Colossal magazine

Colossal presents itself as “an online art magazine based in Chicago that celebrates contemporary art and visual culture across a wide range of creative disciplines, and is focused on both emerging and established artists”. As a cultural agent, the team behind Colossal also “curates and produces several exhibitions annually, hosts artist workshops online and off, facilitates talks, and publishes opportunities for artists every month”.

From a typographic point of view, it is also a visual feast, which matches the mag’s editorial ambition with an impeccable art direction (as it should be).

On the About page, the editors state:

In a world brimming with information overload, an epidemic of loneliness, climate catastrophe, capitalism run amok, and social inequity, we curate Colossal to focus on the most positive, diverse, and impactful stories that bring about change and meaningful connection. We intend to amplify the voices of artists working toward more equitable and sustainable futures through innovation, unexpected materials, humor, spectacle, and vast reserves of skill and hope. We are supported largely by our extraordinarily generous members.

Such an editorial statement could only be paired with an excellent and vibrant design, and these people and their design partners deliver.

Colossal was redesigned by Firebelly, and it was one of the winners of the 2025 STA 100 Judges’ Choice, awarded by the Chicago-based Society of Typographic Arts.

Departing from the original logo designed by Armin Vit (Brand New), the Firebelly and Colossal joint redesign venture came up with a wordmark that spawned the bespoke Colossal Display, with two distinct wavy S glyphs that feel like they were ritually trimmed at the base with an ancient katana.

In the project page dedicated to their collaboration with Colossal, the agency says:

After rounds of aligning, playing, and imagining, we crafted a final direction on the logo that is dad & son tested and approved — really! This final, larger-than-life mark brand speaks to the core values: play, whimsy, and curiosity. Subtle adjustments to letterforms (especially the distinctive ​“S”) helped preserve Colossal’s recognizability while introducing a tongue-in-cheek referential nature.

As far as headline elements and body text are concerned, the two workhorses that power this publication and art endeavour are its trusty sans, Visuelt (Colophon), and a ridiculously elegant and legible Fabric Serif (Monokrom), which – dare I say – belongs in the same Hall of Serif Fame as Ivar Text, Tiempos, the Feature Collection, Newsreader, Victor Serif, Tid, IvyPresto, Aktuell, Reckless Neue, SN Litteratur Text, etc.

Both Visuelt and Fabric Serif are used in different hierarchy text instances, and they handle both responsibilities with ease.