Specimen Manual + Typeface Design "Champ"
My first typeface “Champ” Designed as a high contrast sans serif, inspired by a mix of high contrast, mechanical, and modern typefaces.
Specimen Design
Typeface Design
Typography 3 Project
Northern Kentucky University
Process:
Fashion and high performance sports were a huge inspiration to my typeface. I wanted something that could be used on a dragster but also for Gucci. On the left you can see me sketching out these ideas, in the upper left you see me writing words like "high contrast, eurostyle (a typeface I looked at a lot during this project), mechanical, and fashion. On the right I am sketching out ideas for a pattern and for spread layouts.
Spread layout Ideas.
At first I was really struggling with the look of my specimen book. I was stuck in this one green and gold zone where my design looked like a cheap fashion ad. I continued to explore and when I designed the dragster image that's when I started playing with contrast in color... which made sense since the typeface has some contrast in the design.
Also above you can see early versions of my typeface, scale tests, and early pattern designs