Pullman Editions Murder on the Orient Express poster

Pullman Editions have produced a stunning art deco style poster of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, designed by Charles Avalon. To mark the release, we caught up with Georgina Khachadourian, founding partner of Pullman Editions, to find out more.

Why does Murder on the Orient Express suit this style of poster?

Georgina Khachadourian: The Orient Express is synonymous with the Golden Age of travel, when travelling was a luxury, an adventure, rather than merely a means of getting from A to B. With carriages dating from the 1920s and 1930s – the zenith of the Art Deco era - the ‘Orient Express’ is in perfect alignment with Charles Avalon’s creations for Pullman Editions, all of which pay homage to the heritage and glamour of the Art Deco period, with decorative and dramatic imagery.

What aspects of the book was it important for the poster to convey?

GK: The scene is set at the point in the book where the murder takes place, so it was important to capture the train in motion amidst the night sky and snowy backdrop. The suspense and mystery is evident in the fact that we cannot see exactly what is happening inside the train, we see only the silhouettes of a cast of characters inside, with prominence being given to a figure in a red kimono….

How did the design process of designing this poster differ to the more traditional destination and automobile Pullman Editions posters?

GK: Pullman Editions’ house artist, Charles Avalon, follows a similar process for all his poster designs, regardless of the subject. He firstly agrees the essential elements to be included, such as text, setting, people, time of day etc. He then creates a pencil sketch to determine the best composition for the artwork. This is then presented to the customer for comment. Colour is then added to the artwork, which really brings the design to life. The chosen colour palette captures the mood and overall effect of the piece. Charles then produces the final artwork in gouache on art board in the same traditional way as the poster artists of the 1920s, which is used to create a limited edition run of posters.

How do you capture the essence of mystery within an art deco poster?

GK: Art Deco is an iconic design period and has a timeless style, which is extremely decorative, and has the ability to transport the viewer to another time and place. As Art Deco is by its very nature stylized, it actually lends itself well to an air of mystery. This is largely achieved with the use of a subdued colour palette as well as restricted detail in the artwork, giving prominence to a limited number of key elements.