research, however, I began to realize that the idea of - - PDF document

1 Ryan Rich

My initial goal in this presentation was to understand the role 3D printing has in contemporary typography and graphic design. As I began to actually conduct my research, however, I began to realize that the idea of three-dimensional type transcends the 3D printer and

• ther contemporary design processes completely. I dis-

covered that the physicality of type is a recurring theme in the long and complex history of typography, and that as designers we must all develop a better understanding of the importance of objects and dealing with tangible space. I began by exploring the concept of the de-materialization

• f type in the late 20th century. I had come across this idea

during my preliminary research, and I wanted to see what exactly this meant and how it had happened. With the de- velopment of digital typesetting and the onset of desktop publishing, type had become reliant on the interaction of the mouse and keyboard. Digital design is based on an X,Y axis, and the very nature of the personal computer had led to typography becoming a linear practice[1]. Early examples of digital design refmect this idea, such as the work

• f April Greiman and the Emigre foundry. It is practically

impossible to separate the aesthetic of their work from the digital processes used to create it. Regardless of the merit

• f their work, it was apparent that a shift was occurring

away from the tangible type of the letterpress (and even phototypesetting to an extent). In a paper discussing the rise of the computer as a tool for pedagogy, Columbia University professor Mahbobe Ghods states that the widespread use of computer software for typesetting led to the development of what he calls “the look”—a digital aesthetic based on an arbitrary professionality directly connected to digital design processes[2]. I wanted to understand how contemporary designers are revolting against this de-materialization of type, so I conducted an interview with a designer that I had recently discovered on Instagram, Taekyeom Lee. Lee, a professor at Appalachian State University, works with homemade 3D printers to create ceramic letterforms that explore Reconstructing Type: Contemporary Three-Dimensional Typography and Open Design

April Greiman, posters (1986) The use of bitmapped typography is refmective of the capabilities of design software in the late 20th century. Although it may have been possible to create such posters with traditional methods, it is evident that computer processes were being purposely exploited here. These pieces mark a clear departure from tangible typography.

2 Ryan Rich

the nature of typography in three-dimensional space[3]. He explained to me that in the transition from the fmat printed page to a tangible object, type acquires new or more pronounced characteristics such as depth, struc- ture, and texture. He argues that contemporary design generally lacks a healthy balance between the digital and the tactile. His work aims to re-materialize modern typography, bringing text into physical space in order to deliver messages through a heightened sense of structure and tactility. He emphasized that although the 3D printer allows for an unprecedented speed and accessibility in producing physical objects, it is only a tool. Without a basic understanding of 3D design principles and how to work in tangible space, the 3D printer is useless[4]. Lee’s comments about accessibility made me curious about the nature of contemporary open design. Open design is the idea that design has become more accessible than ever to the public with the development of digital technology. I decided to explore this idea some more, particularly in the context of 3D design. I found an excellent book titled Open Design and Innovation: Facilitating Creativity in Everyone which elaborated on the concept of open design. Author Leon Cruickshank states that open design is dependent upon bringing together but also maintaining the individu- ality of different design perspectives[5]. When professional designers are no longer considered an untouchable elite, the public can have a greater role in the design of their world, refmecting the true diversity of our culture. In his paper “Fabricating Consent: Three-Dimensional Objects as Rhetorical Compositions, ” David Sheridan argues that in an age when 3D design is so accessible to the public, the design of physical objects should be considered a fundamental literacy practiced by everyone[6]. Desktop manufacturing, he claims, will drive a revolution surpass- ing the possibilities of desktop publishing and allow the public to exert more control over our material culture. The idea of open design led me to question the role of designers in an age of unlimited potential in regards to

• medium. Is our job just to create posters, books, and

logos, or to use whatever means necessary to deliver a message? I began to research the value of objects in order to understand why designers like Taekyeom Lee are opting to work in three-dimensional space, instead of confjning themselves to the printed page. David Sheridan explains that physical objects assert themselves through their materiality; they present their function through their form and communicate on multiple sensory levels[6]. Objects disclose their function differently, as they have different semiotic potential. For example, a stop sign reveals its message differently from the way that a telephone reveals its purpose. The materiality of objects plays a large role in

• ur understanding of them. If

Taekyeom Lee’s typographic experiments were made of PLA plastic instead of clay, they would communicate completely different ideas. Sheridan goes on to state that objects can establish, affjrm, and

Taekyeom Lee, Me in Full Production (2016) In this printed ceramic piece, Lee explores the nature of the transition of type from 2D to 3D. The letterforms gain an added degree of characteriza- tion through their structure, texture, and placement in three-dimensional space. Taekyeom Lee, Manual-Pixeling – Hexagonal Module (2014) In his graduate thesis project, Lee explored the possibilities of a 3D typo- graphic system, composed not of individual glyphs but rather sections of contour lines. Lee states that he wanted to experiment with methods of typesetting independent of the mouse and keyboard.

3 Ryan Rich

disrupt conventions of power, shape identity and the self, and stabilize and reproduce culture through their mate- riality[6]. When words fail, objects transcend language to provide a visceral, more holistic sensory reaction. In the realm of typography, objectifjcation adds multiple degrees

• f characterization such as material quality, depth, and

texture that are lacking in the printed page. To conclude, 3D type (or physical type, tangible type, material type, etc.) is not about 3D printing at all. It is not about next year’s new technology or learning CAD software or building letterforms out of clay. Rather, it is about revitalizing the texture and structure of typography in order to gain a better understanding of our physical environment as designers and members of a rapidly chang- ing society. What is truly important is the sustainability

• f open design and connecting design to the enthusiasm
• f everyday people.

References

[1] Kirton, Travis; “ Artistic Canvases for Gestural and Non-linear Typography” [2] Ghods, Mahbobe; “Painting Pixels: The Computer as the Medium for Teaching and Learning in the Arts” [3] Lee, Taekyeom; portfolio.taekyeom.com [4] Taekyeom Lee interview [5] Cruickshank, Leon: Open Design and Innovation: Facilitating Creativity in Everyone [6] Sheridan, David; “Fabricating Consent: Three-Dimensional Objects as Rhetorical Compositions” Buchanan, Richard; “Declaration by Design” Chawla, Purva; “The Re-Materialization of Type: A Phenomenon Brought on by Taekyeom Lee” Freedom of Creation; “Kasheeda, the First 3D Printed Typeface in the World” (3dsystems.com) Freedom of Creation, Kasheeda (2010) British design agency Freedom of Creation published this customizable 3D printed typeface in 2010. Users can design words or phrases with an

• nline interface and have the fjnal product shipped to them.