InvisAbility

Project type: Layout, Branding
Timeframe: October 2021 - December 2021
Tools: InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop
Problem
Invisible disabilities—conditions that are not immediately apparent to others, such as chronic pain, hearing loss, or neurological differences—are often misunderstood or overlooked by the general public. This lack of visibility contributes to misinformation, isolation, and a lack of adequate emotional support for those affected. Resources that both inform the public and provide a sense of community for individuals living with these conditions are limited and fragmented. The objective of this project was to create an accessible, empathetic platform that both raises awareness and fosters connection among people impacted by invisible disabilities.
Solution
InvisAbility is a magazine designed to bridge the gap between awareness and lived experience by shining a light on invisible disabilities. Each issue focuses on a single condition—such as dyslexia, diabetes, or in this issue, anosmia (the loss of smell)—offering personal stories, expert insights, and up-to-date research in an approachable, engaging format. For those living with these conditions, InvisAbility serves as a supportive space to find community, share experiences, and feel seen. For the general public, it’s a tool for education and empathy-building, encouraging a broader cultural understanding of what it means to live with a disability that isn’t immediately visible.
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Process

Our team

Before designing InvisAbility, I built out four distinct personas based on real-world experiences gathered through interviews, forum research, and medical case studies. These personas guided every creative decision, ensuring the magazine speaks not only to those with invisible disabilities but also to the people around them—parents, partners, caregivers, and even professionals.

Taylor
Age: 21
‍Status: Congenital Anosmic
‍Occupation: University Student

Taylor has never known what it’s like to smell. She’s spent most of her life unaware that congenital anosmia was even a condition—until a recent online thread helped her realize she’s not alone. She's hungry for connection and looking for ways to raise awareness, both for herself and for others who feel invisible. Taylor wants community, representation, and a space to be understood.

Joan
Age: 35
‍Status: Not Anosmic
‍Occupation: Full-Time Parent

Joan’s youngest child just turned three, and she’s beginning to suspect something: her son might not have a sense of smell. She doesn’t want to panic, but she’s anxious about safety, child development, and what this might mean for his future. She wants to learn how anosmia affects daily life and how she can support her child with care and confidence.

Robert
Age: 68
‍Status: Newly Acquired Anosmic
‍Occupation: Retired

A few months ago, Robert realized something strange—his morning coffee didn’t taste quite right. Over time, it faded completely. He hadn’t even known losing one’s sense of smell was possible. Now he’s navigating a confusing new reality: food tastes bland, familiar places feel off, and no one around him really gets it. He’s searching for answers, validation, and practical tools to cope.

Dr. Mason
Age: 39
‍Status: Not Anosmic
‍Occupation: Clinical Psychologist

As a therapist, Dr. Mason has started to see more patients reporting smell-related issues post-COVID—particularly parosmia and anosmia. Though he doesn't experience these conditions himself, he's committed to understanding them. He wants to broaden his perspective and better empathize with what his clients are facing. He needs a bridge between science and the lived experience.

Typography

From the beginning, the tone of InvisAbility needed to strike a balance: informative yet empathetic, scientific yet deeply human. To reflect this, I chose New Kansas Bold for headlines. Its rounded serifs soften the formality typically associated with serif typefaces, giving it a warm, approachable presence. This felt essential for a publication that blends deeply personal narratives with research-driven content—creating a space for both authority and emotional connection.

For body text and supporting copy, I selected Atkinson Hyperlegible, a typeface developed by the Braille Institute to be highly readable, especially for individuals with low vision or dyslexia. Knowing that some readers may experience visual or cognitive impairments, legibility was non-negotiable. Atkinson Hyperlegible’s distinct letterforms ensure clarity at all sizes, reinforcing the magazine’s commitment to accessibility and inclusion.

Typography in InvisAbility isn’t just a design choice—it’s one piece of a puzzle, built to reinforce the magazine’s mission to make invisible disabilities seen, heard, and understood.

Colors

Before selecting a color palette for InvisAbility, accessibility had to come first; color here isn’t just aesthetic. I began by testing color combinations for visibility across different types of color blindness, ensuring that every hue used in the magazine would be distinguishable to all readers. After all, if an issue of InvisAbility were to focus on color blindness and then fail to accommodate those very readers—it would directly contradict the magazine’s purpose.

With accessibility as the baseline, I curated a versatile palette of both warm and cool tones. This range allows each article or issue to adopt a distinct emotional tone through color—soothing blues for reflective stories, energetic reds for advocacy-focused pieces, or softer neutrals for scientific reporting.

