POV: Using the human body to create type taps into our deepest desires

POV is a new column written by It’s Nice That’s in-house Insights department. Published fortnightly, it shares perspectives currently stirring conversation across the creative industry. POV digs deeper into industry discussions and visual trends, informed and inspired by creatives we write about. To uncover visual trends and insights from within the global creative community through our Insights department, get in touch here.

“There is nothing new under the sun”, “time is a circle”, “steal like an artist”... all of these tightly packaged wisdoms allude to the hunch that great work is perhaps not so unique after all – that truly original authorship may be a myth. When predicting, analysing and researching design and visual trends, to whom do we owe credit as the original author? Who gets cited as a reference?

One trend that has been steadily on the rise, popping up on mood boards worldwide, is the human alphabet. It sees visual artists and designers form the shapes of letters using the human body – although in recent months we’ve also seen this trend expand to include typography fashioned from dogs, paperclips, rope, AI horse hair and mundane materials of all kinds. It’s characterised by an ultra-decorative and anthropocentric quality. Having originally re-entered the contemporary public eye thanks to Kaytranada’s dancing type, this reemergence in the typographic canon not only nods to numerous historical references but also reflects deeper societal inclinations and desires. But the lineage of this trend reaches much further back than you might realise.

Firing up visual research tools like Arena, it’s easy to come across imagery featuring human alphabets in contemporary graphic design. We’ve become increasingly immersed in a kaleidoscope of human and object-inspired letterforms. Artists and designers like Ben Ganz of PIN-UP, Crystal Zapata, Milan-based fashion brand Sunnei, filmmaker Pedro Almodovar and record label Live from Earth are bringing this trend back yet again, each infusing their creations with a distinctive blend of artistic expression and cultural resonance. Take William Wegman’s classically charming alphabet learning videos for Sesame Street, where his pack of weimaraners quietly begin to move from their position lying in the shape of the letter ‘J’ or ‘G’ or ‘S’. This approach represents a nostalgic, childlike wonder and elementary learning – like the familiar voice of a grade-school librarian.

The human alphabet trend encompasses a diverse array of styles, ranging from whimsical and playful to bold and swaggy. In this typography renaissance, letters take on anthropomorphic qualities, drawing inspiration from the human body, facial features and recognisable objects. What emerges is not merely a collection of characters, but a visual language that speaks volumes about our collective obsession with the human form and its infinite possibilities.

At the heart of this trend also lie insights into human psychology. Experiments and data collected on the subject have long revealed our innate preference for images of humans and faces, as well as recognisable objects. According to a 2014 study by Georgia Institute of Technology and Yahoo Labs, images on Instagram that show faces get 38 per cent more likes than photos without. In viewing abstract art, the novice often begins describing their perception by deciphering or forcing recognition of some form, thing or object. Like seeing a face in the clouds. Or the Virgin Mary in the char marks on a grilled cheese. By infusing typography with a human touch, designers tap into a primal instinct that captivates the viewer’s attention and rouses a deeper emotional connection.

Traversing a visual landscape inundated with digital stimuli and information overload, the human alphabet serves as a refreshing departure from the sterile confines of minimalist design popularised by the technocracy, the common woes of desensitisation associated with the modern human condition, and hyper-efficient type design for pixelated screens. It speaks to our desire for warmth, familiarity and human touch in an increasingly impersonal, inhuman digital life. This rejection of technocratic aesthetics is not merely an aesthetic choice but a cultural statement. It’s a reminder that behind every pixel, every line and every curve lies the imprint of human creativity and ingenuity.

Perhaps most importantly, the human alphabet serves as a powerful tool for softening and humanising design in an age of immense global dysfunction and discontent. Through its whimsical forms and playful expression, typography crafted from the human body and diverse materials invites us to see the world through a different lens. It fosters a sense of intimacy, letting viewers engage with design on a more personal level. The medium is the message.

In a world that often feels fragmented and disjointed, rife with bugs and glitches, 404 errors and unloaded CSS, the human alphabet serves as a link – a reminder that amidst the chaos and clamour, we are all part of a shared narrative, bound together by the timeless power of our own creativity and expression. In this trend, we are the source material – literally.