Dyslexia typefaces and research, artist books and more
A collection of researched typefaces for adult dyslexic readers
An experimental interactive typeface
Circs is an experimental display typeface
Dr. Robert Hillier is a semi-retired senior lecturer at Norwich University of the Arts in the United Kingdom, and a fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA). He designed and developed the Sylexiad range of typefaces for adult dyslexic readers, as part of his doctoral research, producing a PhD called A typeface for the adult dyslexic reader (2006). Hillier has presented his research findings at numerous design institutions and conferences, including the Design principles and practices conferences at the University of California in Los Angeles (2012) and the University Center in Chicago (2015), and also at the Association Typographique Internationale (ATypI) typography and typeface design conference in Reykjavík (2011).
Sylexiad has been written about in design publications including Communication Arts, Baseline, Novum, étapes, Slanted, Ultrabold and the Journal of Writing in Creative Practice. A chapter about the typeface is also featured in the book Supporting dyslexic adults in higher education and the workplace published by Wiley-Blackwell (2012). Sylexiad was included as part of the NEVERODDOREVEN exhibition at The Serpentine Gallery in London (2007), and has been used by Bloomsbury Publishing in their Wired connect and High/low series (2016) aimed at struggling and reluctant readers. Sylexiad was the subject of an Academic Minute radio programme broadcast (2015) on 60 public stations across the U.S.A. and Canada.
Hillier’s solo exhibitions include List landscapes at The Norwich Arts Centre (2010), Typologies: making lists, marking time at the St. Bride Library, London (2011) and Typography: portrait/landscape at the University of the Arts London (2014).
To-ing, a self-authored book is in the Tate Special Collections, Tate Britain, London (2013). Hillier has also exhibited work in the U.S.A., Germany, Spain, Italy and South Korea.
