Optimum Type

Custom Typography Design and Application

Shaoqiang Wang

When we read, our brain is decoding a series of abstract sym- bols and synthesizing the results into complex ideas. Really, then, we see before we read. We recognize the character of a word before we ascertain its meaning. A tailor-made creative type takes advantage of this effect to visualize a specific brand, deliver its image and message, and make it stand out among the crowd. To create an optimum type, a designer must understand the brand's philosophy, communicate with the client, empathise, and achieve a perfect solution with his professional skills. This publication features over a hundred custom types created by designers and agencies within diverse cultural contexts. Readers of this book will learn lessons from these creatives' work processes and be inspired to design types that satisfy their clients and wow their viewers.

About the Author

Wang Shaoqiang is a professor at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, where he is dean of the design, visualization and animation department. He is a prolific editor, whose focus on international design, architecture, branding, communication, trends and culture, and the editor of Design 360 magazine and Asia-Pacific Design. He has been invited to lecture at numerous universities, design academies and organizations, and he has also been a jury member for China's most prestigious design and illustration awards.

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