

They have since been made famous in popular culture by author Dan Brown in his novels and artist John Langdon. Hofstadter, who described them as calligraphic designs that manage to squeeze in two different readings. Selecting a region changes the language and/or content on were first referenced by Douglas R. Need more inspiration before you jump in? Take a look at Behance and see what other artists are creating.

Making it meaningful and legible makes all the difference in the world.

Now you’re ready to attempt an ambigram design of your own. Check out this tutorial on YouTube and have a go yourself. If you’re looking for inspiration for your ambigram tattoo, you can start designing an ambigram in Illustrator. Ambigram logos are also memorable and can help companies stand out from their competition.Īs optical illusions, ambigrams are popular designs for tattoos. Pander calls ambigrams a branding palindrome, “where logos and graphic design become a real art form, because you have to twist your mind and break or bend the rules to make it work.” Brands may want ambigram logos since they can hide a secondary meaning or convey a message beyond a simple brand name. Top tips for designing ambigrams “ where logos and graphic design become a real art form, because you have to twist your mind and break or bend the rules.” - artist and designer Arnold Pander One design reads “love” when viewed one way, and “life” when viewed another. Some ambigram designs have made their way into popular culture. They also offer a symmetry that looks professional, consistent and is highly distinctive.Īnother type of word ambigram is one that takes on a new message when rotated. Many brands use ambigrams as their logo, because they appear the same when rotated 180 degrees. For example, you’ll frequently find designs that say ‘love’ when read one way, and ‘life’ when viewed another. 3-Dimensional ambigrams where the object appears as several letters or words which can be viewed from different angles.Īnother type of ambigram is one that takes on a new message when rotated.Mirror or bilateral ambigrams which can be read the same forwards and backwards.Rotational ambigrams which read the same when viewed upside down.There are many types of ambigram, including: Specifically, a rotational ambigram reads the same when viewed upside down, while a mirror or bilateral ambigram is one that reads the same backward and forward.Īmbigrams are pieces of typographical art that display a word or design which retains its meaning when viewed from a different direction or perspective. An ambigram is a word or design that retains meaning when viewed from a different direction or perspective.
