Visual Vocab: A is for... Ampersand

  Hi friends, Ashley here, to introduce you to a new recurring column at AD Aesthetic – Visual Vocab. Each month Dawn and I will scour the internet for the best visual inspiration based on a randomly selected word (following along with the alphabet of course). First up, the letter A. A is for… Ampersand: [am-per-sand] • noun 1. the character or symbol (&) standing for and While there are many styles and variations of the ampersand, every ampersand starts as an et – or Latin for and. The symbol truly is an evolution of scribes working quickly. Don't believe me? Check out this chart to see the evolution for yourself: [caption id="attachment_2350" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Historical Ampersand Evolution (Image from Wikipedia)[/caption] As designers, we are both a little bit obsessed with the ampersand. With it’s intriguing curves, and endless styles, it’s quite possibly one of the most visually appealing typographic characters in existence. Because of this, there is a plethora of fantastic graphic design featuring the beloved character, see for yourself: [caption id="attachment_2332" align="aligncenter" width="800"] T&T by Damian King[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_2333" align="aligncenter" width="800"] &nd by Jennet Liaw[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_2334" align="aligncenter" width="564"] The Swan & Mallard by John Randall[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_2335" align="aligncenter" width="384"] Ash & Fox by Mogeek[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_2336" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Hole & Corner Magazine by Lissom + Muster[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_2337" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Olive & June by AfterAll Studio[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_2338" align="aligncenter" width="564"] Love & Hate by Mats Ottdal[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_2339" align="aligncenter" width="564"] Playful Ampersand by Moshik Nadav[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_2341" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Ben & Billy by Fete Mons[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_2343" align="aligncenter" width="564"] Gabriella & Jean by kissmiklos[/caption] If you, like us, LOVE the ampersand, head to our shop. There you'll find coffee mugs, tshirts and prints to fill your little ampersand loving hearts with joy!