We sit down with Jasmina Zornic - the typographer who turns Outkast songs into Cleaning Products.
Have you ever looked down at some glass cleaner and wondered: if packaging could sing, what would it sound like? We can’t say we have, but we sure are glad Jasmina Zornić did. Since coming across her work, her music packaging project - reimagining packaging like Nutella jars with a Eurythmics Sweet Dreams slogan - is just one of her many ingenious type experiments that we’ve fallen for.
As a graphic designer, Jasmina is based out of Belgrade, Serbia, working primarily in typography and branding - she is a full-time Art Director for branding wizards, Unibrand Communications. In a word, Jasmina’s work would have to be: characterful. Her designs buzz with graphic boldness and a colourful sheen, but they also harbour real personality. Zornić's playful perspective on type even likens different fonts to music genres! The result is artwork that pulls and plays with letterforms until they take on a character all of their own.
Now, for the first time, Jasmina’s work is available to buy, own, and hang in your home. A new range of five prints - made with Evermade and featured below - are all set against black backdrops, so her colourful typography can pop in any setting. Inspired by the release, we sat down to found out more about the designer. Her dream job? Typographer for a new Wes Anderson film.
After watching her rebrand a decade worth of 80s tracks, we would love to see it.
Talk us through one of your favourite recent projects.
Music Packaging - it was a big breakthrough for me, and people started to notice my work as it was shared on many pages. It also helped me get through the lockdown during the pandemic, and to keep my mind away from bad news, at least for some time.
The idea for the first one I did, a glass cleaner So Fresh So Clean - Outkast, came while cleaning the house. I was singing that song and holding a bottle of cleaner and I just got the idea: if packaging could sing what song would it be? So I created a series of it: an ice cream box saying Ice Ice Baby, Twix chocolate bar saying Just the two of us, condom bag saying All Night Long etc… I really had fun creating these and to see such a huge response and appreciation is everything.
What’s your journey been like to cultivate your own personal style?
I was always into typography and geometrical shapes, and I love to explore colours. The last 36daysoftype edition helped me a lot to practice every day and to get to the point where I was really satisfied with the style and visuals that I was creating. The feeling when you see that people are appreciating and supporting your work (especially other designers) is the biggest prize for hard work and effort – it is priceless.
Could you describe your design aesthetic in 5 words or less?
Fun, Bold, Colourful, Simple
What’s something that’s always inspired you?
Definitely music. I just can’t imagine myself working with silence in the background.
Your typography always perfectly captures the personality of a word, phrase - or even a song title. Can you talk more about converting words into images?
Thank you! I try to give the letters more character and to describe the words in the best way with a few colours and shapes. I was always fascinated with the shapes of different fonts, weights and styles. There are so many amazing shapes in a font choice and through colour we can say so much. Similar to music, we have fonts and colours that can be soulful, and some others that can be funk & party.
What have you been listening to lately?
Lately I've really enjoyed listening to Jacob Banks, Michael Kiwanuka, Leon Bridges, Jorja Smith, Anderson Paak, Frank Ocean, Rosalia… It is only a part of my playlist but these days it is mostly Jacob Banks and Jorja, I guess it's the Autumn mood.
You get a call from a client about your dream typography project. Whose on the other end of the phone, and what’s the brief?
Wes Anderson, typography for a new movie! Next one would be music album cover or typography ID for a fashion week.
How have you been finding staying creative during this difficult time?
It was really hard and everything was so new at the beginning. I tried to keep my mind off the bad news at least for a while and I tried to create fun and colourful visuals to cheer myself up and boost my days. For the first part of lockdown, I spent so much time at home. I had a lot of time for myself and my thoughts, so I focused on my work and developing my personal style. I was able to find motivation in everything: I was happy to be healthy, to be with my boyfriend, that my friends are okay, that my family is good, that the day was sunny…
What do you hope to see more of in the design industry in 2021?
I would love to see more support and love. I think that we designers have a strong profession that can affect so many and bring attention to important things. It can wake up and inform people or just share support and love with those who need it.
Your vibrant work is soon to be launching as prints! What do you hope they will bring to somebody’s space?
I am super excited about this! This is the first time I’ll be selling prints, and I couldn’t think of a better place than Evermade. I’m so happy to be among these amazing creative people whose work I really love and admire. I hope my print will cheer up people and make them smile. I hope to boost their spirit when they have a bad day, and motivate them once they have a good one! Rest of the time I hope to make their home prettier and colourful <3
Jasmina's typographic prints are now available to purchase from Evermade.
You can discover more of Jasmina's work here!
