Sara Nguyen (IDEA Grad 2021) gains 2020 RGD Student Award Honourable Mention for the Tony Jurgilas Award for Logo Design with 'Typefriends'
Congratulations to Sara Nguyen (IDEA Grad 2021) for gaining 2020 RGD Student Award Honourable Mention for the Tony Jurgilas Award for Logo Design with 'Typefriends'.
Typefriends is a fictional type foundry that seeks to infuse warmth and personality in new typefaces to counter the trend of sterile and mechanical output.
This project was for IDEA School of Design 3rd-year logo workshop with Nancy Wu.
“Sara developed her assigned name & description into an expansive brief with a robust brand message to build upon. In the real world, a designer doesn’t always have a choice of what they work on. My job is to show what they CAN choose to do using ideation, craft and nuance to bring a thoughtful logo design to life. Congrats Sara!”
Process work sketches
About Typefriends
They combine their love for practical typography and out-of-the-box thinking to design personified typography that elevates brands to the next level. They are real friends of type who share their passion through their work and desire to bring others to the forefront of typography with them. Typefriends target market is professional design firms in the US and Europe who like to experiment in their work but remain functional. They understand the importance of finding the right type in their design and aspire to push boundaries.
Typefriends' logo needed to convey the brand values—animated, knowledgeable, spirited, offbeat, open—and exist on multiple print materials and digital platforms. It was a challenge to create a playful but professional brand that can resonate with larger design firms from different countries. The final logo designed combines the letters’ T’ and ‘F’ with a cheery smiley face to portray the personification of type. It conveys that this group is full of real friends of type, and the work they create each has a life of its own. The logo and type choice are curved and round to show the friendly nature of Typefriends, but the face isn’t too childish and remains professional. The icon is memorable and makes Typefriends stand out from other competing type foundries who use modern wordmarks and simple typeset logos. This fun and playful direction permeate the colour scheme, collateral, website design, and messaging.
About RGD
The Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD) is a non-profit, professional Association that represents over 4,100 design practitioners, including firm owners, freelancers, managers, educators and students.
For all the winners, see rgd.ca.
About Tony Jurgilas, R.G.D.
Tony Jurgilas, R.G.D. is a Principal and Chief Design Strategist at 50 Carleton. He is a founding member and Past President [2001-2003] of the Association of Registered Graphic Designers. His vast experience in the graphic design industry has led to the development of successful branding and collateral campaigns across northern Ontario and abroad. He is charged with the task of maintaining 50 Carleton’s high standard of creative quality and design ethics.
For more about this logo design project see sarasnnguyen.com/typefriends.
