TypeParis Now 25

Posted on by Linus Haug

Type Paris Now25 is the annual conference in Paris that brings together art directors, graphic designers, type designers, all passionate about good design and quality typography. Slanted will provide coverage of Now25 as media partners.

It is important to create platforms that allow different design disciplines to share their passion for typography in everyday practice. Attendees are invited to come to Paris on Saturday, May 31, 2025, to hear a range of inspiring speakers discussing topics as diverse as graphic design, web design, motion design, publishing, visual identity, communication, and type design.

Designing a good typeface is just one part of the picture. The real focus is on designing with type. Understanding typography’s purpose is crucial—how graphic designers and art directors use it, how they work with it, transform it, break it, and most importantly, communicate with it. At Now25, the aim is to explore how typography visibly impacts the world around us.

The international speakers for Now25 will represent various spheres of the graphic design and typography world. Speakers and Workshop leaders include Anni Seligmann Studio Mut, Tyrsa, Ariane Spanier, Mathilde Vallée, Tina Touli, Rachel Joy Price, Lucas Sharp SharpType, Veronika Burian Typetogether, Mathieu Réguer, etc.

Attention, Slanted readers! Unlock a €40 discount on regular tickets with coupon code SLANTEDNOW25. Redeem during checkout at Now25. Offer valid until March 31st, 2025. Don’t miss out!

TypeParis Now 25

When?
Saturday May 31st, 2025

Where?
Novotel Paris Vaugirard Montparnasse
257 rue de Vaugirard , Paris

Further information here.

Mut zur Wut 2025

Posted on by Mut zur Wut e.V.

Once again this year, Mut zur Wut with it’s 13th edition is deliberately turning public space into a stage for visual resistance! From March 1st to April 30th, you can submit your posters to this international competition at their website.

The world is in a turbulent phase. Power dynamics are shifting and the media landscape is ablaze. In times like these, keeping a level head and focusing on solutions can be challenging—but it’s never been more crucial. As creatives, we hold a unique gift: the ability to communicate across boundaries—transcending language, culture, age and ideology. Instead of letting frustration and anger drive us to extremes, let’s transform that energy into compelling visuals that ignite dialogue and inspire progress.

So go for it—be daring, be inventive, be true!

The jury is looking forward for an amazing range of submissions this year from all over the world. And as always, submitting is 100% free and super easy—just upload your poster onto the contest’s website. The 30 most striking designs will be showcased in public spaces across different cities from mid-July to the end of August 2025, plus in multiple exhibitions worldwide!

Mut zur Wut 2025

Deadline: April 30th, 2025
Design: Daniel Wiesmann with Robert Radziejewski
Jury 2023: Rejane Dal Bello (Brasil), Cihan Tamti (Germany), Martyna Wedzicka (Poland), Jean-Michel Géridan (France), Ming Yi (China)
The jury will gather in Heidelberg on the second weekend of May, and winners will be contacted shortly after.

Submit your work here

You can find all information about the call for entries and the submission process on the website and can also download it. For further information, Mut zur Wut will keep you updated on their facebook-page, Instagram, and Mut zur Wut.

Road Works Zine

Posted on by Luna Șenyurt

Road works is an experimental & variable typeface based on the unpredictable nature of road cracks. This font serves as a visual exploration of our ever-changing environment, drawing endless inspiration from the world we navigate daily. It features five stylistic sets in both Cyrillic and Latin alphabets. Letters are replaced randomly, but users can control these variations by manually selecting specific glyphs. Each letter is a unique depiction of a road crack, with the “O” designed to resemble road hatches, and various symbols reflecting road markings.

Road Works Zine serves as both a typeface specimen and a license to use the font. On the back of each zine is a poster showcasing the typeface in action. There are eight different variations for the zine’s back, each created by one of eight collaborating designers, bringing their own visual language and perspective to them. The cover is designed as a red and white crosswalk, symbolizing a physical or metaphorical crossing point for creative exploration.

