Typography plays a significant role in everyday life, making it essential to keep it innovative and creative. In a sophomore studio course, a series of illustrated initial caps was designed for an edition of Romeo and Juliet that was typeset by hand. Each design was hand-drawn in Procreate and incorporated visual themes from the corresponding chapter into the artwork.
The goal was to merge typography with storytelling, creating decorative initial caps that not only marked the beginning of a section but also reflected the mood, imagery, and symbolism of Shakespeare’s text. Inspiration was drawn from traditional initial caps found in Medieval manuscripts, with the intention of ensuring that each illustration worked seamlessly with the letter itself.
The last three images display a typeface I created in its entirety based upon a set of grids I drew. By studying kerning I was able to create a constructed script that pushes the boundaries of legibility. To further experiment with the typeface I created the last poster. It is an abstract spelling of "Squared Version 2," the name I had given the typeface. Programs used were Glyphs, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Photoshop.
