Melbourne, VIC / practical notes
Learn to notice lettering as part of a city’s visual history. Three useful guides, written for everyday practice and designed to be read without an account.
A clear place to start
Explore Street typography and signs through observation, preparation and a repeatable practice. Each guide focuses on something you can try with modest equipment and your own judgement.
Selected reading
Choose one question, try the suggested method and keep notes on what changes.
Street typography and signs
Observe a sign from across the street, then close enough to see its material. Lettering for wayfinding behaves differently from a shop name or memorial. Record the context before judging the style.
Read the guideStreet typography and signs
Draw the shape of a single repeated letter and note spacing, weight and contrast. You do not need a perfect type identification to learn from it. Avoid touching or obstructing the sign.
Read the guideStreet typography and signs
Collect a few examples that solve different communication problems. Date and label your notes. When researching a sign’s age, verify with a reliable record rather than guessing from its appearance.
Read the guideFor comments about the guides or a correction, use the details supplied for Type Walk. We do not collect messages through this static page.