Sophie Henson...

Sophie Henson is a illustrative typographer. Her work is very eclectic and expressive, it allows personalities to be shown through design and illustration. Her hand drawn style is not individual, but the use of colour combinations, integration with illustrations and her ability to adapt to commercial work. The variety within her work is impressive and it can clearly be adapted to suit different themes.

Work sourced from Behance Network.

Cut outs...

elBarbon (a mexico based designer) designed this typeface, which is again similar to the cut out idea I am experimenting with. The development from cardboard to vector to a functioning typeface is working well. The sharper design is harsher, but also more mature and sturdy than the typeface by Doubletwo. The letters are not regular, they have more angles cut into their shape, which gives them character and a quirkiness. This type of shape is strong, and allows colour to really stand out and complement the type.

Work sourced from Behance Network.

Doubletwo Studios...

Doubletwo studios are based in Hamburg. This type face they have designed is similar to cut text idea I have experimented with for my Bazzar branding. The omission of the counters in the majority of the letterforms creates a bubbly feeling, fun and playful. The letterforms with a bowl have remained rounded, these make the overall design feel more childish.

Worked sourced from Behance Network.

Charles Ross...

This piece by Charles Ross has a letterpress style to it - the slightly condensed sans serif typeface is very clean and impacting. The design is straightforward, plain and simple but the style of communication is very friendly and conversational and informative. Overall this style of design works for the brand (A tractor supply company) and is nice tool have to hand out to potential clients and gives the brand a very professional and reliable personality.

Work sourced from Behance Network.

Type Playing Cards...

Another lovely piece from Hat-trick Design. These cards each use a different type face to create the shape of their suit. No repeat typefaces were used, so each card is totally individual. I'm impressed by the way the type has been manipulated to create the suit shapes and the style of the overall set.

Cardinal Cafe...

Hat-trick Design produced this identity for Cardinal Cafe. Their logo is a Cardinal (the bird) represented in very simple vector illustration. The brief focused around creating a character and then using this across the entire brand. Im really impressed with this design because it isn't over the top, and it uses very simple communication tools to carry the identity through the customer experience.

Soulmates...

The Guardian produce all of their own in house design work. These pieces of advertising are for the Guardian Soulmates websites - their own online dating forum. The designs focus around simple image/illustration and then things which come together to make 'the date'. I have highighted these because they are similar to my 'pairs' idea for Valentines cards.

Each advert focuses on a different 'date' activity and lists the things that might occur. My favourite is the cinema - 'Bogar, Bacall, A couple of plot twists, some midget gems, and adebate about the ending'. This nicely sums up a date to see an old movie, something that could have been listed as a favourite hobby within a persons profile.

The majority of these summaries work quite well; the illustration complements, but allows the type to be the main focus of the advert. The design is strongly 'Guardian'; using bold colours and blocky type. Overall they are very engaging and quirky

Successful Food Packaging Design

"Packaging is people's perception of the brand; it's that core. It is your single most expensive for of advertising; and if you're a small company it's your only advertising. When people think of your product - whatever kind of food it may be - they picture the package it comes in" - Mark Greene, Pecos Design, New York - Page: 45 Hargreaves, B (2006) Successful Food Packaging Design. Rotovision SA. Hove, UK

Type Calendar

I came across this piece on typographyserved.com. It is by a mexican graphic designer called Jasho Salazzar AKA Mouschacho. I picked out this piece because of the use of colour and mulitple typefaces. The design looks screen printed or letterpress, but it is in fact a digital print.

Each page of the calendar is totally different; each using a different colour sheme and a range of typefaces. I think that the overall design is so effective because of the clashing colours, and the feeling of excitement within the design. The designs are actually very simple; the month in three languages and the number of the month - thats it.

What I have learnt from this research:

1. Complimentary colours can work really effectively with a range of type

2. Multiple type faces do not have to clash with each other

3. White space and empty space are very important to a design

4. Repetition is not necessarily a bad thing