MANILA, PHILIPPINES– Typography is on a burgeoning demand within the last few years. From the controversial use of Baybayin at the Lagusnilad underpass to the design competitions, the spotlight on fonts and typefaces keep growing.
This has prompted type designer Jo Malinis to chronicle them through social media: Type63 which aims to showcase and celebrate Filipino type design–ranging from custom type for projects to fully realized typefaces, and typographic layouts.
Malinis who is a type designer herself admits that she turned to foreign sources because of the lack of a local platform that focuses and showcases Filipino type-centric work.
“I’ve only recently embraced the label of being a type designer. As my interest and passion for type grew, I tried looking for inspiration and knowledge online and got most of them through foreign sources,” she said in an interview.
Type63 features Filipino designers regardless of age, gender or location with 63, being the country code for the Philippines. These designers take inspiration from everything under the sun including favorite movies, pop culture references, even the letters from Baguio walis tambo, and jeepney signages.
One such design is Cubao Free by Aaron Amar inspired by signboards hung on Philippine jeepneys, SUVs, buses, and other transport vehicles. Similar to the vibrance of Filipino culture, the font is best used with neon colors on a black background for readability.
Bawal Sans, crafted by Together We Design for Tipong Pilipino, averages the look of the DIY signages and reminders in the streets to create an actual font system that reflects how one functions in survival mode, with the fix it now, do it quick mindset.
Promdi is a sans serif that takes inspiration from local hand-painted signs that stands as the brand identity of the Galing Probinsya zine, a zine about probinsyano creatives and their work.
Another type revives the traditional brooms that originated in Baguio. Designer Lloyd Zapanta created LL Baguio to rekindle the appreciation for the weaved letters of brooms from Baguio since most brooms now make use of ready-made, plastic wraps instead of traditional weaving.
Inspired by Saoirse Ronan and her favorite movie Lady Bird, Alli Cunanan created Ladybird Light—an elegant serif font that features stylistic characters and alternates.
To further strengthen the platform, Type63 is coupled with interviews with creatives held on the fourth Tuesday of each month, Type Talks Tuesdays.
Type Talks Tuesdays are conversation with creatives about letters, projects, and their processes. Highlights of the interview are on Type63’s Instagram while full episodes are on their YouTube channel.
Interested designers can submit through direct messages on Instagram and email at type63.ph@gmail.com. They may also use the hashtag #type63 to display their works for possible features.
