London-based Osheyi Adebayo references his childhood in his retro graphic design
London-based graphic designer Osheyi Adebayo settled on design after realising it offered him the variety he craved. “While studying fine art at North West Kent College, it was that time to choose a subject for university. I knew I just wanted to pick something where I could freely experiment with various mediums such as illustration, digital elements and photography, just to create a mixture of art and design,” he explains. “I saw that graphic design fitted that criteria so I racked up a graphic design portfolio just in time, and it was enough to get me into Solent Southampton University.”
Osheyi describes his style as “playful and experimental” bringing in visual references from his childhood which are represented through simple 3D elements with augmented typography. His “dream-like colour schemes” are full of soft shades with a retro aesthetic, which derive from his main inspirations: an education CD called Learning Ladder, GCSE text book designs, and old shows he used to watch as a kid on VHS like Barney & Friends.
“I really enjoy working on print and editorial design that embodies the theme of a subject whether its personal or professional,” says Osheyi. “I also like illustrating intense expressions and visuals that appear in my dreams. Capturing moments, especially in sports is another thing I enjoy illustrating.”
The designer’s portfolio has an array of different projects including a plethora of posters, exhibitions designs, and artist books. Some stand-out projects include an identity for the Painters’ Painters show at the Saatchi Gallery earlier this year and a self-initiated book on Nigerian Afrobeat musician, singer and songwriter, Lagbaja. Osheyi adopts a methodical approach to his projects by working on paper first, “sketching down whatever comes into my head”, then he lets his imagination take over while designing on the computer creating colourful outcomes and thoughtful solutions.
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Rebecca Fulleylove is a freelance writer and editor specialising in art, design and culture. She is also senior writer at Creative Review, having previously worked at Elephant, Google Arts & Culture, and It’s Nice That.