Marian Bantjes

Working for venerable companies such as Pentagram, AIGA, Stefan Sagmeister, and the New York Times, Canadian artist and typographer Marian Bantjes grew from being a book typesetter to an internationally known designer.

I Wonder' by Marian Bantjes I've recently been... | London Designz
The cover she designed for her own gorgeous book.

Although Bantjes has worn many hats throughout her career, this blog post will focus on her typographic work, as it is truly beautiful and unique in its intricacies and methodical humanist designs. Her work is mostly comprised through carefully drawn vector art or hand lettering – though both are sure to feature an abundance of detailed patterning.

She often designs ornaments to be paired with her letterforms, building beautiful cages to frame and support the type.

Career wise, Bantjes co-founded the graphic design agency Digitopolis, though it wasn’t until after leaving that she truly set on the trajectory to run with the style she’s now known for. It all began with “Poster #1” – her first paid commission after going solo. It represented exactly the kind of style she wanted to work in, and caught the eye of several art directors, leading to further work for the talented artist.

bantjes_2003_poster-1
This is her Poster #1, printed in metallic silver blue (though its beauty is sadly not conveyed digitally).

Sources:

http://www.eyemagazine.com/feature/article/reputations-marian-bantjes

http://www.designishistory.com/2000/marian-bantjes/

https://www.londondesignz.com/post/52331244851/iwonder

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