2020 Calendars
In this project we are using all we have learned in typography class to create a unique and creative calendar for the year 2020. My initial goal for this assignment is to create not only beautiful, but fully functional calendar that I actually can hang in my bedroom, and use it every day. Through brainstorming and drawn mind map. I was able to come out with many ideas that I want to pursue for this project. I set my mind for the final two turns, which is an adventure and guidance. These two words are also my wishes for the year 2020. For adventure, I was trying to build a mountain like design, In order to have the feeling of conquering nature as an adventure. For guidance I decided to go for a map like layout that as the year goes, you can follow the dotted line like you are going through a map.
Before the project even started, each one of us in the class were assigned to a designer from the history. My designer is Lillian Bassman, She is a photographer that focus on black and white photos, I was able to draw some inspiration from her. But since her work is not really into typography, I only use this black and white as one of my inspirations. In this assignment, we are encouraged to explore diagonal text and just step out of the box to explore all kinds of text layout and just trying to be creative.
I then start sketching on paper to try out different ideas. I want to explore diagonal text in this project. So I was trying to think outside the box to have creative layout and design. Also, I was trying to incorporate traditional Chinese calligraphy into this project. For guidance, I have map like path that guilds from month to month; For adventure, layered mountain or stair is my inspiration.
Soon I move to illustrator and transfer what I have in sketches into digital form. I was happy that I was able to use diagonal text in one of the calendars which has the overlay pattern. Even though it was breaking out the grid system, I still think it's well organized and easy to read. I struggled with color for a while. In the end, I settled down between black and gold color. I think these two colours has really strong contrast and made my work stand out because the goal is so bright and the black is so deep. On my map calendars. I combined lots of Chinese elements. All the months are written in traditional Chinese calligraphy, alongside with English for better understanding. Using illustrator I was able to turn dotted line also into brush mark, Which I think creates a very harmony feeling with all the other Chinese character. The background I use an image of the traditional Chinese calligraphy paper "Xuan Zhi". And put an illustration of rats in the background, Because 2020 is the year of rats.
