About

Profile

Claire Coullon

I'm Claire, a 26 year old French graphic designer and typographer currently living and working in Prague, Czech Republic. I co-run full time a small independent design studio called Op45 with artist Darren Johnson.

Born in Paris, I grew up in various countries in Europe and the Middle East before studying art and design for 4 years in the UK. I have since lived and worked in Brussels, York and now Prague.

Design

One of my main ongoing interests is considering the visual aspect of words and language — its relation to the content, nuances of speech and meaning, impact on communication, perception by different people and cultures... I very much believe in the importance of a concept-driven approach and design that is highly indicative of its subject to assure welcoming and effective communication. I love functional and subtle design that also has warmth, a strong sense of personality and a solid, enduring quality.

Skills & Interests

I love exploring the role of typography within many different disciplines. One of my favourite things is hand drawn lettering, whether simple quick sketches, elaborate scripts or experimenting with expressive typography. I always keep multiple sketchbooks with letters, word drawings and general typographic references.

Also very interested in print and book design, I've participated in artist book fairs and self published a bilingual typography book called Painting With Words.

Projects

As well as Op45 work with a range of clients, I often work on many personal projects, from one-off lettering pieces to long term ongoing projects that span over a few months. Things I'm currently working on include the beginnings of a semi-serif text typeface (a very long term undertaking) and starting a new collaborative publication project with Darren. Eventually, I hope to release a extensive typeface family, design and write a new book, set up a darkroom and own a letterpress machine.

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