Ping Ji: 2013 Graduate Thesis | Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Ping Ji: 2013 Graduate Thesis

For me, design is a rational task. My approach is almost scientific, and this kind of work cannot succeed without extreme patience as well as attention to detail.  Normally, I begin one project on paper, then digitize it through the use of various software. Starting this process on paper is important because it allows for less tangible meanings to layer themselves into the design, through the intuitive elements formed by haptic processes.

During my first year, I was in the process of creating a font design that can be used in both English and Chinese letterforms. The dilemma of using existing fonts for this purpose is that they do not achieve an equal level of congruence both formally or stylistically in both languages. Further, they often do not appear to be related when a Chinese letter in one font is placed next to an English letter from the same font. My font is a serif font that is designed specifically for printed text. This font prioritizes readability, and exploits decorative elements for aesthetic appeal.

Another exploration is the 3D Font project, which was inspired by an experiment with a new font. After creating the letterforms for this font, I produced three-dimensional representations using fabricated and joined wood. This 3D alphabet was installed and I used lighting to cast shadows on the walls of the installation space. I positioned English words near their Chinese counterparts to illustrate the possibility of simultaneously achieving the same meaning in two languages and forms, both inherently arbitrary but also beautiful.

I plan to refine my concept for a large-scale project. I'm continuing to explore the possibility of reducing the 3D Font into 2D paper form. On the other hand, I'm creating an installation that uses wood block in a three-dimensional way to generate a shadow that will create a QR code. People can use their cell phones to scan the code to visit a web page to get more of an idea about my concept of conversion between two dimensional and three dimensional forms in font design.

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