Lonsdale typeface alphabet designed by Tom Lucey

Lonsdale

2019

Services

Typeface design

To revive a relic found on Lonsdale Street in Melbourne, I designed a custom typeface.

Lonsdale typeface design process. Print outs of letters with pencil markings of edits to be made.
Print out of font letters with pencil markings of edits
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Wandering the streets of Melbourne’s Central Business District, I stumbled upon a remnant from the 1920’s – a time when hand painted signs were the most popular approach for advertising. The letters were created with a flat brush which gives their form a particular character. The slight outward flairs at the top and bottom of downward strokes are such an example. I started with the letter R and then adapted the DNA from that letter to another 6 or so letters. From there the alphabet started to fill itself out.
Flat brush lettering on Lonsdale Street in Melbourne
Antonio's Gelateria

I was pleasantly surprised to wake one morning to see that the typeface had been used by Giuseppe Santamaria as a headline font in the Australia & New Zealand publication The Robb Report.

Get in touch if you'd like to purchase Lonsdale.

The Robb Report magazine featuring font designed by Tom Lucey
The Robb Report magazine designed and photographed by Giuseppe Santamaria
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The Robb Report cover design
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Credits

Tom Lucey

Typeface design

Giuseppe Santamaria

Robb Report layout and photography