Words as images

Default avatar.
March 01, 2013
Words as images.

ThumbnailAs a writer, I’m particularly drawn to typographic art. Perhaps it’s because the combination of word and art speaks to both the left brain and the right brain — and therein lies the magic.

Designer Ji Lee’s book entitled Word as Image brilliantly illustrates the power of “picturing words”. Currently Facebook’s Creative Strategist and formerly a Creative Director at Google, the Seoul-born artistic genius describes a personal project that began nearly 20 years ago in his art school typography class:

The challenge is to visualize the meaning of a word, using only the graphic elements of the letters forming the word, without adding any outside parts. The challenge was very hard, but the reward of “cracking” a word felt great. So this became a lifelong project for me.

Lee’s book contains nearly 100 different words that prompt the reader to look — and think — a second time. The type treatments are simple, yet layered with meaning. By merely elongating a letter, changing elevation, or mixing font sizes, each word — presented almost exclusively in black and white — speaks for itself. Some scream loudly as you immediately capture the meaning. Others merely whisper, as you work to uncover the symbolism, until the “Aha!” moment grabs you. Regardless, without any added bells and whistles, these inspired images speak volumes.

Which of these designs is your favorite? Could you improve on any of them? Let us know in the comments.

Stacey Kole

Stacey Kole is a freelance writer and former magazine editor. When she’s not crafting copy or chasing after her two little boys, Stacey can be found drinking coffee, tea, or anything else with caffeine. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter.

Read Next

10+ Best Resources & Tools for Web Designers (2024 update)

Is searching for the best web design tools to suit your needs akin to having a recurring bad dream? Does each…

3 Essential Design Trends, April 2024

Ready to jump into some amazing new design ideas for Spring? Our roundup has everything from UX to color trends…

How to Plan Your First Successful Website

Planning a new website can be exciting and — if you’re anything like me — a little daunting. Whether you’re an…

15 Best New Fonts, March 2024

Welcome to March’s edition of our roundup of the best new fonts for designers. This month’s compilation includes…

LimeWire Developer APIs Herald a New Era of AI Integration

Generative AI is a fascinating technology. Far from the design killer some people feared, it is an empowering and…

20 Best New Websites, March 2024

Welcome to our pick of sites for March. This month’s collection tends towards the simple and clean, which goes to show…

Exciting New Tools for Designers, March 2024

The fast-paced world of design never stops turning, and staying ahead of the curve is essential for creatives. As…

Web Tech Trends to Watch in 2024 and Beyond

It hardly seems possible given the radical transformations we’ve seen over the last few decades, but the web design…

6 Best AI Productivity Apps in 2024

There’s no escaping it: if you want to be successful, you need to be productive. The more you work, the more you…

3 Essential Design Trends, February 2024

From atypical typefaces to neutral colors to unusual user patterns, there are plenty of new website design trends to…

Surviving the Leap from College to Real-World Design

So, you’ve finished college and are ready to showcase your design skills to the world. This is a pivotal moment that…

20 Mind-Bending Illusions That Will Make You Question Reality

Mind-bending videos. Divisive Images. Eye-straining visuals. This list of optical illusions has it all. Join us as we…