Type Electives Display Type, Fall 2023
Heatwave
by Luis Valencia
Heatwave is a Mexican Display Typeface inspired by the extreme temperature that bend and melt letterforms making them to have an expansion contrast, asymmetric serifs, and inverted letter shapes. Not only did Heatwave have a more human approach to letters to make it feel that warmness but it was a personal challenge to see how to make a reverse-contrast typeface and see what are some of the problems that someone will find when designing one. Even though I think it looks strange at times I feel it has so much personality charm with it.
When designing Heatwave, I would try not to look that often some other examples of how a reverse-contrast have solve some of my problems that would face. The reason why is that I would feel the that would affect my workflow consciously or unconsciously and leak into my typeface at the moment of drawing. I will used an expansion tool to find out how the pen works, then try to add those characteristic to my draw sketches. Then in the computer will refine and make sure everything works in the same system, if something not, will go back to the drawing board.
Luis Valencia
LUISTER is not just a nickname - it’s a way of living that means To listen. Luis Valencia is a Mexican graphic designer based in Brooklyn, NY. Graphic designer, Letter artist, and Type designer.
