Personal project
Collaborative challenge
36 Days of Type is a yearly design challenge that invites designers and illustrators around the world to interpret the letters and numbers of the Latin alphabet in their own style.
It's an inspiring, supportive community where everyone can appreciate how our different perspectives affect the outcome of a shared project. This year I was lucky enough to have the super-talented motion designer, Rodrigo Blergh, invite me to collaborate with him.
Challenge
Design a letter or number each day for 36 consecutive days, and pass it on to Rodrigo to add motion in After Effects. As this was my first collaboration with a motion designer, I was very aware of the tight deadline for the daily handover which helped me commit to my design decisions and not overthink them.
Concept thumbnail sketches
A selection of static vector characters before handover to add motion.
Top row: Fisherman, Golfer, Hiker, Illustrator, Musician
Bottom row: Queen, Scientist, Vet, Waiter, Zookeeper
Top row: Fisherman, Golfer, Hiker, Illustrator, Musician
Bottom row: Queen, Scientist, Vet, Waiter, Zookeeper
Solution
I thought it'd be fun to design characters in a profession starting with each letter, such as 'M' for 'musician'. It would push me to find creative ways to design interesting characters but still keep the letterforms recognisable.
Animated Nurse
Animated Hiker
Animated Runner
For the 0-9 numbers, we changed it up from character illustration to design using geometric shapes and patterns. This took me out of my comfort zone but it's wholly and entirely in Rodrigo's wheelhouse, and it gave him an opportunity to really stretch his animation muscles.
Outcome
As the project progressed, I focused on constructing the characters to allow for more flexibility in animation. Some designs were more of a hit than others, but overall I was happy with how I started experimenting with shapes and patterns. I was blown away seeing how the animation Rodrigo added brought the designs to life!
To view the full set of letters and number designs for 36 Days of Type, head on over to either Blergh Creative or my Instagram.
