A clean, editorial booklet showcasing Lexend’s accessible design through strategic typographic layout & storytelling.

Lexend Type Specimen Booklet

Role: Designer & Layout Artist

Project Type: Print Design, Typography

Featured Typeface: Lexend

Tools Used: Adobe InDesign, Illustrator

Timeline: 4 weeks (2024)

This project explores Lexend, a sans-serif typeface created to improve reading performance for individuals with dyslexia and other reading challenges. As a designer, I was drawn to Lexend’s purpose-driven structure and clean, digital-friendly forms. My goal was to highlight both the technical function and visual versatility of the font through a multi-stage design process that led to a finalized type specimen booklet.

Through structured layout, visual hierarchy, and strategic use of typography, the final deliverable teaches the reader about Lexend’s mission while showcasing its aesthetic strengths. It balances informative clarity with expressive design, highlighting how the typeface performs both technically and visually in modern applications.

Summary

Objectives

Lexend was designed to make reading easier, especially for people with dyslexia or visual processing challenges. My goal for this project was to create a type specimen that didn’t just look good, but also reflected the font’s purpose: clarity, accessibility, and ease of use.

I wanted the final booklet to feel informative and inspiring, while also showing how Lexend can be used in real-world design. That meant finding the right balance between expressive layout and clean, functional design.

Design Goals

  • Make it clear: Show how Lexend improves readability with generous spacing and simple forms

  • Show hierarchy: Use headlines, subheads, and body text to explore how the typeface works across different levels

  • Tell its story: Include quotes, type history, and context so readers understand the mission behind the font

Before jumping into layouts, I created a Pinterest board to gather inspiration across editorial design, type specimens, and other print typgraphic pieces. Viewing other type specimen booklets gave me ideas and direction for my own. While many featured different typefaces, I was especially drawn to overall compositions, typographic play, and the creative use of letterforms in patterns.

I was particularly inspired by how designers used weight and repetition by layering large-scale letters, exploring rhythm with patterns, and balancing visual density with whitespace. These explorations helped shape my own approach to layout, contrast, and hierarchy.

I also researched Lexend’s origin story, including its development by Dr. Bonnie Shaver-Troup and its integration with Google Fonts. Understanding its purpose helped guide every design decision, from the visual tone to the spacing systems.

Discovery & Research

  • Type & Color Studies

    I quickly realized I wanted to work with Lexend, one of my favorite fonts due to its clean simplicity and purpose-driven design. I explored three color palette with two shades of contrasting color options: green, pink and blue. I ultimately chose the green palette, working with the two shades for contrast and adding white to create balance across the pages.

  • Sketches & Layout Plans

    To visualize my spreads, I sketched a variety of layout ideas using different letter sizes, weights, and alignments. I experimented with text patterns, repetition, and scaling to create visual rhythm. These sketches served as references as I transitioned to working digitally in Illustrator and InDesign.

  • Compositional Explorations

    Using my sketches, I created three distinct comps, each with unique color palettes and layout styles. I primarily used InDesign for overall composition and layout, while Illustrator helped me experiment with more intricate letterforms and visual treatments.

  • Peer & Professor Critique

    With feedback from my professors and classmates, I selected and refined my final design direction. I made revisions to improve hierarchy, spacing, and contrast, to enhance readability and ensure the final booklet communicated both clarity and personality.

The final specimen brings together every stage of the design process into a cohesive and accessible editorial piece. Designed with intention, it balances expressive visual moments with structured clarity, creating a rhythm that reflects Lexend’s purpose and personality.

Key elements of the final design include:

  • Color Palette: A calming duo of dark and light green, paired with white for contrast and breathing room

  • Typography: Lexend in various weights and styles, used consistently throughout with no outside fonts

  • Layout Strategy: Strong typographic hierarchy, featuring alphabet explorations, paragraph styling, and creative letterform compositions

Together, these elements showcase Lexend not just as a tool for accessibility, but as a modern, aesthetically adaptable typeface with thoughtful applications across design systems.

The Deliverables

Key Takeaways

  • Strengthened my editorial layout skills and typographic systems thinking

  • Gained deeper insight into designing for accessibility and user-centered typography

  • Learned how to merge form and function to support a clear, meaningful design mission

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