Cristian Vargas
Founder at Typozon / Creative and Design Director / Type Designer
New York, NY / San Francisco, CA
www.typozon.com
instagram @typozon @typozon.xyz
Q What do you do?
“I’m a design and creative director—I lead creative teams and mentor designers. I started as a graphic and type designer, I still design when I have time, but mainly for passion projects.”
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
Probably the most important thing, alongside commercial work, has always been self-promotional projects—like posters, printouts, or products. Even after two decades in the industry, I still take on passion projects—not necessarily to pay the bills, but to stay creative and express my thoughts without tailoring them to a specific consumer or brand. At the core of it, I think it's my endless curiosity about life. I'm always looking for new ways to do things or challenging myself to try something for the first time, just to learn and grow. I love learning new things all the time!
Interestingly, my passion projects often attract more clients than some of the big-name brands I’ve worked with.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
I’m definitely a mix of profiles. I started as a designer, later became a teacher, and eventually moved into director roles, which has helped me see the same problem from different angles. I also tend to notice when two distinct ideas intersect in a unique way, and I love exploring how their contexts can merge.
For example, I began my career in graffiti in the ’90s and later got into typography. By bringing the raw energy and expressiveness of graffiti into my work, I started developing corporate brands at a branding agency. This fusion led to fresh, unique results that stood out from others in the industry.
Beyond that, I think my Latino background influences how I see form and color—embracing more vibrancy and contrast. In the U.S. market, that perspective has been a great advantage.
Q What are you working on right now?
Right now, I’m focusing on growing my design studio, Typozon, and my new type foundry, Typozon.xyz. Both are part of the same brand, but they serve different purposes—Typozon is where I do brand consultancy, while Typozon.xyz is dedicated to custom type design projects.
On the passion project side, I recently published The Year of the Snake Calendar Poster, a project I first started in 2014 inspired by the Chinese zodiac.
Q What’s your style?
I’m sure certain forms, colors, and techniques have been consistent in my work over the years, but more than that, my style comes from how I see life and the way I connect the dots—something we all do in our own unique way. My experiences and personal growth influence my creative approach far more than any specific cultural or historical references.
I think it stems from my artistic side—the desire to use feelings, emotions, and expression to convey ideas in a more elegant way. For instance, I help build visual systems that allow a brand or company to express its own truth. I approach my personal life the same way: learning, growing, and connecting the dots in a more authentic way so I can live up to my values.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
Focus on pure consultancy, workshops, and speaking engagements
Q What is frustrating you right now?
Doing social media in an era of algorithms is tricky. It’s not that I don’t want to promote my business—it’s that I have to spend creative energy playing a game that’s constantly changing, and I simply don’t have the time or energy to keep up. I think this creates a lot of frustration for creatives. We’re here to create and bring ideas to life, not to decode algorithms.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
To organize my spreadsheet with expenses and receipts for 2024 :)
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
Hmm, in a way that’s the hard and fascinating part of life, to not know how things will unfold, sometimes is hard but it keeps life interesting and unknown. This reminds me of Alan Watts’ book The Wisdom of Insecurity.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
Social media strategies for people who don't like social media
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
I’m looking for brand consultancy projects where I can lead a team in building more honest and authentic brands. This could be through companies and brands collaborating with my studio or by taking on a role as a design and creative director within a company.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
Do bold work with brands and companies that embrace their authentic truth and develop honest, meaningful ideas that make the world a better place. I’d love to collaborate more with fashion and music clients, though I’ve also really enjoyed working with CPG brands over the past few years. I believe that when a brand speaks its truth, it doesn’t need to convince people to buy—it naturally attracts fans who proudly share its message.
The ideal collaboration allows me to bring my vision to the product and refine its design system across different channels. This kind of work thrives on trust, support, and strong chemistry with leadership.
Q: What is your rate?
$200-300/hr
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Q Who is a creative you admire?
Perron-Roettinger
Ina Dyreborg
Mouthwash Studio
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Music, Books, Drawing, Bikes, Nature, Light and Color.
This member profile was originally published in February 2025.