Sexy, Bold And Experimental Typography

About The Author

Vitaly Friedman loves beautiful content and doesn’t like to give in easily. When he is not writing, he’s most probably running front-end & UX … More about Vitaly ↬

Email Newsletter

Weekly tips on front-end & UX.
Trusted by 200,000+ folks.

Sometimes typography is all you need to communicate your ideas effectively. Graphics can support the type or type can support the graphics, but to deliver the message precisely, you need to make sure your type is expressive enough, your design is distinctive enough and the composition is strong enough. The results are sometimes crazy, sometimes artsy, sometimes beautiful, but often just different from things we’re used to. Thus designers explore new horizons and we explore new viewing perspectives which is what inspiration is all about.

Sometimes typography is all you need to communicate your ideas effectively. Graphics can support the type or type can support the graphics, but to deliver the message precisely, you need to make sure your type is strong enough, your design is distinctive enough and the composition is strong enough. The results are sometimes crazy, sometimes artsy, sometimes beautiful, but often just different from things we’re used to. Thus, designers explore new horizons, and we explore new viewing perspectives which are what inspiration is all about.

This post showcases over 70 examples of sexy, bold and experimental typography. Some examples are typographic posters, some are typographic illustrations, and some are just sketches with type. In any case, you will hopefully find some inspiration for your future works.

Feel free to check out our previous typography-related posts:

So what can be achieved out of simple letters and symbols? Please be patient, some screenshots are huge.

Sweet and Cute Type #

Sweet Sixteen #

Typography with a sweet taste of sugar. A nice composition, an excellent execution. Sometimes not that much is needed to make the type look tasty. The typeface used below is Cutiful.

Beauty of Typography - This Day in Type — Participate! - am besten bewertet/Horton -- July 16, 2007 -- Cutiful

Dive Deep #

Hand lettering by Ray Fenwick, cutting out by Dan Mogford.

Beauty of Typography - DIVE DEEP

Scarlett #

An illustration created by Nik Ainley. Notice how well every single letter (e.g. “l” and “s”) fits in the composition.

Beauty of Typography - Shinybinary v2.1 - Art and designs of Nik Ainley

Newstand Cover for Computer Arts issue 139 #

Alejandro Paul’s Affair typography from Argentina: typography dominates in the composition, the swirly headline is just breathtaking.

Beauty of Typography - Newstand Cover for Computer Arts issue 139

17.06.2007 #

Created by Michael van Laar using Freebooter Script.

Beauty of Typography - This Day in Type — Participate! - am besten bewertet/Michael van Laar — June 17, 2007 — Freebooter Script

Aphrodisiac Dessert #

Dessert type for a dessert announcement.

Beauty of Typography - FFFFOUND!

FitzGerald Album (Extended Play) #

Nothing can beat old-style-typography. Nothing.

Beauty of Typography - FitzGerald Album (Extended Play)

Rally #

Apparently, typography can be used for a number of purposes. Typographical Motorsports: simple yet interesting.

Beauty of Typography - Rally

Tina Colada #

It is worth a discussion if “overlettering” actually helps to deliver a message, but the type looks nicely. And the choice of colors is impressive.

Beauty of Typography -

More ink is coming #

Impressive lettering by Ale Paul.

Beauty of Typography - more ink is coming.jpg

cim_organic #

Sunny, flourish motif for a fresh typographic composition. Designed by Ryan Katrina.

Beauty of Typography - cim_organic

Empire #

The attention to detail is remarkable. Designed by Theo Aartsma.

Beauty of Typography - Empire

Eichholtz #

Beauty of Typography - Eichholtz

Arabic Typography #

Beauty of Typography - 4039-555-638

Elegant and Sexy Type #

Climate Change ‘Co2’ ideas #

Simple idea which uses only the power of typography. Impressive posters do not need to be colorful.

Beauty of Typography - Climate Change 'Co2' ideas

Αnapodi Klosti Poster #

Poster for a experimental performance installation. The main lettering is based on PF Beau Sans. Unusual: thin font transform into a thin thread.

Beauty of Typography - Αnapodi Klosti Poster

qp logo #

In this logo “q” and “p” belong together. Nice concept, nice colors.

Beauty of Typography - qp logo

Tony Rohr #

Similar idea as in the previous one, but a different execution.

Beauty of Typography - FFFFOUND!

JG3! #

Slick and sexy, colorful and strong. Notice how beautifully both letters intersect in the middle of the image.

Beauty of Typography - JG3!

CMYK Lovers #

Well, that’s A LOT of letters. Vibrant colors meet 3D-typography. Available as a desktop wallpaper. Designed by Guilherme Marconi.

Beauty of Typography - Wallpaper of the Week #1 | Abduzeedo - graphic design | design inspiration | design tutorials

Poster in the city of Amsterdam #

Dutch graphic design at its best. Interesting typographic construction which captures attention by its structure and attracts by its vibrant colors.

Beauty of Typography - poster in the city of Amsterdam

Requiem #

Strong, dirty and grungy typography is also possible. Craig Shields manages to get impressive results combining grunge and type.

Beauty of Typography - Requiem

Designed by Stefan Lucut. The loog looks very modern and powerful, however, at the first glance it is not clear what the red thread stands for. Nevertheless, very original composition.

Beauty of Typography - BBB

Strong and Bold Type #

Nicolas Alexander combines typography and retro. Notice how elegant the line starting in the letter “G” goes through “R”.

Beauty of Typography - Typography

2008 Calendar #

Expressing feelings via colors and type. A very clean and beautiful design by Jonathan Davies.

Beauty of Typography - FFFFOUND!

Bckyrdflw Promo #

Well, this one is hard to overlook. Andrew Dyjak’s poster can be read without vocals vowels. Lovely colors, cropping and, of course, type.

