Type Electives Display Type, Spring 2024
Funky Waka
by David Udoh
Funky Waka is a ‘funky’, stylized serif typeface, inspired by the hand-painted transit and signage designs found in Lagos and Mombasa. The font captures the essence of the local visual culture, infusing elements of spontaneity and dynamic letterforms into its design. The term “Waka” in the name originates from the Nigerian pidgin word for “Walk.” I thought it was a cool idea to include “waka” in the font’s name because the design references are largely from photos I took while walking through the streets of Lagos and Mombasa.
The typeface is still work in progress and is planned to support SSA languages and a stretch goal of varied weights.
One significant challenge I faced was finding a balance on the ‘funkiness’ scale. The referenced signs were hand-drawn, resulting in inconsistencies in form and colour. However, converting these into a functional font required some level of refinement. The lingering question was how much of the peculiarities could be discarded without sacrificing authenticity or straying from the reference. Thanks to insightful feedback from Juan, Klio, and Romina, I found a satisfactory way to harmonise these elements without sacrificing authenticity.
David Udoh
Based in Lagos, Nigeria, David Udoh is an Art Director & Designer. He has worked across various design disciplines, focusing on branding and advertising. Driven by the admiration for the beauty of everyday letterforms, he now designs fonts. He also leads the creative effort at The Huddle, an event that spotlights creative work from African designers. In his free time, he enjoys sports, travel, music, and curating vernacular designs.
