About the Artist

Maha Akl is a freelance graphic designer based in Cairo. She specializes in Arabic-type design and illustration. She holds a bachelor’s degree in graphic design from Virginia Commonwealth University, 2016. In her work, Maha tries to bridge her two interests to explore how both fields can inform one another and respond to today’s needs. She is often guided and inspired by the vast and diverse Arab/Islamic visual heritage and nature. This process is best displayed in her debut typeface Hudhud, which is originally designed in response to the need for a friendly Arabic typeface that works in harmony with organic hand-drawn illustrations with respect to the script grammar and structure.