T4: Duplicitous Typeface Revised

So I attempted to create the lowercase letters of the typeface we created for our type conference. I did also bring the gap in that we originally had in the first one. Something was said to it's legibility when words were formed (and I even misspelled a word), so I decided to take the space out. I also had to redraw all the original letters because in order to create the lowercase, I needed more room to create the angles. I didn't think about that in the original one, so I had to make the letter "s" and "x" in a 4 by 4 box area....wasn't gonna happen.

T4: Type Conference Final Process

Micah and I began with Beneath the Surface. We ended with Duplicity, TypeCon's 2012 conference theme dealing with form and perception. In my opinion, getting to where we ended in final critique was a very long process to go through. In the identity alone, Micah and I kept coming up with more and more ideas on how this theme of multiple messages residing in one form could evolve. Throughout the beginning stages, our identity was constantly being questioned. Is this reflecting our type experiments? Is this reflecting BOTH of our experiments? Should we use an icon?

When we began thinking of our artifacts, we knew we wanted ones that were not only different than usual, but ones that reflected the multiple forms of our project. Our six artifacts were 1. a custom typeface, thanks to fontstruct 2. a mailer 3. laptop sleeve 4. name tags 5. venue banner 6. iphone app.

To recap, the mailer contained information about the conference, a return mailer that is perforated to be returned for further information, and a poster. The laptop sleeve contains patterning on the inside, while the outside houses the logotype. The name tags were unique in that they provided a way for attendees to network with no excuses with the perforated pad of name tags that could be handed off. We even thought of possibly making that for the iphone so attendees could "bump" their business card to one another. For our venue banner, it has three sides to it so that when they are hung vertically, they would ideally rotate allowing an attendee to view the different messages that are around the banner. And finally, the iphone app would contain the schedule of the conference, providing the attendee with choices between sessions and different sneak peek bios on some of the guest speakers.

To restate, our venue that we chose was the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. We originally chose it because of it's multiple floors and multiple rooms which allowed for lots of workshops, breakout sessions, and whatever else that would be in our conference. There is also a place for speakers to speak in the auditorium and Rozelle Court. During critique on Friday, one of our guests judges pointed out that there was also a nice contrast between the old and new architecture which plays well with our conference theme.

Overall, I'm really happy with where we ended up. Of course some things could still be fine tuned a little more...such as the mailer, but I think our artifacts are strong. Plus, Duplicity is a way better name than Beneath the Surface!

VISUAL PROCESS

Type 4: Conference Criticism

Type 4: Duplicity Artifacts

Duplicity to restate:

Duplicity Theme

In todays media, we are so desensitized by the aesthetics of what is being produced that we end up losing the essence and deeper meaning of what's actually being communicated. How can designers make the appearance of a message influence you to make one conclusion over another? This conference will inspire you to dig beneath the surface and explore different techniques of how typography can influence perception and create a deeper layer of meaning. From 2-dimensional ambigrams to the 3-D realm of environmental signage, the theme of this years typographic conference will make you look at typography in a new perspective and find multiple messages within a singular form. Duplicity has the motivational power to ask yourself "how can typographic form communicate or enhance the depth of content in my own work."


The Conference Structure

Held at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, we chose this location for its multiple levels and modularity to host different types of activities: an ampitheater for lectures, gallery space for work to be hung and vendors to present, class rooms for workshops, cafe and kitchen for refreshments, and an outdoor lawn for exterior activities and event space. Our conference deals with multiple elements typographically on many different levels. Typecon 2012 is broken up into a three day conference where the intensity levels of the workshops and lectures progress each day. Broken into two sections of 2D and ambigrams, and the other being 3D environmental typography, this conference orchestrates an incredibly inclusive educational experience for attendees.
The attendees have the choice to cross between the duplicity of levels and subject matter throughout the conference.


