Klaws Typographic design experiment

Ever since I was a kid I have always been a big fan of graffiti style type. On a train en route to the studio in Manchester, I saw a piece and was inspired. So upon arrival I immediately started to work on some numeral styles as a personal project. Inevitably the results were no where near as cool and looked nothing like graffiti!

However, they were certainly interesting and worthy of further development. Starting with the number 2, it was clear that the design style would be typographically challenging. A distinct tapered claw aesthetic was emerging. It was strong, but it would be taxing to carry this element through the design of every numeral. Perseverance and experimentation paid off and eventually the design of the complete set felt consistent.

The dominant claw like feature throughout led to the logical name for the project. With Klaws established as the project title, the required letters were developed in the same typographic design style. This required even greater experimentation, and like the original graffiti source, severely pushed the boundaries of legibility!

With the designs for the numerals and name complete in 2D I then experimented with them further in C4D. For the 3D typographic renders I experimented with a mixture of materials. The sweeping curves leading to extreme points led to perilous, gravity defying structures reminiscent of contemporary architecture. This realisation combined with the original source of inspiration led to concrete as an obvious material choice. In stark contrast this was combined with high-end interior finishes such as polished wood and metal to dramatic effect.