Typographic Conference - Conclusion

In the beginning I looked to my experiments from the previous project.



I felt it was an interesting solution. I experimented with a few different typefaces, but ended up using garamond. I felt it was the most interesting because of the thick and thin strokes and the serifs as opposed to the geometric and consistent sans serif.







I played around with inverting the logotype, but after crit I switched it back to the natural colors.





Along with the logotype, all the other artifacts also went through this change.





The user generated name tags also went through some changes. In the beginning the light looked as though I had created them in Microsoft Paint...



But with a few modifications to the camera and using a different light I was able to achieve some pretty cool results.







I also spent quite a bit of my time and energy working on the motion piece.

Luminosity Investigation from Jonathan Richardson on Vimeo.

Luminosity Process 2 from Jonathan Richardson on Vimeo.

Here is a video I compiled of several stages during the process.

Here is the final piece.

Luminosity Motion Piece from Jonathan Richardson on Vimeo.

Typecon Refinements 04/29/2010

Here are the refinements I have made to my artifacts for the Luminosity typography conference.

Based on Monday's crit, I change the color palate back to the yellow/white/black to reflect the feeling of light rather than water. I also re-made the motion piece and attempted to integrate the logo more with the live video parts at the beginning.

Luminosity Motion Piece from Jonathan Richardson on Vimeo.

T4 type conference criticism

Typographic Conference - Identity Elements

I chose Garamond as the main font for the identity because I felt the thick and thin strokes made for a more interesting composition during the application of my previous type experiments. I chose Grotesque as a supporting font to contrast the organic look of the Luminosity logo. I chose colors that I thought best represented the word luminous, and light.



I was thinking of keeping the logo yellow and black, but felt it looked too much like a church pamphlet.

Typographic Conference - Ideas About Artifacts, Identity (cont.)

CDP - Arts Every Day from MICA Center for Design Practice on Vimeo.

Typographic Conference - Ideas About Artifacts, Identity (cont.)

I have conducted a few more experiments for the artifacts I have decided to create. I haven't started on the website yet as I want to get the identity ironed out first. I worked on experiments that deal with my idea for user generated name tags, ideas for the narrative, as well as the identity.

Name Tag Experiments
These were created by using a long exposure, and a flashlight, and a lazer pointer in a dark room.







Identity Experiments
These were created by applying the discoveries from the last project.





I have a few short video clips to show during crits as well. This week I will need to begin storyboarding for the narrative and laying out the website.

Luminosity

Luminosity
"Projected typography and it's vast applications"

The Luminosity typographic conference will focus on projected typography and typography created by light. This conference will include discussions about a broad area of applications ranging from advertising to graffiti. There will also be workshops that will allow attendees hands on experimentation. Type designer Robert Brownjohn will also be present giving talks throughout the conference.

Typographic Conference - Concept Map

Type IV - Projected Type Experiment

Here are some pictures from some of my experiments. I will probably hang these on the wall. I also have a 30sec. video that will play on my computer, and a version of my experiment people can interact with. I will post the video as soon as it uploads to Vimeo. Here are the images.

Trippy Light Type

I have to say I after the experiments I have been conducting I am in a little bit different place than I thought I would be at this point. However, that isn't a bad thing.

Initially I was asking questions about how projected type could be interactive, either with the user or with the surface it was being projected upon. Due to the lack of a projector I could take around and use for my experiments I began using a flashlight and letters cut out of cardboard and such. I discovered some interesting things there which didn't quite answer the initial question exactly, but led me down a slightly different path.

I began using transparencies and shinning the flashlight through them. I'm not sure if it's the flashlight or what, but the results are very interesting. This has led me to an idea I have that would merge what I have discovered through my experiments, and user interactivity.


My drawing is crude. I apologize.

It will consist of a tube constructed from bristol board and foam core which I would shine the flashlight through. The squares would be cut out sections where the user could place provided type. Each square would consist of a different letter, and there could possibly be more than one typeface used. The user could then create their own message. The user could also control the distance, and the angle of the light which changes the appearance of the type.

