the writing’s on the wall
I have to confess that this month I’ve been lured into a bit of graphic design. It’s a challenging project, matching typeface to photography and other design elements to suggest a certain flavour of tradition with a hint of nostalgia. For once, I had to go beyond the standard image editing tools and make tracks into the heady world of fonts. At the same time I started to read ‘Just My Type,’ a really well written book on the cultural meaning and context of a well turned alphabet character. (Also interwoven is a history of the printing press.) It’s a fascinating insight into the importance of speaking well in 2D. This got me on to thinking of how we are surrounded by signs, messages and graffiti and what they are unconsciously saying to us 24/7. Words demand attention. How many times do you read the same magazine cover, packaging or errant post whilst sitting on the loo? It’s compulsive. The writing is definitely on the wall, literally and everywhere. More »
