Thursday Class Time and Place

Hi All - It seems that most of you can make a Thursday class so I have managed to book B108 (so its not in the design block) from 5 - 7pm. I actually have the room to 8pm so if we need to start later let me know as soon as possible - but the earlier we start the earlier we can leave.

Good to see that most of you have also now posted some experiments. I will try to comment on them this evening - but for now it seems a lot of you have tried cutting / ripping / moulding techniques that are a good start but tend towards a certain aesthetic that neglects some of the richness and individuality that can be made in shaping a series of letters into a unique and highly recognisable font with the characteristics and background that you have highlighted in your favourite font exercise. So for tomorrow I want you to prepare a few things so that we can have an intensive font making studio - you will need to bring in:

A wide brush and some ink / water colour

Graph paper

Soft lead pencils - 2b / 4b

Collect some found objects, twigs and sticks

A rule / compass and tape

 

Also -

Print out a full set of letter forms from your reviewed font - including upper and lower case, and other special characters, at 40pts

Return to your research questions and print them out with a series of responses that respond or note down avenues for experimentation and ways of investigating these questions (you may choose to focus on your best 3) eg:

Q -  Can I produce a font that can be collapsible?

Notes - Try making letters from wooden components that are screwed together, try folding letterforms out of paper and throwing them in the air and photographing them, collect images of buildings, bridges and other built forms collapsing, review them for letter shapes and possibilities.

Q - Can I produce a font which can be modified?

Notes - Try to come up with a series of letter forms that when used can be placed over each other to create a range of possible variations on each letter shape...

With all of these we can then spend the class focusing on creating a series of possible starting points for developing a truly experimental, recognisable and useable font - I would like to try and focus on the letter A, G, Q, S and I

To get you thinking here are some letter forms from Neasden Control Centre's Polemia series - a project that combines action and experimentation starting with different choices of working material. The letter forms are an act of collection and acquisition, reclaiming lost or forgotten objects - as well as of creative juxtaposition. The real character of these letter forms come from the obvious made quality - the carry a 3-dimensional weight that comes from the careful construction and combining of elements on the one hand in balance, but also as an installation - out of scale with our usual experience of 'type'