Graphic design

The meaning of line directions in art – horizontals, verticals, diagonals

When painting or composing any project one should consider that different compositional layouts evoke different effects on the viewer and might evoke different connotations. The dominance of horizontal lines in a painting or a graphic design project symbolizes peace, stagnation, melancholy or even sadness. This results from subconscious association of horizontal position with sleeping, retirement […]

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Polish and international posters – an interview with professor Mieczyslaw Wasilewski

I have known professor Wasilewski for 20 years. In a recent, exclusive to retroavangarda.com interview he talks about his art, art-related travels, poster design around the world and the state of Polish poster. Anna Kłos: For many years you’ve been in the Program Council as well as among the members of the Organizing Committee of

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Jamie Reid and the Punk Rebellion

In the first half of the 70s Great Britain saw the rise of an underground subculture, which turned the graphic design of that time upside down. Punk movement took over fashion, music and visual arts and quickly spread to other countries. Its trademark were ragged clothes, Mohawk hairstyle and rowdy music. Sex Pistols is said

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Dada as a worldview

“To think that Dada will ever die is an absurd. Dada will always emerge anew one way of another, always when too much stupidity has amassed” Kurt Schwitters Schwitters was right – Dada isn’t dead. It survived because dadaism is not just another art movement – dadaism is an attitude, a worldview. Dada came into

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Schwitters avangarda cover

MERZ – Kurt Schwitters’ combination of art and life

My favourite period in history of art is the avant-garde of the 20s: futurism, constructivism and most of all – Dadaism. Out of all dada artists I am most inspired by Kurt Schwitters – by his works, but even more by his amazing take on art and life, as he didn’t see a border between

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HR Giger, Debbie Harry

Debbie Harry by the creator of Alien

One of the most amazing painters of 20th century was Hans Rudolph Giger, who had a tremendous influence on computer game developers, he is also worshipped by fantasy lovers. His style is so unique that there is no way to categorize him simply. HR Giger was the designer of Alien, probably the most famous sci-fi

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cover black

Black – what hides inside

Everyone has a favourite colour – mine is black. Black is fascinating, perhaps because it has many meanings that can be juxtaposed. In western cultures and in Poland it is associated with sadness and mourning – it is the simplest connotation. It is also the colour of elegance, luxury, independence and power. In China black symbolizes happiness,

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Michał Batory – projekty okładek

Michal Batory’s exhibition in Warsaw – book covers

Michał Batory is one of the most appreciated poster artists in the world. He studied at Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź, but for many years now he has been living and working in Paris. His art was even exhibited in Louvre, making him the second Pole in history presented in that gallery. Not everyone knows, however,

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Kiryk Drewinski - plakaty

Psychedelic style in graphic design

Psychedelic style was a characteristic and easily recognizable style of the second half of the 60s. It referred both to music and visual art. Its development was influenced mainly by the hippie movement (Flower Power ideology), pacifism and interest in the culture of Far East – mostly Buddhism. The term “psychedelic music” was first used

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bliźniaczki w filmie i w teledyskach

Twins in art

The theme of twins emerges every now and then in various genres of visual arts. Depicting two, nearly identical and yet different characters leaves a big room for interpretation, it is also fascinating in terms of psychology – to such extent that in time, twins started to be associated with evil and demons. First of

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