The quest for authenticity is essential to surviving in a saturated market. Standing out in a global landscape requires creative and systemic strategies that can craft a language capable of engaging the observer while reinforcing the brand’s values and purpose.
When Tip Toey Joey launched its t-shirt collection, I was invited to collaborate on this project by developing a visual language aligned with the brand's universe: freedom in childhood.
The briefing was clear: create phrases and words that conveyed the brand’s values and the world it aspires to build.
My first concern was to define the design of the letters—something as spontaneous as a child. I started sketching on paper, experimenting with different strokes and materials. I drew with my left hand, my right hand, and even upside down. I tried giant and tiny letters, using fine and bold pens, exploring the freedom of the process.
When I cut the letters out of paper, the result was surprising. I realized I could play with different background colors and also work with just the lines, creating a sense of balance within a bold aesthetic. Despite the many hours spent cutting the letters into the desired shapes, I carried out tests that were later presented to the Tip Toey Joey team.
The alphabet created from the cutouts was a big surprise: the tiny imperfections in the details broke away from the idea of rigid symmetry, perfectly aligning with the concept of natural childhood, which is central to the brand's purpose.
After the initial approval, I refined the fonts on the computer, vectorizing each letter carefully to preserve the spontaneity of the manual strokes. Vectorization was essential to provide the brand with a flexible file that could be adapted to different uses: words, phrases, and other applications across various media, such as banners, shoes, clothing, bags, and more.
© 2024 Tip Toey Joey. All Rights Reserved.
© 2024 Tip Toey Joey. All Rights Reserved.
Personally, I love creating modular designs that invite others to co-create and explore new possibilities. This project, which began with the goal of developing a language for t-shirts, evolved freely—just like children, who play without worrying about time or the final outcome.
If you want to see more Tip Toey Joey products featuring this lettering, click here.