Beauty of Typography - Bckyrdflw Promo

Statistics Table #

Strong, bold and extremely expressive. And it is just a table!

Beauty of Typography - FFFFOUND!

The Well of the Saints A1 poster #

A1 Graphic poster produced by John McDermott. Simple, strong and sexy. Sometimes two colors and a bold typeface are enough.

Beauty of Typography - The Well of the Saints A1 poster

Breaks logo #

A distinctive treatmeant of letters which perfectly fits to the message a poster wants to convey. Designed by Zoltan Szalay.

Beauty of Typography - Breaks logo

Nik Ainley #

Nik Ainley strikes again. Lovely typographic work where letters don’t just convey the message, but are also functional: their form suggests the second message which is transported with the artwork.

Beauty of Typography - Shiny Binary

Benno Wissing #

Dutch Typography by Benno Wissing. It looks very modern, but it was created in 1963.

Beauty of Typography - Benno Wissing

Film Poster #

Colorful and distinctive. Each color stands for a different movie which participated in the festival.

Beauty of Typography - FFFFOUND!

Experiments with type #

A2 #

Beauty of Typography - A2

Crumpler - ABC #

Beauty of Typography - Crumpler - ABC

American Graphic Design #

Beauty of Typography - American Graphic Design
Beauty of Typography - The Make Lounge

Moctezuma: James Brown #

Beauty of Typography - Moctezuma: James Brown

Dog Type #

Sometimes typography is used to deliver a message in a quite, well, unusual way.

Beauty of Typography - FFFFOUND!

Lead Us Not Into The Future

Beauty of Typography - Lead Us Not Into The Future

»R« letter sketches #

Beauty of Typography -

Blik x Drez #

Beauty of Typography - Blik x Drez

A Stitch Up - Corktown Tavern - Base #

Beauty of Typography - A Stitch Up - Corktown Tavern - Base

Cubix Rube

Beauty of Typography - Cubix Rube

supervision

Beauty of Typography - supervision

Palawa Poster #

Beauty of Typography - Palawa Poster

seis [cartel] #

Beauty of Typography - seis [cartel]

Wishes #

Unusual type treatment which makes the wishes quite distinctive from the “usual” crowd.

Beauty of Typography - FFFFOUND!

Rasterfeld Event Poster #

Beauty of Typography - Rasterfeld Event Poster

Personal Geocode

Beauty of Typography - Personal Geocode

Cubix Rube Soft

Beauty of Typography - Cubix Rube Soft

font_code #

Beauty of Typography - font_code

Experimenting with s #

Beauty of Typography - s

accept | adapt | evolve #

Beauty of Typography - accept | adapt | evolve

fac04_flyer_a #

Beauty of Typography - fac04_flyer_a

Doblette - Taller Tipografia (uy) #

Beauty of Typography - Doblette - Taller Tipografia (uy)

Bold type #

These letters are really hard to read. Is it the purpose of typography? Well, it’s definitely an experiment. Cute, fat and bold type in use.

Beauty of Typography -

Extraverage x The KDU #

Pattern is used to create letters.

Beauty of Typography - Extraverage x The KDU

Visual Lexicon v 2.1 Metamorphosis #

Beauty of Typography - Visual Lexicon v 2.1 Metamorphosis
Beauty of Typography - Type Area

Wim Crouwel: New Alphabet book #

Beauty of Typography - Wim Crouwel – New Alphabet book

Nederlandse Postzegels 1971 #

Beauty of Typography - Nederlandse Postzegels 1971

Askul #

Beauty of Typography - TheDieline.com: The Leading Package Design Blog: Askul

Experimental Jetset: SMCS Invitations

Beauty of Typography - Experimental Jetset: SMCS Invitations

Triple O’s #

Sometimes type doesn’t look like type at all.

Beauty of Typography - FFFFOUND!

TypeNeu #

Beauty of Typography - FFFFOUND!

88. Geometric Type #

This type is quite freaky. Dutch Graphic Design.

Beauty of Typography - FFFFOUND!

89. YOLO #

A (really) striking poster designed by Martin Fewell from Manchester, UK.

Beauty of Typography - FFFFOUND!

100. Best time of my life #

Disturbing yet powerful. This poster delivers the message effectively.

Beauty of Typography - FFFFOUND!

Recycle #

Usually typography is used as a foundation for symbols. In this artwork it is the other way around. The yellow circle in the middle of the composition may be too striking, but it may be the designer’s intention. Designed by Satoboy.

Beauty of Typography - RECYCLE

Chaumont, festival international de l’affiche, version longue - Etienne Mineur archives #

Beauty of Typography - Chaumont, festival international de l'affiche, version longue - Etienne Mineur archives

Last Click #

Colours Clock

Designed with the sole intention of not over complicating the design. Designed by Richard Shed.

Beauty of Typography - Reloj Richard Shed

Holding type #

These flocked magnets looks pretty sweet.

Beauty of Typography - M

Spaghetti Dinner Poster #

Beautiful integration of type into a photo.

Beauty of Typography - Spaghetti Dinner Poster

Matias Ignacio en crema #

Ok, now it’s time for a coffee break.

Beauty of Typography - Matias Ignacio en crema

— Comments 95

James
James wrote #

This is one of your best type post yet smashing mag! Thank you.

Greg
Greg wrote #

In the Bckyrdflw Promo description you say "vocal" but I think you mean "vowel".

Leave a comment

Comments are moderated. They will be published only if they add to the discussion in a constructive way. If you disagree, please be polite. We all want to learn from each other here. We use GitHub Flavored Markdown for comments. Call out code within a sentence with single backticks (`command`). For a distinct block, use triple backticks (```code block```). Typo? Please let us know.