I have been living in my neighborhood for as long as I can remember. Usually when I walk around the area, I never thought about how typography is used to make my neighborhood the way it is. To me the letters on every single banners of the stores or buildings were literally just words that were there to inform me what the building is or what they sell. I never actually stopped to analyze the way each and every individual letter was presented or why this store decided to go with this particular font. Then I was given the assignment to go out and take pictures of how typography was involved in “My World.” I have come to realized that the use of different fonts and colors of the letters gives the word more meaning and characteristic of the building. From using fonts with serifs or san serifs, to using fonts that lean towards hand written calligraphy, it gives the reader an idea of what the company or store wants to portray to the world as them. Below are some pictures of stores that I’ve took around my neighborhood. I hope these pictures can allow you to see the characteristic of each letter as it did for me.
Updates from Smash Magazine
- Integrating Localization Into Design SystemsLearn how two designers tackled the challenges of building a localization-ready design system for a global audience. This case study dives into how Rebecca and Mark combined Figma Variables and design tokens to address multilingual design issues, such as text overflow, RTL layouts, and font inconsistencies.
- Integrating Design And Code With Native Design Tokens In PenpotThe Penpot team is not slowing down on its mission to build a free design tool that not only offers powerful design features but is also well-integrated with code and modern development practices. In its latest release, Penpot, as the first design tool ever, introduces support for native design tokens. Let’s take a closer look […]
- Smashing Animations Part 1: How Classic Cartoons Inspire Modern CSSHave you ever thought about how the limitations of early cartoon animations might relate to web design today? From looping backgrounds to minimal frame changes, these retro animation techniques have surprising parallels to modern CSS. In this article, pioneering author and web designer [Andy Clarke](https://stuffandnonsense.co.uk) shows how he applied these principles to Emmy-winning composer Mike […]
- Masonry In CSS: Should Grid Evolve Or Stand Aside For A New Module?There were duelling proposals floating around for adding support for masonry-style layouts in CSS. In one corner is a proposal that extends the existing CSS Grid specification. In the other corner is a second proposal that sets up masonry as a standalone module. Well, not until recently. Now, there are three proposals with Apple WebKit’s […]
- How To Launch Big Complex ProjectsWhen was the last time your project wrapped up smoothly — no delays, no surprises, no last-minute compromises? In reality, most UX projects drift as timelines slip, budgets stretch, and features morph. How do we get better at navigating the chaos? An upcoming part of How To Measure UX and Design Impact by yours truly.
- WCAG 3.0’s Proposed Scoring Model: A Shift In Accessibility EvaluationWCAG is evolving. Since 1999, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines have defined accessibility in binary terms: either a success criterion is met or not. But real user experience is rarely that simple. WCAG 3.0 rethinks the model — prioritizing usability over compliance and shifting the focus toward the quality of access rather than the mere […]
How Design News
- An error has occurred, which probably means the feed is down. Try again later.
So, based on the typography used in your neighborhood, what does it reflect about your neighborhood?