Emmett McBain, an African American graphic designer and art director, was born in 1935 in Chicago. He started his design career in the 1950s, contributing to various advertising campaigns where his modern, minimalist style helped him stand out. In 1971, McBain co-founded Burrell McBain Advertising with Tom Burrell. The agency revolutionized the industry by creating culturally relevant and empowering campaigns focused on African American audiences, helping major brands authentically connect with black communities.

What I like the most about Emmitt McBain’s artistic style is his concept of composition and hierarchy. Knowing where to place the main title or caption and body copy in creative ways is tricky. McBain has a variety of posters where he does this successfully. He has posters that are solely made with words, posters with illustrations, and posters with photography where the titles are included in dynamic ways. He knows when to use bold sand-serif and old-style fonts. I also enjoy his photography. He uses dramatic shadows to emphasize the figures and create movement.

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