Album cover for the Grateful Dead, Aoxomoxoa

Rick Griffin was an American artist and graphic designer whose psychedelic posters and album covers defined the visual language of 1960s counterculture. Working primarily in ink and watercolor, his densely layered compositions combined Art Nouveau linearity with surrealist imagery and lettering that dissolved into organic forms. Griffin's iconic designs for The Grateful Dead and other San Francisco bands established him as a central figure in poster art during the era. His work remained rooted in hand-drawn technique throughout his career, resisting both commercial standardization and digital methods.