Text & image, interplay & animation
Following on from last week’s issue (and inspired a bit by receiving the latest Type Directors Club annual in the post), I spent some more time looking at vintage posters. The spark came about when I went looking through the last couple emails from DJR’s Font of the Month Club. I discovered that January’s edition contained a bonus: a new, more complete version of Gimlet in variable format, complete with axes for width, weight, italic, and optical size!
I’ve loved Gimlet since I first saw an early version just after variable fonts were introduced, and have used it for various demos over the years. I love its quirky 60’s vibe, and have always thought it reminded me of period poster and advertising design.
So that’s where we went.
Searching for what’s seldom seen
One of the most common and visually arresting techniques in graphic design is creating the illusion of interplay between text and image. The shifting of typographic forms before and behind photographic elements creates dynamic tension, sparking interest and examination. These techniques have been in use for hundreds of years in illustration, magazine and poster design, and can even be seen in the title screen of the latest streaming sensation, Cheer.