Texture

Each issue of InvisAbility aims not only to inform but to engage the senses—particularly those that may become more prominent when others are diminished. For this issue, focused on the loss of smell, I considered how people living without this sense often rely more heavily on texture, especially in their food, since flavor is also deeply affected.

To reflect this sensory shift, I leaned heavily into illustrations rich in texture—from rough, tactile brushstrokes to layered materials and varied linework. This visual strategy was designed to evoke a sense of physicality, helping readers feel the work through their eyes. By activating the sense of touch visually, I hoped to create a more immersive experience for Anosmic readers and foster a deeper empathy in those unfamiliar with the condition.

If all else failed, I even chose to print on a denser, thicker paper with pits and grooves that feel very tactile in the hands.

Illustration

Anosmia, like many invisible disabilities, is inherently difficult to visualize—how do you depict the absence of a sense? Rather than illustrating literal symptoms, I focused on capturing the emotional experience of living without smell. The illustrations in this issue are intentionally abstract, mirroring the elusive nature of scent itself.

For Congenital Anosmics, who have never experienced smell, the artwork leans into surreal, unfamiliar forms—evoking the idea of a sensory world they’ve never known. For Acquired Anosmics, who’ve lost their sense of smell, the visuals carry a more somber tone, often using shadow, fragmentation, spatial emptiness, and distorted forms to reflect the sense of disorientation or isolation that can follow. The goal was to create imagery that feels like Anosmia—conceptual, emotional, and deeply human—helping all readers connect and grasp a condition that’s otherwise invisible.

Tab System

To make InvisAbility as user-friendly as it is meaningful, I designed a color-coded tab system built into the edge of each page. This system allows readers to quickly locate sections based on their needs—whether they're looking for personal stories, current research, or support resources. Each color-coded tab corresponds to a section outlined in the Table of Contents, making navigation feel both intuitive and tactile.

This feature also honors the emotional state of many readers—someone looking for answers about their condition may not have the energy or focus to sift through an entire magazine. I wanted this magazine to be helpful for more than just one read. By reducing friction in the reading experience, the tab system supports accessibility not just visually, but emotionally and cognitively as well.

InvisAbility Sections

InvisAbility is carefully organized into distinct editorial sections, each designed to support a different facet of the reader’s experience—whether they are living with the featured invisible disability, supporting someone who is, or simply trying to understand it better.

Overview
Each issue opens with an overview to ground readers in the core concepts of the disability being covered. This section establishes essential context in a clear, accessible way, making the rest of the magazine more meaningful for all readers—regardless of prior knowledge.

For Anosmics
In the Anosmia issue, this section is dedicated to self-help and lived guidance. Articles are written with the Anosmic reader in mind, focusing on strategies for daily life, mental health, and sensory compensation. This is where readers with the disability can see themselves directly addressed and supported.

Outside Support
This section bridges the gap between those affected and the world around them. It includes information about research institutions, support organizations, and advice for friends, families, and caregivers. It’s designed to foster understanding and empathy in those who live and work alongside Anosmics.

Anosmic Stories
At the heart of each issue is a section reserved for first-person stories. For this issue, I interviewed over 20 individuals living with Anosmia—primarily Acquired Anosmics, but also a few Congenital cases. These deeply personal accounts ensure that the magazine doesn’t just speak about the community, but with it.
Dysosmia

This section expands the conversation beyond Anosmia to include related conditions such as Parosmia (distorted smell) and Phantosmia (phantom smells). By exploring the spectrum of smell-related disorders, this section acknowledges the nuanced and overlapping experiences within the sensory loss community.

Current Events
The final section focuses on recent developments in medical research, public health, and policy. For example, the Anosmia issue highlights the surge in smell loss caused by COVID-19, tracking its role in raising awareness and accelerating research into smell disorders.

"Hidden Parts Of Us"

Final Thoughts

Designing InvisAbility became much more than a creative challenge—it was a deep dive into empathy, accessibility, and problem-solving. What began as an editorial design project quickly expanded into something far more layered. Every choice—from the color palette to the typefaces, illustrations, and even the paper stock—had to be carefully researched and tested for inclusivity.

I discovered that creating something truly accessible means constantly reevaluating assumptions. It meant not just designing for aesthetics or layout flow but for real people with real challenges.

In the end, InvisAbility became more than a magazine. It became a conversation—between design and disability, between science and storytelling, and most importantly, between people and their stories.

Sam Lenarczak
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