OUGD403 (Studio Brief 1) Alphabet Soup

STUDIO BRIEF 1 - VISUAL THINKING - ALPHABET SOUP

Brief

Produce a set, series or sequence of ten letterforms, which explore and communicate your interpretation of the word that you have selected from the randomiser. Using your newfound appreciation of the anatomy of typographic forms and the wealth of research that you have already gathered, focus on the manipulation of existing letterforms in order to solve this problem.

Background / Considerations

Think visually. Consider what the visual essence of your subject matter is and how best to communicate this. What are the obvious responses? How can you beyond these? How subtle can you be? Do your ideas operate as a set, series or sequence? The following terms may prove useful: Trace, erase, layer, combine, outline, silhouette, and surface. Consider the most effective and controlled use of media appropriate to your subject matter. EXPERIMENT with a range of possible line qualities, marks, colour and paper types. How will colour help with the communication? What paper stocks can you work with? Do you need to draw, photocopy, photograph, collage, trace or combine all of these processes?

This is the first independent brief we have been given. For this brief we are required to create our own typeface, and show this within the format of ten 10cmx10cm letterforms.
We were all given a typeface, and a different word. I was given the typeface 'Times New Roman' and the word 'system.'
I will manipulate the typeface by using 'system' as my influence, the final typeface must be creative and not obvious.

I started by brainstorming ideas for both the given typeface, and given noun. When we were given this brief, I was struggling to come up with ideas that weren't as obvious and literal, so by doing the initial mind maps it enabled me to expand in areas to research.



After this initial brainstorm, I was still finding it hard to decide which route I wanted to further my research as the word system has a broad selection of concepts to depict.

I started to research into the typeface times new roman, the serif typeface. This was designed in 1929 by Stanley Morison and since then it has become a well known classic typeface, first commissioned in the times newspaper. Morrison used the older font named 'Plantin' as the starting point for his design. Examples of this typeface can be found in documents such as books, advertisements and times articles. Because this typeface was so popular, it has been influential in numerous developments of several serif typefaces. An example of this is the typeface 'Georgia' as this has very similar stroke shapes to Times New Roman but it has wider serifs.

System
After the initial brainstorm of the word system i started to research what is associated with system. I began looking into organisation, and and the act of organisation (making different people or things work together for a goal) which then led my investigation on to researching a coordinated system. From this initial research into the word system, it brought me to the conclusion that organisation is a significant aspect of the noun system. 
Organised - consistent - coordinated. This led my research to investigate further into the idea of coordination, and how things work together which links to the starting word system (working systematically.)
Coordination led me to structured, and how things work together, coordination compounds are where a compound contains one or more coordiante bonds. Taking this idea, it suggests that the idea of linked bonds, and working together fits in with the initial word system.

Scientific Approach
I furthered my research down a more scientific and factual root, taking my ideas from the research I have already gathered. Using the word coordination as the most significant aspect, I then started to develop this into researching coordination compounds, which is a compound containing one or more coordinate bond. I started to peruse this idea further and look into coordinate and covalent bonds, as these show are systematic and show a structured system. A covalent bond is a link between two atoms, in which electrons are shared between them, and a coordinate bond the covalent bond between two atoms where one of the atoms provide both electrons that form the bond. 

This has given me the idea to manipulate the typeface given and taking the scientific influences from the word coordinated, which has been taken from the word system. I wanted to stick with this theme as covalent bonds work and link together, so it keeps the theme of linking throughout my research and then to be displayed within my finished typeface. I could use the actual scientific diagrams to influence certain letterforms of my typeface, this could be shown by interpreting the use of molecular bonds into my letterforms.