LWLies Sixties is part of #99DaysOfDesign, from 99designs by Vistaprint. Check out the first, second, third and fourth posters in the series and discover more at 99designs.com

Sidney Poitier famously won his sole Academy Award for his lead turn in 1964’s Lilies of the Field, making him the first African-American to receive one of the two top acting Oscars. Watching the film today, it’s easy to see why he was recognised by his peers back then – as travelling odd-job man Homer Smith Poitier delivers a masterclass in acting from the first moment he appears on screen.

Continuing our partnership with 99 Days of Design, a celebration of the power of design from 99designs by Vistaprint, Floridian designer Phil Poole has created a bold graphic poster for director Ralph Nelson’s timeless story of faith and healing in the southwestern United States.

Poole says of the project, “My favorite thing about ’60s design is the way minimalism was used to create such strikingly memorable imagery. An entire plot could be implied using just a few simple lines, shapes and colors – very impressive, and challenging to attempt.

“With no preconceived ideas about the design surrounding the film, I was free to watch it for the first time and be inspired by the film itself rather than a design I had seen before. I began with three very different ideas: A poster celebrating the last few years of the black-and-white film era, one that resembled a small offset lithography print that was enlarged to poster size, and one that looked hand-painted with ink.

“I think the ink idea came together the best, with the contrast of the poster reflecting the contrasting characters in the film. The imagery and text work together seamlessly to create a unique piece that is simple, yet visually arresting.”

Check out the other LWLies Sixties posters and find out more about 99designs by Vistaprint at 99designs.com