Research: David Carson

David Carson

"Carson was perhaps the most influential graphic designer of the 1990s. In particular, his widely imitated aesthetic defined the so-called "grunge typography" era." - TED

This piece of his work was used through a combination of photography, digital effects, layering, collaging and the use of typography. There is black and white and sepia toning used throughout, giving it quite a haunted feel especially with the harsh shadowing on the photographed hand. The large typography at the top of the page draws your eyes to his name, whilst the smaller typography acts more as a clever affect and works with the colour scheme he chose.

This piece is another combination of photography, digital work and typography. The words are blurred and slightly distorted, clashing with the man's calm expression in the background. The typography curls around him, as if it's something personal to that person. Instead of sepia, the whole tone of the work is defined by the dark shadows and reds, which give it a morbid feel.

In stark black and white with minimal shadowing, this is work that is a mix of drawing/photography, typography and layering of images. The black, thick text stands out bluntly from the mostly white face, making sure the title stands out accordingly. It's a very striking piece of art.

Carson's work is based around making a statement with both typography and images, each carrying a different message which leads to the same conclusion. His work is usually in bleak tones, with blacks, whites and sepias being commonly used with rarely a splash of bright colour. Personally I'd find it interesting if he experimented more with colour and textures. That aside, I find his techniques interesting, especially the first piece of work I have talked about here. 

Inspired by the above pieces, I have created my own face in text.