Wes Wilson – Psychedelic Graphic Design
I start off glancing over at my cup of coffee. Ive got this Beatles coffee mug I ordered off Amazon a while back. This leads my train of thought to that 60s psychedelic-style typography, and I wonder- how did that style of typography become popular? Who first came up with and designed it? This led me to an article discussing influential designers in the psychedelic rock culture. This finally landed my search on Wes Wilson, one of the best known graphic designers of the psychedelic artistic movement.
Wes Wilson, the father of the 1960s rock concert poster, came into the world via Sacramento, California on July 15, 1937. As a child his interests meandered among artistic pursuits and an intense love for the natural world. His post-secondary studies reflected these interests; he focused for a time on forestry and horticulture before eventually coming to philosophy. By the latter half of the 1960s Wes found much inspiration in the avant-garde neighborhoods of San Francisco. Serendipity interrupted all of his plans (as she’s wont to do) and Wes Wilson soon found himself creating fine art for the masses. His style, inspired by the Art Nouveau masters, took what was understood about promotional art and turned it inside-out. Nearly cryptic letters filled every available space, lines melted into lines, colors clashed… and the psychedelic poster was born. The love of art and nature eventually carried Wes away to the beautiful Ozarks foothills, where he still enjoys creating and discussing art and ideas.
Bio Source: http://www.wes-wilson.com
Featured Image Source: https://ponderingpig.wordpress.com/category/first-few-friends/
Artwork Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/112308584435882443/?lp=true
