A Typography Art Exploration: 15+ Stunning Examples

Typography, even artistic typography, is something that most of us encounter every day, even if we don’t realize it—it blankets billboards and our Instagram feeds alike.

But what is typography art, exactly? Put another way, what does typography mean in art? We’re here to help with a typography art definition and some incredibly creative typography examples.

What Is Typography Art?

flower pattern — Student work by Ohn Mar Win for Source & Mix Botanical Illustrations with Typography to Create Trendy Designs

The dictionary definition of typography is “the style, arrangement, or appearance of typeset matter.” That essentially means letters and words that are printed and that can be reproduced. It’s related to calligraphy and often looks very similar, but calligraphy is lettering that’s formed by hand.

Not all typography is very artistic—think of a standard printed book—so what does typography mean in art? Through the size, color, shape, and arrangement of the letters and words, typography can become beautiful pieces of art. Typography is also one component of graphic design. Even more standard printed materials can be made more attractive and interesting through the use of customized fonts and typographic experimentation.

How to Make Typography Art and Fonts

Building a Custom Typeface with Just Enough Personality

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Artists Who Create Typography Art

Sophia Yeshi

"vulnerability is not weakness" — Sophia Yeshi is an illustrator and graphic designer.

Illustrator and graphic designer Sophia Yeshi creates typography art for brands like Instagram and Refinery29 on topics like climate change, mental health, and body positivity.

Ellen Lupton

bright colored design — Source: EluptonEllen Lupton’s co-edited book, Extra Bold, is coming out in 2021, and gives tips for how to make typography art.

Ellen Lupton teaches graphic design and typography classes through Skillshare and curates contemporary design at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City.

Martina Flor

macys postcards — Source: MartinaflorCards designed for Macy’s by Martina Flor.

German designer and illustrator Martina Flor teaches lettering and type design, including for Skillshare. Her books on lettering are available in English, Spanish, German, and French.

Harbor Bickmore

pink type card — Source: That That TypeHarbor Bickmore sells custom fonts.

Skillshare instructor Harbor Bickmore designs and sells typefaces for others to use through his typography brand, That That Type.

Aaron Draplin

orange type — Source: InstagramAaron Draplin is inspired by vintage graphics.

Graphic designer Aaron Draplin says that while he has spent most of his career creating work on the computer, he has always been inspired by the rough quality of vintage graphics created by hand.

15 Examples of Typography Art

1. Floral Letter

s made of flowers — Gemma O’Brien is a lettering artist and Skillshare instructor who helps answer the question: what is typography art?

Intricate floral typography can first be designed by hand and then transferred to design software for easy replication.

2. Skiing Brochure

Page layout and word placement is an important part of typographic art.

3. Floral Logo

mahalo flowers — Student work by Lucia Balcazar for Source & Mix Botanical Illustrations with Typography to Create Trendy Designs

Letters and images can work together in typographic art.

4. Psychedelic Fonts

Source: InstagramAn example of a psychedelic font.

Psychedelic fonts were popular in the 1960s and ‘70s and are seeing a resurgence now.

5. Gothic Calligraphy

gothic lettering — Student work by Harbor Bickmore for Learn Gothic / Blackletter Calligraphy - Series I, Miniscule

Gothic or Blackletter font was commonly used in Europe until the 17th century. A Gothic typographic font adds drama and an historic feel.

6. Summer Letter Art

summer typography — Wondering how to create typography art? Skillshare instructor Tracey Capone teaches how to create typographic prints on an iPad.

The meaning of the word “summer” is beautifully illustrated by incorporating florals into the design of the letters.

7. Art Nouveau Book Art

french book cover — Source: InstagramA page from an Art Nouveau book, including Art Nouveau typography and illustration.

Decorative Art Nouveau typography was very influential in 20th-century design.

8. Block Type

type booklet — Student work by Kary Lohh for Typography that Works: Typographic Composition and Fonts

A contrasting light font and dark background is an integral element of this typographic design.

9. Custom Typeface

designed typeface — Student work by Stéphanie B for Building a Custom Typeface With Just Enough Personality

Designing typefaces that can be used for a variety of purposes is bread-and-butter work for many typographic designers.

10. 3D Block Letters

party time type — Student work by Alena Vasina for 3D Animated Lettering in After Effects: 9 Styles, Infinite Possibilities

Three-dimensional lettering can be created by hand or through design software. Learning how to create typography art in Photoshop or other design software is a useful skill for any designer.

11. Custom Wordmark

Student work by Vignesh Moorthy for Customizing Type with Draplin: Creating Wordmarks That Work

Many graphic designers take pride in avoiding “default” typefaces and creating their own fonts drawing from meaningful reference material.

12. Ouija Board

ouija board font — Vintage hand lettering inspires this typographic font.

Hand-lettering styles can be quickly reproduced using digital design software these days.

13. Mountain Logo

Student work by Tim Benasich for Creating Brand Systems: An Overview of Combining Logos and Type

Logos and type are carefully combined for effective branding.

14. Font Collection

'the' typography — The same word in many fonts shows just how versatile typography can be.

The word “THE” repeated in many different font types shows how typography affects the way a word is read and perceived.

15. Book Cover

Student work by Ray Mawst for Illustrated Lettering: Design a Book Cover with Jessica Hische

Book covers require careful typography to stand out from the competition.

Where to Find Typography Art

If you’re looking for a typographic print for your wall, start with Etsy. If you’re after a customized font for your own art or design project, check out FontShop, which sells fonts for print and online/screen use.

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Great Graphic Design: Create Emotional, Gripping Typographic Art

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