'psychology to therapeutic typography'
One artist I've recently just discovered is Tyler Spangler, I came across his work, particularly his typography work when trying to get inspiration for my own typography on Instagram. His work wowed me when I first saw it and I fell in love with his distinctive style. Tyler works as a freelance typographic and graphic collage artist, sharing his creations with his extensive Instagram following.
After initially studying for a degree in psychology, California-based artist Tyler Spangler started exploring visual mediums for creative expression. It was his work on flyers and other music-related promotional material during a brief stint running an illegal punk venue that got Tyler interested in graphic design.
Tyler describes his work as “a rainbow flavoured popsicle dipped in the ocean and placed on a rock to melt. It’s a combination of anxiety fuelled consciousness and an attempt to make sense of everything.” This description seems like a perfect way to explain his work and makes you create a vivid picture in your head fueling your imagination.
Tyler Spangler: Bend
As you can see from his work this description is very accurate and I love how playful and exuberant his work looks. His typographic works typically feature a vivid colour palette, glitchy layering and distortions of letterforms, and carry messages for the modern world.
Tyler says: “It mostly stemmed from my initial experiences with panic attacks. I was making notes on my phone and one day realised they might be beneficial to other people if they were attractively designed. It is a therapeutic exercise for me."
His work often involves a lot of movement through flowing lines/shapes. I enjoy how this makes his work seem living and energetic, so much so that you can really imagine them animated.
This piece, in particular, is very tranquil and relaxing to look at, as the typography melts and distorts it makes you have the same sort of feeling. His work is very powerful at being therapeutic and almost healing.
Tyler Spangler: Life is Windy
Tyler injects his personal brand of colourful positivity into all his digital content, I like the vibrancy this piece brings and how this reflects into your feelings whilst looking at it. Each piece brings a certain sort of bliss which is what I admire and respect about his work so much.
I also appreciate his more pattern based work, for example the one shown above, its very calming and serene. The contrasting block colours look effortless and work together to create an illusion making the lines and shapes look 3D.
Tyler Spangler: Losing Time
Tyler Spangler's lively work has really inspired me recently and he's an artist that I look up to majorly in the terms of his style, work ethic and persistence. He is another one of my design hero's.