Type as both language and composition
Words matter (or so I’m told). Some of my favorite typographic pieces are the ones that use typography not only to deliver a message but to serve as the compositional foundation that a design centers around. Letterforms are just as valuable as graphic elements as they are representations of language, and asking type to serve multiples roles in a composition is a reliable way to elevate the quality of your work.
It’s a tool you will always have available to you, no matter the project or medium. Regardless of if you have imagery, regardless of how good the copy is…
Understanding why your gut tells you explore
In the second case study on going in-depth about design decisions, we will talk about how to be more aware of what’s firing in our minds when inspiration strikes and how to use creative momentum while being purposeful with your decisions. We’ll also talk about working with existing assets and letting that guide your problem solving as it relates to typefaces, colors and compositional methods.
Inspiration strikes at the strangest times. I was watching The Thin Blue Line several months back, which is one of my favorite documentaries. Near the end, director Errol Morris plays a recording of a conversation…
How a single design decision shapes everything that follows.
Even in low-stakes, self-driven work, there are innumerable design decisions—aesthetic, formal and conceptual—that impact the final result. The following is a synthesis of my process and documents how one foundational design decision informed countless others. I think there’s a lot to be gained by analyzing the micro details in a design, and quick projects like this are a great vehicle for that.
If I’m designing outside of my day job, I am typically looking for excuses to try out new typefaces, and often typefaces that are still under development by type designers. This often means I’m making things quickly and…
The day that Typographica releases their annual typeface reviews is one of my favorite days every year. Typefaces take years of time and experience to craft, but there is so rarely any thoughtful analysis around new releases, even from the type designers themselves. I’m always disappointed when I go to research the creation of a font and can’t find anything other than a single paragraph of text explaining its existence.
I’ve always wondered why there wasn’t more work done to analyze and “review” the typefaces we all use, to help the community get a better sense for what makes a font special and to pay tribute to the hard work the type designers put into their creations.
So, after being frustrated by this for years and after spending quality time with some of the type designers I most admire at Typographics this year, I decided to build a site that would enable me to give this kind of resource to the design community. …
It has come to my attention that one of the more noticeable traits in my design work is my willingness to use what is perceived to be an excessive number of typefaces. I’ve seen countless articles written on typeface pairing and systems, and nearly all of them push towards using fewer families in any given design. I’ve seen similar comments made towards my own work, implying that they are pleasing despite the number of typefaces they use.
“I love this site because it’s not afraid to break one of the first rules of setting type — don’t use too many…
Turning a student project into a small business through the glory of crowd funding and the kindness of strangers
I’ve had a few folks ask me for advice on running a Kickstarter, so I’m posting a talk I gave on the subject here. I used my own experiences to walk through the steps and pratfalls of the process, and go over what I learned and what to watch out for on your own crowdfunding adventure. Hope it’s useful!
To introduce myself, I’m Bethany Heck and I’m a designer. I got my BFA in design from Auburn University (War Eagle!), and as a part of your final semester in Auburn’s program, you have to present a senior project. That could…
I’ve noticed a hesitancy within the design community to talk about the actual career path for design, and the current struggles designers face. I think it’s important that young designers think beyond the type of work they want to create and have a vision for the type of career they want to have. It’s also time for the industry to step up and provide those careers to the talent that keeps it alive.
Culturally, design is more valued now than perhaps at any other time in history. Companies from every industry are seeing the value in design and are desperately…
