Communication Arts Typography Annual 2

For the second consecutive year Communication Arts – “the premier source of inspiration for graphic designers, art directors, design firms, corporate design departments, advertising agencies, interactive designers, illustrators and photographers—everyone involved in visual communication” – held its annual typography and type design competition. The 2012 Typography Annual showcases the 150 winning projects selected by a distinguished panel of jurors – Richard Kegler, founder and lead designer at P22 type foundry; Erik Spiekermann, information architect, type designer and author of books and articles on type and typography; and Tiffany Wardle de Sousa a.k.a. “Typegirl”, a typographer and graphic designer.

Communication Arts Typography Annual 2 cover: “Typography Annual Two” and the glyph set in FF Sero, an original typeface by Jörg Hemker (p. 171), and two selections from designer Doug Pedersen’s Futureglyphics series (pp. 205 & 209).

1,723 entries were submitted for this second Typography Annual, less than the inaugural competition, but probably a more accurate reflection of the quantity of work produced in a single year. Again, the organisers were pleased with the international nature of the submissions, especially in the typeface category, and the inclusion of several non-Latin typefaces.

Juror Tiffany Wardle de Sousa:

In general, I really enjoyed most of the work. For me it was important to consider each project separately because viewed as a whole I sensed a sameness.

That sameness might best be explained by identifying the most common visual trends.

Juror Erik Spiekermann concurs:

The lock-up look was a prevailing theme. Pages were full, and if it wasn’t the page, then a shape was filled with type. From clouds to trees, everything served as a lock-up for letters.

Juror Richard Kegler added:

The ‘handmade’ and retro pastiche have really become a major trend. The lack of actual type vs. hand lettering was surprising.

In closing, Wardle de Sousa offered this:

Typography is typography, no matter the media. Hopefully the technology innovators will always keep the rules of typography in mind as they create.

Erik Spiekermann:

The state of typography has always been a good indicator of the general state of affairs. The trends were all pointing back in time, pastiche being the operative word, nostalgia the main trend.

Digital media – Poem Script slideshow | Director: Santiago Idelson

The winning entries are spread over different categories, one of them being type design. The following typefaces were selected to be included in the Annual:

• Steinweiss Script | Michael Doret, Alphabet Soup Type Founders
• Socialism | FontBit
• Be Serif | FontBit
• FF More | Łukasz Dziedzic, FontFont
• FF Sero | Jörg Hemker, FontFont
• FF Spinoza | Max Phillips, FontFont
• Aria Pro | Rui Abreu, Fountain Type
• Smidgen | Ken Barber, House Industries
• Barun Jiwon Book | Jiwon Lee
• DIN Next Arabic | Nadine Chahine, Linotype
• Neue Haas Grotesk | Christian Schwartz, Linotype
• Palatino Sans Arabic | Nadine Chahine, Linotype
• Hiatus | Stephen Rapp
• Poem Script | Alejandro Paul, Sudtipos
• Semilla | Alejandro Paul, Sudtipos
• Chartwell | TK Type
• Regal Finesse | Panos Vassiliou
• Samantha Script | Laura Worthington
• Alana | Laura Worthington

A sampling of the winners – some random entries, one per category:

Packaging – Fog Mountain wine bottle | Client: Boisset Family Estates | Creative Director: David Schuemann | Designer: Kevin Reeves | Design Director: Sara Golzari

Advertisement – Huawei Ideos X1 | Client: Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. | Agency: ArnoldFurnace

Books – Society of Graphic Designers of Canada Annual Report 2009/10 | Client: Society of Graphic Designers of Canada | Agency: Foundry Communications | Creative Director: Zahra Al-Harazi | Designers: Kylie Henry, Janice Wong, Jake Lim | Illustrators: Kylie Henry, Jon Jungwirth , Jake Lim, Janice Wong, Emmanuel Obayemi | Writer: Kitty Wong

Identity – Roman Rockwell | Client: Chris Gardner | Designer: Ken Barber

Poster – SOGO Japan | Designer: Neil Summerour

Motion – $amy Deluxe “Poesie Album” | Director: Felix Paul | Co-director: David Königsmann | Art Direction, Motion Design & Artwork: Nico Uthe, Bastian Böhm | Artwork support:
Typeholics, Lars Paukstat, Scotty Paschke, WES21, Jan van der Torn | Kamera: Moritz Schultheiss | Produktion: David Mohn (noyz’R'uz)

Ephemera – Jaime Stoltz & Anthony Ekman wedding invitations | Design: Kate Holgate

Miscellaneous – Classic book cover series – Client: Sterling Publishing / Barnes & Noble | Art Direction: Jo Obarowski | Design: Jessica Hische

Tags: award, Communication Arts, competition, type design, Typography Annual