Vintage Hand-Drawn Movie Posters

Ever seen a movie poster and marvelled at its creative flair? Here is your chance to experience this idiosyncratic art form as you learn how to create posters with a cinematic feel through a practice-based approach. Participants will grasp visual communication, portrait and typography studies, colour atmosphere usage, and composition techniques under the expert guidance of tutor Jimmy Keung — Hong Kong’s pioneering hand-drawn film poster artist. The common practice nowadays is to use computer software, but tutor will equip participants with invaluable old-school hand-drawn techniques. By the end of the course, you will be able to independently design and draw nostalgic movie posters, mastering the relevant design skills and knowledge. 

Explore the art of vintage hand-drawn movie posters, starting with their historical and cultural significance and evolving design techniques. Learn basic painting elements, poster composition and colour theory, focusing on nostalgic tones and creating dimensional effects. Lessons cover designing characters, arranging scenes, and using colour and rhythm to convey mood and cinematic impact. Activities include sketching, experimenting with composition and colours, and integrating elements for cohesive designs. This course culminates in creating a complete movie poster, followed by presentations and peer feedback to refine the final works. 

Tutor
Jimmy Keung  

Under the mentoring of cinema billboard master Mr. Lau Wai Tong, Jimmy Keung is another successful story of an artist trained from the traditional apprentice system during the early 70s when Hong Kong was still caught up in social turmoil. Jimmy’s persistence proved that he could fulfil his endeavours and became a professional cinema billboard painter in the 80s, painting for a dozen cinemas simultaneously at his peak. 

As a lecturer at the School of Theatre and Entertainment Arts of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts for 26 years, he has painstakingly trained hundreds of young artists to pursue excellence in art. Most of his students have become distinguished artists in Hong Kong or taken up leading artistic posts at different corporations in Hong Kong, Mainland China, and worldwide.  

With a focus on breathtaking scenic paintings, he has also been part of stage production for the likes of Dr. Lo King Man, Dr. Oscar Ho and Mr. Tim Yip.   

Jimmy possesses a Master in Fine Art – RMIT but has furthered his study of painting in France, Italy and the UK. He founded “Heart to Art” in 2013 and fervently serves the community by contributing to numerous art activities in Hong Kong.