Zachary Smith creates unique typographic art with objects that you'd find in a workshop like circular saw blades, wood and hand saws. You might expect that the type written on it would have a bite to it that matches the danger factor of the blades, but the pieces feature beautiful hand lettering with positive messages like "today is the perfect day to start living your dream," and "work hard, stay humble."
The work of the 21-year-old American illustrator and designer conveys a wistfulness and wisdom that is complemented by the hard edge of the hardware store materials. The combination of material choice and nostalgic type and illustrations gives an air of "cool" to this sage advice.
What's Driving This Trend
- Hardware Typography Art
- Creating typographic art with hardware store materials presents an opportunity for a new category of art and crafts.
- Upcycling Typography
- Upcycling objects like saw blades to create typographic art highlights an opportunity for sustainable product innovation.
- Type and Illustration Mashup
- Combining typography and illustrations with unconventional materials for art and communication creates a new creative field to explore.
Who This Affects Most
- Industrial Manufacturing
- Manufacturing companies can explore producing circular saw blades with unique typography to create another revenue stream.
- Art and Craft Supplies Retail
- Retailers can create a new section for typography enthusiasts interested in making art with unconventional materials to expand their offerings.
- Sustainable Product Design
- Designers can explore using upcycled materials like saw blades to create functional products with typographic designs that serve a purpose and reduce waste.
