This Typographic poster was designed over the duration of a four-week typography course. The brief was to create a typographic poster for one of the key typefaces. I chose to work with Gill Sans as I found its quirkiness visually appealing.
Jonathan Hoefler has said that Gill’s designs are ‘chilly and austere designs shaped by unbending rules’, however this perspective begs debate when it comes to Gill Sans. Gill Sans combines both modern and classical design, giving it an Art Deco feel. Its clean and rounded forms are practical and commercial, while conjuring an elegant sophistication. In the early-mid 20th Century, Gill Sans was largely used in notices and announcements, something to which its official, commanding, yet amiable nature lends itself.
I drew inspiration from this design from the use of Gill Sans in early train name placards. The black and gold struck me as sophisticated and authoritative. Gill Sans combines both modern and old-style type ideals, so I reflected this in the strong, structured form of each element of text.