Abstract
Typography is often seen simply as a tool for expressing textual meaning. However, is this view complete, or does typography, beyond its primary function, serve as an independent visual language capable of telling stories? This research challenges traditional perspectives by showing that typography can go beyond just communicating words; it can shift perceptions and create new layers of meaning beyond the text’s original intent. Using Sylvia Plath’s “The Bell Jar” as a case study, the project explores how a single sentence – five words and eleven letters – can be reimagined through typography to express the emotional journey of the novel. By integrating a combination of analog and digital techniques, the study offers new ways to interpret and experience the text, pushing the conventional literary practices. Typography here becomes more than just text; the emphasis on its visual aspects allows the letterforms themselves to carry meaning and tell their own story. The research begins with a simple example to introduce the central idea, then progresses through the creative process of the study, and results in complex designs. By focusing on the relationship between text and its visual representation, this work shows how typography can reshape literary interpretation, offering readers an alternative way to connect with the material. This research highlights typography’s potential to create multi-layered narratives, emphasizing its role as a powerful expressive visual language for improving the emotional and conceptual aspects of storytelling.
Presenters
İpek KöprülülüIndependent Designer, Currently Graphic Designer for Netflix Series “To Love, To Lose”, İpek Köprülülü, Istanbul, Turkey
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Typography, Visual Language, Letterforms, Storytelling, Perception, Emotion, Meaning, Analog/Digital Image-Making
