New Ornamental Type Decorative Lettering in the Digital Age

Steven Heller, Gail Anderson

Words becoming pictures: a rich typographical resource of images and inspiration for designers.

Expressive lettering and illustrated words: here is a kaleidoscope of highly animated text and type from a broad spectrum of styles and effects. Psychedelia, Hip-Hop, Gothic, flowers, smoke, hair, electricity, and monuments are just a few of the creative allusions for the dramatic and intricate examples inspired by nature, history, and just about anything that is visually provocative.

Beginning with an historical overview of ornamental type and how it has evolved through the major creative periods from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present, the book includes hundreds of contemporary examples from around the world, organized into three sections: History Lesson, Au Naturel, and Eclectic. Each includes a brief essay introducing the background, influences, and outstanding aspects of the graphic work so beautifully displayed.

New Ornamental Type is an essential reference for practitioners and students, and for anyone who appreciates the sheer delight of type as illustration.

Contributors

Steven Heller

Author

Steven Heller is co-chair of the MFA Design: Designer as Author program at the School of Visual Arts, New York. His many previous books include
Typographic Universe, New Modernist Type, and Scripts.

Gail Anderson

Author

Gail Anderson is creative director of design at SpotCo, New York, and a former senior art director of Rolling Stone magazine.