Graphis Master: John Mattos’ Retro Posters Still Make an Impact

John Mattos’ retro posters are recognizable, having impacted film and sporting events for decades.

Graphis Master John Mattos is well known for his action-packed retro poster designs as seen ABOVE. Simple perspective lines couple with gradient filled objects to create movement and depth. There is a sort of simplicity to his esthetic that simultaneously creates nostalgia in the viewer for a bygone era of design. Yet, his work continues to be fully relevant and impactful on today’s viewers.

Mattos has said, “If left to my own devices, I lean toward injecting humor in my work.” With whimsical reshaping of iconic characters or images, Mattos leaves a strong impression. A great example of this is his the Indianapolis 500 stamp design (ABOVE), as the race car is unapologetically suspended in mid-air and gleams with extreme white highlights. High-speed excitement is instantly felt, all within the confines of a postage stamp. John Mattos proves that scale is no object for his unrelenting action-packed style.

Submissions for Graphis’ Design Annual 2020 Competition run until March 13, 2019. Winners will have the opportunity to see their work published on our website, blog, newsletter, and social media platforms!