Street Artist Creates Multi-Layered Typography Puzzles With Hidden Messages

Typography Street Art by Pref

British street artist Peter Preffington aka Pref plays with perception through his multi-layered, 3D graffiti. Using a range of modern and traditional typefaces, he visualizes popular sayings and expressions in his distinct overlapping style. While these typography murals might seem difficult to decipher at first, it’s this unique style that helps draw the viewer in.

Having started his street art career more than 20 years ago, Pref reveals, “I have always been interested in the idea of graffiti speaking to the general public.” Each of his colorful murals invite the viewer to stop and take a closer look, squint, and tilt their heads to try and figure out the puzzle. He explains, “I have pushed and experimented with this idea of overlapping words, seeing how many I can fit into the space of one word, and then slowly boiling it down and simplifying this idea to become more legible.”

In one particular head-twisting work, Pref paints the words “more” and “less” as a three-dimensional, interconnected word. Depending on your perspective, the words shift into the other, subtly playing on the phrases “more or less” and “less is more.” For the phrase “smoke and mirrors”, the word “smoke” is written in 3D red and yellow letters, while the font for the word “mirrors” appear as a superimposed smoky vapor.

Pref has recently partnered with fellow street artist Gary Stranger to launch a collective called Typograffic Circle. If you’d like to see their work in person, their first group show is on display now through June 3, 2018 at London’s StolenSpace.

You can see more of Pref’s incredible street art on Instagram and buy select prints through his online shop.

British street artist Peter Preffington aka Pref plays with perception with his multi-layered, 3D graffiti.

Typography Street Art by Pref

Typography Street Art by Pref

Typography Street Art by Pref

Typography Street Art by Pref

Using traditional letter forms and font styles, the artist visualizes popular sayings and expressions in his distinct overlap style.

 

 

Typography Street Art by Pref

Typography Street Art by Pref

Typography Street Art by Pref

Typography Street Art by Pref

Each of his colorful murals invite the viewer to stop and take a closer look, squint, and tilt their heads to try and figure out the puzzle.

Typography Street Art by Pref

Typography Street Art by Pref

Typography Street Art by Pref

Typography Street Art by Pref

Typography Street Art by Pref

Typography Street Art by Pref

Typography Street Art by Pref

Typography Street Art by Pref

Typography Street Art by Pref

Typography Street Art by Pref

Pref: Website | Instagram
h/t: [Colossal]

All images via Pref.

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Emma Taggart

Emma Taggart is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. Originally from Northern Ireland, she is an artist now based in Berlin. After graduating with a BA in Fashion and Textile Design in 2013, Emma decided to combine her love of art with her passion for writing. Emma has contributed to various art and culture publications, with an aim to promote and share the work of inspiring modern creatives. While she writes every day, she’s also devoted to her own creative outlet—Emma hand-draws illustrations and is currently learning 2D animation.
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