OUGD403 Visual Thinking- Alphabet Soup

Alphabet Soup: Visual Thinking

For this brief we are required to produce a set,series or sequence of ten letterforms that communicate my interpretation of the word:

Subject Matter

Definition of layer

noun

• 1a sheet, quantity, or thickness of material, typically one of several, covering a surface or body:arrange a layer of aubergines in a dish
• a level of seniority in the hierarchy of an organization:a managerial layer

• 2 [in combination] a person or thing that lays something:the majority of fish are egg-layers

• 3a shoot fastened down to take root while attached to the parent plant:they can be increased from cuttings and layers

verb

[with object] (often as adjective layered)

• 1arrange in a layer or layers:the current trend for layered clothes
• cut (hair) in overlapping layers:her layered, shoulder-length hair

2propagate (a plant) as a layer:a layered shoot
Sourced from http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/layer

Key Words

I have listed a few key words associated with the word 'Layer' to get my mind working.

• Sheet
• Quantity
• Thickness
• Material
• Several
• Covering
• Surface
• Body
• Arrange
• Overlapping
• Coating
• Film
• Veneer
• Skin

Visual Research

To start with, in are blog groups we were ask to categorise the letterforms we sourced over the summer into groups.

• Serif

• Sans Serif 

• Uppercase 

• Lowercase

• Objects in the form of letters

• Hand rendered 

• Digital 

• Italic

• Bold

• Calligraphy 

This task helped me to understand and appreciate the vast anatomy of typographic forms.

Focused Research

Designed by Nick Job

http://www.typetoken.net/typeface/new-from-fontsmith-—-fs-elliot/

The lines working next to each other has given me an idea to cut letterforms into strips. Similar to the image bellow.

By Brendan Sparrow

http://www.brendansparrow.com/category/work/type/

Colloquy by Joel Baker

http://joelbaker.net

The different weights of the letterform Aligned on top of each other creates a really nice layered effect.  The image below uses a similar technique but in a 3 dimensional style. It illustrates the layer concept really well.

Typographic Music by Dina Silanteva

http://ddina.com/index.php?/2011/typographic-music/2/

Initially started off as research into generative systems and multi-layered typefaces. From the hand generated material I will create it could be interesting to combine them similar to the bottom layer of the image above.

Fontable by Alessandro & Andrea

www.outdoorzgallery.com

This image made me think about 3-dimensional elements that I could incorporate in to my letterforms. Creating the illusion of layers at different levels could look quite interesting.

Designed by Herman Chaneco

http://cargocollective.com/HermanChaneco/Night-Angel-Book-Cover-Series

These book covers focus on the shadows created. However they have given me the idea to experiment with folding paper to create different layers in the letterforms.

By Niels Shoe Meulman

http://nielsshoemeulman.com

 I like the idea of having inter-linking sections or even designing my letterforms to inter-link as a set.

Paper Typographic sculptures by Bianca Chang

http://www.biancachang.com

The depth created from the layers is incredible.  I think this method may be too time consuming considering that the brief is only a week. 

Detroit by Kelli Anderson

http://fontsinuse.com/uses/2187/crystalline-letters

Different shades of grey could create a nice illusion and trick the eye into thinking there are multiple layers within the letterforms. 

By Adonit

http://pinterest.com/pin/155726099586336535/

By Richard Miranda

http://pinterest.com/pin/155726099586501298/

Good use of negative space. Creates depth and the illusion of layers. I like the idea of choosing a font set to experiment with, combining the different weights.

Patric Beland

http://pinterest.com/pin/155726099586472960/

This interests me again because of the use of negative space. Breaking down the letterforms into different sections might work well.

By Daniella Fritz

http://pinterest.com/pin/155726099586334605/

 The relationship between textures and thicks, thins creates a nice layered effect here. The space in between the detail helps the eye to create depth on a 2D platform. Similar with the image below, the thins equally weighted displayed on a negative background creates the same illusion.

Tribbon layered font by Dominic Le-Hair

http://typeunion.net/2010/11/14/tribbon-layered-font/

Layered 3D Project

http://www.kornicki.com/antherm/Help/Content_EN/ProjectTypes/ProjectTypes.htm

 This image has nothing to do with type but it gave me the idea to experiment with perspective. 

Research Analysis
I feel I have collected enough research for now to allow to me start experimenting. The main points I want to explore are:

• Handmade
• Perspective
• Collage
• Combining weights

Obviously these will develop and evolve as the experimental process progresses.

The font I have chosen to manipulate is helvetica Neue. I chose this font because it has different weight sizes which is something I was wanting to experiment with.