From fan art to Star Wars: The poster artist behind Marvel and Disney hits

A film fan who began creating his own movie poster artwork for fun has gone on to work on some of Hollywood's biggest franchises, including Marvel, Indiana Jones and Star Wars.

Paul Shipper said he was spotted after sharing designs online, leading to opportunities that once felt like "a dream", inspired by the films of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg.

Among the projects he has worked on are posters and artwork for blockbuster titles including Avengers: Infinity War, Doctor Strange, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Skeleton Crew.

The illustrator said becoming a movie poster artist had originally seemed a long way off, before the early days of the internet helped his work find an audience.

"It was just through kind of sheer dumb luck really and the internet that it happened," he said.

"Before you know it, there are people who see it who are connected with the movies and then all of a sudden you get asked if you're interested in working on a Steven Spielberg movie or something like that."

Shipper described himself as "a Spielberg and George Lucas kid", saying franchises such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones were the films that first inspired him to become an illustrator.

For Shipper, the appeal of poster art lies in being able to tell a story with a single image.

"You're trying to distill something within one image," he said.

"It is kind of like a trailer... there are posters that tell you too much, so there is a fine line."

Shipper, who primarily works with pencils, said every commission presents a different creative challenge.

Looking back over his career, however, he was struck by how consistent his artistic style had remained, despite working across a wide variety of projects.

He said he thought his work had earned recognition among collectors and film fans partly because it drew on the tradition of the illustrated movie posters that were once a familiar sight outside cinemas and in video rental shops.

Gareth Griffiths, founder of AMPjam Poster Convention, said Shipper was among a small number of artists still working in a style associated with some of cinema's most iconic promotional artwork.

"He is one of precious few people that the film studio could go to if they're looking for someone that creates in that classic 70s and 80s style," Griffiths said.

The pair are now involved in AMPjam Presents: We've Been Framed, a charity exhibition bringing together more than 60 artists from around the world.

Many are known for creating alternative movie posters, which offer fresh artistic interpretations of films rather than reproducing the original cinema artwork.

The show is currently running at The Jointworks in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter and features original artworks inspired by films and television shows including Jurassic Park, Star Wars, Toy Story, The Lord of the Rings, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Lilo & Stitch.

Their concept turns a traditional exhibition on its head, the pair said, with artists creating original pieces inspired by a film or television show and designing them to fit unusual vintage or repurposed frames.

More than 60 one-off works have been produced by movie poster artists from around the world.

Griffiths said the idea grew out of his love of collecting film posters and pop-culture artwork.

During the Covid pandemic he launched online poster conventions after many fan events were cancelled, helping to build an international community of artists and collectors.

While the exhibition's reach is international, its roots are firmly in the West Midlands.

Shipper is based in Stourport, Worcestershire, while Griffiths, who organised the event, is also from the county.

The exhibition remains on display throughout October, with visitors able to view the artworks free of charge. Although donations are encouraged in support of Edward's Trust, a bereavement charity supporting parents, children and young people across the West Midlands.

Once the four-week exhibition comes to an end, every piece will be auctioned online, with all profits going to the charity.

Griffiths said he hoped the event would appeal not only to collectors but also to aspiring illustrators and young creatives interested in art and design.

"It's a rare chance to see original work from more than 60 artists in one place, meet people working at the highest level of the industry and learn more about the creative process behind some of the world's most recognisable film artwork," he said.

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