Finding typographic potential in doodles, with graphic designer Harry Wright
The Sheffield-based designer – who works across branding, packaging, type design, illustration and motion – uses words and images in tandem to explore their intertwined meanings.
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When Harry Wright used to get bored at school, like many, he would doodle in his work books. But taking things one step further, he would then stare at the random shapes, imagining them into something new. Now, much of his practice leads with the same intention. “I always try to find meaning in form,” he tells us. Through his loose, frame by frame animations, he likes to portray this journey from A to B, as seen in his motion logo for Stacker’s restaurant. Harry expands: “there’s something magical about starting with something and seeing it deconstruct, grow, morph and transform into something else.”
This approach informs Harry’s type designs; his typeface Other was built simply from the form of a circle. Starting with a single image or word, Harry then likes to deconstruct them, linking letters with reflective illustrations. “I feel like the word play aspect of my style is due to being dyslexic, where I find it hard to spell words right,” Harry details. “It’s almost like I spell the word how I think it should be.” Charming and full of characters (both linguistic and drawn), Harry’s illustrative designs are as pleasing as they are innovative.
Harry Wright: Magic Garden (Copyright © Harry Wright, 2022)
Harry Wright: Cowch (Copyright © Harry Wright, 2022)
Harry Wright: Anomols (Copyright © Harry Wright, 2022)
Harry Wright: House Tunes (Copyright © Harry Wright, 2022)
Harry Wright: Strakers (Copyright © Harry Wright, 2022)
Harry Wright: Pasta Car (Copyright © Harry Wright, 2022)
Harry Wright: Bloom (Copyright © Harry Wright, 2022)
Harry Wright: Logo (Copyright © Harry Wright, 2022)
Harry Wright: Car Crash (Copyright © Harry Wright, 2022)
Harry Wright: Random (Copyright © Harry Wright, 2022)
Harry Wright: Other (Copyright © Harry Wright, 2022)
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Copyright © Harry Wright, 2022
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About the Author
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Olivia (she/her) joined the It’s Nice That team as an editorial assistant in November 2021 and soon became staff writer. A graduate of the University of Edinburgh with a degree in English literature and history, she’s particularly interested in photography, publications and type design.