Abstract
The Indian design landscape presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities when it comes to the evolution of display typography. While Latin-based typefaces abound designers working with Indic scripts face a significant shortage of diverse and functional typefaces that can effectively cater to the needs of modern Indian brands. This gap becomes critical when creating strong, culturally relevant brands in a multilingual environment. As a type designer and educator, I have sought to address this deficit through extensive research and collaboration with design students. This paper explores the state of Indic display typography, the historical factors leading to its current underdevelopment, and the steps we have taken in creating new display typefaces for Indic scripts that focus on legibility, readability, and cultural functionality. The conclusions highlight the critical importance of investing in the development of Indic display typography. As India continues to grow as a global economic power, the demand for brands that communicate effectively through multilingual and multi-script designs will only increase. This paper argues for a more concerted effort within the Indian design community to develop typefaces that reflect the country’s linguistic diversity, heritage, and contemporary design needs. The research contributes to the ongoing discourse on typographic innovation and provides a foundation for future studies aimed at expanding the repertoire of Indic display typefaces.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Indic Display Typefaces, Typography Culture, Brand Identity Design, Packaging Design
