ARTIST// TYPEFACE AIDAN COOKE
Matthias Gephart is an illustration artist who experiments with various types of media in order to create some very fascinating designs. His work expresses a lot of emotion through the bold use of colouring and the interesting use of layouts. Gephart specialises in layering and almost a collage based art style. His work consists of a lot of sillhouttes and contrasting colours, as well as a very free use of line and dots. These are the elements within his work which create form and shape to the piece as well as bringing a nice overall element to the design. Another element within Gephart’s work that interests me is his use of paint and spray paint, with some very free lines and shapes being created with quite tight brush strokes and very loose sprays with a spray paint can. Through doing this Gephart captures a nice feature and almost a lack of control, however with a twist of the work being very well layed out and spaced.
MATTHIAS
GEPHART//
With the focus in mind that this work must be developed into a font I will be experimenting with brush strokes as wel as the linear and dot element within Gephart’s work as I do believe these are the strongest features which I will later be able to pursue when developing the work into a typeface. I will explore different dot patterns as well as line thickness’ and layouts, in order to create a variation for me to select from when further developing.
Personal Response// I believe that my designs all capture elements within Gepharts work, with linear, circular and dotted patterns that can all be nicely developed in the future into a font. Also, I explored these in order to get an idea as to how the pattern or design could look in surfaces.
JULIANA
NEUFELD//
I have explored Juliana Neufeld’s work several times and I am always interested in her clever use of colour, with very complimentary tones all being used amongst one another to create some very beautiful and inspirational designs. Neufeld tends to work on a double page spread, and explores different materials in order to create a series of layers, which she then paints over with quite varied tones between being both bold and calming. Also, Neufeld tends to introduce female characters into her work, which she uses as a template of making form and shape to the image, surrounding the person with elements such as handwritten text, and further images or even loose, rugged linear shapes. In my own project I will be exploring some techniques in which Neufeld explores, experimenting with paints in order to create interesting, bold designs which I could perhaps pursue further when developing my designs into a font. I will also be exploring the handwritten type in which she features, within my own work and seeing how the type looks against the background image. In order to see the variation and different elements I can capture through this design method I will be creating a double page spread like Neufeld, however I will then chop into various sections in order to collect swatches to view and further explore.
Personal Response// These designs were all created in response to Neufeld’s work, with ent acrylic paints and pens in believe that these designs could be nicely pursued into becoming a typeface, however the messy format may cause some disruption when reading the font.
David Walker is a spray paint artist who experiments with very bold and vigirous colours, in a very clashing and overwhelming manner in order to create some very inspirational designs. His artwork tends to be done in a traditional grafitti manner, this being on a brick wall surface, and he tends to revolve his art around female characters. What I personally find inspiring about Walker’s work is the use of loose lines and the bold colours in order to create these overlapping and exciting patterns. Through using such strong colours such as the primary blue, yellow and red with these backdrops of black he creates not only an element of contrast but also some form of depth, with the black lines almost forming a shadow effect. Within my own work I will be exploring very striking colours like David Walker does, however I will be experimenting with my linear movements in a much looser manner, with the lines overlapping and wrapping around one another, oppose to the simple curved lines all leading in different directions. Sometimes this element is captured however in areas of Walkers work, and they are the areas in which I find most appealing and would hopefully develop well into a typeface when further explored.
WALKER//
DAVID
Personal Response// Throughout exploring Walker’s style of work I found myself focusing on colour, as this is within his work. I experimented with overlapping colours as well as spray paint with black pen written on top, this I believe leaving a very perhaps be further looked at when developing a font further in the project.
WASSILY
KANDINSKY//
Wassily Kandinsky is a well known Bauhaus artist and is renound for his interesting designs involving shapes. Kandinsky tends to experiment with all different types of shape forms varying form circles, to squares to interesting line based patterns and formats. These elements all collaborating into one design in order to create some magnificant pieces. The interesting element about Kandinsky’s work is the fact that even though it looks quite natural and ‘crazy’ with the various shapes being placed in different areas of the page and overlapping one another, there is still a very strong understanding of layout, focusing on white spaces in order to allow the image to have space to breathe. In my own designs I will be exploring shapes like Kandinsky, and how I can combine different shapes in order to create some interesting layering and patterns which I can then further explore. Also, Kandinsky’s style is very interesting when focusing on the element of type, as his work does consist of linear formats and shapes, two of the key elements when pursuing a typeface, as most letters are made up of linear formats or shapes. I will vary my approach to this, experimenting both practically and digitally in order to have a varied outcome, which will then assist me when I come to review what areas I need to further focus on when developing the designs into a font.
Personal Response// In these designs I personally like the exploration of shapes and the used amongst one another can produce new forms, these which I can already discover typefaces in. Therefore, I will most likely be exploring Kandinsky further and perhaps developing a very fascinating font derived from shapes.