Road Works

Idea & font design:  Olya Kuzovkina
Motion design: Serhii Serbin
Photos: Nataliia Azarkina
Poster designers: Alex Babariko, Vika Hermanenko, Vlad Boyko, Zhenia Katashynska, Maryna Zevako, Oleksii Salnykov, Olla Kuzovkina, Svitlana Korniienko

BUY HERE!

Gonzaï Journal #3

Posted on by Quentin Hourie

In December 2024, Gonzaï made a strong statement with the cover of its third edition Gonzaï Journal #3. This political and feminist issue features a look back at Elon Musk’s Excesses, an investigation into the role of women in rock, an interview with the Front des Musiques Indépendantes, a debate on black metal and a striking portrait of a transgender wrestler in Mexico. All of this guaranteed free of adverts, except the fake ones: a signature of the newspaper.

Designed by Quentin Hourie, Gonzaï Journal #3 stands out with its unique style, inspired by tabloid aesthetics: a bold two-colour print and set in News No. 2 and Etrusco Now.

Gonzaï Journal #3

Publisher: Gonzaï Media
Designer: Quentin Hourie
Volume: 44 pages
Format: 30 × 40 cm
Language: French
Production/Finishing: black + Pantone, offset printing, saddle stitch binding, uncoated paper
ISSN: 2268-8536
Price: €10.– (FR)

To subscribe or purchase this issue, go visit the Gonzaï website or Ulule page.

Design als Haltung

Posted on by Luna Șenyurt

The recently published book Design als Haltung (“Design as an attitude”) by Ulrike Brückner and Bianca Herlo demonstrates that design is much more than advertising, editorial work, and aesthetics. When design no longer sees itself solely as a service, it can become a powerful tool: in shaping politics and society, the world we live in and the way we interact with each other.

However in recent decades, design has been primarily focused on creating desires and driving consumption. This concept emerged during the economic boom and reached its peak in the era of booming stock markets and neoliberal economic systems. Today, we look with horror at the environmental destruction, the division of society and the strengthening of the political fringes as consequences of this economic system. Time to break new ground! Design and society are deeply interconnected. It influences how people interact with each other and how they behave in the designed environment.

This book paves the way for a new understanding of design that focusses on the process in an open-ended and integrative way, is oriented towards togetherness and does not serve turbo capitalism. Because design can change the world for the better. And because design, understood in this way, gives life more meaning.

Design als Haltung – Handlungsfelder jenseits des Kommerziellen

Publisher: Verlag Hermann Schmidt
Editors: Ulrike Brückner, Bianca Herlo
Design: Serve and Volley (Klaus Neuburg & Simon Roth)
Release: November 2024
Format: 14,5 × 21,9 cm
Volume: 196 pages
Language: German
Printing: Printed in full color throughout on high-volume natural paper with the EU Eco-Label and FSC certification.
Workmanship: Thread-stitched Swiss brochure for good impact behaviour
ISBN: 978-3-87439-977-7
Price: €35.– (DE)

BUY HERE!

Base Pixel

Posted on by Luna Șenyurt

The concept of Base Pixel was born from a simple but exciting idea: exploring the connection between ancient stone carved inscriptions and the digital type we see on screens today. The new typeface was created in collaboration with Base and Clement Cases. The main features of this font are available exclusively from Onchain through the Base collections.

At its core is the pixel—something we often take for granted but that shapes everything in our digital world. Here, it becomes a tangible, flexible element, shifting in resolution depending on its size. The design carries a nod to the past, with triangular serifs and proportions inspired by Roman inscriptions.

The typeface evolves across five weights, each playing with the visibility of the pixel. At the highest resolution, it’s almost invisible, blending seamlessly into the letterforms. As the resolution drops, the pixel becomes more pronounced, revealing its raw, structural nature. And then there’s the last weight, “Trash”—a rebellious twist that distorts the original proportions, turning the type into something expressive and unexpected.

Base Pixel is an experiment, a meeting point between history and technology, precision and playfulness.

Further information here.

