Formal Qualities of a Letterform
Emily Walton & Michael Lopez
J J
J
JJ
JJ J
J J
JJ
JJ
jj
j
J
JJJ
J
J
J
J J JJ JJ JJ
J J
JJJ J J J
j jj
Emily Walton
j jj
j
j
j jj
J JJ
j jj
j jj
j
jj j J
J
jj
jj jj
jj j j
j j
j
J
J
J
J
J J
JJ
j
J
JJ
J
J
J
J J
J
J
J JJ J J
J
J J
J
JJ
j j
jj
j j J J
JJ
Michael Lopez
J J
J J
J J J
Michael Lopez
JJJ
J
Emily Walton
JJJ
J J J
J
J J
J J
We first started by creating thirty letterforms each. From the thirty we had to pick our top three for class critique. During class critique, the class picked the best from the top three selection from all the students and put those letterforms in a pile. Students then got in pairs and picked a letterform from the pile to create a 3d typographic form. The letterform shown above is the letterform we chose to turn into a 3d figure. Coincidently, it was also one of Emily’s top three.
With the letterform chosen, the process to create a 3d typographic figure begins. All is documented here from sketches, maquettes, material testing, failed attempts, and color inspiration.
After we sketched our ideas on how we were going to make our 3d form, we started building our maquettes. Cutting a detailed J out of cardboard was harder than cutting a J in a cleaner and sharper font like Helvetica because of the curvers.
We made many maquettes - more than documented. Reason being, having two different opinions and mindsets, we kept changing our ideas. We even changed our ideas past our own sketches. When we thought we had our final maquette, one of us had a different idea which led to discussion. A lot of compromise had to be made as partners to decide on different ways to approach an idea.
After finally picking a maquette to work with, we started to make a smaller scaled model of our idea in foamboard - the material we would be using. Even at this stage we changed our idea of how our final 3d form would look like.
Once we finalized our idea (found in the bottom left corner of the photo), we had to pick our colors. We both agreed that the J we were working with had a regal quality about it and therefore demanded to have its vibe emphasized through color. We picked some colored paper to function as swatches. From there, we played with different combinations to see what we liked and what had a regal vibe to match the function of the J.
We collectively decided to remove the light blue, red, and beige colors as they did not communicate what we were looking for. We were then torn between the two color combinations below. The blue and gray had a modern elegance about it and the purple and silver had a royal elegance. We then had to decide what type of regal feel we wanted to use for our J and our 3d figure.
We decided that the blue and gray was too similar to a boy’s bedroom color scheme and we vetoed that combination. However, another color was found in the colored paper (color on the left side) which was introduced to the silver and it looked beautiful together. The silver was staying, but what color would be paired with the silver was the question. Eventually we decided to go with the purple and silver combination.
We decided that we were going to color our final 3d form using spray paint. We decided to switch the silver from our color palate with gold because we felt it was more fancy and royal than silver. However, at the art store, we found a lot of nice colors that looked good with the gold chrome and we found ourself starting over with our color selections. Although, in the end of our deliberation, we stayed true to our original color scheme.