Piet Mondrian is a well known artist within the NeoPlaticism art movement, with a very cubik approach to art. Mondrian’s work all appears to be very simple, however their is a level of intelligence through layout and white space, with acknowledment as to where the coloured sections are placed etc. Another intersting element to Mondrian’s work is the fact is grabs the audiences attention even though it is so simple, this is due to his bold choice of colours, focusing on very strong tones of blue and yellow etc. in order to stand out against the black and white linear background. I also am quite intruiged by Mondrian’s use of lines as he does vary the thickness of each line within different pieces of work, as well as selecting different square formats which all correlate amongst one another to form a very interesting image. Also the fact that he doesn’t work on a solid white background interests me as it almost tones down the image and doesn’t make it to overwhelming, instead it allows it to catch the audiences attention, and not disturb the visual nature. In my own work I will be exploring the cubik feature within Mondrian’s work and will be exploring different shape patterns and line thickness’ which I will then be able to further pursue when possibly developing the designs into a typeface.
PIET
MONDRIAN//
Personal Response// As beautiful as Mondrian’s work is I do feel that its simplicity is too much if I was to explore a typeface. The element of cubism is to much to work with a font, as it would in my own opinion be quite boring and too simple, also certain curve based letters could look quite corrupted therefore they wouldn’t be readable or legible.
DAVID
MOWBRAY//
David Mowbray is a very interesting artist who explores paint and the use of very bold colours in order to create some very interesting designs. Mowbray commonly takes these bright, vibrant and exciting colour backgrounds and attaches these sillhouttes forms in black in order to create a bold contrast within the image. However, he doesn’t make it a flat black image on top, instead he drags the paint back through by perhaps scratching away from the image, or even printing the image on top of the design in a fashion which will allow this to occur. Also, I noticed that on the sillhouette features the outline is not smooth, instead it is very loose and almost messy with excess paint being placed around in order to create interesting shape and form to the image. Within my own work I will be experimenting in a very similar fashion, taking bold colours and creating interesting layered effects before perhaps adding block typeface in order to see if a similar effect is created. I will also be exploring the use of spray paint as I feel this could be very suitable to this approach, taking strong primary colours to produce a base or background which I will then overlay a block stencil, this I will spray on in black. Hopefully the line will not be entirely smooth therefore the line has this messy effect around it, reflecting on the style of Mowbray’s own work.
Personal Response// interesting and this exploration of sillhouettes against a colour based background could be quite interesting to further focus on. However, one issue is that each letter may have to rest on a background, this could become quite repetitive or disturbing to the actual typeface itself, therefore the font wouldn’t be professional or suitable to publish.
RUBENS
LP//
Rubens LP is an artist who focus on very free brush strokes all collaborated into one image in order to create some very inspirational designs. They manage to take these linear formats and combine them into a fashion which creates and objects or figure, these sampled later in the project. She also carries through random dots along these lines all varying in size, creating a very fascinating effect when done. Rubens LP also uses a very bold colour pallette within their work, featuring very strong primary colours, with reds and blues being used in an interesting fashion in order to create very bold contrasts, however each of which do compliment one another. I also find the imperfecton in the line strokes to be quite interesting, as they are all not the same, varying in width and each end finishing differently, with a very brash stroke or even a strange swirl etc. Within my own work I will be exploring the ways in which these strokes can be taken and used in order to form a typeface. I will begin by exploring the actual technique first and how the linear strokes can be used in different ways. I will then develop this further digitally in order to refine the line and make a very distinguished effect.
Personal Response// The free curved lines within this work is very fascinating and I believe would be nice to pursue when focusing on typeface. In these two designs featured above and the the left I can already see letters being formed, for example an ‘A’ being featured in the design above, this positioned at an awkward angle which I would have to develop.
DAVID
MOWBRAY//
David Mowbray is a very interesting artist who explores paint and the use of very bold colours in order to create some very interesting designs. Mowbray commonly takes these bright, vibrant and exciting colour backgrounds and attaches these sillhouttes forms in black in order to create a bold contrast within the image. However, he doesn’t make it a flat black image on top, instead he drags the paint back through by perhaps scratching away from the image, or even printing the image on top of the design in a fashion which will allow this to occur. Also, I noticed that on the sillhouette features the outline is not smooth, instead it is very loose and almost messy with excess paint being placed around in order to create interesting shape and form to the image. Within my own work I will be experimenting in a very similar fashion, taking bold colours and creating interesting layered effects before perhaps adding block typeface in order to see if a similar effect is created. I will also be exploring the use of spray paint as I feel this could be very suitable to this approach, taking strong primary colours to produce a base or background which I will then overlay a block stencil, this I will spray on in black. Hopefully the line will not be entirely smooth therefore the line has this messy effect around it, reflecting on the style of Mowbray’s own work.
Personal Response// I am personally a big fan of decollaging and believe these experiments are nice, however when pursuing them further into a typeface could fail due to the designs all being displayed against such a busy background image.