 

Der Palast des typografischen Mauerwerks

Posted on by Luna Șenyurt

The exhibition Palast des typografischen Mauerwerks (“Palace of Typographic Masonry”) at Museum für Angewandte Kunst in Frankfurt, that started in February 2025, opens a multifaceted view of the graphic design discipline: from basic graphic elements, their interplay in compositions and designs, to tools, techniques, design methods, and the professional practice amidst considerations of space, time, clients, and audience. The traveling exhibition by Dutch graphic designer Richard Niessen illustrates the poetic and visual power of graphic design, its cultural influence, political impact and its ability to convey societal values and ideals.

Reflecting on his own professional practice, Richard Niessen collects and describes visual artifacts from diverse temporal and cultural contexts. His thematic compilations reveal surprising new layers of meaning, inviting designers to expand his collection with their own works and visual commentaries. For the exhibition, Niessen designs a scenography characterized by intelligent minimalism and visual playfulness, embodying the essence of Dutch graphic design. To depict the boundless diversity of visual cultures, Niessen develops the narrative of an infinite imaginary architecture: the Palace of Typographic Masonry. Its unfolding rooms, wings, corridors and chambers provide a discursive space where linear histories are disrupted and new perspectives emerge.

Der Palast des typografischen Mauerwerks

When?
February 22nd, 2025 to May 11th, 2025

Where?
Museum für Angewandte Kunst,
Schaumainkai 17,
60594 Frankfurt am Main

Further information here.

Photos by Günzel&Rademacher and Joost van Asch.

Words of Type

Posted on by WordsofType

Words of Type brings together the terms used in typography and beyond (graphic design, web design, linguistics, etc.), explained into several languages.

These terms form the vocabulary used by professionals of typography, but they are also part of the language of whoever uses texts in their life: everybody. On the one part, many terms are often misused or confused because they are rarely explained (or explained accurately), and on the other part, accurate translations and clear descriptions into another language are even more rare.

While most of the typography knowledge has been establishing itself in the Latin-script world and speaking English as a main language, a lot has yet to be researched and advanced for many other scripts, either on their own or with the wisdom and experience of Latin typography. The world doesn’t speak English only, so such knowledge should also be accessible to non-English speakers for more equality. And, a lot of such “non-Latin” scripts typography knowledge is hardly accessible for anyone who doesn’t speak the language using these due to lack to (accurately) translated and (comprehensively) explained to non-users. Words of Type aims to reduce such disparity and bring the various typography worlds closer together.

As of now, Words of Type has 200 terms illustrated and explained in seven languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. But the project will grow with future updates, adding more words and more languages.

Further information here.

Grafikmagazin 01.25

Posted on by Linus Haug

In issue 01.25, Grafikmagazin delves into the central theme of typography. From large research projects to small type studios, lettering is as varied as the creatives behind it. Over 20 pages, the magazine highlights how designers experiment with AI and typefaces, test new fonts, and incorporate historical references. Featured are Sina Otto, Creative Type Director at Monotype, the handwriting project Primarium, and Julien Fincker’s new identity, where he metaphorically “cooks” fine dishes in his Font Cuisine.

The cover was designed by Munich-based illustrator Steffi Bauer. Initially challenged by typography, she embraced the freedom to experiment, resulting in a cozy winter coffee scene with candlelight. The cover reflects her intuitive approach, love for details, and patterns. It was printed at f&w Medien on Icon Nature sprinkled paper, made from 100% secondary fibers and produced emission-free. Certified with the Blue Angel, this paper combines sustainability with unique texture, featuring tree bark inclusions. Bauer chose off-white for the cover, emphasizing its experimental character.

Beyond the main topic, Grafikmagazin 01.25 offers practical advice for creatives, focusing on self-presentation and organization. It stresses that good design requires not just talent but clear structures. Tips are provided for promoting work effectively without falling into self-optimization. The issue also features photo spreads of surreal places inspired by Wes Anderson and a Mediterranean village.

In the Showroom section, the magazine introduces notable studios and designers: Gander from New York, embracing collaboration and storytelling in branding; Portuguese studio Eduardo Aires, known for its expertise in printing and production; and Christoph Niemann, a creative artist who blurs the lines between walls, books, and augmented reality. The issue also explores Steffi Bauer’s journey from art school to becoming a distinctive author-designer and illustrator.

