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Dr Rob Hillier

Lecturer

Research and Knowledge Exchange 

Since designing the Sylexiad range of fonts for adult dyslexic readers as part of my doctoral research, I have presented my findings at numerous design institutions and conferences, including the Association Typographique Internationale (ATypI) Conference in Reykjavik, the Design Principles and Practices Conference at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the Design as Human Interface Workshop at the Design Museum, London. Sylexiad has been featured in numerous international publications including, Communication Arts, Baseline, Novum, Étapes, Slanted, Ultrabold, Hiut and the Journal of Writing in Creative Practice. A chapter about the typeface was also featured in the book Supporting Dyslexic Adults in Higher Education and the Workplace.

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portrait photo of Dr Rob Hillier standing and smiling while looking away from camera with medium brown hair and brown glasses with a dark grey suit jacket

Sylexiad was included as part of the NEVERODDOREVEN exhibition at The Serpentine Gallery, London. Since then, I have had a number of solo exhibitions at venues such as The Norwich Arts Centre (List Landscapes) and at the St. Bride Library, London (Typologies. Making lists, marking time). I have also exhibited work in the USA, Germany and South Korea.

My most recent project is ‘To-ing’, a self-authored book that was part of the recent Norwich University of the Arts’ Cowbird symposium and the Sheffield International Artists’ Book Prize exhibition. ‘To-ing’ is also in the Tate Special Collections at Tate Britain.

In 2014 I also exhibited work at ‘Typography: Portrait / Landscape Works’ at the University of the Arts London. I am currently working on developing a research project around the idea of ‘Design Practice as Palimpsest’; I will present a paper on the topic at the Ninth International Conference on Design Principles and Practices at the University Centre in Chicago in March 2015. Since 2014 I have been a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Self-authored articles and chapters

  • 2013: Hillier, R. (2013) Sylexiad. ‘How it was designed’. The International Journal of Visual Design. Volume 6. Issue 2. 2012. University of Illinois Research Park, Champaign, Illinois, USA. Common Ground. pp. 65 – 73. ijg.cgpublisher.com/
  • 2012: Hillier, R. (2012) The Design and Development of the Sylexiad Typeface. In: Brunswick, N. (Ed.). Supporting Dyslexic Adults in Higher Education and the Workplace. London, UK. Wiley Blackwell. pp. 185 – 196
  • 2008: Hillier, R. (2008) Sylexiad: A typeface for the adult dyslexic reader. Journal of Writing in Creative Practice. Volume 1. Number 3. Bristol, UK. Intellect. pp. 275 – 291
  • 2008: Hillier, R. (2008) College Focus. Norwich School of Art and Design. Ultrabold. The Journal of St. Bride. Issue 4. Spring 2008. pp. 36 – 38
  • 2007 Hillier, R. (2007) Sylexiad: a typeface for the adult dyslexic reader. Ultrabold. The Journal of St. Bride. Issue 2. Spring 2007. pp. 36 – 38

Articles and chapters about my practice

  • 2013 Chae, H. (2013) Dyslexia to design typefaces for Korean dyslexics. Hiut. Seoul, South Korea. pp. 26 – 32. www.hiut.kr
  • 2012: Bohm, T. (2012) Letter and symbol misrecognition in highly legible typefaces for general, children, dyslexic, visually impaired and aging readers. Baseline. 81. Summer 2012. pp. 24 – 31. http://www.baselinemagazine.com/browse_buy/magazine/current_issue/contents/
  • 2012: Bohm, T. (2012) Letter and symbol misrecognition in highly legible typefaces for general, children, dyslexic, visually impaired and aging readers. Slanted. 18. Signage / Orientation 2012. pp. 118 – 122. http://www.slanted.de/shop/slanted-18-signage-orientation
  • 2012: Phinney, T. (2012) Should Dyslexics Unite on a Typeface? Recent typefaces for (and by) dyslexics and the science around them. Communication Arts Illustration Annual. 53. May / June 2012. pp. 30-34. http://www.commerce.commarts.com/shop/detail.asp?prod=ISS201205
  • 2012: Russell, M. (2012) Norwich UNESCO City of Literature Bid. Norwich, UK. Writers’ Center Norwich. p.15. http://issuu.com/writerscentrenorwich/docs/unescobiddocument/7
  • 2012: Brunswick, N. (Ed.). (2012) Supporting Dyslexic Adults in Higher Education and the Workplace. London, UK. Wiley Blackwell. pp. 8 – 9.
  • 2012: Nicholson, M. and Jury, D. (2012) The Craft and Art Project 2012. In: Bodman, S. (Ed) Book Arts Newsletter. Number 71. University of West England, Bristol, UK. Impact Press at the Centre for Fine Print Research. Appendix pp. 1, 3, 5, 7 -10. www.bookarts.uwe.ac.uk/banlists.htm
  • 2008: Pim, K. (2008) A font of knowledge. Eastern Daily Press. EDP2. Thursday July 24 2008. p.4.
  • 2008: Bouige, C. (2008) Le Sylexiad: Typographie pour dyslexiquies. Étapes. 158. July 2008. pp. 80 – 81
  • 2008: Sassoon, R. (2008) The Designer: Half a century of change in image training and techniques. Bristol, UK and Chicago, USA. Intellect. pp.16-17, 29.
  • 2008: Lechner, H. (2008) Was Lesen Leseschwache? Sylexiad – eine Schrift Fur Erwachsene mit Dyslexia. Novum. April 2008. pp. 18 – 21

