The art in question is the album art for Day Old Belgian Blues by Kings of Leon. I could swear I’ve seen this style before. Specifically, the bold colors, the contrasting white, and that swirliness of the clouds. Particularly the swirls. I want to say it’s “psychedelic” but I’m not sure that’s the right word.
Do any art dopers have any ideas about this?
It’s reminiscent of a lot of psychedelic-y graphic design of the late 60s. I don’t have anything right in front of me, but I do some freelance design and helped a client with a major 60s/70s fixation do up her new house last year, and we pretty much immersed ourselves in the stuff. The design is a little bit post, or meta, or something; it’s not exactly right to be an authentic artifact of the 60s. But I think that’s its major influence.
I’m not sure it has a name, to answer the OP’s specific question. Not every style becomes specifically iconic enough to get an official name. I’d call it Sixties Graphic, myself.
Actually, even if there are psychedelic influences on that, there’s a lot of Art Nouveau as well. Especially in the lettering.
Well, 60s psychedelia didn’t spring forth from a vacuum. Art Nouveau was a major influence on it. But actual AN is much more baroque; lots of texture and gingerbread. In other words, the AN influence is there, but several times removed through filters of psychedelia and Op.
It looks a little too geometric for the '60s; I’d guess the mid to late '70s.
Looks like 60’s Nouveau morphing into 70’s Deco. The colors are too subtle for the 60’s.
But it’s a good design. The decorative arts revive older styles all the time.
Exactly. When I said in my first post that it wasn’t “exactly right” as a perfect replica of the styles of the time, it was the color that was most “post.”
I would say that the main influences are Pepperland Yellow Submarine (Heinz Edelman) and Python Gilliamation (Terry Gilliam) . It also has a feel of Japanese Ukiyo-e style Woodblock in line and style. For some reason I get the feeling that the artist is probably young and that he is a tattoo artist.
Thanks for the great and informative responses everyone! I’m glad there are other Dopers interested in design.
Um, 70s wallpaper?
