Before the advent of digital printing, the art of creating cinema banners was a highly specialized craft that required a unique blend of artistic skill, technical expertise, and an understanding of visual communication. From the 1980s to the early 1990s, cinema banners were an essential part of movie marketing. These large, hand-painted banners adorned the facades of movie theaters, attracting the attention of passersby and creating a sense of excitement and anticipation for upcoming films.
The Role of Graphic Designers
In the 1980s and 1990s, graphic designers played a crucial role in the creation of these cinema banners. Unlike today’s digital tools, where a designer can create a banner on a computer and print it out in a matter of minutes, the process of designing a cinema banner during this period was a labor-intensive endeavor that required a deep understanding of traditional art techniques.
Graphic designers had to conceptualize the entire layout of the banner, often working closely with film studios to ensure that the banner accurately represented the movie’s theme, tone, and key elements. They would start by sketching out the design on paper, taking into consideration the composition, typography, and color scheme. The design had to be bold and eye-catching, as it needed to capture the attention of potential moviegoers from a distance.
One of the most challenging aspects of designing cinema banners during this era was the scale. These banners were typically large, often measuring several meters in length and width. Graphic designers had to consider how their design would translate to such a large scale, ensuring that the details would remain clear and visually appealing when enlarged.
The Craft of Hand-Painting
Once the design was finalized, the next step involved translating it onto the banner itself. This was where the skills of the sign painter or muralist came into play. These artists were responsible for bringing the graphic designer’s vision to life on the canvas, usually made from heavy-duty materials like canvas or vinyl.
Hand-painting a cinema banner was a meticulous process that required precision and patience. The artists would use brushes and high-quality paints to carefully render the design onto the canvas, often working for hours or even days to complete a single banner. They had to pay close attention to details such as shading, highlights, and texture to ensure that the banner looked vibrant and dynamic.
The colors used in these banners were often bright and bold, chosen to stand out against the often drab exteriors of cinema buildings. Artists would use a technique called “flat color painting,” where large areas of the banner were filled with solid colors, while finer details were added later. This method helped to create a strong visual impact, making the banners highly effective at drawing attention.
The Collaborative Effort
Creating a cinema banner in the 1980s and 1990s was often a collaborative effort. Graphic designers, painters, and sometimes even the cinema owners and film distributors would work together to ensure that the final product met the desired standards. Designers had to communicate their vision clearly to the painters, who in turn had to interpret the design accurately on the large canvas.
This collaboration extended beyond the creative process. The logistics of creating such large banners also required careful planning and coordination. The materials needed for the banner, such as canvas, paints, and brushes, had to be sourced and prepared. The completed banner then had to be installed on the cinema building, often requiring scaffolding and other equipment to handle the large size and weight of the canvas.
The Decline of Hand-Painted Banners
The rise of digital printing technology in the late 1990s marked the beginning of the end for hand-painted cinema banners. Digital printing offered a faster, more cost-effective way to produce high-quality banners. Designers could now create their designs on a computer and have them printed out in a matter of hours, rather than the days or weeks it took to hand-paint a banner.
While digital printing brought many advantages, it also marked the loss of a unique art form. The hand-painted cinema banners of the 1980s and 1990s were one-of-a-kind pieces of art, each one carefully crafted by skilled artisans. Today, these banners are cherished by collectors and film enthusiasts as nostalgic reminders of a bygone era.
The creation of cinema banners in the 1980s and 1990s was a testament to the skill and creativity of graphic designers and painters of the time. In an era before digital printing, these artists relied on traditional techniques to create visually stunning banners that captured the imagination of moviegoers. While the advent of digital technology has transformed the way banners are made, the legacy of these hand-painted masterpieces continues to inspire and remind us of the rich history of graphic design in the cinema industry.
Photo: Kompas.com
