Editorial2023
Helix Type Specimen
A printed specimen that makes a new typeface impossible to ignore.
- Client
- Helix Type Foundry
- Role
- Editorial design, typography
- Year
- 2023
- Discipline
- Editorial
Overview
Helix released a new variable grotesque and needed a specimen that designers would keep on their desk, not in a drawer.
The challenge
Show off every weight, width, and OpenType feature of the family while remaining a desirable object in its own right.
The approach
I treated the specimen as a piece of editorial: spreads built entirely from the typeface, exploring scale, rhythm, and the variable axes. Production used two spot colours and an uncoated stock for tactility.
Services
- Specimen design
- Typography
- Print production
Outcome
The specimen drove the foundry's strongest launch to date and is now used as a sales tool with studios.