type3: final type specimen photos

Monster is a combination of four type classifications, each of which are represented through depicting key characteristics of serif, sans serif, and script typefaces. All of these come together to form a decorative typeface, Monster. Variations in the serifs, stroke weight, the use of brackets, and calligraphic qualities flexibly form each letter. Referencing Victor Frankenstein's monster from Mary Shelley's novel,Frankenstein, this typeface has qualities that do not belong; "stolen" from other typefaces such as Rockwell, Futura, Bodoni, and Lucida Blackletter. One key distinguishing factor is its relationship to Bodoni, a neoclassical and elegant typeface. Both Bodoni and Monster have high contrast thick and thin lines, however, this typeface places the emphasis of the letterforms on the opposite parts of the letter, in direct contrast to Bodoni. While Bodoni represents beauty and sophistication, Monster represents deformity and disfigurement.

type3: specimen final

type3: progress

Collages I made to support typeface:

typ3: typeface progress

For the past few days, I've been in a slump. As always at the beginning of each project, I tried to jam in as much content and concepts as I could into one idea. I thought that my typeface should refer back to the concept of text and image, that it should explore the nuances of typography, that it should be unique and be something out of my comfort zone. With all these thoughts in my head, it was hard to take action, and I simply looked up typeface examples for inspiration. 

Once I did start designing in fontstruct, however, suddenly I couldn't decide on one direction. In the spur of the moment, I was reminded of the typeface, Karloff. Contradictory and having high contrast, I finally knew what idea to go with. I'm still deciding on the name of the typeface below...maybe "Gadfly" (a person who disrupts the status quo?). I gathered pictures of photos that seem normal, however, when looked at more closely, the context and subjects in the photo do not make sense at all. I printed them out, in hopes of cutting them, but my printer was out of black ink. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the effect. Just as my typeface emphasizes the "wrong" parts of the letterforms, the spare body parts and limbs attached to the letters below solidify the idea of displacement and manipulation. 

typ3: inspiration

xu bing's square word calligraphy

look closer and you'll see that it's english, not chinese calligraphy

illuminaed manuscript letters

marian bantjes' typography

south rose free typeface / by sydney goldstein / 

based on s. rose window @ notre dame cathedral in paris.

luca barcellona

Experimenting on fontstruct:

type3: koenig final

This book focuses on Koenig's structural elements in his architecture. Just as how Koenig exposes all the steel frames, the layout grid of the document is hinted at on each page with the moving bar that moves across the page in equal intervals. This, too, references how Koenig controls the "private" and "public" world, where the glass is opaque or clear. He also wanted residents to see an unobstructed view of the vast California landscape, which he does with clear glass framed by black steel frames. In regards to the use of the pilcrow and the page numbers, this speaks to Koenig's emphasis on efficiency of the use of space. 

type3: koenig process

Koenig's architecture focuses on free-flowing space. Where he has two horizontal planes, the mid-section of his houses are usually only obstructed by steel I-beams that are for the sake of construction. Still, most of the glass windows are in full-view of the inhabitants within, and conversely, those inside can clearly see the view. Based on this concept, I changed my idea where equally-spaced vertical lines appear throughout the book, however on different places on the page. The type moves freely within the horizontal space, and follows the flow-line.