oded ezer: skype type

‘skype type’ image © of oded ezer typography

it is the last day of conferences at design indaba 2011 and israeli-based graphic designer oded ezer,  known for his unconventional approach to typography, engaged the audience with a diverse range of projects including his work ‘skype type’.

image © of oded ezer typography

for the type face he invited friends to each write one letter and share it with him over skype. the request was vira and soon ezer had people he didn’t know contributing to the project.

image © of oded ezer typography

influenced by the possibilities of skype’s video conferencing and social networks, each letter is hand drawn by an individual from a different country, photographed together using skype’s application print screen function. it was originally developed as a commission for the annual jewish culture festival in krakow who asked ezer to design their new logo and further develop it into a poster campaign which was displayed all over the polish city’s streets.

image © of oded ezer typography

as spaces in between words, ezer used skype’s ‘user not found’ window image © of oded ezer typography

the poster design ezer created using the type for the jewish cultural centre in krakow

the poster ezer designed on the streets of krakow photo courtesy of robert gadek image © of oded ezer typography

4 x 7 metre banner of the poster just behind the jewish cultural festival society’s office photo courtesy of robert gadek image © of oded ezer typography

ezer was later asked by print magazine to produce a two page spread for their publication in which he used ‘skype type’

‘skype type’ was later used again when print magazine invited ezer to contribute a double spread for their magazine in which he used the type to state ‘every improvement in communication makes the truth less visible.’

view of the print magazine spread image © of oded ezer typography