Love is often portrayed as effortless, spontaneous, and even fated. But the Center for Partner Acceptance takes a different stance: Love is an act of will, a conscious decision to extend oneself toward your romantic partner or spouse. When asked to create lettering for their identity, I wanted to capture that paradox—how something at once tender and vulnerable can also be deliberate and resolute.
The question became: How do you illustrate “love,” at the core of the center’s philosophy, as part of an identity project? The choice to focus on the heart, which has signified love throughout history, presented an unusual challenge. When working with one of the most recognizable symbols in visual culture, how do you create something that feels both familiar and distinct? Rather than illustrating the word, we developed a simple visual system. A single heart, rotated, generates the L and V; a circle forms the O; and a clipped arc, derived from the angle of the V, suggests the E. The letters emerge from a shared geometric logic rather than existing as individual forms.
Here, typography becomes more than a vehicle for a word; it becomes the embodiment of an idea. The result is almost puzzle-like, inviting viewers to actively assemble the letterforms and engage with the typography. In much the same way, the identity suggests that love is not simply a feeling we experience, but something we consciously shape through intention, choice, and commitment.
Lettering: Mike Abbink + Jeanette Abbink
