SKILLS
Branding
Research
Fabrication
Packgaing
Craft
PRESS
When we look at the history of design, the canon that we are taught under is unintentionally exclusive at best. In this project, we were challenged to explore an often forgotten area in Design History and develop a card game about it. Working with the Hamilton Wood Type Museum and p22, I chose to highlight the origins of wood type and how it has shaped the culture of typography.
RESEARCH + HISTORY
Wood has Memory
While wood type has its origins way back in 1041 AD China, it lost its popularity to durable metal type. Metal doesn’t easily show signs of wear and could last for ages. However, wood was cheap, and we learned to love those key characteristics that made wood type so visually iconic. My research involved exploring the top 19th-century American wood type foundries and digging through their original catalogs.
"But how can I bring wood type back to the forefront of Design History?"
The foundry p22 has been digitalizing original wood type in partnership with the Hamilton Wood Type Museum (HWT) so I decided to start there.
RESEARCH + HISTORY: 10 Typefaces
I concentated on these ten typefaces, examining their specimens, creation & actual implementation during their prime.
Typefaces: Antique Tuscan 9, Arabesque, Brylski, Geometric, Argon, Lustig Elements Inline, Roman Extended Fatface, Roman Extended Lightface, Tuscan Extended, & Mardell.
Click image to enlarge ☞
DEVELOPING THE BRAND: THE GAME
The Concept
The gameplay is loosely based on Scrabble Slam in that it allows players to "Press" down letters to create words. However, each card features one of the ten typefaces listed above. The name of the typeface is listed at the bottom of the cards, informing the players as they play. It's almost as if they are setting their own moveable type hee hee hee.
GAME COMPONENTS
55 Cards
These cards are double-sided and the manicule at the top right indicated what letter is on the back. In PRESS, the goal is to spell as many words as possible you run out of cards the fastest! It's a fast-paced game so I decided it needed a reward system for winning rounds.
In comes the typesorts!
The Typesorts
Each separate piece of moveable type is called a typesort and I 3D printed these sorts to be used as stamps. This allows the players to create their own impression on the scorecards.
Move me around!
Instruction Booklet
The outer cover features the California job case, infamous Gutenburg Press, and actual HWT catchwords. On top of the catchwords is where you can find the score pad. The inside displays gameplay instructions and talks about the featured typefaces.
FINAL OUTCOME
Ready, Set, PRESS!
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Thanks for viewing. I hope that when you look at billboards on your next road trip or old images, you recognize the iconic typefaces that inspire me and many other designers.
Woah, hi again!
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Email: hi@briybutler.co Phone: +1 (954) 278 9616 Powered by Matcha & Afro House
