Indian Street Lettering by Pooja Saxena

208 Pages. 8 x 8 inches | ISBN: 978-93-80636-97-9

India’s cityscapes are a typography lover’s paradise. Take a short walk in any urban neighbourhood and you’ll find signboards in a riot of languages, styles, materials, and colours, spanning decades of design history. So far, this enviable living typographic archive has survived on the fringes. And as digital printing technologies become more popular, we risk losing its handmade, creative essence. That’s where this book comes in.   

INDIA STREET LETTERING is a 200-page hardcover full-colour book by Pooja Saxena showcasing striking public lettering from across the country—in paint, in relief, in mosaic, in neon, in wood, you name it. Spanning over a dozen cities and scripts, this book is a visual treat!

Photographs of signs are complemented by essays and interviews that locate them within the broad sweep of language, culture, and typography. Pooja breaks down peculiarities of local scripts, analyses sign painting styles, and shines a light on visual idiosyncrasies that define street lettering in different Indian cities. She has also created guide maps for the book, which will inspire you to go type-spotting next time you visit one of the featured neighbourhoods.