions of Eastern, Western European, and Japanese designers.Įach decade before the 1950s took inspiration from popular movements as inspiration for artwork on poster designs.

This volume French New Wave: A Revolution in Design celebrates the groundbreaking poster art in selling these Nouvelle Vague films to the masses and the artists involved were at the forefront of a revolution in art, graphic design, and photography. These included a move away from traditional storytelling by applying nonlinear narrative techniques, jump cuts, and handheld cameras that impacted cinema around the world and influenced a new movement of cinema in the United States.

The new wave of cinematic auteurs was on the rise and pushed back on the traditional form of filmmaking, instead focusing on social realism, experimentation, and depicting everyday life through the lens.Īt the forefront of this movement were French directors François Truffaut, Francoise Bonnot, Éric Rohmer, Jacques Rivette, and Jean-Luc Godard who pushed visual and stylistic techniques. Its fresh energy and vision changed the cinematic landscape during the 50s and 60s and greatly impacted pop culture. The French New Wave, or La Nouvelle Vague is one of the most important movements in film history.

Film Posters by Graham Marsh