Jen Stephenson

Source: Internet
Classification: San serif block letters stacked
Description: This is a 3d design installation piece focusing on typography by Jaime Gonzalez. It spells out "Are you talking to me?" and the letters are stacked in all different levels coming out of the all at the viewer making for an interesting composition. 
Enhancement: Even though the type is san serif, the letters are altered a bit to fit certain shapes. The entire sentence is white making the viewer focus on the placement of the words. I think that it is effective in giving off a certain attitude and tone with the sentence. And for it being so squished together, readability is still well done. 
Influence: This is an reminder that sometimes simple is better. It is also a reminder that even strongly focusing on one thing such as placement and dimension and ignoring something like color and still balance each other out for a successful piece. 

kosm.ici- Sam Popham

Source: kosm.ici monograph project book by Gabriela Namie that is a starting place for an app that focuses on media and how it is viewed as entertainment only instead of an opportunity for education using the works of Marshall Mcluhan, Vilem Flusser and Pierre Levy 'studying the role of media and it's contexts'.
Object Description: A very well organized and well designed book using well planned grids and typography and color.
Typeface Description: A mixture of sans serif and serif. Sans serifs are used for titles, headings and subheadings as well as the body. Serif typefaces are used only on left hand pages of full bleed typographic illustration and in the number of the chapter.
How does it enhance message? It feels very playful and educational and extremely well organized. The sans serif feel like a good balance of formality and informality. The serifs work well as compliment.
How will it influence me? When working in my own book, I hope to create such a cohesive design of color, photography, type and organization. I would like to experiment with full bleed photography and overlapping effects over photography in my book like shown here.

How 'bout them Cowboys | Andrea Johnson

This is a Cowboys pendant I've had hanging in my bedroom since around September. The Dallas Cowboys are pretty much a lost cause, and I am aware of that, but my love for them will never die.

Both typefaces on this pendant are sans serif. The one on the top is a script font.

The purpose of this pendant is simply to help someone express their pride and fandom of the Cowboys, so the purpose of the typography is to stand out and represent the team and their city.

The thing that stands out about this arrangement of type is the contrast between the 'Dallas' and 'Cowboys.' Although the 'Dallas' is script, it still has an edge to it, and it represents the city life of Dallas. The bold weight of the 'Cowboys' represents the strength and the solidity of the team that the Cowboys (should) have.

This will influence my work in the future because of its contrast. Contrast is a great solution for two word titles, and it can also work for larger, more intricate situations.

Bareknuckle Pickups

Source: scan of cover that came with my guitar pickups
Typeface classification: Script
Description: Bareknuckle Pickups are a guitar pickup company from England making versatile pickups for modern guitarists. They're logo features an old style bareknuckle boxer and their name in a classic script typeface.
How it enhances the message: The typeface enhances the image out of pure necessity I believe; the name alone harkens back to early boxing and the image of the fighter places it in a time where I would imagine script or very ornate typefaces would have been used for posters for a fight.
Influence: The typeface encourages to think of cultural and time considerations when using a particular typeface to add believability or accuracy to an image along with being visually pleasing.

Stacked

Classification: slab-serif

What is it?: This appears to be a 'type as texture' type project. While you can understand the message, there is an aesthetically appealing way in which this design was created. The way the colors were incorporated works because of the analogous color scheme, and it works wonderfully against the dark background. It seems to stand out, but not in such a way as the letters look separate from the background, rather that they are coming out of the background.

The typography is arranged in such a way that the rag on the right and left looks interesting as a shape (perhaps a building to hold the elevator?), and this method balances well in this piece. The subtle repetition of the typography in the background makes a great texture.

Influence: This is another great example of stacking type on top of each other, which I have always loved as a style. The texture of the text was done in such a way that might be interesting for future projects, as I usually just give the type a color. Using typography as a texture is also something I haven't tried before, and hope to try sometime soon.

Nectar

This is my current protein powder bottle, and the typeface featured is a type of graffiti text. I'm not a fan of the packaging, the typeface, or the Syntrax logo for that matter. Syntrax is the company that produces this specific brand of whey protein. Although the logo in this particular image is pretty small the typeface featured in it is a serif. The serifs on the S and the X are extremely extended and then further warped to look as if ripped. The arms and legs of the letterforms are shortened and lengthened at will, for what seems no apparent reason, and the paring of it with graffiti letters makes even less sense to me. They've also added a sans serif to the mix to further describe the flavor of the product, but it is not it any way simplistic. It is more bubbled and fat than most sans serifs, and it has a drop shadow. Not my fav. for sure...

Cracker Barrel_Casey Sturm

Source: Cracker Barrel to-go cup
Classification: San serif block letter, cursive
Description: Both are classic types used simply for decoration on the to-go cups. Different words that are descriptive of the restaurant are scattered across the cup in these two font styles.
Enhancement: Both types are classic which suits the Cracker Barrel style. Simple, and reminiscent of home grown, country living.
Influence: This example is a reminder that sometimes simple, home grown type choices are the right ones.