This is the first of two halfs of my Masters degree. Brief: This brief changed a number of times over the 12 months of the MA, the evolution of the brief was down to certain elements of research and physical practice not being what they had originally seemed to be. It changed into probably the most challenging brief I have undertaken to date. The final brief was to produce a contemporary humanist san serif that has drawn obvious influence from the aesthetics of calligraphic hands. To display the typeface, a type specimen was the most relevant and appropriate way of showcasing the letterforms. A handmade 40-page book was produced which displays the set of glyphs to their full potential. The main calligraphic hand that was studied throughout this project was the foundational hand, which was produced by Edward Johnston using a broad edged pen. Johnston’s calligraphic practice was second to none, the precision, technique and typographic knowledge he held allowed him to put together a timeless set of characters known as Johnston Sans. It was Johnston’s understanding of calligraphic aesthetics that I was most interested in, as this was what would help mould the shapes of my letterforms. I wanted to produce a typeface from scratch, one that was warm and welcoming, yet extremely versatile and strong.
Project Tags
Companies
University of Portsmouth
- Education & Research