40 Impressive Posters Designed by Paul Colin in the 1920s and ’30s

During his lifetime Colin created over 1900 posters and worked in theatre for more than 40 years. He was praised for the perfect combination of organic and graphic themes with geometric forms. He was influenced by Surrealism and Cubism, typically using very exaggerated shapes, striking colors and very stylized art forms in his work. He used a large palette of colors to emphasize the energy and meaning conveyed by his subjects, and his art is strongly in the style of the Art Deco movement.

Many of his most famous illustrations were created for Jazz Age music and theatre. His designs incorporate jazz elements, bold and striking colors, Cubist and Surrealist. Highly stylized or caricaturized humanoids are strangely juxtaposed with geometrically overlapping objects such as Cubist collages. His own background in painting and his love of theatre helped him to become one of the most important French poster artists of the 1920s and 1930s.

Colin has been teaching his skills for over 40 years at the “Ecole Paul Colin” graphic arts school in Paris, where many graphic artists and designers have benefited. He was the master of painter Philippe Derome and poster artists duo Lefor-Openo.

Here below is a set of impressive posters designed by Paul Colin in the 1920s and 1930s.