Visual words for interiors

"ModernMantra is a series of 18 "text drawings" made in Indian ink on white paper. In a somewhat schematic fashion they portray sterile and depopulated interiors, often simply but properly furnished. One does not have to get very close to them to see that the drawings are really calligrammes, that the interiors are drawn with words that simultaneously describe what they depict."

says Kim West in his text "The Mutant Nerd" in the catalog ModernMantra produced for the exhibition at Borås Konstmuseum (Sweden) in 2006.

Thomas Broomé is the artist of these calligram interiors ModernMantra.

He is a contemporary artist born in Malmö (Sweden) in 1971.

View the calligrams of ModernMantra and seven new addition just presented in an exhibition at the Galeri Magnus Karlsson in Stockholm.

A bag made by words

This is a plastic bag that "carries" a very meaningful statement.

Designed by Thorbjørn Ankerstjerne while he was a student.

I think this design could be included in the "Good Work Project" where good work happens when excellent and ethic meet.

But so far it's included in the book New Packaging Design by Janice Kirkpatrick that features over 80 packaging designs from all over the world.

Images of YOU

Here is another example of images as letterforms.

The letters Y, O, and U, are formed by images of YOU.

This is a screen shot I took from an online ad. It was late in the night and I did not notice from and by whom it was created. Maybe Facebook? Vodafone? Please, if you know more details, write a comment below, I will appreciate it.

I can recall that you could roll over on the single image and a little pop-up opened to show the name and more details of the person.

In this blog you can find other examples of images as letterforms.

Let's notice what they have in common:

- the letterforms are formed by the object or meaning of the word itself.

In this case the word YOU is formed by individual "you-s".

Joni Mitchell

by Ben Duarri-Screen Prince

Joni Mitchell was the first portrait of a female I attempted, shortly after discovering the pointed pen nib used for copperplate and flourishing. Copperplate became the modern hand at the end of the 19th century and has since become a favorite for popular sign-writing and commercial graphics. A delicate and smooth flowing hand, it can be written quickly using one continuous line [unlike gothic script] and can be dressed down to a basic joined up writing or dressed up accentuating the loops and curves and because of the nature of the nib, when pressure is added, the line widens adding curve and sensuality to the words.

These words, from A Case Of You on her hit album Blue, draws from the metaphor of her lover being like fine wine, “I could drink a case of you and I would still be on my feet”.

However the song is not just a compliment, there is a sense of sadness, a splitting and ending of a relationship and the drinking in bars to numb the hurt that comes with it.

Joni Mitchell
is part of the The Royalty Series
by Ben Duarri-Screen Prince

* Screen Prince calligram art prints and posters

are available now at artrepublic.com

or contact the artist directly at

thescreenprince(at)hotmail(dot)com

A calligram with... touch!

Type your word, draw your picture and get a calligram in few seconds with TypeDrawing with just a touch. It is so easy and fun!

TypeDrawing is an application for iPhone and iPod Touch.

Like calligrams, drawing with letters is what the application is all about.

I was amazed the first time I tried it on my husband's iPod Touch!

- I typed the sentence, Everything is all right, right now.

- I chose a white background paper

- I selected the font style, its size, color and opacity

- and then just let the intuition flow and drew a vase of flowers, just with my index finger!

Then

- I saved it in an iPhoto Album

- went into iPhoto and sent it directly to my husband as a sign of gratitude for introducing to me such an interesting and fun application.

And all within few minutes.

On Flickr there is a TypeDrawing Group Pool and it's clear how many people are enjoying and using their creativity with this tool.

I am exploring it daily and I am finding it truly amazing. It allows an entirely new way to draw, doodle and create calligrams. Choosing different opacities you can draw chiaroscuro and being careful with the speed of your finger you can even draw 3D effects.

You can easily and quickly create images, frames, letterforms for invitation cards, postcards, posters, etc. or just simply use it as a tool for relaxation allowing your finger to draw and flow along with your intuition.

Oh, and you can even draw on a background picture!

A few samples from my husband's exploration:

TypeDrawing, v1.2.1

Design by Hansol Huh

Released July 2009

© StoryAbout

Available on iTunes Store for $1.99

Summertime

"Summertime

and the livin' is easy

fish are jumpin

and the cotton is high... "

This animated calligram designed by Laura Ruggeri seems to recall the song of George Gershwin.

It's an example using UNDULATOR, a LiveFont for the LiveType application produced by Screen Caffeine.