Andrew Lewis, an internationally recognized Canadian art director and graphic designer, is widely acclaimed for his award-winning corporate brand identities, ground-breaking consumer packaging and bold poster art. A much sought after lecturer/speaker at design conferences (TED) and universities in Canada, USA, Latin America, as well as Europe and Asia, his work is included in myriad international collections, design conferences, poster biennials and design text books. His clients span the globe and include such household names at Perrier, Starbucks, Zyliss and VISA. Lewis was recently heralded by Rockport Publishing as one of “The 30 New Poster Masters”. To date, Andrew Lewis Design has designed and illustrated over 750 posters and 150 brands.
Andrew’s Answers
We asked Andrew our “Poster Poster Questions” and this is what he had to say.Andrew Lewis answers
1. What does the poster mean to you and why do you design posters?
Hey! Buenos días muchachos. I design posters because it is an opportunity for me to meld illustration with typography at the same time creating fresh images, new images, to either sell products for my clients, to promote events, theatre or to be involved with cultural events around the world, which is really exciting and really challenging. So as a designer I think it comes down to being challenged in all fronts.
2. What would you say makes a good poster?
Well, what makes a good poster. I think it is something that when you see it, it sparks your imagination. It makes you think. It makes you wonder. It makes you question. It makes you ask questions. It is something that when you see it, it stays in your mind.
3. What do you think is the role of the poster on the world today?
Right now we are bombarded with all sorts of media. From the internet to Facebook to Pinterest to all of that stuff and it comes and it goes, it comes and it goes and it comes and it goes. Bla bla bla. When a poster is designed and after it is done and it is being used it has a life of its own. Which is really fantastic because years from now it will still be active, it will still be functioning, it will still be actually used. All the rest of the media will be long gone, so that is great.
4. What is your typical design process for making a poster?
So, the design process. Well it is coming up with an idea. Ideas are based on thinking and research. The more you know the better the idea will be. So it understanding throughly before you start to go on to that thing over there (points at a computer). So you need to learn how to draw to think, to think to draw before you do the computer thing. That is how I work. It is kind of old school but there is no school like the old school. Yeah!
5. If you could chose a poster in history as your favourite, which one would it be and why?
Hey how do you pick a poster from history? Well I can´t. There is lots and lots that I love. I love the 1910’s and 1920’s of Leonetto Capiello but last night I was actually looking at Milton Glaser’s poster for Mad Men. I think that is an amazing poster because it is being used internationally right now and everyone is seeing it. It is a beautiful illustration. Mirko Ilic told me that it only took him 20 minutes to half an hour to draw it; which is a testament to his skill. And Milton please send me one, a little plug for you baby.
6. What advice would you give to new designers who might want to become poster designers?
Well I do not know if you can be a poster designer. I think you can be a designer who designs posters. It is all about seeing, and it is all about looking and thinking and observing, and paying attention to what is happening in the world and reflecting it in your work, as in posters.
