Shots in the Attic
This flyer isn’t shy about contrast.
Contributed by Stephen Coles on Jan 7th, 2011. Artwork published in
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Invitation card for opening party of Nina Stössinger’s studio. Click to enlarge.
For the eternal question of how to combine typefaces, contrast is often the answer. Look to pair fonts from different classifications, of different weights, or styles. Like Courrier International, this invitation by Nina Stössinger hits all three of those points. The card uses only two fonts: Bureau Grot Black, a heavy bludgeon of a sans, and Whitman, a serif with an elegant italic.
Click to enlarge.
Nina achieved harmony between such opposites within the same paragraph by sizing the type so the x-heights matched. It also helps that, though Whitman was made in 2008, neither typeface is an ultra modern design. They feel like they come from similar eras.
2 Comments on “Shots in the Attic”
You've identified Bureau Grot Black, but only identified Whitman Italic as "Whitman," and called it "an elegant italic serif." Someone not familiar with Whitman might think that it's only an italic typeface, instead of a full text family with an elegant roman as well.
Picky but very right, John. I've updated the text and it's true that Whitman is still less known than it should be. Here's a poster of the family for good measure: