Derwyn Goodall, award-winning graphic designer, professor, and founder of Goodall Integrated Design, has been a proud member of the Type Directors Club since 2009.
He was nominated and elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in Canada (RCA/ARC) in 2022 and is a member of the International Society of Typographic Designers. He won a Platinum award in the Graphis Designers for Peace competition, as well as two Gold and five Silver awards in their Design 2023 Competition.
Derwyn has had an impressive and extensive career in graphic design, so, of course, we wanted to get to know him better as a designer.
Reflecting back to when you were a child, in what ways were you creative?
My mom was a painter and sculptor, which ultimately led me to pursue an art-related career. As a young child, I was really into drawing and painting. In grade school (pre-high school), I was fascinated with cartoons, magazines, posters, spirographs, and legos. I have always been visually curious—I remember vividly becoming aware of letterforms and other types of applied art at a very early stage in my life.
Share the story that led you to get into graphic and type design.
Vinyl album graphics were my gateway into graphic design. The conceptual work of Hipgnosis was a game changer for me. Peter Savillle’s work for Factory Records still remains fresh and relevant, and the European modernists continue to inspire me.
My approach to typographic style has matured, and become more open to risk. I started my career designing for the corporate sector, which emphasized restraint, functionality, readability, and legibility. While I still do a lot of corporate branding work, I now embrace experimentation and the idea of “type as image” and use it whenever I can, usually in my promotional work.
What do you hope people feel and see when they admire your typography work?
A reaction of some kind. If people feel joy or pause to think about the message further, then mission accomplished.
Which typographers or type design styles do you admire?
Herb Lubalin, Reid Miles, Storm Thorgerson, Art Chantry, David Carson, Rudy VanderLans, Vaughan Oliver, Paula Scher, Jonathan Barnbrook, Peter Saville, Jennifer Sterling, Eric Spiekermann, Wim Crouwel, Alex Steinweiss, and Wolfgang Weingart are all personal heroes of mine.
What is your favorite project you have worked on thus far in your career?
The promotional posters I have been doing since 2019 have been very rewarding creatively and professionally for me. They began at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to this day.
What is your dream typography project or client to work with?
I would love the opportunity to work as a branding and design partner for a large-scale museum or art gallery. One that entails all aspects of branding, from identity to wayfinding to interactive to motion-based design and typography.
You have been a Typography/Graphic Design professor for 20+ years, so what do you enjoy about teaching?
I love “giving back.” Inspiring the next generation of designers and creative thinkers is hugely gratifying.
Why did you start your own design firm, Goodall Integrated Design, in 2014?
I started my own firm because I wanted to chart my own path forward. I was prepared to embrace the challenges and rewards in order to make my own personal mark.
In what ways has being a member of the TDC inspired you over the years?
The TDC is the high watermark for typographic excellence. I am constantly wowed by the talent and work that the TDC features on a regular basis.
What are you looking forward to creating in 2024?
I look forward to meeting new creative people, developing new and exciting alliances, and continuing to challenge myself to do the best work I can do in 2024.