MATTHIAS
GEPHART//
RUBENS
LP//
WASSILY
KANDINSKY//
Remove the central circle within the shape in order to make it a flatter image. Focus on width to allow the letter correspond with other widths within fonts. One again focus on width in order to allow equal widths throughout font. Remove the central ‘A’ or ‘V’ shape from the letter to make it flatter. Remove the circle from within the central region of the shape. Re-create and develop this letter as it is not working with the typeface. Remove the small triangle attached the the side of the shape. Remove the three triangles at the top just to leave the two simple shapes. Include a triangle shape at the top of the Y, as used in the letter U.
Letter S Developed Following feedback from pier’s I was informed that my ‘S’ did not correspond with my font and wasn’t working very well, therefore I redeveloped the letter and I believe that this new design is much more suitable, it focuses on the idea of shapes forming a type as well as being legible and readable to the audience. I will also be re-forming the other letters in order for them to be tidy.
Letter I & L Developed I have adjusted the width of the letter I in order for it to correspond with the width’s used amongst other letters, for example the three letters displayed to the far left - J, H and T. With this the small triangle used within the font design, now corresponds with the triangles used elsewhere through the typeface, for example within the letter Q. Therefore, the width expansion has allowed further elements within the letter to work, this meaning that the font is even more legible and readable for the target audience, leading me one step closing to finalising the font and perfecting any slight mistakes such as this one. I also developed the letter L in order for the widths to be suitable in reflection to the font, at both the horizontal and vertical stem.
YELLOW
RED
BLUE
BLOCK
LIGHT
BOLD
REGULAR
Size Variations Displayed to the right is a variety of different size platforms that the font is placed on. This scale shows that the typeface does work in various sizes, meaning that it would be legible if it was to be used on large printed objects ie. Billboards. I will also be experimenting with the font in the outlined sizes in the brief to ensure they are suitable when applied at this scale also - oppose to this randomised sizing used here.
Further Point Sizes
60 pt
72 pt
84 pt
the font that were outlined on the breif, I took the time to experiment with them in this size to ensure that they do work with what was requested, and from feedback I have found that the typeface does work at these scales therefore would be suitable when applied in the ways the client would want.
Final Font Design with all alterations complete, I personally feel that this font is the brief, and corresponds to Wassily Kandinsky’s style of art, using shape forms in order to that this font is quite successful in artists work, in this case Kandinsky’s, with the letter forms being created through shapes, this being a very noticable factor within the work.
EXISTING
COVERS//
DESIGNS
DEVELOPED//
CHOSEN
DESIGN// Following on from my previous designs I have decided to pursue the one displayed to the right. The reason for this is I find the concept to be quite nice due to its simplicity and the fact it is easy to understand. The dotted pattern creates an element of space awareness within the piece and the advanced sized letter K, representing the name Kandinsky, this being the fonts name is very clear and readable. Also, the way that the title ‘Font Bureau Type Specimen’ intersects within the dotted pattern is nice as it conforms to this idea of nice layout, and balances out the page nicely.
COLOUR
VARIATIONS//
DESIGN// FINAL
Studying my colour swatches I found that the most suitable was this yellow as it was eye catching and worked well with the black and white elements across the page. In conclusion I believe that this cover design is very suitable or the new Font Bureau Type Specimen book as it continues their previous themes captured within the books, however still has its own personality and is appealing and understandable to the audience. Also, the large K leaves an element of enigma as to what the font, therefore the audience will be intrigued to further research the font, as well as it being published within the booklet itself.
,‘
EXISTING
FONTS//
STYLES
PAGE//
‘,
IN USE
PAGE//
CHARACTERS
PAGE//
FONT BUREAU
WEBSITE//
‘,
Displayed here are my individual pages I design for the Font Bureau website, these featuring all the elements of this newly constructed Typeface. I have sampled the font as itself, along side the typeface ie. on a phone case, poster and the type specimen booklet. I have also featured the font in various formats such as bold, light, block etc. in order for the audience to see its versitility.
ADVERTISEMENT
DESIGN//
PRINTED KANDINKSY This font is inspired and created in reflection to the Bauhaus based artist Wassily Kandinsky. The font stems from triangles, circles and rectangles, these being common shapes used within Kandinsky’s work.
AIDAN COOKE
DESIGN//
TYPOGRAPHY
SERVED
Displayed are my final advertisement products, these including a printed version of my typeface along side one of Kandinsky’s pieces, a piece that clearly reflects his work to any audience members whom in which are aware of him. Also, I have create a drop which features the versitility of my font, which would be published on Typography Served, a web format that is used for people like myself, trying to publish there font out in the world.
KANDINKSY This font is inspired and created in reflection to the Bauhaus based artist Wassily Kandinsky. The font stems from triangles, circles and rectangles, these being common shapes used within Kandinsky’s work.
AIDAN COOKE