BUY HERE!

Call for Entries by Stiftung Buchkunst 2025

Posted on by Linus Haug

The Stiftung Buchkunst is now accepting submissions for the Die Schönsten Deutschen Bücher 2025 (Best German Book Design 2025) and the Förderpreis für junge Buchgestaltung 2025 (Sponsorship Prize for Young Book Design 2025). Publishers, book designers, and production firms can submit new releases from April 1st, 2024, until March 31st, 2025. Books with regional relevance may also enter the Deutschlands schönstes Regionalbuch (Germany’s Most Beautiful Regional Book) competition.

In the Die Schönsten Deutschen Bücher 2025 competition, two juries of design, production, and book trade experts select the top 25 books of the year. The awarded books are celebrated for their design, concept, and production quality, representing the best of German book production. Five categories are included: General Literature; Scholarly, Academic, School, and Educational Books; Guides and Non-fiction; Art, Photography, and Exhibition Catalogs; and Children’s and Young Adult Books. The jury also nominates the 25 winners for the Preis der Stiftung Buchkunst, (Stiftung Buchkunst Prize) which carries a € 10,000 award.

The Förderpreis für junge Buchgestaltung 2025 focuses on creative and innovative book concepts, prioritizing bold ideas over technical perfection. Three winners will be awarded € 2,000 each and featured in an exhibition at the einBuch.haus in Berlin, starting July 17th, 2025.

The awarded books and the shortlisted titles will be showcased at the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair and other national and international events. Additionally, the 25 Schönsten Deutschen Bücher will be exhibited at various locations across Germany.

Die Schönsten Deutschen Bücher 2025 & Förderpreis für junge Buchgestaltung 2025

Call for Entries
April 1st, 2024 to March 31st, 2025

Further information here.

2AM-DM

Posted on by Slanted editors

In collaboration with Sony Music Norway, Studio Herrström has turned the raw emotions of late-night texting into a striking typographic expression. Inspired by the vulnerability of 2AM messages—unsent confessions, unfiltered thoughts, and the longing for connection—the design captures the intensity of love, hesitation, and human connection in its purest form. This bold visual language transforms fleeting digital moments into an artful exploration of emotion, making it especially resonant for Valentine’s Day.

At 2AM, the world quiets, and emotions surface unfiltered. It is both the night’s deepest hush and the moment when thoughts emerge raw and vulnerable. Texting at 2AM is an act of honesty—where love, longing, and unspoken emotions take shape in messages sent in search of connection. The Oslo-based artist duo 2AM-DM captures this fleeting moment and transforms it into a powerful artistic expression.

“Our music is from and for the heart. It’s heartcore.” — Aksel Krystad and Robin Howard, 2AM-DM

In collaboration with Sony Music Norway, Vienna-based Studio Herrström translated these scattered late-night emotions into a custom-made typography, creating a striking visual and conceptual representation of unfiltered feelings. For the design of the typography, a retrograde approach was chosen—one that starts not with letterforms, but with their negative space. This introspective act mirrors the vulnerability of a 2AM message, the moment of hesitation before pressing send. A square structure frames the design, representing a contained space for these emotions—like the confines of a message window, holding words we might never say out loud. The shapes within the typography subtly resemble hearts, reinforcing themes of love and the expression of feelings. The result is a typography that feels as intimate as a whispered confession of love unsent.

“We began by immersing the audience in culture and emotion—evoking a sense of familiarity and nostalgia through culturally significant objects that remind us of the homes and hearts of those we cherish.” — Julian Jakob, Studio Herrström

Just as love is deeply intertwined with memory and tradition, this design bridges emotion and cultural heritage by integrating intricate patterns inspired by traditional Norwegian craft—garments, textiles, and everyday objects—connecting personal expression with Scandinavian design traditions. This fusion of nostalgia, passion, and modernity makes the typography both intimate and distinct, evoking the universal familiarity of desire, unspoken love, and the courage to reach out—especially on Valentine’s Day.

