The best poster designs: 54 inspiring examples

Three of the best poster designs
(Image credit: Henri Privat-Livemont / Michael Turner / Saul Bass)

The best poster designs can be a fantastic source of creative inspiration. Despite the shift to digital formats, the poster remains a powerful medium through which designers can communicate and provoke. And when they hit the right mark, they're a joy to look at.

Posters as a means of communication really took off through advertising and promotional posters, a tradition that began way back in the 1870s. Initially, poster designs were black and white and largely text-based, but the introduction of Jules Cheret's three-stone lithographic printing process in around 1880 allowed artists to start developing striking, colourful poster designs. 

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Rosie Hilder

Rosie Hilder is Creative Bloq's Deputy Editor. After beginning her career in journalism in Argentina – where she worked as Deputy Editor of Time Out Buenos Aires – she moved back to the UK and joined Future Plc in 2016. Since then, she's worked as Operations Editor on magazines including Computer Arts, 3D World and Paint & Draw and Mac|Life. In 2018, she joined Creative Bloq, where she now assists with the daily management of the site, including growing the site's reach, getting involved in events, such as judging the Brand Impact Awards, and helping make sure our content serves the reader as best it can.