Peter Max was a famous American pop artist known for his vibrant, psychedelic style incorporating geometric and organic shapes. In the 1960s, he designed album, book, and magazine covers as well as advertisements. He became widely popular for his colorful, cosmic-themed artwork and was commissioned to design stamps and other products. Max's style was inspired by antique posters and explored themes of peace, love, and the space race. He is now recognized as a pioneering pop artist who helped popularize psychedelic and radical art styles in the 1960s.

1. “I fell in love
with color
and got the
bug,”
--Peter Max

2. Peter Max was born in Berlin in 1937.

3. Peter Max started as a commercial artist.
These are some of his posters from the 1960’s.

4. He designed album covers.

5. He designed book covers.

6. He also designed magazine covers.

7. In the 1960’s, Max began to design a line
of clocks for General Electric.

8. People loved his clocks and soon he
began making all kinds of things for the
home.

9. He created
advertising for
7-Up and his
art became
even more
famous.

10. In 1974 he even created a US postage
stamp.

11. He became famous
and was on the
cover of Life
magazine.

12. The rock band The Beatles
made a cartoon, Yellow
Submarine, that was
inspired by Max.
1968

13. He combines
geometric shapes,
with free-form
shapes in his
posters.
The Different
Drummer
1968

14. Geometric
shapes are
precise shapes.
The basic
geometric
shapes are the
circle, square,
triangle.

15. Free-form or organic
shapes are irregular and
uneven shapes.
Their outlines may be
curved, angular, or both.
Found in nature.
These shapes may be
silhouettes of living
things, such as animals,
people, or trees.

16. This poster was made for the Peace
Corps in 1970.

17. Many of Peter Max’s poster are about
peace and love, like Peace 1970.

18. His Love poster from
1970 may be one of
his best known
works.

19. He was influenced by antique posters.
Can you tell which one was created by Peter Max?
How could you tell?

20. When Peter Max was most popular, the
world was excited about exploring space.
HEAD 1969

23. Moon Landing #3
1969
Max's "Cosmic 60's" period showed his
interest in astronomy.

24. Pan Am
Airlines
1969
People called
his style
psychedelic.

26. CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT
1968
KALEIDESCOPIC LIPS
1967

27. Max began his Statue of Liberty series
which helped spearhead the restoration of
the statue.

28. He is now known
as an American
Pop artist.
Do you recognize
this cartoon
character?

29. In 2009 Max painted 44 Obama’s.

30. Peter Max currently lives in New York
City.

31. Create a 8.5”x11” Design using Radial
Symmetry based on the cosmic work
of Peter Max.
Your piece should include:
Bright colors
Multiple geometric and free-form
shapes along with other cosmic
elements.
Real Life elements.
One element should be created from
the tracing technique.

32. For this assignment you will be required to create a painting inspired by the
artist Peter Max.
• Assignment requirements:
• -Gradation; the fading of one color to another is used somewhere in
your design.
• -Radial Design; at least one aspect of your designs needs to incorporate
radial design.
• -Use warm and cool colors; if warm colors are in background, cool
colors need to be in the foreground. If cool colors are in the background,
warm colors need to be in the foreground.
• *Remember: Cool colors naturally recede to the background
because of the way our eyes work!
• -Color Choice; use only vibrant, rich, jewel tone colors.
• -Repetition; at least one design element needs to be repeated through
out.
• Steps:
• Sketch your idea that includes all the required elements. These must
include color
• Check in with me to get approval on your design.
• Begin painting working with your lightest colors to your darkest colors.
• Finalize your painting by outlining all of your design with a nice even hard
black line by using a sharpie.