Type designer Zin Nagao wants to prove just how fun letters can be

From having never touched letters to rapidly becoming an expert typographer, the Japanese designer's journey is a lesson in perseverance.

Type design is usually something that those who practise it describe as having an instant affinity for; a love of words that naturally translates into a deft usage of letters. However, designer Zin Nagao says that type design was something he was in fact “not good at”. But, determined to become so, he set himself a rigid structure of daily training tasks to fully hone his skills. And now, looking through Zin’s diverse and multi-faceted portfolio, you would have no clue that Zin’s talent didn’t come naturally.

Today, the designer’s love of letters is so passionate that one of his works main aims is to “convey the joy and fun of letters” to his audience. Zin achieves this through paying homage to Japanese video games and retro visual media, and through the unique presentation of his designs; letters twist, morph, flip and switch right in front of your eyes, creating both a playful visual experience as well as proving the vast possibility of each individual letter.

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Zin Nagao: Experimental Work, Experimental Type Animation (Copyright @ Zin Nagao, 2022)

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Zin Nagao: Experimental Work, Experimental Type Animation (Copyright @ Zin Nagao, 2022)

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Zin Nagao: Experimental Work, Experimental Type Animation (Copyright @ Zin Nagao, 2022)

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Zin Nagao: Website, foznt.com (Copyright © Zin Nagao, 2020)

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Zin Nagao: Website, foznt.com (Copyright © Zin Nagao, 2020)

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Zin Nagao: Typeface, Poltertype at Gallery Other (Copyright ©︎ Zin Nagao, 2023)

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Zin Nagao: Typeface, Smake (Copyright ©︎ Zin Nagao, 2022)

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Zin Nagao: Typeface, Yon Yon (Copyright ©︎ Zin Nagao, 2022)

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Zin Nagao: Experimental Work, Experimental Type Animation (Copyright @ Zin Nagao, 2022)

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Zin Nagao: Animation, Alphabet Knot at Dice&Dice -TDSNBXDXD- (Copyright © Zin Nagao, 2023)

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About the Author

Olivia Hingley

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.

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