Type as Image: Typography in Design

This collection brings together examples of typography used as visual elements, from different points in design history and purposes.

Some pieces use geometric approaches where letters are treated as shapes. Others have expressive, hand-drawn styles where the letterforms carry emotion or character. There are experimental works where text breaks away from normal layouts and commercial pieces that need to grab attention quickly.

Tom Eckersley’s poster work shows how letters can fit into organized visual structures. The Wimbledon Theatre Programmes often treat text more expressively, matching the energy of the performances. The Chelsea Artists Books Collection features pieces where designers experimented with the placement of text on the page, sometimes scattering or layering letters in unexpected ways.

The Central Lettering Record documents approaches to signage and commercial lettering. The decorated books from Denmark and the Netherlands add an international perspective, while collections like the Talwin Morris Collection and Charles London Pickering Archive show how designers developed distinctive typographic styles.

The digital format reveals details like the texture of letterpress printing, the care of typesetting methods and the character of hand-drawn lettering.

Typography moves between roles: carrying information, creating mood or working as decoration. Experimental approaches from earlier periods often appear later in commercial work. Ideas travel between fine art publications and everyday advertising, between book covers and public information campaigns. Designers face similar questions about when letters should prioritize clarity versus contributing to overall visual impact.

Curated collection prepared by Laela Tucker-Dawn Toy, MA Curating and Collections, Chelsea College of Arts.