Specs on The Illustrative Alphabet Project 2010

The Illustrative Alphabet Project:
Due Tuesday September 14th

In every culture throughout history, there has been the establishment of a visual language. This language is based on the ideology of that particular unique group. The development of a visual language (iconography) may stem from it's environment, its food source, its rituals, and even its individual religion. From cave drawings to the hieroglyphics found in Middle Eastern cultures to modern day graffiti, cultural societies have played the part of graphic designers and illustrators documenting our lives and culture.

This project will enable you to design a sequential illustrative alphabet based on your personal experiences within your own culture and/or history. You might choose to make this typographical illustrative treatment a serious examination of how you read the alphabet or you might wish to present examples of a tongue-in-cheek creation utilizing found objects in nature or out of existing objects.

I would encourage you to create your illustrative alphabet in a Black and White format first and then convert to a final color format. Your critique will be based on the color version although you might want to show both at the critique.

Each illustrative alphabet letter form should be approx. 2"x 2" in scale. This might be vertical or horizontal but all alphabet type must be on one board. This depends on the images you create therefore the alphabet can be a percentage larger (vertically or horizontally). Remember that once you establish a GRID for your personal alphabet remain true to that GRID for the rest of the alphabet.
If you want to also create numerals, punctuation marks on a second board that is even better.
Consistency in concept and rendering and presentation is key to a successful project.

Be Clever. Be insightful.

These might be hand-drawn, photographed, collages, computer-generated and/or combinations of all mentioned. You may wish to merge commercial typography families (sampling) and thus creating a new “hybrid” type alphabet.

The final illustrative alphabet you design will be presented on your chosen board size (all 26 letterforms). You may wish to include numerals as well.
Extra points for actually taking your new alphabet to an actual font.

NOTE: You may be asked to create a design using your own alphabet at the end of this project so be Prepared. Happy Hunting for your illustrative imagery.