{"id":56664,"date":"2021-08-13T07:58:24","date_gmt":"2021-08-13T14:58:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/picsart.com\/blog\/?p=56664"},"modified":"2021-08-13T07:58:24","modified_gmt":"2021-08-13T14:58:24","slug":"introduction-to-retro-art","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/picsart.com\/blog\/introduction-to-retro-art\/","title":{"rendered":"Retro Art Style: Introduction to the Theory and Examples Behind this Graphic Design Style"},"content":{"rendered":"

Retro art throwbacks are a fundamental part of the graphic design world. No matter how much we advance in terms of styles and techniques, previous eras always make their presence felt in the process of creating something new. References to the past are a good way to celebrate the historical monuments within the graphic design sphere while adding a modern touch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you think about it, <\/span>vintage design<\/span>s are everywhere. From fashion runways to movie posters, stylistic references to the ’50s and the ’70s are still incredibly relevant today. And who can really blame designers for this? Old-school designs are both fun and aesthetically pleasing, and it\u2019s easy to find inspiration with such a huge library of references from the past.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re also interested in this genre of throwback designs then you\u2019re in good company. With so much passion <\/span>retro design around<\/span>, but a distinct lack of helpful guides or entry points to draw inspiration from, we\u2019ve decided to step in and make one<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is Retro Art?<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"retroWhat better place to start than learning what retro art is? Retro style is a broad category that specializes in consciously imitating stylistic choices in historical art. While there\u2019s no strict limitation to which decades are included within this historical timeframe, generally retro art only covers the 19th and 20th centuries. More strictly, <\/span>retro design<\/span>s tend to focus on visual elements from the ’20s to the ’70s.<\/span><\/p>\n

Retro art doesn\u2019t have to be completely accurate to the past. Often<\/span> retro design<\/span>s simply take a few elements from a certain timeframe and incorporate them into a modern environment. Nowadays, retro style is often used to describe new things that have the characteristics of the past. The word retro itself derives from Latin and means ‘past times’.<\/span><\/p>\n

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History of the Retro Art Style<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"retroThe<\/span> retro art style<\/span> doesn\u2019t have a definite history despite its prominent influence on graphic design and pop culture. Even long before the word retro was coined, graphic designers used references from the past in their art. Due to the fact that retro art is a broad category that includes many other styles, it\u2019s hard to pinpoint when it emerged. For example, Art Deco emerged in the 1920s, while another<\/span> retro art style<\/span>, Art Nouveau was created in the 1890s.<\/span><\/p>\n

The popular retro pop art style was developed within the period from the 1940s to the 1960s. The style uses bold and eye-catching graphics that were easy to reproduce on a simple press. After a while the art style was forgotten about, however lately it experienced a resurgence. Nowadays most artists use computers to create designs inspired by this style. Some dedicated <\/span>retro design<\/span>ers prefer to make the designs old-school style for a more authentic look.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Retro Design vs. Vintage Design\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"retroWhile the <\/span>retro art style<\/span> and the vintage art style are considered by many to be the same thing, there are quite a few differences. This doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t use the terms interchangeably, however you should take into account that in a more technical sense there\u2019s a difference between the two.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To make it easier for you to understand the differences and the similarities between vintage and <\/span>retro design<\/span>s, we have compiled a small list of comparisons.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Inspiration<\/strong><\/p>\n

Both retro and <\/span>vintage design<\/span>s have to use the same source for inspiration. People often refer to <\/span>graphic design styles<\/span> that are inspired by the past or are from the past as vintage or retro. If you want to be more accurate, vintage means designs that were made in the past while retro refers to designs that were simply inspired by the past.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Authenticity<\/strong><\/p>\n

In terms of authenticity, vintage pieces are more authentic as they\u2019re the source of inspiration for <\/span>retro design<\/span>s. For example, within the fashion world, clothing pieces are considered vintage only if they were made between 20 to 100 years before. Generally, everything else is simply considered second-hand or simply outdated. If we apply the same logic to the graphic design industry, we may say that designs made from anywhere between 20 to 100 years ago are authentic vintage pieces, while more recent designs are retro.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Cultural Significance<\/strong><\/p>\n

One thing that unites both vintage and <\/span>retro design<\/span>s is their cultural significance. <\/span>Vintage design<\/span>s had a major impact on the graphic design industry even before they were classified as vintage. The reason why these designs are still so popular to this day is due to how successful they were when they were first discovered. Many art styles that emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries are completely forgotten about, only the designs that were popularized within the mainstream culture are referred to as vintage styles.<\/span><\/p>\n