Creative Writing Research
Charles R. Cross Charles R. Cross is an american designer who has made some extremely hands-on biographies.[1] These two examples, Cobain unseen, and Led Zeppelin Shadows Taller than our Souls, both contain exceptional material ranging from replica gig tickets to original song sheets.
Left: pull out of original lyric [2] sheet to ‘Smells like teen spirit’. Below: replicas of gig tickets contained within the book.[3]
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Origin of ABC. To learn more about typography and writing i thought it would be interesting to investigate where our letter forms originally come from. Verbal communication was established well before writing was, so it started as drawings depicting objects, which over time turned into what we recognise as letters. The earliest forms of letters dont actually correspond to ours, more to Arabic and Hebrew letters.
ABCDE FGHIJK LMNOP QRSTU VWXYZ Our alphabet.
‘E’ - volution.
The first two images are said to define the Hebrew and Arabic languages. From then on you can see a steady definition of the letter A
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Zhang Huan Zhang Huan is a chinese artist who at an early age had to escape his homeland, leaving behind family and cultural identity.[4] In an effort to regain hs identity he asked three caligraphists to write tales and peoms of his homeland on his head and face for a whole day. [5]
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Cheng Yong Cheng Yong is also a chinese artist. In 2006 he showcased his work with braille entitled ‘Obstacle’. This piece addressed issues of interpretation, failed communication between two people. His piece gives a sense of understanding before you realise you can’t and neither could a blind person, but we can both ‘see’ a naked woman.[6]
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This piece of braille (as any shown on a computer screen) is incomprehensible by most people with fully functional eyes but also for a blind person since there is no texture. This is the same for the braille on the placed on the naked women and lightboxes.
Bibliography
Charles R. Cross: [1]www.charlesrcross.com [2]Cobain Unseen [3]www.samanthacaplan.com/index.php?/project/led-zeppelinshadows-taller-than-our-souls/ • www.infsys.info/joomla/media-reviews/1237 • www.blogcritics.org/books/article/book-review-led-zeppelinshadows-taller/ Origin of ABC • ilovetypography.com Zhang Huan [4]www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/new_vchina/ [5]kimmco.typepad.com Cheng Yong [6]www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-12/17/content_760925.htm • imagine-gallery.com/artists/cheng-yong/statement/ Other • www.bilocal.org/home/2010/11/2/12-designers-on-writing114-at-tether.html • www.elupton.com/