Image from Modern Mechanix

I will never cease to marvel at the Internet. Not the whole ‘It’s just a bunch of wires, you dumb non-techie,’ part, if only because I refuse to believe that there isn’t some kind of Willie-Wonka-esque magic in the works there. More that there is an endless supply of crazes, sub-crazes, and exponentially-sub-crazes to appeal to anyone and everyone’s desires. My new favourite way to avoid the mountain of work which has already amassed even though I’m not a month into term blow off some steam is to watch me some typographic animation videos.

While I know that I am easily several millenia late to this party in Internet years, I just can’t contain my excitement. I love words and fonts, and seeing them in action makes me positively giddy. Close-up shots of a typewriter or a letter being written in some beautiful hand can save a film for me, and I am notorious for buying books simply because I like the font on the cover. It matters.

So, when my friend linked me to this gem*, I was just about beside myself. ‘Is that a video depicting the lyrics of a wildly catchy tune (delightfully laden with overt aggression and bitterness) as they play out in the background?’ I hear you ask, dear readers. Why yes, yes it is! When the video had ended and I was basking in that particular post-YouTube glow, the benevolent robot overlords good men and women who run said site of wonders lined up a few suggestions. Love at first click, folks.

It’s fun with songs.

It’s fun with films.**

It’s fun when it combines the two.

They slice, they dice, they express the various personalities of words by allowing them to be dynamic entities. Too much? I’m sorry.

If none of those have appealed to you, there are scores more out there. Keep on clicking and you’ll find the wordy animation of your dreams, or my name isn’t Buffalo Bill.***

*My apologies to any readers who are under eighteen or who are not fans of cursing.

**Okay. This one is my favourite. Writing this article has forced me to come to terms with the fact that I’m low-down pottymouth.

***It’s not, but I really do hope you find one.