Psychedelic vs 70’s Retro

サイケデリック / 70年代レトロ

Psychedelic comes from Counterculture and 70’s Retro from Retro. Both are read here as style. They are reached for with some of the same intent, which is where they get confused.

Psychedelic

Psychedelic — 《Helix 第1巻第8号 表紙》1967年 — Wikimedia Commons / Public domainPsychedelic — 《サンフランシスコ・オラクル 第1巻第5号 表紙》1967年 — Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0Psychedelic — アメリカン・インターナショナル・ピクチャーズ《映画『The Trip』新聞広告》1967年 — Wikimedia Commons / Public domain

Melts contour and color until reality itself starts to sway.

70’s Retro

70’s Retro — 《Zazpiribai》公演ポスター（バスク）1972 — Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.070’s Retro — ハーブ・ルバリン《Avant Garde Gothic》のロゴタイプ — Wikimedia Commons / Public domain70’s Retro — ハーブ・ルバリンによるロゴタイプ4点 — Wikimedia Commons / Public domain

Builds cheerful nostalgia from thick round shapes and earthy warm color.

Psychedelic70’s Retro
Era1960s–1970s1970s
FamilyCountercultureRetro
KindStyleStyle
CuesSwirling curves / Complementary colors / Melting letters / Kaleidoscope patternsFat curves / Wave forms / Orange and brown / Repeating stripes
Best used forDeepening immersion in music and experience · Festivity that escapes the everydayWarming up food, music and community · A slightly loose, easy joyfulness
TypeLettering that warps like liquidRound, heavy display type
CompositionRadiate from the center; fill the marginsCurvy rhythms and oversized headlines
MaterialSaturated color, waves, repeating patternOrange, ochre, dark brown; a touch of print misregistration
CautionHostile to long text and critical controls. Reserve places for the eye to rest.Making everything retro becomes a costume. Keep body text and controls contemporary.

Put these two together

Counterculture ／ Retro

IndexStyle