OUGD406 - Typefaces

OUGD406 - Typefaces

Both of the first 2 typefaces (fig.1 and 2) were created through the manipulation and photography of projected letterforms, in reference to the warped effect of the Beatles cover for Rubber Soul created when their photographer showed them images after a photoshoot and the projector fell, showing a stretched image of them which they ended up liking more. Fig. 1 was created through projecting type in Compacta Black into the corner of the ceiling, creating an angular and geometric typeface which can become progressively more curved and psychedelic when altered. Fig. 2 was created through projecting letterforms in Gotham Bold onto some balloons -i.e. Rubber Soul, creating warped and overlapped parts in the anatomy of the type. This typeface was meant to represent the more liberated hippie counter-culture of art rock, compared to the modernist art rock artists represented in fig. 1, and while it is messier and less refined than Fig. 1, the process could be applied with more success. Compacta Black was used as the base typeface for fig.1 as it is bold and minimal and perfect to represent minimal modernist approach to art rock. Also because it is bold, when modified the warped angles have more effect. Gotham Bold was chosen as the base typeface for fig. 2 because the process of projecting it onto balloons would warp the letterforms so much, it needed to be rational and precise to begin with. 

fig.2                                                                                         fig. 1

Fig.1 shows an edited version of postmodernist designer Milton Glaser’s typeface - Baby Teeth. The drop shadows aim to add more decoration to the letterforms in refernce to the decorative type of Sgt Peppers. This idea would have to be developed more because right now it bares to much resemblance to Glaser’s original typeface, perhaps the geometric blocky exterior of the letterforms could be made more ornamental - in keeping with Sgt Peppers - by adding decorative shapes to the inside and modifying some of the straight edges with curves. This typeface incorporates the 2 opposing ideologies off art rock so ultimately one idea is going to have to be prominent in the design.  

Fig.2 references the banana sticker on the cover of the Velvet Underground with Nico’s vinyl album. The letterforms fairly literally represent this visually and the typeface overall is not too exciting, however it could be created physically and photographed for more effect.