Anagram Typeface Design

Project Goals

Explore the relationship between language and form
Develop original typeface designs from scratch
Practice craftsmanship and precision
Learn and apply typographic systems
Gain fluency in vectorization and digital type design tools
Experiment with typographic expression and layout
Practice iterative design thinking
Learn how to present and promote a custom typeface

In this project, I explored type design through experimental and conceptual phases grounded in language transformation, specifically, using anagrams. The process began with Phase A: Anagram Typeface Design, where I selected an anagram generated from my name using Wordsmith.org. From this, I hand-rendered three distinct typeface designs—one serif, one sans-serif, and one italic—each centered on 11x17" graph paper using only black ink. No digital tools were allowed. I established consistent cap height, x-height, and baseline alignment, working in title case and maintaining strong craft values so each rendering would resemble a fully realized professional typeface.
In Phase B: Anagram Typeface Family, I transitioned one of my hand-drawn anagram typefaces into a fully vectorized digital version using Adobe Illustrator. I expanded this into a six-member typeface family, designing light, medium, and bold weights—each with its italic counterpart. I paid close attention to the contrast between weights and used tools like Pathfinder and compound paths to ensure clean, single-shape characters. These were displayed in title cases and all-caps across two 11x17" tabloid-size layouts.
Phase C: Think Inside the Box challenged me to apply my custom typeface creatively in twenty 5.5x7.5" typographic compositions. These digital designs used only 100% black and 20% gray and visually centered the anagram as the main design element. I experimented with form, structure, and layout using non-objective design elements like bars and lines while maintaining typographic dominance. Each piece was printed on standard and specialty papers, offering varied tactile experiences for critique.
I moved into fully analog and photographic processes in Phase D: Think Outside the Box. Using only the standard paper prints from Phase C, I created ten handmade greyscale designs that visualized the anagram in abstract ways. Additionally, I produced ten photographic designs responding to prompts like "Shadows," "Disruption," and "Perspective" using my prints as source material. The final images were edited only for grayscale values in Photoshop and printed full-bleed on specialty papers at 5.5x7.5".
Finally, in Phase E: Think Back Inside the Box, I renamed my typeface using a new anagram created from either my first or last name. I designed two fully developed 12x18" promotional posters to showcase the typeface. Each poster pursued a distinctly different visual direction. The front sides introduced the typeface in a visually bold and conceptually clear layout, while the back sides utilized character fragments and patterns to form immersive, wallpaper-like textures. This final step brought together the whole evolution of my typeface—from analog sketch to digital family, through experimentation and application, to professional presentation.