Exploring Afro-Psychedelic Expression

Exploring Afro-Psychedelic Expression is a bold, personal art project that dives deep into the intersections of Black joy, Afro-diasporic culture, and psychedelic visual storytelling. As a Manchester-based freelance illustrator with Ghanaian roots, I set out to create a body of work that authentically celebrates my heritage while pushing the boundaries of psychedelic art.

This project blends digital and analogue techniques, merging iPad illustration, Photoshop textures, and hand-drawn linework with expressive, physical mark-making and painted overlays. I leaned into vibrant colour palettes, rhythmic patterns, and Afro-futuristic symbolism, drawing inspiration from 60s and 70s psychedelic poster art, Ghanaian textiles, music, folklore, and everyday life.

Throughout the creative process, I allowed intuition and emotion to guide my composition—focusing on themes of identity, freedom, and self-celebration. This was a space for experimentation, where mistakes became magic and soulful imperfection was embraced. It’s also been a powerful exploration of what Afro-psychedelic art can look like when rooted in lived experience and cultural memory.

The project not only helped me develop a more distinct, expressive style, but also reaffirmed my mission as an artist: to create bold, vibrant artwork that uplifts, celebrates, and tells deeper stories of Black creativity and resilience.