Brooke Garner

I found this example of type on a product called Synergy that I have started to purchase regularly. Synergy is a brand of live-culture Kombucha, which provides numerous health benefits. Since this drink promotes digestive health and immunity, as well as supports healthy aging and overall vitality, the audience for this product includes anyone wanting to gain health benefits. The typeface for the word “Synergy” appears to be similar to the serif typeface, Baskerville, because of the high contrast, generous proportions and crisp edges. I believe this typeface is appropriate for the product because it is soft with rounded bracketed serifs and appears perfectly made, yet natural, like the product. I like how the description of the product is in all lower case, mixed with the important parts of the product, such as the title and edition in all caps. I was attracted to this product by the packaging design. The type is spread out and allows a lot of white space without any information being lost, which is appealing to the eye. I am very interested in product design packaging and I think I could potentially focus on it in the future. With this in mind, I will have to make sure that the type works well with the concept behind the packaging of a product and the feel it wants to give off to it’s potential buyers. Without proper typography, the packaging will simply fail. I need to be sure to give a particular hierarchy to each part of type in any packaging that I do.

Decorative flow

I usually don't gravitate towards whispy and obviously decorative typefaces, but the movement and possibility of this particular specimen drew me to share it. This artist creates free flowing linear forms that try to convey each letter form. She uses a serif type for her template and then with a pen carefully illustrates a smoke or fabric like essence to each letter. Especially heading into book design and production, I am very intrigued by this concept. This inspires my design abilities in two ways: it reminds me to take existing things and work/build upon them. It also concentrates my eye for very fine detail, the necessity of detail and the delicate balance between minimal and legible.

Swing, swing swing

 Sam's Burger joint, a swing dancing club down in the heart of San Antonio, has a great great neon sign that was first designed back in 1970, the name "Sam's" is in a hand written script, with the S at a slight angle as if swing dancing its self. I find it interesting how this much character could be put into glass and a neon sign. 

Ashley Tann

Photo found at jasonbooher.com 

This is a book cover for Lord of the Flies designed by Jason Booher, the art director of Blue Rider Press. The audience is anyone wanting, or obligated, to read this book. I'm not sure of the typeface used, but it is a sans-serif. I like that Booher chose a simple typeface because there is already a lot happening with the layout and the background image. The background image is a Rorschach test mark that, on its side, resembles a pig, and standing up feels like blood and violence. The layout of the type is frenzied-feeling and somehow ominous. Although the title and author's name have different styles, the mixture of the two on the page hurts legibility. I'm not too upset with this though because I think it ties in so well to the book--it's like the type is a visual demonstration of the psychological traumas the boys endure on the island. This is a good example of using type to deliver a message outside of readability. This reminds me that, in my own work, I can use type as a visual tool.