Leah Ray

[Xiayi Lei*]


 [Design with logic and wit*]

VARIETYPE II

BRANDING

Client: 
Letterform Archive

Collaborator: 
Sherry ChouVarietype II presents a series of type specimens created by graduate design students at California College of the Arts in the spring of 2023. These works merge historical research with personal reflection, with each student’s essay drawing on historical sources, contemporary perspectives, and individual viewpoints. By pairing these essays with short texts unrelated to design, the students cultivate a rich associative experience. The type specimens not only demonstrate how the chosen typefaces can be applied but also convey the students’ critical perspectives.

This exhibition was on view at the Letterform Archive in San Francisco, California. Letterform Archive is a nonprofit organization committed to inspiring, educating, publishing, and building a design community, and it is open to anyone who has a passion for typography.

The exhibition’s identity design continues the wave-shaped type motif from the same previous show Varietype. Building on the original concept, the type is rendered in a grid-based, pixelated style to symbolize the origins of typographic methods, while introducing a modern aesthetic to convey the theme of heritage and innovation.
CV
 Leah Ray (Xiayi Lei) is a San Francisco-based visual designer focusing on impactful graphic design that bridges disciplines. With a foundation in Industrial Design from Donghua University and an MFA in Design from California College of the Arts, Leah combines diverse skills with a deep understanding of design's ability to influence and communicate. Her design philosophy emphasizes blending visual appeal with intellectual engagement, driving innovation by crossing boundaries between genres, fields, and cultures.
INSTAGRAM
LINKEDINLeah seeks opportunities to integrate her graphic design expertise with multidisciplinary projects, aiming to push the boundaries of what design can achieve. Her work reflects a commitment to transformative creativity, exploring new possibilities, and redefining the role of design in shaping ideas and experiences.
OVERVIEW

01*
02*
03*
04*
05*06*
07* PUBLICATIONs / ZINEs
BRANDINGs
LOGOs
POSTERs
WEBSITE / UI UX
BOOK COVERs
OTHER PRACTICE 25*PRINTSYear of Snake
Individual
24*

LOGOTYPE
LOGOTYPE
WEBSITE
WEBSITE
POSTER
POSTER
COVER
BRANDING
SPECULATIVE
CALLIGRAPHY UI/UXEVIL or LIVE 百日成财
FIRST FROST 难哄
𝑴𝒆𝒕𝒂𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒑𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒔
Robot Monster
Machinic Modernity
VCS SERIES
Book Collection 2024
VARIETYPE II
Plants Editor
时空中的绘旅人·人间画外
Google Map AI Assistant
Commercial
Commercial
Individual
Individual
Individual
Commercial
Commercial
Collaborate
Individual
Commercial Individual

23*

ZINE

PUBLICATIONS
WEBSITE & ZINE
PUBLICATION
POSTER
COVER
BRANDING
BOOKLET
ALL ABOUT TOOTHPICKS
ICON*OBSERVATION
LIPSTICK
GETTING A SCAM CALL
Poster Collection 2023
Book Collection 2023
EXIT
SF ROUNDED 
TYPE SPECIMEN
Individual

Collaborate
Individual
Individual
Individual
Commercial
Individual
Individual
 22*
-
21*

BRANDING
ZINE
EXPERIMENTAL&
EXHIBITION 
SIGN&TYPE DESIGN
INFOGRAPHICPUBLICATION&
DESIGN FICTION

4MINS INSTITUTE
HOME QUARANTINE
BRUISE
NEW CAPDA SIGNS
FENGSHUI REFERENCE SHEET
GiftA&Giftist
Individual
Individual
Individual
Individual
Individual

Individual