Typography

We have been exploring different ways of creating hand rendered typography. We copied lettering off objects such as bottles and tins using a variety of mediums and methods.

for this design, I created a collage background using envelopes and graph paper, so the background had patterns on but wouldn't distract from the type. I used a graphite stick and one continuous line to make the lettering, so had to look very closely at my object to get the lettering accurate because if one part of my line was not in the right place it would affect the look of the whole of it.

For the next one, I created diagonal stripes using ink to make the background. I then used a stick dipped in ink to draw the lettering. I found this quite difficult because I had to hold the stick by the end so it was hard to control, and it was also hard to know how much ink to use to make a bold outline but not too much so it would drip.

This was the one that challenged me the most, as I did it with my left hand (I'm right handed) and it was Chinese writing so the shapes were unfamiliar and I had to concentrate very hard to get the lines in the right place. I think this was fairly successful, because the blue oil pastel really stands out from the brown ink background.

This one was my favourite method. we used masking tape to make the letters (or numbers, in this case), and then rubbed shoe polish on, to make a sort of haze around the letters, but very sharp lines on the inside because of the straight edge of the tape. I like the outcome of this because you do not create the letter, but rather the space around it, a negative of the letter itself.