Cicada Handmade Typography

This poster evolved from a Graphic Design I project that involved flattening a complex image and creating type to match it. I chose an insect to illustrate, simplify, and flatten. I then created type based on images of deteriorated type that I found “in the wild” and put the two together into a cohesive poster design. The process shows the development of my type inspired by letter forms “found in the wild” and the cicada I chose to draw and simplify to match the type.

The wide and geometric letters, and the juxtaposition of the little “veins” or cracks sprouting out around each letter from where they were imprinted into the metal, reminded me of my fat bug with it’s delicate, veined wings. I recreated the letters on grid paper, and played with the curves at the corners a bit. I added some distress and hatching I had found in other type to give some dimension to the interior of the letters.