Bit.
I felt my typographic prints needed to reflect a similar sense of movement and obscureness that is present in my animated gifs. Like my animated type, the further you are positioned from the image the clearer it becomes.
The image is composed entirely of dots. The layout was created by placing and scaling a grid of circles by 3% over another. This scaling produced the natural circles within the composition, which I have manipulated to display my characters.
My idea to use dots developed from my experimentation with moving image and the relationship between objects. Originally, these dots started off as squares but I soon found the sharp and blocky structures took away from overall composition through a lack of negative space.
Lots of Dots.
Functional digital art. My project was inspired by the works of Kim Asendorf. I find his conceptual art is at the forefront of the digital medium and is gaining true attention to the value of digital art.
Digital art lacks value and truth. It is restricted by the very means which make it free and available to anyone. It is valued as a collective and not as an individual piece of art, lacking exclusivity and ownership.
A-L
My experimentation with GIFs started out of interest for the format. GIFs are generally viewed as redundant and lacking of worthy content. However, I feel the possibilities within the format are still to be realised.
With this is mind, I wanted to experiment within the format to extend its use as a more meaningful and functional animation. My animated typeface is an attempt to bring a sense of purpose and functionality to the animated gif, to contribute and realise a new distinction in digital art.
I find moving image has so much more value in its communication. It is a message as it intended to be communicated and is not restricted by the inanimate and restrictive composition of print. I wanted my typeface to speak and communicate through interaction and participation.
My aim was to animate the letters in a way that would be individual and contribute directly to the encompassing factors and representations of digital art and typography. The gifs therefore needed to be abstract enough to be viewed as flashing dots but also clear enough to be viewed as letters.
I found this visualisation difficult at first as I had to reduce the typeface to its most primitive form without being completely absent from its structure and intended communication. To realise this, I reduced my typeface to its key points and anchors to better understand the relationship between the individual dots in the overall composition of the letters.
M-X
I believe the gifs are successful in their intended function, as they communicate as individual animations but can be combined to extend their function as an abstract typeface. Without being told the gifs were displaying animating letters, I believe their communication would go unnoticed, and thus show their nature as functional digital art.
I find the abstract quality increases the involvement of the viewer. There is a sense of secrecy and intention to their communication as they demand the viewer’s attention.
z.gif
The following image shows the storyboard for the letter ‘z’. My aim by using gifs was to push the flow and legibility of the typeface. I wanted to reduce the letters to their most basic form without being completely distant from their communication.
The idea developed from my interest and research in early computer art and movements such as New Tendencies and Bit International. Their experimentation within the unexplored field has significantly influenced and extended our use of computers today.
