Flipping through the journals of Kurt Cobain, you cant help but wonder what was going on in his mind. The untidy scrawl that meanders across the page in no particular direction feels almost emblematic of his angsty grunge persona, and a 15-year-old me felt like every word on that page was directed at me on a profoundly personal level. That’s the thing about handwriting, it lends every word, however mundane an air or intimacy that the clinical sterility of Georgia or Calibri can never quite attain. Great musicians have always been able to connect with people on personal levels sometimes with a single bar, but now French graphic designer Nicholas Damiens has conceived a new way to inculcate their legacy in ever facet of your life.
With ‘The Songwriters’ Fonts Project’ he’s delved into the archives for writing samples from the world’s most iconic musicians and has transcribed them into a database of usable typefaces. Whether it’s Bowie, Cobain, Cohen, Gainsbourg or Lennon, you can choose from a bank of your heroes to accentuate your musings, or maybe even to write your own hit album. Though a purely aesthetic project, it has potential to be the inspiration you need, so download your favourite muse and get started on your own work of art.
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