# Is there a term for this kind of art? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 27, 2006, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-kind-of-art/385703 "2006-12-27T02:42:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2006, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-kind-of-art/385703/1 "2006-12-27T02:42:50Z")
The art in question is the album art for [Day Old Belgian Blues](http://images.buymusichere.net/images/bmh/22/82876833622.jpg) 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? ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2006, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-kind-of-art/385703/2 "2006-12-27T02:58:41Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2006, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-kind-of-art/385703/3 "2006-12-27T03:06:45Z")
Actually, even if there are psychedelic influences on that, there’s a lot of Art Nouveau as well. Especially in the lettering. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2006, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-kind-of-art/385703/4 "2006-12-27T03:20:18Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2006, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-kind-of-art/385703/5 "2006-12-27T13:50:25Z")
It looks a little too geometric for the '60s; I’d guess the mid to late '70s. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2006, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-kind-of-art/385703/6 "2006-12-27T15:51:13Z")
[QUOTE=panache45] It looks a little too geometric for the '60s; I’d guess the mid to late '70s. [/QUOTE] 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. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2006, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-kind-of-art/385703/7 "2006-12-27T19:51:35Z")
[QUOTE=Bridget Burke] 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. [/QUOTE] 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.” ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-kind-of-art/385703/8 "2006-12-28T03:13:26Z")
I would say that the main influences are Pepperland Yellow Submarine ([Heinz Edelman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinz_Edelmann)) and Python Gilliamation ([Terry Gilliam](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Gilliam)) . It also has a feel of Japanese [Ukiyo-e](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-kind-of-art/385703/9 "2006-12-28T14:30:01Z")
Thanks for the great and informative responses everyone! I’m glad there are other Dopers interested in design. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-kind-of-art/385703/10 "2006-12-29T00:13:48Z")
Umm… the color scheme is [Belgium’s colors/flag](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Belgian+flag). ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-kind-of-art/385703/11 "2006-12-29T05:10:53Z")
The pipe itself reminds me of [this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:MagrittePipe.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Oregon\_sunshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/50afbb/32.png) [@Oregon\_sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oregon_sunshine)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-kind-of-art/385703/12 "2006-12-29T06:10:51Z")
Um, 70s wallpaper?