Alphabet Soup-Visual Thinking 2 (OUGD403)

ILLUSTRATOR VERSION OF ALPHABET.

ALPHABET SOUP

VISUAL THINKING.

MELT

    When trying to create letterforms that visually represent the word 'melt', most of the letters I made were quite detailed in style. Because of this, I decided to choose one of my less complicated letterforms to re-create on the illustrator software. Because i am still quite new in using this software I didn't want to over face myself.

    I decided to go with this letter because the typeface it was originally based on is one I downloaded on to my laptop. This gives me something i can the work on and manipulate to match the melted version.

 TYPEFACE - AVER

Using this as a starting point i then used the pen tool. However instead of changing the the fill to blank and the stroke to black (as we were previously shown in the workshops) I kept the fill black and got rid of the stroke.

FILL - BLACK

STROKE -  NON

I then just simply started to create paths and then manipulate them to match my original design.

FIRST DRIP

INDIVIDUAL PATHS OF EACH DRIP

ADDED DETAIL

PROGRESS SO FAR.

FINISHED

    Im not happy with this letterform. I don't feel that this design has a clean and professional look to it. I think its because the melt drips are un-even and differ in size. I have decided to re-do this letterform using the same original sketch but using a slightly different style.

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STRAIGHT DRIP TRACKS.

    I have decided that instead of using curved lines to make up the drips, I am going to try using straight lines. I think use ding these as a base will help to keep the typeface looking clean and sleek rather than messy.

To make sure that the drips looked authentic, joining them seamlessly at the top way key. This is so each dip looks as if it running off the letter form. I also thing having different sized drips help the type to look more runny.

FINISHED E LETTERFORM

    I am a lot happier with out come of this method. The straight lines run parallel with each other as well as the straight lines in the letterforms. This help the type look sharper, crisper and more consistent.

    After completing my E letterform that I adapted from my original sketches, I started to apply the same style to the rest of the letterforms in the alphabet. I made sure that the typeface (Aver) conned to make up the letters while i adapted them to the melting style I had developed.

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COMPLETED 'MELT' TYPEFACE

CLOSE UP DETAIL

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EVALUATION.

    Overall I am very happy with this typeface. I believe that this alphabet reflects the word melt very well and that someone casting a new eye over my work would be able to respond instantaneously with the word melt. I made sure that the drips were not too big so that the original typeface was enhanced by the decoration rather than hindered. I also think that having then and small drips give the letterforms a neater feel even though the process of melting is usually messy. I am happy to leave the letterforms a block black because I think that accentuated the texture and feel I am tying to emulate.

    If I have more time in the future to continue with this project I think it would be beneficial to the legibility of the alphabet it each of the drips were measured and made more consistent. I could have 3 to 4 set measurements and each drip to meet rather than having them a bit random.

SIMPLE EXAMPLE FOR COLOURS & USES. 

CHOCOLATE?

SLIME?

BLOOD?

ICE?

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