Shutterstock is back with its fun annual tradition of having its in-house designers create new posters for all the Best Picture nominees at the Oscars—inspired by famous pop artists, and using only Shutterstock imagery.
The Oscar Pop! posters this year were inspired by artists ranging from Yayoi Kusama to David Hockney. They serve as a fun counterpoint to the official posters for all nine films, offering fresh and unexpected perspectives on the powerful and captivating stories in the films.
"From depressed divorcées and supportive sisters to action heroes and comic book villains, this year's nominated films provide a surplus of inspiration for our designers to create this unique poster series," says Mike McCabe, vp of creative at Shutterstock. "Not only does this tradition serve as a fun exercise for our creative team to explore the depth of the Shutterstock collection as a customer, but it also demonstrates the unique ways in which the incredible artwork of our contributor community can be recombined to create something new."
Check out all nine posters below, with commentary from each designer. And see all the Shutterstock images that were used at this link.
Ford v Ferrari
By Alice Lee, with artist inspiration from Takashi Murakami
"Ford v Ferrari revs the engine on camaraderie by putting corporate ego up against the skilled partnership of famous American automotive designer Carroll Shelby and fearless British race car driver Ken Miles. In my poster, I explored friendly competition using Takashi Murakami's vibrant coloring and iconic humanlike flowers, playfully juxtaposing the serious with the pursuit of the exciting and fun." —Alice Lee
The Irishman
By Alex Bodin, with artist inspiration from Thierry Guetta
"The Irishman is a true crime story about the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa, arguably the most influential labor leader of the 20th century. To this day, the mystery hasn't been solved. At its core, the story revolves around the hard decisions that people must make for friendship. My poster was inspired by street artist Thierry Guetta, best known as Mr. Brainwash. Playing with the contrasts of paint dripping that's characteristic of his work, and the moody atmosphere of the movie, I wanted to express the chaotic nature of the story in a style typical of Guetta. Also—spoiler alert—I left the door open." —Alex Bodin
Joker
By Jackelyne Castillo, with artist inspiration from Daniel Norris
"Joker follows Arthur Fleck as he lives his day-to-day life. Society seems to fail him over and over again, which slowly blurs his understanding of fantasy versus reality. I chose Daniel Norris as my inspiration for this poster because in his work there's always a central focus, but the more you look, the more hidden elements you find. I wanted a challenge, so, like Norris, I also limited the color palette and showed the Joker without revealing his iconic face." —Jac Castillo
1917
By JC Moreno, with artist inspiration from David Carson
"1917 is a World War I film by Sam Mendes. It chronicles the journey of two young British soldiers tasked with delivering an urgent message on the frontlines. I was inspired by David Carson, an American graphic designer, art director, and surfer. He is best known for his innovative magazine design and use of experimental typography on Ray Gun magazine. His aesthetic defined the so-called "grunge typography" era. I decided to use Carson's layered, chaotic style to depict the "fog of war" and how planning and order go out the window in battle." —JC Moreno
Little Women
By Alex Clem, with artist inspiration from Pauline Boty
"Little Women is a period drama that focuses on the story of four sisters in the Civil War era. Louisa May Alcott wrote the book reflecting on the relationships and events in her own family. To celebrate the feminist spirit and joyful mood of this film adaptation, I chose Pauline Boty's style as my inspiration for the poster. Her colorful collage work was always tied to womanhood and the distinct female point of view. Illustrated in this design are several iconic items to represent the sisters, from the piano to the paint brush to the book." —Alex Clem
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
By Ian Calleja, with artist inspiration from David Hockney
"Based on one of David Hockney's most famous paintings, I gave a not-so-gentle nod to the final act in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Hockney painted 'A bigger splash' in 1967, just two years prior to the infamous Tate-LaBianca murders and the alternate history version presented by Tarantino. The poster links the film and painting further through mid-century architecture that serves as a backdrop in each. Secondary storytelling elements from the scene, like the broken window or shadow of DiCaprio's character, are meant to draw the viewer closer and add a layer of intrigue. The poster uses over 20 illustrations, vectors, and textures from Shutterstock's collection." —Ian Calleja
Parasite
By Nicole Dai, with artist inspiration from Saul Bass
"Parasite is a dark comedy-thriller about rich and poor families. This poster is inspired by Saul Bass's simple but symbolic movie poster designs that transformed the visuals of film advertising. Among the numerous motifs used in the movie, I picked the staircases that appear almost every few minutes to represent the positions of the two families and the gap between the rich and the poor. As Ki-woo peers out the window of the basement while writing to his father, he sees the staircases and has hope. But is there really hope?" —Nicole Dai
Marriage Story
By Flo Lau, with artist inspiration from Robert Indiana
"Marriage Story presents the emotional struggles of a couple during their divorce and custody battle. I wanted to create this poster from the perspective of their son, Henry. It's in the style of Robert Indiana, best known for his LOVE sculpture, who grew up in a family of divorce and illustrated events from his life in his Decade Autoportrait series. His family background and his bold, simple typography make the Autoportrait series the perfect inspiration for my movie poster. I used Henry's age, 8, an exclamation mark, and a broken heart as the main focus of the poster while adding multiple icons and types to illustrate key parts of the movie. Surrounding these elements, I added the letter, written by his mother, which Henry reads to his father at the end of the movie." —Flo Lau
Jojo Rabbit
By Thanh Nguyen, with artist inspiration from Yayoi Kusama
"Jojo Rabbit is the coming-of-age story of a lonely German boy who must confront his own Nazi fanaticism (his imaginary friend is none other than Hitler himself) when he develops a friendship with Elsa, a Jewish girl who is hiding in his attic. Just like Jojo, Yayoi Kusama's difficult childhood and personal obsessions are important factors that made her who she is today. The infinite repetition in Yayoi Kusama's art and the bright oversaturated colors fueled by hallucinations and phobias draw distinct parallels to Jojo's experience in the film." —Thanh Nguyen
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