Erik Spiekermann

A designer who has always inspired me is Erik Spiekermann. He is a German typographer, designer, and writer. In a recent Platform talk (by BSoA Graphic Design) from Eric Spiekermann, he discussed his design career and many industry tips. I found this very interesting, especially the work he is creating now with letterpress.

Creating work on letterpress machines takes a step back from digital environments and back to where things must be set out by hand. This could teach us to think more about the process and development phase. Using metal/wood type is also inspirational, as you must work with the materials you have, but often the materials influence you to create work that you might not see initially.

A poster design set by letterpress I found characterful was the ‘Better done than perfct’. This was created as Eric has ran out of the letter e for the final word. This mistake shows how even though something that you think might not be successful turns out to be a best-selling piece.