Designer’s Brilliant Minimalist Posters for Classic Films

de bene esse: literally, of well-being, morally acceptable but subject to future validation or exception

A Polish designer has recreated classic film posters based solely on a minimalist grid of a circle within a square containing diagonal lines.

Michal Krasnopolski, 33, said the aim of the 'less is more' challenge was to create a modernist, minimalist series of posters for film buffs. Some of his ingenious designs illustrate the films' themes with just one or two lines.

A New Hope: The large circle illustrates the Death Star spaceship from the Star Wars film

The Empire Strikes Back: The designer recreates the 'hyperdrive' moment from the Star Wars film

Return of the Jedi: These two crossed lines reflect the lightsabre battles of the Star Wars film

In one, he evokes the image of Superman using just a red diagonal line on a blue background, simulating the superhero flying through the sky.
Two crossed diagonal lines, one red, one green, on a black background gives the appearance of clashing lightsabres for the Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi poster.

Others are more complex. Mr Krasnopolski uses half the circle and part of a diagonal line from his basic grid to create an umbrella shape which illustrates Singin' In The Rain.

Superman: Michal Krasnopolski uses just one diagonal red line on a blue background to emulate the superhero flying

Jaws: Using just three lines in two colours, the designer creates an image of a shark's fin going through water

Singin' In The Rain: A semi circle and a diagonal line create the iconic umbrella from the musical

 He also joins three of the lines to create a triangle - making a shark's fin shape for his Jaws poster.

He said: 'It surprised me how many posters I could create based on this very simple approach; the possibilities are theoretically unlimited.'
The artist and graphic designer lives in Warsaw, Poland and has a Master's degree from the Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz.
He usually works with the advertising industry creating campaigns and packaging. Mr Krasnopolski has won several awards for his design work.

North by Northwest: The pursuit of Hitchcock's hero, played by Cary Grant, by a crop duster is portrayed in this poster

Around the World in 80 Days: A graduated circle is all that is needed to illustrate the film's plot

Rosemary's Baby: The designer uses three-quarters of a circle to create a pram

Everything You Always Wanted to Know: Mr Krasnopolski uses lines to represent sexual organs

Raiders of the Lost Ark: A large circle and blurred line show Indiana Jones fleeing from a huge boulder in the film

101 Dalmatians: The designer uses the circle and two lines of the grid to make the number 101

Grid: This simple grid forms the basis of all Mr Krasnopolski's minimalist film posters

More: Classic Movie Posters