Alan started work in 1970 for Graphic Systems as a lettering artist straight from school.
He joined Letraset in 1975 as Senior Type Designer and Studio Manager where he designed over 40 Typefaces whilst being in charge of all the artwork output of Letraset with a studio of ten artists and designers and an army of freelancers around the world.
During this period Alan and the Type Director turned Letraset into one of the most important typefoundries in the world. All the typographic artwork produced at Letraset was done by stencil cutting; all the fonts in those days were hand cut in Rubylith and most of the original artwork has been archived by St. Brides Printing Library. Alan was responsible for all the training in this technique. In 1980 Letraset started experimenting in computer aided design and digital artwork, years ahead of companies such as Adobe and Macromedia.
In 1984 Alan left Letraset to go freelance specifically to broaden his work beyond typefaces to more general type.
He has specialized in three main areas:
- Corporate Identity. Design development of logos, symbols, typography and type design
- Packaging. Specialist lettering and artwork for packaging and point of sale projects
- Type Design Submitted and Commissioned Work for Letraset and ITC New York.
In 2008 he launched the alanmeeks.com website to promote and sell his text faces.
Alan has also produced specialist Artwork such as:
- the design on the sides of the boat and sails of the Il Moro de Venizia
(Italy's entry for the America's Cup)
- The Artwork to the entrance to London Zoo
- Princess Diana's signature for the Diana Trust
- The Champions League Ball Logo
- The London Pavillion lettering cut by a stonemason on top of the Trocadero in Piccadilly
- Typeface Design for the road signs and direction signs on Canary Wharf
Alan has lectured in Britain and abroad and written articles on type design and typography and received 3 'CLIO' awards for lettering.
Alan now lives in Buckinghamshire with his wife and three children.