“The Studio Herrström team came back with several options, listened to our feedback, delivered amazing work and was super friendly and fun to work with!” — Christin Malén Andreassen, Sony Music Norway

Mutter & Muße

Posted on by Linus Haug

Host Anouk Rehorek speaks with inspiring guests from the creative industry about motherhood, gender equality, and new work models. The podcast is part of the Fair Work Initiative by the Creative Club Austria and is co-funded by the Association for Advertising and Market Communication. “We need more visibility for those who combine work and caregiving—and the creative ways they do it,” says Anouk Rehorek, designer, entrepreneur, and mother.

The conversations explore how creativity and parenthood can be reimagined, why motherhood often remains invisible in the creative industry, and how all genders play a crucial role in reshaping traditional roles. Guests include Astrid Feldner (Creative Director, mother of a daughter), Franziska Fürpass (fashion designer, mother of a son), and others who share insights on work-life balance and gender equality. Motherhood is often seen as a career obstacle, especially in creative fields, while caregiving remains invisible in public discourse. Mutter & Muße shows that balancing work and family is not just a private issue but a societal challenge requiring new work models and mindsets.

The podcast explores the (in)compatibility of caregiving and creative work while raising awareness about gender equality. A core goal is increasing the visibility of mothers in creative industries to develop real solutions. Mutter & Muße helps redefine the narrative of work, parenthood, and creativity.

Mutter & Muße is aimed at women, particularly mothers, in creative fields, where a significant number work part-time. It also speaks to fathers looking to take on more caregiving responsibilities, as father involvement has declined since 2017. The podcast is relevant for industry organizations like Design Austria, Creative Club Austria, WEI SRAUM Tirol, and CREATIVE REGION Upper Austria, as well as museums and festivals such as the MAK, Vienna Design Week, and Forward Festival. Leaders and decision-makers in creative businesses and cultural institutions will also find valuable insights.

Find further information here.

21st Pictoplasma Conference

Posted on by ldenicke

Pictoplasma returns with a stellar line up of artists, illustrators, filmmakers and designers looking to the future and reimagining the visual culture—including designer duo Craig & Karl, illustrator Angela Kirkwood, and virtual influencer Nobody Sausage. The world’s only conference on contemporary character design and art dives deep into the genealogies and flips the script on the myth of “the original,” often touted as an artist’s singular autograph and guided by an inherent genius or talent, and asks instead: to what extent are our creations our own, and how do we even determine the dimensions of originality, or indeed, imagination?

This question is ever more urgent. On one hand, the rise of generative AI shifts image creation to a search operation, spitting out dreamlike, distorted and often nostalgic echoes of “original material.” And on the other hand, cultural hegemonies are fading, which challenges established conventions of character design as a universal visual language. While the world grows more multipolar, the long-standing dominance of Western pop culture iconography, the influence of Japanese Kawaii, or kitschy, exoticized portrayals of other cultures are all being questioned and reconsidered. Will we see a new era of multiple visual representation, or simply another wave of pictorial hegemonies?

The conference features an extended program of 25+ lectures, panels, animation screenings and workshops, and introduces a new wide range of networking sessions.

Pictoplasma Conference Berlin 2025

When?
May 1st to 4th, 2025

Where?
silent green Kulturquartier
Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin

Further information here.

Experimental Type 3.0

Posted on by Juliane Lipp

Following the success of the first two editions, Slanted Experimental Type 3.0 has evolved into an ongoing series, each edition exploring groundbreaking approaches in typography and graphic design.

The third edition, developed in collaboration with students from Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts under the direction of Prof. Lars Harmsen and Andreas Ruhe, introduces entirely new content, pushing the boundaries of creative experimentation. When borders are drawn arbitrarily, they often disregard geographical, ethnic, or historical realities, sparking tension and conflict. While these themes might seem distant from typography, applying such reflections to design offers intriguing challenges. Designers often grapple with their role in a consumer-driven system, questioning the purpose of their work. Yet, they hold the power to choose projects, cross boundaries, and explore uncharted paths.

