Social media:
Instagram: @GrahamArtwork
X: @GrahamArtwork
Today’s PRO Spotlight shines on Graham Corcoran, whose playful illustrated posters have been a consistent delight in our feeds.
Hi! Could you please introduce yourself?
My name is Graham Corcoran, I am an illustrator from Dublin, Ireland. I have been working as a freelance illustrator for about 20 years, mostly working on posters, editorial projects, concept design and I have illustrated several children’s books.
How did you get into the art of posters?
I started creating poster artwork for myself, being influenced by the alternative movie poster designs that became popular in the mid-2000s. I entered some alternative movie poster competitions around 2013, and that was a lot of fun, so I decided to make more for my portfolio. Eventually Gallery1988 saw my work online and invited me to take part in their pop culture art shows, and pop culture and movie posters became more of a focus of my work from then on. That led to my artwork being exhibited at the likes of Bottleneck Gallery, Gallery Nucleus and Hero Complex Gallery in recent years.
Your posters have a big focus on illustration and a very unique style. What are some of the influences behind it?
I like retro graphic illustration styles, and I am influenced by Italian giallo and spaghetti western posters, Japanese samurai movie posters of the 60s and 70s, as well as the minimalist European movie posters of the 50s and 60s that often used simple illustrations instead of photos. My biggest artistic influence on my poster illustration style is Bob Peak. I love his use of sketchy lines, abstract textures and brush strokes, his poster for My Fair Lady is one of my favourites.
What does your artistic process typically look like?
I usually start off by collecting a lot of reference images from the film, and then very loosely sketching out my idea. I usually have a fairly clear idea in my head of how the final poster should look, so I can usually work from a fairly loose sketch and dive straight into the final artwork straight away. I tend to draw the linework first, then add flat colours behind that, and lastly work up the tones and textures. I use Photoshop or Procreate with a small set of custom brushes that I always use in all my illustration work. The final artwork usually has some back and forth as I experiment with what works and what doesn’t. Lastly I add the typography from my library of fonts, or sometimes I handletter the titles.
What are two or three of the favorite posters you’ve done?
One of my favourite posters has been my The Banshees Of Inisherin artwork. The composition and idea for the poster just popped into my head after seeing the film: the two characters seemingly having a drink together at the pub, but actually separated by a wall signifying their estrangement. It was a simple idea, and after I put the finished artwork online it really took off with over 1000 retweets and 600,000 views. It made me appreciate the big impact a simple idea can have.
Another favourite is a poster I illustrated for the 25th anniversary of Scream, for a tribute art show at Gallery1988. I illustrated it like a classic giallo style Italian horror poster, the textures and negative space I used to create Ghostface and his knife was a fun experiment that I really enjoyed figuring out.
How long have you been with PosterSpy? What has your experience been like?
I have been with PosterSpy since 2020, and have loved being a part of the community ever since. The team at PosterSpy are always very supportive and really help you get much needed eyes on your work through social media. I was honoured to have my work included in the Posterspy book The Art Of Movie Posters, and to be surrounded by so many inspirational and talented members of the PosterSpy community.
What is your ideal poster gig?
I think my ideal poster gig would be to illustrate a poster for a movie from A24. I love the aesthetic of the movies they release, and it would be amazing to get the chance to have my work associated with their unique brand.
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