If you are ever having a discussion (or argument) with someone who doesn’t believe that type matters, then demonstrate your point by showing them this:

These are two identical photos of Audrey Hepburn, only one is captioned in Bodoni and one is captioned in Comic Sans. The distinctive style of each typeface alters the perception of the image—classic or comical?

This is just one of the examples that graphic designer and I Love Typography (ILT) founder John Boardley shared at Type Matters last week in Japan.

I’ve been reading ILT for a few years now, so when I heard John was going to be speaking in Tokyo, I cleared my calendar, added my name to the waiting list, and crossed my fingers that I’d get bumped up. It was wonderful to sit in a room with other type lovers and hear John talk about its history and usage. Here are some of the tips he shared about the four elements of good typography: Contrast, Size, Hierarchy, and White Space.

• Check for contrast by printing out your design in grayscale.
• Text is the most important element on any page and it should always be a legible size.
• Use typography to establish a visual hierarchy.
• Many designers fear white space, but typography is about balancing the black and white.

To learn more, check out John’s Guide to Web Typography. In fact, if you’re not already reading I Love Typography, go, browse, learn. There is a ton of content on all aspects of typography, and it’s a fantastic resource whether you’re a professional designer or a type enthusiast.

And for some typographical inspiration, here are some shots I took during the historical part of John’s presentation. You can click on each image for a closer look.

I’m always on the lookout for typography, and my recent trip to Seattle was no exception. Below are some that caught my eye and provided a bit of design inspiration. I would love to be able to use the elements from #2 in a design, where bright red, sharp angles contrast with curvy white arches, or #7, where swirls complement the free formation of the letters.

(left to right, top to bottom) 1. Space Needle @ Seattle Center, 2. Space Center Arena, 3. Parking on the waterfront, 4. Belltown, 5. Space Needle observation deck, 6. Photosynthesis step of a community garden, 7. Wall decoration in Pensione Nichols, 8. Mosaic of a poem by Chief Seattle, 9. Ampersand at the Olympic Sculpture Park.

Another recent source of inspiration has been the making of Charmingwall, a process that illustrator Julia Rothman of the design company Also shares, from brainstorming to animating drawings to the final product. The detail in their work is simply amazing. Feel free to share what’s been inspiring you lately in the comments.