This project delves into design strategies that embrace accidents, imprecision, and unconventional methods, showcasing fonts born from unique concepts or systems. From AI-generated typefaces to variable fonts, Slanted Experimental Type 3.0 challenges norms and redefines the design process.

An invitation to venture into uncharted territory, shift perspectives, and question the lines we draw—both in design and beyond.

Slanted Experimental Type 3.0

Publisher: Slanted Publishers
Editors: Lars Harmsen, Andreas Ruhe & students of University of Applied Sciences and Arts Dortmund
Design: Adelisa Ljesnjanin, Fabian Meyer, Franziska Prüsener, Jule Orlik, Nele Kreuger, Nihal Türkyilmaz, Tim Stange
Release: February 2025
Format: 16 × 24 × 1,7 cm
Volume: 288 pages
Language: English
Printing: Offset printing by Printmedien Solutions
Workmanship: Softcover with thread-stitching
ISBN: 978-3-948440-81-7
Price: € 22.–

Buy here

SEEN Around the World Symposium

Posted on by Linus Haug

The SEEN Around the World Symposium presents outstanding (female and non-binary) international designers who address current socially relevant issues and express their opinions using typographic means and innovative formats.

The 3-day symposium will be held from April 9th to 11th, 2025. During the Around the World Symposium, numerous international typographers and type designers from across the globe will gather to discuss and celebrate. The event is free to attend, with all talks taking place live at LUX Mainz. Additionally, all sessions will be livestreamed. The conference language will be English, moderated by Julia Kahl (Slanted Publishers), Anja Lutz, and Flávia Nalon.

UN/SEEN is a project dedicated to increasing the visibility of women in graphic design, focusing on the period between 1865 and 1919. By researching archives, enhancing Wikipedia articles, and organizing symposiums with contemporary women typographers, UN/SEEN aims to address the historical underrepresentation of female designers. The project also engages in broader discussions on gender, discrimination, and intersectionality in design, challenging traditional narratives and highlighting the importance of the pre-Bauhaus era and applied arts in shaping design history. Through these efforts, UN/SEEN seeks to rewrite the history of design with a more inclusive perspective.

SEEN Around The World Symposium

When?
April 9th, 2025 to April 11th, 2025

Where?
LUX Mainz

Further information here.

Slanted × DASH Press

Posted on by Linus Haug

We’re excited to announce that our co-founder & CEO, Julia Kahl, will be joining DASH Press for an inspiring session and Type Talk! With her deep passion for design and years of experience, Julia will share insights into our latest typography publications—and perhaps even a design trick or two. 

Whether you’re a typography enthusiast, a design professional, or simply curious about the impact of design in our world, this event is not to be missed! Everyone from the Rhine-Main area, come by!

DASH is more than a bookstore—it’s a dynamic cultural space where literature, art, and ideas converge. With interactive installations, curated books, and thought-provoking events, DASH fosters exploration and challenges conventional thinking. Here, the written word meets tangible expressions of culture, from rare artifacts to contemporary art. Bridging tradition and innovation, DASH invites bibliophiles, creatives, and curious minds to engage with ideas, spark dialogue, and reimagine the world around them.

Slanted × DASH: Type Talk with Julia Kahl

When?
February 6th, 2025, 5pm

Where?
DASH Press
Fahrgasse 87, 60311 Frankfurt

All Aboard the Travel Zine

Posted on by gio.crise

How do you transform the fleeting details of a trip into a multilayered, immersive creative experience? Designer Giovanna Crise set out to answer that question with her newest project, a travel zine bridging the digital and the analog realms through visual storytelling and a multimedia approach. Inspired by her trip to South Korea, the Italian designer created the digital and the physical zine as a means to capture the ineffable: a multi sensorial experience revolving around the feeling of looking out of a train window.

The zine is structured around 5 chapters spanning architecture, markets, street views, people and the sea, playing on contrasts and looking beyond what meets the eye. Building upon an interactive experience, the project features special acetate pages reminiscent of the many layers of ads defining the Korean urban landscape, as well as custom Instagram filters that make the magazine come alive digitally. Drawing on her video and motion design background, Giovanna also created a digital version of the zine, adding an extra layer of accessibility and interaction. The one-page website is built with playfulness in mind: from moving cut-out statues to street-life characters, each reader can engage with the piece and craft their very own impression of a train ride from Busan.

