In this i-Age, I just had to do something on the letter “i”. I have not always been a big fan of the letter “i’ but if I was going to like one version of the letter “i” it would be the Gill Sans Ultra Bold, or Kayo, created by Eric Gill. A character with personality and a bit of humour. It seems incredible, but you have to go all the way back to the previous credit crunch for its origins – the years 1928-1930.
Appropriately, this type face has got it’s own nickname; I have to admit that I never knew, why it was called Kayo until now, but I was quite amused to find out that it derives from K.O., as in “knockout”. Of course – Kayo the heavyweight champion…it’s not very likely to knock anyone out except itself, though; Kayo certainly has a cholesterol issue but it’s a friendly giant.
With it’s resemblance to the human body, the lower case “i” is always a versatile element for designers to play with when designing logos. However, the Kayo “i” is always a ready-made logo in itself. A true character in every sense of the word. With the dimple on top of the stroke and the dot out of center, it’s form doesn’t feel completely logical, but that makes it all the more interesting. It’s an inquisitive “i”, unashamedly peeking at the character standing next to it.
Great site. A lot of useful information here. I’m sending it to some friends!