Shepard Fairey: Contemporary street artist, graphic designer, OBEY founder, and massive inspiration for our head of design, Adam! As part of our creative spotlight series, we take a look at Shepard’s ground breaking and unmistakable work.

Probably best known for his activism, being part of the street art movement, and for being the founder of OBEY clothing, Shepard Fairey’s work is bold, striking, modern and relevant. His work merges art, graffiti, pop art and political and social commentary. His design style is instantly recognisable and incredibly distinctive, characterised by a combination of bold typography and colours, iconic imagery, layered textures, cultural symbolism, and a commitment to political and social issues.

Bold Use Of Colour And Contrast

One of the most striking features of Shepard Fairey’s work is his bold use of colour and contrast. He predominantly uses a palette of red, black, and cream, which is not just visually striking but also loaded with symbolic meaning. Red often signifies revolution and power, while black and cream provide a stark contrast that enhances the overall impact.

Iconic Imagery And Symbolism

Shepard Fairey’s designs are full of iconic imagery and symbolism. He often incorporates well known cultural symbols, such as stars, wings, and rays, which are carefully selected to provoke thought and communicate deeper messages. For example, the star icon in his OBEY Giant campaign is reminiscent of communist propaganda, subtly critiquing the nature of authority and control. He is also very well known to use images of well known celebrities and public figures, which further helps to convey a political message.

Layered Textures And Patterns

Another signature of Shepard Fairey’s style is his use of layered textures and intricate patterns. This amazing technique adds depth and layers of interest to his art, which allows us to look more closely and engage more deeply with the art. The layering often includes elements of collage, with pieces of text, newspaper clippings, and other materials blended seamlessly into the artwork.

Typography

Typography plays a crucial role in Shepard Fairey’s designs. He often uses bold, sans-serif fonts that are easy to read and convey a strong and unmistakable message. The text in his pieces is usually short and impactful, designed to deliver a message quickly and effectively. This is most noticeable in his propaganda style posters, where the text serves as both a visual element and a communication tool.

Political And Social Commentary

Shepard Fairey’s art is deeply rooted in political and social commentary. He uses his platform to address issues such as environmentalism, human rights, and political corruption. His work is not just aesthetically pleasing but also thought provoking. The iconic "Hope" poster using the image of Barack Obama is a prime example of this, capturing an important and hopeful moment in history.

Street Art Origins

Coming from a childhood in skateboard culture, Shepard Fairey's roots are in street art, and that is incredibly clear in his style. In the early days of his OBEY campaigns, he used a guerilla style approach by plastering stickers and posters in public spaces, and this style of street art continues to influence his work. This connection to street art brings an element of rebellion to his work, combining both high art and street art.

Shepard Fairey is a creative who in our view, is unique and inspires different types of people all over the world. It is no small thing to develop your own individual design style, that has your name all over it. So thank you, Shepard, for the inspiration and for holding down those rebellious roots!

If you would like to find out more about how we can help you or just fancy a chat, feel free to get in touch with us at Nurture via hello@designbynurture.com.

Written by Charlene Payne.

Creative Spotlight: Shepard Fairey