![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/085982d6624c243a66ce8cd56a7f89576fa53f7facf2f973aa17de1117ce1633/Series-A-header-small.jpg)
Making Waves: 50 Years of Music Icons
TYPOGRAPHY II
Graphis New Talent Silver Award 2023︎︎︎
Innovators of music, these artists made waves that forever altered the music landscape as we know it today.
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/af851daff4714a2d61fcaab96d31a07f3654a98271c4b2ec236aff41d93d2f58/ravi-A-shadow.png)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f69a3f5bacaf2726bb29e4e48ff0ba91af10cf368657cd973f68b31a84c170a6/madonna-A-shadow.png)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/24a0bc3554d9257c903fc1139f8bf4fd19b6bf3031d96960ba42499d2f928977/jimi-A-shadow.png)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a6b07f868eb4931463fbd6dc014fba6074f3e8a07560ff9a73edb2ba9efff0fa/Ravi-B.png)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/eb6af680912e802d1ff6b9c9cc06e3143edcd4bf55fb30f5616d6034ab0b4aa7/Madonna-B.png)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/02c391a7376ea4d5a47690935ea04827303ed7087684766a102dfe1a7a4d597b/Jimi-B.png)
Analog experiments
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d57a376eb34ab3c24376ff647604859665b0a18d238b8aecd01362753d72e050/freeplay-3-pos.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9e967733ff985d0fe6d0f010d40f9e1c3eededb2fcebdf05748dde71e6960ef1/freeplay1.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a9860c5f287ec29def3b7401b00d5ea7061ee796c47424f46e18d6c5d52fe99e/DSC_1017-Edit.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/fabe9f553d19985a0b2b30059a48101141584f79505d3eee68837de810d83809/cube-hendrix.png)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/00795a811229899d209410051cb1060ca77262006e00813b6709b2d436e67dc1/mado-glass-small.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d7493bd5a1ee0b605bad55b11566ba44c2f42aa839e73d2d3bdb5ead712bc284/onna-glass-small.jpg)
Rule-based experiments
![The type progresses across the page in even intervals first left and right, then up and down creating a ridged/wavy texture. The type is repeated across the page.](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4a09a3e93d93dbbfd0aee0471198d4d0c7b34098ecb015b61ba0c15895becb42/Jimi-rule-based.png)
![Modular type is created out of the negative and positive shapes formed from a grid of circles using color to differentiate the shapes and negative space from each other.](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/462273e006ee19a0a1d24e03d13fbf7cee2abb79022d9f500556e50e5c646c7a/Madonna-rule-based.png)
![Repetition of letters at even intervals moving only left, right, up, or down.](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/940b1af5178069457a03aad121f35293b813bcdcf763f08ecad756aaf5469a6f/Ravi-rule-based.png)
Deciding on a direction
The use of glass together with the display type create a visual metaphor that felt akin to the experimental waves of impact these artists left.
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/906727d37df4235d33e66a507d087e69a9e1de4d38b4e4aa8340cf768d6f7889/Madonna-Shards-outline.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/19564602b54d9a74ee9160b6c2491fa497cb0eb7e6d28b4b92132d5f59be4e42/madonna-a-process.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/6d0f3b1f5690d4b17f458b859eca829dd13a3781a9c6bfaa1324cf397931a5b6/madonna-a-noshadow.jpg)
Building on the modular typeface
![](https://files.cargocollective.com/c1509428/music-letter-explorations4.jpg)
Finding a typeface pairing
![](https://files.cargocollective.com/c1509428/ocr-sample.jpg)
Colors to reflect each musician
![](https://files.cargocollective.com/c1509428/music-icons-color-swatches.jpg)
Glass textures as visual metaphors
![Ravi Shankar](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/665c33ccdde7de3a55c704acd0ad44349b8c80de9304d1181b75c9dea1410a53/ravi-glass-texture.jpg)
![Madonna](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1bb8de9a4de85f7e2251790b986379cb6e9f812aba7c677a601f2a1c8c227d73/madonna-glass-texture.jpg)
![Jimi Hendrix](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/85c69a3a904b8cd657c4310963609ebb7bd34c83b398b0c4c691249967573981/jimi-glass-texture.jpg)
The end solutions
The display type imitates the contrasting organic and geometric nature of the glass and his music, as it holds its own structure while also obeying the forms of the glass.
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/af851daff4714a2d61fcaab96d31a07f3654a98271c4b2ec236aff41d93d2f58/ravi-A-shadow.png)
The type emerging from the glass dances across the page emulating Madonna's stage presence as a singer, choreographer, and dancer.
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f69a3f5bacaf2726bb29e4e48ff0ba91af10cf368657cd973f68b31a84c170a6/madonna-A-shadow.png)
The horizontal movement of the type across the composition furthers the feeling of the many layers of vibrations running into each other.
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/24a0bc3554d9257c903fc1139f8bf4fd19b6bf3031d96960ba42499d2f928977/jimi-A-shadow.png)
Pursuing a second solution
Details on the expansion of this second series can be viewed by clicking below.
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/838ccbb5b0a2feee66015e85bb1a99445a6b5226f9b49084c65f5666c66ffc99/jimi-b-process-1.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b2d1a0464f8ceaed87cd23f1a9dd66ce05375479ca531e0d691b5f0d1eaedb28/jimi-b-process-3.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/bc0ea5235a67790a0a664cf86693a28b19494af5fe203358b82f3b5764f6086a/Jimi-b-noshadow.jpg)