Looking at the Overlooked.

Making visible the invisible through type.
"This project will explore the use of type and text in Illustration and examine the broader context of text within Fine Art to introduce alternative ways of creating images", says the brief.
This is the first project since choosing Illustration as my specific path and it is daunting. The reality is, even though I have always used text when creating short graphic novels, I have never really had a particular interest in type and text. So this field is pretty much completely new to me. I initially had no idea how to approach the project, or if I'd even enjoy it, but I've discovered that it actually does interest me and has unconsciously appealed to me all my life. I've always loved writing and the power of words, so this is just a way of giving them even more force.
First of all I explored Digbeth, using my camera to document interesting looking fonts and signs. And I love the gritty, rundown, mixed feel of Digbeth. Creating something on wood and then destroying it, or letting the weather destroy it, might be something I could look into.

I've also looked into vintage carnival posters, I just love the idea of having a "See The Amazing Snake Woman!" or something (but Birmingham related), with an Illustration as well and a weathered, tattered look.

Another thing that has interested me is writing in different materials, maybe metal or plastic, photos, objects or wool.
Lastly, I have looked into Futurism and Dadaist poetry. I especially adore Apollinaire's Calligrammes ("shaped poetry", a development of what in Latin poetry was called carmen figuratum) . What is particular about poetry from these kinds of artistic movements is the way they use the words on the page as images to better convey the message. Futurists especially also add drawings and are very free about the way they put down words on a page; poets and generally writers from these movements are very experimental and that is always something to be inspired by. I also find them very similar to Islamic calligrams, which are even more beautiful as the Arabic alphabet is so fluent and illustrative.

Corrado Govoni, Il Palombaro

Guillaume Apollinaire, Il pleut

We were told in the project presentation about the Baskerville font, created by Birmingham-born John Baskerville. We also had a workshop on ScanFont and FontLab. To be honest, I loved the really quick and messy font that the technician created. I do want to experiment with these programs but I don't think I have the patience to create a carefully planned font.

So I've moved away from that first terrifying "blank page" moment, and now find myself with so many ideas I'm not really sure which way to turn.