Paul Barnes is a graphic designer and typographer. A graduate of Reading University, he moved to New York in the early 1990s, where he worked for Roger Black (Font Bureau). His projects in those years included the redesign of the magazines Newsweek, Esquire (US and British editions) and Foreign Affairs. In 1995 Barnes set up as an independent designer in London. With Peter Saville, he worked on a diverse array of works as identities for Givenchy; Original Modern, an undertaking that was part of the City of Manchester’s regional marketing plan, and album covers for Gay Dad, New Order and Electronic. He has worked for large corporations and publishers as a designer and consultant. These clients include The Guardian, Wallpaper*, GQ, frieze and Harper’s Bazaar. In 2004 Barnes and Christian Schwartz created the type system Guardian for The Guardian newspaper and typefaces for the Empire State Building and the Conde Nast magazine Portfolio.
In 2007 Barnes and Schwartz founded Commercial Type, which develops typefaces throughout the world. In 2006 Wallpaper* named Barnes one of the 40 most influential designers under the age of 40, and in 2007 The Guardian listed him as one of the 50 best British designers.
Typefaces by Paul Barnes: Austin, Brunel, Dala Floda, Dala Moa, Guardian, Marian.