Graphic Standards:

We started our identity with a logotype, we tried to build this custom logo typeface out of geometric forms that gave a similar appearance to my 3D experiments which creates depth, and also utilizing those geometric shapes that could work in different directions and orientations to reflect the turning abilities of Lances ambigram experiments. I've researched the Colorado designer Alvin Lustig and utilized his process of taking small sections of typographic letter forms and reproducing them into graphic elements or patterns. This worked quite well in the diamond shaped patterns I've designed that have overlaying transparencies to create a false 3D depth. While I cut small sections of the letter forms out, Lance used the entire letter to create some interesting graphics and patterns that adhere to his ambigram modularity. So our patterns have direct reference and construction from our type face Duplicitous.

We have also created a 2D representational icon of a 3D looking letter D, that coincides with the logotype. This icon is used throughout our campaign to signify a sense of curiosity of whats beyond. This mask shows different layers of letter forms and graphic elements going back into space from the flat surface of the page.

Minimizing the entire color wheel, we chose to use 3 energetic colors of green, blue, and orange to have a fresh energetic feeling and transition from two extremes of the 2 and 3D realm.

Our typeface choices are as follows: Letter Gothic for our subtitle "TypeCon 2012," Universe for most of the headers and title work throughout the campaign for its versatility of condensed to expanded, Helvetica Lt for body copy work, its easier on the eyes than helvetica and also has more variety throughout the family, and then there is Duplicitous, the Typeface which Lance has created and I have art directed from time to time which is thought of as a nice amalgamation of the two of our experiments.


The Artifacts Brief

We wanted our artifacts to have some sort of duplicitous nature to further iterate our conference theme. Most of our artifacts diminish the line between poetic and practical, to create a new convergence of both elements clearly.

Name tags: This artifact fulfills the practical in two ways. We need name tags for immediate recognition of staff member to seek information, records for registration, and also for networking purposes. Our solution for this was to make a perforated stack of social networking cards that could easily be ripped off your lanyard to give your information to a potential contact. The front of the card displays your name and is color coated: Orange for professionals, Green for students, and Blue for Staff. The back of the card is left with a light pattern so you can write down whatever type of contact info you would like your new design contact.

Invitation Mailer: This is one of the only pieces in our campaign that fulfills the practical, persuasive, and the poetic. It is an advertisement to entice viewers to come to the event, it lists important information to practically give someone an idea of what this conference is about, and its just plain pretty to look at. Following the duplicitous nature, the mailer is a six panel old out invitation with perforated business reply info, a conference overview, and the back side is a keepsake poster. This three in one piece is what guests will get several months out from the time of the conference.

Venue Banners: - still editing copy

Lap Top Case: - still editing copy

Event Schedule: - still editing copy

T4: Experimenting with fontstruct a little

So below are two different directions of the fonts I created for our Duplicity TypeCon 2012. I started out a little rocky as far as figuring out how to work the program, but once I figured it out, I got a clear rhythm and made these. I only did the letters we needed until we figure out a direction.

IT'S FINISHED!!!!! OUR FONT IS FINISHED!.....I think

T4: Duplicity Concept Map Revise

T4: Progress on Artifacts and logo

I began working on some pattern ideas too. These are still pretty basic forms playing off of the logo.


We are placing a poster on the back of our invitation, so just thinking about some patterns and these are still preliminary.

Slight hint to a 3 dimensional form

subtle change of the "u"


Below is an idea for a venue banner. To be able to have multiple messages on each side and these would ideally rotate.



Below is Micah's quick mock up of the program. If you look closely, you'll see that the die cut is our logo, but the idea is to have this not only be pocket size, but to have it also be layered of information. Each page would only have two options and the attendee would have to choose between those two options. For example, pg. 1 "Day One", you can either attend the keynote speaker of John Langdon or go to a round table discussion.




I began thinking about pop ups that we could place within some of the collateral. I saw an inspirational book that had multiple die cuts and one of them was a dual message pop up, so I tried doing it with two letters just to see if I could do it.