Optima: The Five Kingdoms of Life
Type Specimen Book
Challenge
The challenge for this project was to design a type specimen book showcasing the five typefaces in the Optima type family: Optima Regular, Italic, Bold, Bold Italic, and ExtraBlack. Each typeface is used throughout the book in ways that highlight its real-life applications. The book features poems that reflect the character of each typeface.
Process
The process included researching the history of the typeface, selecting accompanying imagery, and incorporating poems by Pattiann Rogers.
Challenge
The challenge for this project was to design a type specimen book showcasing the five typefaces in the Optima type family: Optima Regular, Italic, Bold, Bold Italic, and ExtraBlack. Each typeface is used throughout the book in ways that highlight its real-life applications. The book features poems that reflect the character of each typeface.
Process
The process included researching the history of the typeface, selecting accompanying imagery, and incorporating poems by Pattiann Rogers.
Type Specimen Book Pages
Type Specimen Book Pages with Front and Back Cover
Type and Image Pages
Result
The final result is a type specimen book that elegantly showcases the Optima family through the lens of biology’s five kingdoms of life: Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia. By pairing each kingdom with relevant imagery, the book highlights the distinct personality of each typeface alongside anatomical elements of typography.