From print to interactive design, Giovanna recreates an individual experience through an ultimately shared experience: constant motion, shifting focus and the fleeting details of a train ride across Korea come together to evoke a sense of constant wonder and a feeling that is constantly new. Designed for travelers and creative minds alike, the zine invites people to see the world—and their own experiences—through a different lens.

Giovanna is a multidisciplinary designer from Trieste, currently based in Torino. Passionate about storytelling, photography, and interactive design, her projects are at the intersection of culture and creativity. The Korea Travel Zine marks one of her most ambitious personal projects, blending editorial and digital design with an interactive approach. Currently, she works at illo.tv as a brand strategist, overseeing the studio’s image, social media, travel coordination, portfolio updates, and much more.

Further Information here.

European Design Awards 2025

Posted on by Linus Haug

The European Design Awards (ED-Awards), an award celebrating the regional distinctiveness of European communication design and its common foundations, is set to launch its 2025 edition!

A diverse jury spanning professionals from different disciplines such as publishers, journalists, editors, and academics annually honor the finest examples of communication design across Europe. This unique setup brings together individuals who curate and shape similar content daily. This provides participants with a valuable opportunity to showcase their work to a broader audience through the media channels represented by the jury members.

The European Design Awards culminate in a festival hosted in a different city each year, concluding with the awards ceremony. This event creates an inspiring environment for the most creative minds in our community to connect, share ideas, gain inspiration, and celebrate excellence.

The submission period is now open and ends on February 14th, 2025.

Additionally, this year our co-founder & CEO, Julia Kahl, was a part of the Graphic Applications Jury alongside Étienne Hervy, Meret Ernst, Martin Jenča, Magdalena Heliasz, Onur Yazıcıgil and Barbara van Santen. You can learn more about Julia’s vision for European creativity and read the full interview here.

Further information here.

Experimental Type 3.0 Release Party

Posted on by Linus Haug

Join us for the release party of Experimental Type 3.0 and the exhibition of works from the course “Experimental Type” by Prof. Lars Harmsen and Andreas Ruhe at FH Dortmund! 

In this course, students from FH Dortmund developed projects that incorporated chance into the design process, works based on mistakes and imperfections, and typefaces emerging from concepts or systems—ultimately exploring experimental or unconventional approaches to design. A major outcome of this work became a significant part of the latest issue of Experimental Type 3.0, for which a team of students also collaborated on the editorial design.

The third edition, developed in collaboration with students from Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts under the direction of Prof. Lars Harmsen and Andreas Ruhe, introduces entirely new content, pushing the boundaries of creative experimentation. When borders are drawn arbitrarily, they often disregard geographical, ethnic, or historical realities, sparking tension and conflict. While these themes might seem distant from typography, applying such reflections to design offers intriguing challenges. Designers often grapple with their role in a consumer-driven system, questioning the purpose of their work. Yet, they hold the power to choose projects, cross boundaries, and explore uncharted paths.

This project delves into design strategies that embrace accidents, imprecision, and unconventional methods, showcasing fonts born from unique concepts or systems. From AI-generated typefaces to variable fonts, Experimental Type 3.0 challenges norms and redefines the design process. It’s an invitation to venture into uncharted territory, shift perspectives, and question the lines we draw—both in design and beyond.

The results will be showcased in poster format on February 5th at ANNELISE in Dortmund, accompanied by drinks and music. You’ll also get a first look at the new Experimental Type 3.0—don’t miss it!

Experimental Type 3.0 Release Party

Where?
ANNELISE — Raum für Bücher und Bilder
Gneisenaustraße 30, 44137 Dortmund

When?
February 5th, 2025, 5pm

Molecular Typography Laboratory

Posted on by Linus Haug

Molecular Typography Laboratory by Kobi Franco is a speculative research project that delves into experimental typography, exploring the intersection of function versus aesthetics and content versus form. This study is based on the premise that Latin and Hebrew letters possess a molecular structure, exploring how this concept can be applied to alphabets and languages. It is an interdisciplinary endeavor that bridges the gap between design, science, and language.

