November edit
Your choice of words is important. But, do you ever think about how they look? Typography is the style and arrangement of letters that should reflect the message of the story you’re telling. And this month, we explored some interesting examples of effective typography…
The Magic of MinaLima
Charlotte G introduced us to the design studio, MinaLima, that designed all of the Harry Potter graphic props, including The Marauder’s Map, Harry Potter’s Acceptance Letter to The Daily Prophet and the infamous poster, Have You Seen This Wizard?
Typography is the main vehicle of each design, as opposed to images and icons. Alone it’s powerful enough to create a sense of mystery, magic and the wizarding world of Harry Potter with its unique style of lettering and consistency across each piece of design.
In Vogue
Laura chose a simple, elegant and confident logo for this month’s meeting – the fashion magazine, Vogue.
We all agreed that the way weighting is used within the logo is a work of art. It merges an elegant thin weight with touches of thickness, all in the one word, which adds drama and statement to its presentation. We think that the subtle combination of the two is pretty powerful.
The Power of Negative Space
Kate showed us a few examples of how negative space can be used within typography, like in the logos of Batman, Formula 1 and Sixty-Three. We love how the negative space cleverly adds imagery into the text by taking design elements away.
A Personal Touch
We also loved the Samaritans out of home campaign that Emily highlighted. The campaign showcases three billboards each displaying a different style of handwriting.
This humanising, personal and emotive touch perfectly portrays the message that holds the campaign together and captures the audience’s attention – it feels as though three different people are speaking to you.
The Road to Simplicity
Kieran highlighted an example of typography that we see every day – the font used on road signs aptly named ‘Transport’. It’s quite a simple and plain font but it’s easy to read and well thought out, and so it fits its purpose perfectly.
All Warm & Fuzzy
Charlotte B talked all about the typography crafted for the nation’s favourite coffee shop, Costa Coffee. Its thick weight and soft edges hold a warm, welcoming and friendly feel which is recognised across the globe. And brands like this have created an experience of drinking coffee, so it’s only right that the whole experience of the brand is also kept consistent through signage, packaging, mugs and the merchandise.
