Typeface Design // Bekkei

For a project, I have to design a typeface based on my character with the comments given by my friends. Most of my friends sees me as a 'clean cut' person. Therefore, based on the word 'clean cut',  i created a typeface that i named 'BEKKEI' which means another form of character. Bringing the concept of sleek and play together, the very first try-out was on the material balsa wood. The idea of creating a play on my typeface was with a connecting joint on the top of the alphabets when being joined together. Slit holes with defined straight edges was cut out from on a 1cm thk thick balsa wood to create a 3D dimensional effect on the typeface. 

To further express the clean-cut feel, perfect cutting done with the laser machine leaves no room for imperfection. However, the earlier concept of creating interaction was not very well developed, leaving room for improvements. So, using that clean-cut slit idea, i tried to do a typeface where different alphabets and numberings can be acheived through interlocking of a few pieces of acrylic blocks with slits on it. The initial stage of making this typeface was to test out on pieces of thick cardboards that substitute the acrylic. 

The reasons are to properly locate where to position the slits on each different pieces of acrylic blocks, to maintain the sizing and to decide on the design of the alphabets and numbers. Most importantly, the aim to achieve the Type family with lesser pieces of acrylic blocks. The whole idea was to create interaction through inter-locking and transforming to achieve the typeface with the acrylic blocks. Changes were made to ensure typeface could be legible before working on the actual material. The end result was 15 pieces in a set to complete alphabets A-Z and numbers 0-1 formed with various sizes of blocks.

BEKKEI TYPEFACE IN TRANSFORMATION

BEKKEI TYPEFACE

MOODBOARD - SLEEK STYLE

MOODBOARD - THE MAKING

MOODBOARD - CLEAN CUT

MOODBOARD - PLAY INSPIRED

MOODBOARD - BEKKEI

MOODBOARD - PLEXIGLASS

POSTER 1 // NOTHING TO HIDE

POSTER 2 // STILL FRESH

POSTER 3 // NEVER BEDRAGGLE

The setup of the mood boards and posters are all being printed in transparency and then overlaying the contents with acrylic panels to create a depth when viewing it over the light box.