About
Hi, my name is Elisabeth Kvernen. As someone who has traveled and lived in many different places, I regularly photograph public typography and signage as a way to explore and understand my context. I’m fascinated by how culture and identity is expressed in the letterforms that surrounds us.
I created The Vernacular Type Project in 2026—an online collection of images documenting hand‑lettered and hand‑crafted public signage from around the world (more about vernacular type). This project focuses on public signs & lettering in places where such work has been historically overlooked or under-represented, with the goal of expanding and enriching the typographic canon (see On Expanding the Canon) for students, educators, type designers, and other design professionals.
By highlighting local lettering practices and amplifying the work of designers and artists in their communities, I aim to document how local street lettering is influenced by culture and foster deeper empathy and understanding of global visual cultures. I also hope to document the work of sign painters and artisans in places where it is disappearing, or at least changing rapidly. I invite you to join me!
”One of the most overlooked design casualties of global homogenization is regional lettering.”
Who is this site for?
I hope that this collection of vernacular typography will serve as inspiration, a virtual “idea book” for those who are producing their own creative, original work, including:
- Designers studying typography and visual culture
- Historians documenting urban change
- Artists exploring identity and place
- Travelers capturing the character of a city
- Calligraphers, set designers, UX/UI designers, and more
Want to get involved? We’re always looking for new images to include. Follow the link below to find out more.
Contribute