Typography is an art form as specialized as any other. Unfortunately, the digital age provides an abundance of fonts at everyone’s fingertips. But let’s not confuse choosing a font with typographic excellence. Kerning, serifs, proportion, weight, balance — good typography requires these and many other elements working in sync. I am continually amazed by artists that possess the ability to create typographic masterpieces woven together with illustration.
David Adrian Smith is one of those master artists. Recently he created the album cover of John Mayer’s “Born and Raised,” using old school methods combined with modern vector art. His hand sketches are highly detailed — complete ideas. Layer upon layer of detailed artwork, with the typography as the superstar. After the design satisfies both parties, he scans and transforms the sketch to vector art. This allows his artwork to be colorized and easily reproduced.
John Mayer knew the type of artist he was looking for, what he wanted to communicate, and the feel he hoped to express. But finding the right artist proved to be challenging. Once he found Dave Smith, the two creative minds came up with a spectacular visual. For the full story, view https://vimeo.com/60647216.
Lisa Schroeder, Graphic Artist, The S3 Agency