It's dope.

I would include more images, but I need to work on capturing them better first. So far the ways I have attempted, haven't reproduced the results I desire.

Designalogue Banner

This was a little harder than I thought. Documenting this experiment is difficult, and unfortunately this photo does not do it justice. A special thanks to Carly for helping me out.

This is supposed to have motion but it was very hard to produce crisp photographs, and my camcorder isn't the best quality. So for now this is what I have.

More Experiments

So over the weekend I conducted a few more experiments, one was such a failure I'm not even sure if it counts. I have decided to document these in order to limit the amount of stuff I need to drag with me to class for show and tell.

First I had an idea to help channel the light from the source I would construct a tube. Then at the end of the tube I place a mirror and wrote on it.






This one wasn't very cool.



I discovered the piece below on flickr. I'm not sure if the piece moves, but it made me wonder what this would be like if it spun or rotated. I also wondered about different levels of type that could each be spun much like a combination lock...











I think the material I used was way too flimsy for this experiment.

Finally, using a transparency and a flashlight I got some results. I will bring this in to share with the class.

Research (Cont.)

After sharing my experiments with Abby, and some discussion, I am wondering about creating a screen based font that would move, or could be moved by the user. During our discussion Abby up a valid point about the line between innovative experimental typography and cheesy glitter type. See Here...

Towards the end of my video Type Experiments 01 some very cool things begin to happen with a circle of light that warps the letter "A". I am wondering if perhaps through my research I have discovered a new path, or if I am steering in the wrong direction.

Type Experiments 01 from Jonathan Richardson on Vimeo.

Similar things happen at the end of Type Experiments 02. The letter "A" begins to look almost holographic. This could also be an option, but I have not considered any interactive solutions yet.

Type Experiments 02 from Jonathan Richardson on Vimeo.

I guess I'm kind of at a crossroads right now and need to figure out which direction I need to focus on.

Designer Bio

Designer Bio
While reading from the Triggs book, I came across the work of Robert Brownjohn and discovered how similar his work was to some of the experiments I have been conducting.

Brownjohn was inspired by watching the effect of still type projected onto moving bodies as people arrived late for a slide presentation. He went on to do several projects based on this idea including the title sequences for 'From Russia With Love', and 'Goldfinger'

From Russia With Love Title Sequence


Goldfinger Title Sequence


Brownjohn attended the Institute of Design in Chicago and graduated in 1950. After graduating, he moved to New York to pursue his graphic design career. Early experiments included the booklet "Watching Words Move" in which he re-designed words like "add" and "subtract" to "+dd" and "-tract".

In 1963 his work began to shift to moving type. It was in this year he produced the title sequnce for "From Russia With Love". The following year he was hired again by the producers of the James Bond series for the title sequence for "Goldfinger".

Robert Brownjohn died in 1970.

Reasearch and Experiments

Initially my area of interest was inspired by projected graffiti. Using a high powered lazer pointer, a projector, and a laptop, these people were able to "tag" a very large building.

Lazer Tag

There is some code that was written to go along with this that created the drip effect, which I believe could be manipulated. you can also create you own shapes and brushes to "tag" with.

Here is an interesting video where the projection actually interacts with the building's windows. Really cool, but the music makes me want to throw my computer. Listen to this one with the sound OFF.

My Experiments
Here is a video I have compiled of a few of my own experiments using a flashlight and a letter "A" I cut out of cardboard. For another experiment I made a makeshift lightbox and wrote on red film. I also came across some interesting finds while shinning the flashlight through an Aquafina bottle filled with red-colored water.

Type Experiments 01

Type Experiments 01 from Jonathan Richardson on Vimeo.

Type Experiments 02

Type Experiments 02 from Jonathan Richardson on Vimeo.

The Odor

Univers was unusually stinky this morning... more later.

Type Wall

Here are some of the pictures I snapped today during the construction of the "Type Wall".