Forrest Huu Ta is a designer that specializes in branding, art direction, and typography. Previously, they have worked with The Working Assembly, FutureBrand, and Interscope Records on branding projects. Currently, they are based in California with plans to relocate to New York City. Aside from graphic design, they enjoy watching Studio Ghibli films and drinking yerba matés.
Throughout my life, I have always felt this conflicting force between audaciousness and restraint. This feeling eventually manifested into my work where I experience both the gluttonous urge to experiment stylistically, as well as the universal gravity that distills the work to its essence. The final logo is a visual representation of both feelings coexisting harmoniously in the same space.
Typography is present in nearly all of the work we will ever do, so mastering typesetting and having a curatorial approach to collecting fonts is crucial. Trying to be a strong designer without being good at typography is like wanting to be a successful chef without knowing how to season your food. It’s not impossible, just extremely hard and really clumsy.
I’ve always known I was creative, I just didn’t like being tied to a single discipline for the rest of my life. I also had an affinity for computers since I was five years old. I had been designing posters and pamphlets as early as six years old, but didn’t know what it was called until sophomore year of high school. Knowing that I can be multidisciplinary in the same field is what drew me to graphic design.
Last year, I attended Zoom lectures by Noah Baker and Braulio Amado. Seeing how their work has evolved over time inspired me to be more experimental and audacious with my work. I was also fortunate enough to be a part of the first Casual Archivist class taught by Elizabeth Goodspeed. Her insights and approach to finding inspiration made me appreciate art and design history even more.
