Last Updated on September 13, 2024
Art has always undergone a metamorphosis through the ages. Depending on the materials available, the depth of human imagination and the changing perceptions of the world, these aspects have contributed to new art forms or revitalization of the old.
Portrait illustrations have always been focused on life-like faces or good interpretations of it. The modern century sees a very unique approach to portrait illustrations that uses typography or words to create picturesque designs.
These words are specially selected for the message they have to deliver or their relevance to the topic.
It is amazing how the portraits are created from the manipulation of font types, sizes and keywords. Following the arrangement of words can lead you to understand a hidden meaning, which adds depth and significance to the portrait illustrations.
Each artist has an exceptional vision of how the words should depict the portrait, and their individual style is distinct and admirable.
A Man of His Word by Straye-Close
The artist paid close attention to detail. He incorporated the name of the actor, Morgan Porterfield Freeman Jr, movies and TV shows from the actor’s biography, character’s name, quotes from his movies and the actor’s awards. The words unite in a detail-orientated profile of Morgan Freeman.
Lady Gaga by Skye Shettle
The lyrics of Lady Gaga’s song “Wonderful” has been embedded into the portrait and forms an integral part of the singer’s portrait structure.
Nelly Furtado by Steve Butabi
The artist has chosen to use the name Nelly Furtado to make up the singer’s profile.
Lyric portrait 2nd attempt by Cris wicks
The portrait resembling a woman is a vivid combination of gold and bright purple. The words inscribed inside the profile make a strong appeal against war.
Weiland Type by CaliburlessSoul
The artist created a portrait of Scott Weiland, singer of the band Stone Temple Pilots. The words chosen to design the impressive profile were select lyrics from the band’s song “Sex Type Thing” and the singer’s name. The trendy glasses and cigarette are very characteristic of the singer and infuse life into the photo.
Will I Am by Sophie Beddall
An impressive blending of different colors, font types and font sizes to produce a designed portrait of Will I am, the singer. The portrait includes the lyrics to his songs, his name and other related words.
Michael Jackson Typography by Mehdi Idrissi
The artist’s picture features a creative interwoven web of words that act as a flattering representation of the King of Pop. The marvelous tribute contains the singer’s name and many lyrics from his popular songs.
Typography Portrait by TheWorldIsTooSmall
The artist took an original photograph of a woman and imbibed words into her photograph through digital mastery.
I Give You Desire by Lupuscrystalus
A portrait of Van Tomiko from the band Do As Infinity. The artist carefully highlighted details like the rose in the singer’s fingers and especially focused on the contrast between the shadows and her profile.
Burdened Barrack Obama by Dylanroscover
This work was commissioned by TIME Magazine. Consists of 12,680 individual characters set in about 20 hours, or 10.5 characters per minute. Includes type from Obama‘s campaign and branding: Gotham, Knockout No. 48, Gill Sans, and Perpetua.
Typography portraits are a remarkable art form. The way these creative minds make simple photos come alive through the use of words instead of paint or pencil is stunning. Such artistry emphasizes the innovative genius of artists who ignite new life in creative expression in a variety of ways.