Reviewing Faster One: A Visual Font For Creative Marketing

faster one cover

Welcome to Typogram’s FontDiscovery newsletter, written by your resident font and design nerd, Hua. Want to learn more about font and design? Subscribe FontDiscovery to get weekly doses of learning and inspiration♪


In This Issue…

How to Use Faster One for Logo, Branding and Marketing

 
  • Font of the Week: Fast One
  • Design idea of the Week: What is DALL-E?
  • Color Inspiration of the Week: Grand Canyon
Sample of Faster One
Sample of Faster One

The Speed of Technology

Before personal computers revolutionized the desktop publishing industry, phototypesetting. was a popular method that publishers used to generate text. Phototypesetting used the photographic process to generate text on a scroll of photographic paper. Before this, people were using a heavy and challenging process called hot metal type. This new method enabled people to get creative, which led to many decorative and “experimental” fonts. 

a phototypesetting machine being operated
A phototypesetting machine being operated

The style of Faster One is influenced by this era. Faster One is a display font, meaning it is better for flashy purposes, like Bungee we profiled a few issues ago. If we look at this font carefully, we'll notice that the letterforms are very thick. Bold shapes communicate strength and energy. Looking at spaces inside the letter O, we'll notice it is more "square" than "round." This gives the font additional balance and adds a touch of strength and power. The decorative lines simulating velocity also adds a hint of humor and kitsch. There is almost a superhero vibe about it.

Space inside the letter O; left – Faster One, square; right– Futura, round
Space inside the letter O; left – Faster One, square; right– Futura, round
Emigre design magazine covers inspired by phototypesetting
Emigre design magazine covers inspired by phototypesetting
Left – phototypesetting fonts; right – digitalized fonts inspired by left
Left – phototypesetting fonts; right – digitalized fonts inspired by left

Should I use Faster One for Logos? 

I would use this font for a very appropriate brand, like athletic apparel or streetwear. Faster One does have a fascinating character that can be fun for decals, streetwear, packaging, or anything with a more "graphic" purpose. It’s more for statement-making, rather than displaying long quotes and large bodies of text. It is definitely not for a serious presentation.

How to use Faster One for Marketing Branding?

This is a display font. Use for showy purposes only, like social media.

Cautiously Avoid

Any long text or quotes. This font is hard to read in paragraphs

Faster One used as the menu font on a streetwear site
Faster One used as the menu font on a streetwear site
A fun graphic using Faster One for Air Jordans
A fun graphic using Faster One for Air Jordans

 


Design Idea of the Week

What is DALL-E?

If you have paid attention to tech blogs and forums lately, you might have heard of DALL-E. With a name inspired by the famous surrealist artist, Salvadore Dali, DALL-E is trained to generate images from a text-based description input, and people have been creating crazy visual results with it. Learn more about it here.

“A teapot in the shape of an avocado“ generated by DALL E; source: Medium

“A teapot in the shape of an avocado“ generated by DALL E; source: Medium
“A teapot in the shape of an avocado“ generated by DALL E; source: Medium

Color Inspiration of the Week

The Grand Canyon

This week, enjoy this beautiful earthy color palette from Grand Canyon!

Soft Brick #C88561  Pine #506626  Sage #908E76 Charcoal #353A3D

Creative Prompt

It's March Madness! Create an Instagram graphic with Faster One and see what happens.


You Made it!

Thank you for staying for another issue. You can find Faster One in Canva and Figma. It is available to download on Google Fonts.

 

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