For this assignment, I was tasked with creating a booklet, or Type Specimen, and Kinetic Type trailer to showcase the character of my assigned typeface: Cooper Black. The booklet showcases the rich history and lively character of the Cooper Black typeface. I designed the Type Specimen as a walk through time beginning with Cooper Black’s creation in 1921 through its resurgence in popularity in the 70s and present day.

The book starts in black and white, representative of its creation in the early 20th century, and slowly becomes more colorful as it progresses. The design explodes with color in the last spreads of the book to portray its popularity in the 70s and present day. The Kinetic Type trailer starts with a simple “hey there,” similar to the cover of the book, to invite the viewer in and transitions to bursts of color, reminiscent of its later popularity.

Cooper Black was originally designed by Oswald Bruce Cooper in 1921 and was released in 1922 by Barnhart Brothers and Spindler type foundry. Cooper said it fit the needs of “far-sighted printers with near-sighted customers.” It's seen many spikes in popularity over the last 100 years and was at its most popular in the 1920s and 30s when it was initially created.

Since then, Cooper Black saw another large rise in popularity in the late 60s and 70s due to its "groovy" appearance and more recently in 2017 due to its nostalgic and retro vibes.