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Typographic Posters

Digital

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Print

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Identity

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Multimedia

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A framed typographic poster featuring bold, geometric lettering on the left and "1970" in the upper right. The background includes a subtle typeface sample in light gray.
A framed typographic poster featuring bold, geometric lettering on the left and "1970" in the upper right. The background includes a subtle typeface sample in light gray.

Intro

Comparing angles in early 20th century typography.

From an extensive list of font families, I had to select two nearly opposite typefaces and create a poset series for them–showcasing each font individually while also maintaining consistency in the overall design of the posters.

A framed typographic poster featuring the word "Bodoni" in large, elegant serif letters. The background subtly displays the full character set in light gray.
A framed typographic poster featuring the word "Bodoni" in large, elegant serif letters. The background subtly displays the full character set in light gray.

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A framed typographic poster featuring the word "Bodoni" in large, elegant serif letters. The background subtly displays the full character set in light gray.
A framed typographic poster featuring the word "Bodoni" in large, elegant serif letters. The background subtly displays the full character set in light gray.

Opportunity

All About Angles

I chose to feature Avant Garde, a geometric, sans serif, and Bodoni, a Didone, serif as my font pairing. These two options made sense as they maintain a stark contrast in style, but hold a similarity in their versatility. Avant Garde lives as a bold, modern typeface, mainly utilized in magazines or for headlines while Bodoni serves as a more high-end, traditional typeface primarily seen in the fashion industry. I would bridge the two through the use of angles–an element that could differ and represent the fonts individually while also uniting the posters.

A modern typographic design highlighting the letters "A & T" in bold red with annotations marking their typographic features. Below, the names "Herb Lubalin and Tom Carnase" are displayed in white text.
A modern typographic design highlighting the letters "A & T" in bold red with annotations marking their typographic features. Below, the names "Herb Lubalin and Tom Carnase" are displayed in white text.

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A modern typographic design highlighting the letters "A & T" in bold red with annotations marking their typographic features. Below, the names "Herb Lubalin and Tom Carnase" are displayed in white text.
A modern typographic design highlighting the letters "A & T" in bold red with annotations marking their typographic features. Below, the names "Herb Lubalin and Tom Carnase" are displayed in white text.

Development

I began by formatting layouts around colors and angles that reflected each font’s character best; Avant Garde using black, white, and red with dramatic angles to reflect its geometry while Bodoni uses blues and cream colors with softer angles to reflect its classier, more traditional feel. These made for layouts where the negative space could be filled with content and other spatial relationships could be easily manipulated. After finalizing the content, I decided to layer elements, such as dates, names, and type textures, in the middle ground and background to add depth. This aids in creating a more visually dynamic piece, helping to take the project from a “glorified research paper” to a true poster design.

Two framed typographic posters featuring Avant Garde and Bodoni typefaces. The left design uses bold red and black contrasts, while the right has a refined pastel palette with serif lettering details.
Two framed typographic posters featuring Avant Garde and Bodoni typefaces. The left design uses bold red and black contrasts, while the right has a refined pastel palette with serif lettering details.

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Two framed typographic posters featuring Avant Garde and Bodoni typefaces. The left design uses bold red and black contrasts, while the right has a refined pastel palette with serif lettering details.
Two framed typographic posters featuring Avant Garde and Bodoni typefaces. The left design uses bold red and black contrasts, while the right has a refined pastel palette with serif lettering details.

Solution

Unified Series

These typographic posters would live as a compound print series uniting two unlikely families. Featuring their historical backgrounds, character libraries, and individual anatomies, this collection of paired typefaces serves as both an informative and visually compelling arrangement.

A refined typographic composition featuring elegant serif lettering. The design includes an annotation highlighting the "Crossbar" of a character, with a muted color palette and soft contrast.
A refined typographic composition featuring elegant serif lettering. The design includes an annotation highlighting the "Crossbar" of a character, with a muted color palette and soft contrast.

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A refined typographic composition featuring elegant serif lettering. The design includes an annotation highlighting the "Crossbar" of a character, with a muted color palette and soft contrast.
A refined typographic composition featuring elegant serif lettering. The design includes an annotation highlighting the "Crossbar" of a character, with a muted color palette and soft contrast.