Jessica Walsh, the renowned designer behind &Walsh, shares her insights on the emotional power of typography in an exclusive interview. Learn about her new font foundry, Type of Feeling, and how it's changing the way we think about fonts.
Typography isn’t just about wrapping words in a pretty package—it’s also a vital tool for storytelling and evoking emotion. Jessica Walsh, the fearless creative force behind boutique branding agency &Walsh, has recently launched Type of Feeling—a new font foundry exploring the emotional power of fonts.
Jessica Walsh launches new font foundry, Type of Feeling
Launched in August 2024 after five years of development, Type of Feeling focuses on creating fonts that evoke genuine emotion and craft distinctive brands. The foundry offers a thoughtfully curated collection of typefaces designed with input from designers to address common challenges in font discovery, testing, and licensing. Each font tells a unique story, emphasizing emotional resonance and creative flexibility, making it easier for brands and designers to find a typeface that feels authentically aligned with their vision.
We sat down with Jessica to discuss her passion for crafting expressive typefaces beyond aesthetics and how typography can be a vehicle for creativity, storytelling, and authenticity.
From the stories behind her signature fonts like Jubel and Ssonder to her commitment to accessibility and authenticity, read on to learn how Jessica developed Type of Feeling to channel real emotion into brand-defining moments.
What inspired you to start a type foundry focused on emotional type?
I’ve been drawn to typography since I was a child. It’s incredible how effortlessly it can communicate so much. I used to collect menus and matchbooks from restaurants, captivated by the details in their typography. In college, I watched the Helvetica documentary, and it completely changed my perspective on how deeply typography shapes our lives. I even made my family watch it during my winter break—they thought I was obsessed!
My career in brand design reinforced my belief that typography is one of a brand’s most distinctive assets. Over the years, I’ve worked with many brands to create custom typefaces, seeing firsthand how unique typography can significantly enhance a brand’s visual identity. This love for distinctive type inspired me to take it further and explore creating typefaces imbued with emotion.
Can you walk us through the journey of developing Type of Feeling?
Our primary goal with Type of Feeling is to introduce more dynamic and distinctive typefaces into the world.
After five years of crafting this collection, we officially launched it in August 2024. Along the way, we created many fonts (and scrapped a fair number, too). For us, it wasn’t just about putting more typefaces out there; it was about ensuring they effectively evoke emotion and allow designers to create truly distinctive work.
We spent time learning from designers to understand their pain points, from discovering and testing fonts to licensing them. We wanted to integrate those insights into Type of Feeling, making the process simpler and less draining for both brands and designers.
What’s the story behind some of your signature fonts, like Jubel and Ssonder?
With this collection, we wanted to create diverse stories so everyone could find a font that resonates with them or their brand.
Ssonder is inspired by the realization that every person you see or pass has a complex and unique life—a delicate web of experiences and memories. I’ve felt this before but never knew how to articulate it. We designed every detail in the font to reflect that delicacy, from its beautiful ligatures to its stylistic sets symbolizing connection and intricacy. We emphasized this concept through mockups, showcasing the font on candles, matches, and books to reinforce its nuanced and introspective feel. It’s one of my favorites!
Jubel, on the other hand, tells an entirely different story. It’s inspired by joy and celebration, with bold strokes and lively curves that exude excitement. The “e” even looks like it’s smiling, perfectly reflecting the jubilant mood.
Each typeface in the collection has its own world, making it easier for designers to envision how it could be used in their projects.
How does Type of Feeling aim to make custom and expressive typography more accessible to smaller businesses and nonprofits?
Our pricing operates on a sliding scale based on company size, allowing independent businesses to access our fonts affordably. For nonprofits, if the pricing still isn’t feasible, we encourage them to reach out so we can work out a customized pricing model. We’re excited to share upcoming projects with nonprofits soon!
What are your top tips for designing a stand-out font?
We always ask three key questions: Is it distinctive? Is it timeless? Does it evoke a feeling when used?
We avoid following trends too closely, as they can quickly make a font feel dated. Instead, we aim to create something unique—like the ampersand in Conforto, the “e” in Jubel, or the ligatures in Ssonder.
My top tip is not to be afraid of breaking the rules—within reason. For example, our next release features varying degrees of expressiveness, from wild aesthetics to clean serifs, making it adaptable for diverse projects.
How does typography build an emotional connection between the brand and the audience?
Typography has a rich history dating back to 1455, and its forms have always been connected to cultural and emotional responses. Letterforms can evoke authority with sharpness and rigidity, exude confidence with boldness, or flow with natural curves to feel approachable.
A great example is our work with Plenty. Many produce brands use neutral palettes and indistinct typography to signal “healthy,” but we asked why greens couldn’t look as appetizing as burgers and fries. We created custom typography that made you desire to eat greens.
Our team called the font file “Tasty Type” because the brief was to design a typeface that felt delicious. This approach transformed the typography into the central element of Plenty’s branding, making their packaging stand out and sparking emotional responses in consumers.
What’s fueling your creativity right now? Are there any industry trends that you’re loving?
We love the trend of brands returning to their roots and embracing a heritage feel. This trend is influencing some exciting explorations in our current projects—more to come soon!
How do you see AI affecting the future of font design?
AI will eventually be capable of doing almost everything, making proper regulation essential. AI-generated designs should serve as inspiration, not the final product.
We use tools like MidJourney to create mood boards and spark ideas, but we don’t rely on them for final executions. Typographers may shift from technical execution to a directorial role in the future, especially if AI remains unregulated.
Do you have any design pet peeves that put you into instant “edit mode”?
I can’t stand widows, overusing type styles in one layout, or poorly kerned menus. I’m learning to let it go—at least in public!
What do you love about mockups for professional design?
Mockups help reinforce each font’s story and emotional essence. For example, we used candles, matches, and books to showcase Ssonder’s delicacy and complexity. Each typeface has a unique world of characters, ligatures, mockups, and photography that brings its narrative to life. The fun part has been seeing how others use it in ways we never imagined!
Type of Feeling: where fonts speak louder than words
The philosophy behind Type of Feeling reminds us that typography isn’t just about design—it’s about connection, storytelling, and emotion. From the jubilant curves of Jubel to the delicate intricacies of Ssonder, each typeface of Jessica Walsh’s new font foundry invites designers to push boundaries, express their creativity, and create work that truly resonates.
Whether you’re an aspiring creative or a seasoned professional, we hope Jessica Walsh’s journey inspires you to explore typography in bold and unconventional ways.
Ready to dive deeper? Check out these interviews with Aussie design icon Beci Orpin and 2024 Adobe MAX headliner Kristy Campbell, or brush up on the hottest graphic design trends predicted for 2025. check out Envato’s extensive library of expressive fonts to elevate your next project.