Conference, Symposium and Workshop Presentations

  • 2013: Design as Human Interface: Skills in the digital age for the creative economy. Workshop 6. Communicating, disseminating and exchanging research effectively. One thing after another: Design, Dissemination, Detour. AHRC Block Grant Partnership with the University of Creative Arts and Norwich University of the Arts, The Design Museum, London 20 March 2013.
  • 2012: Sixth International Conference on Design Principles and Practices. Sylexiad: How it was designed. University of California, Los Angeles, USA. 20 January 2012.
  • 2011: Association Typographique Internationale (ATypI) Reykjavik. Sylexiad. How it was designed and how it has been used. Harpa Concert Hall, Reykjavik, Iceland. 18 September 2011.
  • 2007: Is there a doctor in the house? A graphic design research symposium. Sylexiad. A typeface for the adult dyslexic reader. Nottingham Trent University. 12 September 2007.
  • 2006: Fast Type, Slow Type. Sylexiad: A typeface for the adult dyslexic reader. Typevents Conference. Birmingham. 16 October 2006
  • 2006: Writing Pad Symposium Creative Diversity: Integrating writing and technology in Art and Design. A typeface for the adult dyslexic reader. University of Wolverhampton. 3 February 2006
  • 2000: Crossed Words, Mixed Messages: The Experience of Dyslexia. A typeface for the dyslexic reader. Norwich School of Art and Design. 5 December 2000

Exhibitions

  • 2013: ‘To-ing’. 4th Sheffield International Artist’s Book Prize. Bank Street Arts, Sheffield.
  • 2013: ‘To-ing’. A vitrine exhibition of a self-authored artist book. Cowbird. A symposium exploring the relationship between print and digital. Norwich University of the Arts / D&AD. /visit/events/cowbird
  • 2012: The Doomsday Book of Animals. 1981 Book Jacket Design. Display of social history of Queen Elizabeth II’s life through the eyes of Didsbury people. Didsbury Open Doors 2012. Heritage Open Days. Manchester Metropolitan University / Didsbury Civic Society
  • 2011: Typologies. Making lists, marking time. A solo exhibition of 21 digital prints. Critical Tensions, Tenth Annual St. Bride Library Conference. St. Bride Foundation, London
  • 2011: List Landscapes. Cantley to Buckenham. An exhibition of 4 digital prints. Mills and Reeve, Norwich
  • 2010: List Landscapes. A solo exhibition of 20 digital prints. Norwich Arts Centre
  • 2010: Type Tarts. Ruskin Gallery, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge
  • 2009: Typographical Tart Cards. KesselsKramer, London
  • 2008: Type Tart Project. Plus International Design Festival, Birmingham
  • 2007: NEVERODDOREVEN. Dyslexia Action Exhibition. Serpentine Gallery and Goethe Institute, London
  • 2005 – 2006: Shed 1 and 2: Utopian Sheds by Illustrators and Designers. William Morris Gallery, London (October 2005) and Visual Communication Gallery, Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (January 2006)
  • 2001 – 2002: Type: Aesthetic and Function. Kansas Wesleyan University (USA); Kansas State University (USA); The Women’s University, Seoul (South Korea); Fachhochschule Trier, Trier (Germany) and Duncan of Jordanstone School of Art and Design, Dundee (Scotland)

Collections

  • 2013: ‘To-ing’. Tate Special Collections. Tate Britain, London, UK
  • 2013: ‘To-ing’. Artist’s Book Collection at Bank Street Arts. Sheffield, UK

Research and Scholarly Activity

  • 2008: Sylexiad: A typeface for the adult dyslexic reader. Lecture at Avans Hogeschool AKV/ St.Joost, Breda, The Netherlands
  • 2007 – present date: Design and production of the Sylexiad, Dine and Circs range of typefaces
  • 2001 – 2007: A typeface for the adult dyslexic reader. Ph.D thesis

Associate Editor

  • 2012: Design Principles and Practices: An International Journal of Design in Society, Volume 6. Issue 1. 2012. University of Illinois Research Park, Champaign, Illinois, USA. Common Ground. http://ijgv.cgpublisher.com

Other Activities

  • Norwich University of the Arts Course Assessment Board (Undergraduate Courses)
  • Norwich University Course Committee ( MA Courses)
  • Norwich University Course Committee (Undergraduate Courses)
  • Norwich University MA Assessment and Award Board
  • Norwich University Research Degrees Committee Member
  • External examiner for MA Graphic Design at the University of Central Lancashire
  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
  • Member of D&AD

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