TYPOGRAPHY
There is one thing that can set a design apart. Typography is what takes an idea and knits it together into a cohesive unit and helps the message you are trying to communicate come through into all facets of your design. The first step in creating strong typography is selecting a typeface. A font is a specific instance of a typeface, including weight, size, etc. It is important to first select a typeface, so that your fonts all come from the same place and all reflect that original typeface. The basis of typography is font choice, but it is really much more than that. After you choose a font, you will probably focus on making the kerning, tracking, and leading appropriately support your design. Font pairing is also very vital to creating a unified brand or message. The collection of fonts you choose should be very different, in order to create contrast and add dynamism to your layout. An example of this would be pairing a large, classic serif font with a sleek, modern sans-serif font.
In my work, typography is arguably the most important element. I love utilizing type to craft a unified design that communicates just as much as the copy it features. I also really enjoy using typography as an illustrative element. I love being able to take type from something people see everywhere they go into something new and interesting. Being able to isolate a word or phrase and make it unique and different is a method I love to employ when working on something that would not feature photography or symbol. Sometimes as designers we are limited to conveying information only with copy. Illustrative type is my way of adding a creative element to something that would otherwise be mundane and uninteresting.
One of my favorite creative influences has been the work of Paula Scher. She uses type in innovative and challenging ways to add interest and increase the dynamic layout of a work. This poster was a piece of student work I created that resembled her style. It was so stretching for me to use type this way, and I take every chance I get to implement the things I learned from her strategy.
So far, I haven’t had the guts to pull off something as dramatic as Scher’s work. I have, however, really enjoyed playing with existing fonts, and changing them into something completely new.
