70s Graphic Design Examples to Inspire Your Retro Projects RGD
Table Of Content
In contrast, psychedelic styles persisted, with logos featuring wild, expressive illustrations, dizzying optical illusions, and bursts of clashing colours. The hypnotic patterning and kaleidoscopic effects aimed to dazzle the eye. Pop art influences, with bright colours, bold outlines, and dimensional forms or shadows, were also apparent. The rise of the women's liberation movement also catalysed a shift in culture and attitudes. As more women challenged traditional gender roles, female empowerment became a pressing social issue. Many logos began targeting women as an emerging consumer group with increased economic power and independence.
Pop Art
Graphic, modular patterns in vibrant colours also dominated the era's aesthetic. Psychedelic prints and optical illusions reflected the influence of the 1960s counterculture. Music was a major cultural force in the 1970s, shaping fashion, art, and politics.
Retrofunk Script: Retro 70s Font (OTF, TTF)
While the typography was mostly rounded with shard baselines, most typefaces that developed during this era mixed rounded and sharp edges. These bold geometric shapes were not only used in standalone designs but also in combination with other design elements, such as typography and patterns. They helped to create a strong visual impact that was synonymous with the 70s graphic design style. Nature wasn’t only influencing color trends—it was also an inspiration for pattern designers. “Flower power” and paisley patterns were big in the ‘60s and continued to be popularized by the hippy movement during the ‘70s.
Bold shapes
Bubble fonts were one of the graphic design trends we predicted for 2022, but the typography style originated long before now. Hand-drawn, bubble-like shapes were a rebellion against the neat, sans serif International Typographic Style of the ‘50s. The free-from trend was all about creating soft, curved shapes that captured the playful mood of the time.
Ellie Bainbridge looks to 1970s Sunday league football culture as inspiration for her retro work - It's Nice That
Ellie Bainbridge looks to 1970s Sunday league football culture as inspiration for her retro work.
Posted: Fri, 26 Nov 2021 08:00:00 GMT [source]
One of the most iconic styles of the 1980s, Neon was used everywhere – from film posters to album covers to video games. This year we’ve seen the neon trend used by big brands such as Nike in this video billboard and BMW in their Motorsport Sim Racing opener. Movies, music, games, TV shows – there’s no denying that pop culture had a massive influence on 80s design trends.
Simple Shapes & Bold Colors
By rejecting embellishment and embracing simplicity, typography in the 1970s bridged the transition between the elaborate 1960s and the reserved minimalism of later eras. The frenetic disco scene was at its peak, dominating mainstream music and youth culture. Disco-inspired logos that were brightly coloured, vibrant, and dynamic, mirroring the high-energy late-night dance floors. Shiny metallics, glittering disco balls, and pulsing typography all captured the movement and excitement of this style. Designers moved as far away as possible from the International Typographic Style of the 60s. Ramdone Script features curly ends like the ones on fonts from 1970s logos.
These elemental forms conveyed a sense of balance, symmetry and mathematical precision. For instance, the iconic Adidas logo with its three parallel stripes embodied the sleek, structured aesthetic of the era. The geometric stripes evoked motion and speed, an ideal representation of an athletic apparel company.
Logo Design: Groovy Logos From the 1970s and Retro Logo Inspiration
Designers responded to this cultural upheaval, using graphic design as a tool for activism and expression. Posters, logos, illustrations, and other designs gave visual form to the ideas fueling these social movements. For example, the iconic “Black Power” fist symbol, designed in 1967 by Emory Douglas for The Black Panther newspaper, became a unifying emblem of black identity and self-determination. Its graphic simplicity and unequivocal message embodied the spirit of the civil rights movement. Musicians like David Bowie and Pink Floyd were pushing the boundaries of rock, and their surreal, otherworldly album covers provided graphic inspiration.
He believes that taking inspiration from the current climate can help shape you as a designer. Illustrations didn’t disappear, but it became a part of photography to enhance it rather than something on its own. Since photography and people vouching for a product became the norm, celebrities were also used to endorse products. Since advertisements made use of real people more often, it also made sense to use famous people to promote a brand. This awesome set of wallpaper is a great collection to have in your arsenal.
Nothing screams vintage 70s logos like a font that resembles neon lights. This multiline font was popular for discos and Saturday Night Fever inspired 70s inspired logos. Famous retro typography was the inspiration for this groovy script font. Fun fonts that featured movement and long swashes were typical of this decade. This font also includes the typical extruded effect, which was used to create dimension and emphasis in 1970s logos. The reason for choosing a solid logo is that it communicates stability and trust.
To integrate simple shapes into your designs, try this Retro Disco Lines Vector Backgrounds Pack by themefire, or these Background Abstract Circles by 42Theme. Photographers were encouraged to shoot wider shots but focus only on the key players in the photo's composition. It may be that your floral pattern incorporates the 70s trend of color clashing, specifically reds, browns, oranges, and greens. Hyperallergic is a forum for serious, playful, and radical thinking about art in the world today. Now, his mural for the public school’s library will go on display for the first time. Explore Rhode Island School of Design’s online intensives for high school students interested in pursuing art and design in college.
Similarly, the stylised illustrations and sexualised imagery of disco album covers captured the scene's emphasis on freedom, dancing, and sexuality. The 1970s provided a turning point for many areas of life and graphic design proves no different. The new look includes hotspot accents and draws the reader's eye through the page to guide reading and encourage reading the entire page. Another defining factor that set California apart from the East Coast design world at the time was the sheer number of women practicing graphic design out East.
Bright colors stood out even more against black and white photography using vivid shades. Another prominent area of development in 1970s graphic design was typography. Typesetting technology during the decade made it possible to create revolutionary typography.
The 60s is known as the modern decade that experimented with bright colors, LSD-inspired psychedelia, and fluid patterns. Visual communication took a very different approach from the earthy tones that dominated the 50s, transitioning to vivid neons. Nostalgia is a powerful force in today's culture, and many modern brands are tapping into the visual language of the 1970s to evoke a sense of nostalgia and connection to the past in their audience.
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