San Francisco Design Week is an annual conference that gives Bay Area creatives a chance to talk and think more deeply about how design can improve our lives and experiences. Throughout the week, designers discuss everything from how to brand themselves and find the perfect job, to design history in the area and the latest gadgets about to hit the market.
Of all the events we’ve attended so far, one stood out as particularly interesting to the issuu team. The session, presented by Lara McCormick, head of design and education at CreativeLine, focused on typography and how to become more comfortable with lettering and typefaces. Here is a recap of our experience from issuu’s Snapchat (@issuuofficial).
Playing with Type
The session was called “Playing with Type,” so it only followed that McCormick’s chosen word of the day was “play.” She emphasized the importance of having fun with typefaces and experimenting with different techniques, because you never know when an illustration or observation might result in something beautiful. According to McCormick, “As long as you are making something, you cannot possibly fall behind.” She also recommended learning about new typefaces by hand drawing various letters and allowing the overall goal of experience to be fun and free flowing. Get started today by flipping through this hand drawn typography book from one of our #issuuMakers.
Pick a Font, Any Font
How often have you clicked on an issuu publication based on the cover? While we have all been told not to judge a book by its cover, we at issuu know that fonts play an important role for readers trying to find something new to read. Type is vital to a publication’s overall aesthetic, and can set the tone for each individual article. Typefaces don’t have to be rigid, and analog techniques like hand drawing letters or incorporating elements like paper creases and tape can enhance the lettering in your publication.
We encourage you to go out into the world, onto the web or even places like Instagram for typographic inspiration. McCormick suggested a few sites, such as Friends of Type and 36 Days of Type. We also recommend exploring our collection of issuu Makers, which features several publishers who are leading the way in terms of innovative lettering.
Inspiration can come from anywhere. Share your favorite typographic examples by tweeting us @issuu.