The research is a deep and comprehensive exploration of the concept of “molecular typography.” It involves a series of over 150 tests, each designed as a structured “game” where Franco defines the rules, sets the stage, and selects the participants. These tests have led to the identification of 11 key themes: foundations, language, gender, formula, weight, 3D, gravitation, generative research, color, word play, and the relationship between type and image. 

The book features four illuminating essays that provide historical, cultural, and academic insights into typographic research and is accompanied by the website themtlab.com, offering additional animated and interactive content.

This is the first book to combine the similarities and components of Hebrew and Latin script based on years of research and experimentation!

CONTENT
— Inspiring visual representations of Latin and Hebrew letters.
— Methods and rules enabling a rhizomatic exploration of experimental typography.
— The project received the New York’s TDC awards.

ABOUT
Kobi Franco is a Tel Aviv based designer, researcher, curator, and the Head of the Master’s in Design Program at Shenkar College in Tel Aviv. He owns a leading studio specializing in design for culture and art. His work has been exhibited in a variety of exhibitions in Israel and around the world. The book Molecular Typography Laboratory is the result of five years of research in experimental typography. The project has been showcased in several exhibitions and has received numerous awards, including Typographic Excellence from New York’s Type Directors Club. 

Molecular Typography Laboratory

Publisher: Slanted Publishers
Author, Editor, Concept: Kobi Franco
Design: Kobi Franco
Release: January 2025
Format: 21 × 27 cm
Volume: 224 pages
Language: English, Hebrew
Printing: Offset printing with spot colors, NINO Druck
Bookbinding: Open thread-stitching with black thread, dust jacket
Paper: Munken Print White 1.5 115 g/sm (Inside), 300 g/sm (cover)
ISBN: 978-3-948440-79-4
Price: € 42.–

Buy here.

Anfachen Award IX

Posted on by Linus Haug

The Anfachen Award IX addresses a critical fracture point in democratic societies: privilege. The unequal distribution of opportunities, power, and resources ignites debates, shapes political party platforms, and threatens social cohesion—particularly in free societies. The award invites engagement with personal and collective experiences of privilege and prompts reflection on its implications in everyday life, political decision-making, and the global context. The submission deadline for the competition is April 16, 2025.

As in previous editions, a high-profile jury will select 25 winning designs from the submissions. These large-format posters will be displayed in prominent streets and public spaces in Hamburg starting June 17, 2025. Additionally, plans are underway for a touring exhibition of the posters through partnerships with cooperating organizations. Once again, the patron of the award is Klaus Staeck, renowned in Germany for his political poster art.

The jury members for the Anfachen Award IX are Agnieszka Węglarska (Poland), Birgit Lohmeyer (Germany), Nestory Thobias Owano (Tanzania), Yoav Perry (Israel), Marlis Zimmermann (Netherlands/Switzerland), 2x Goldstein (Germany), Maren Amini (Germany), Stas Kolotov (Ukraine), Dan Thy Nguyen (Germany)

Anfachen Award IX

Designs from around the world can be submitted until April 16th, 2025.

Further information here.

Nawal El-Saadawi / Two Women in One

Posted on by slanted-api

An experimental bilingual publication showcasing Nawal El-Saadawi’s book: Two Women in One. Saadawi was an Egyptian feminist writer who boldly addressed themes of gender inequality and the struggle for women’s rights. This publication was designed as part of the Typography and Editorial Design M.A. class at the Muthesius University in Kiel, Germany.

Echoes of Egypt

Posted on by slanted-api

As a ceramic artist, I interned at the Fayoum Pottery School to explore the connection between culture and craft. I studied techniques, local materials, and the timeless beauty of ancient Egypt. The resulting pieces bridge past and present, inspired by hieroglyphs, Arabic script, and unglazed surfaces that celebrate the region’s earthy tones.

The two photos capture Egypt: the fusion of tradition and urban hustle & its magical warmth.