Typeface Patterns

Uppercase J, Officina Sans, Erik Spiekermann

By Matthew Becker

On the surface, I see a typeface as just a collection of characters intended to work together to communicate a message. Looking closer, each letterform is its own unique piece of art. Countless details are so carefully considered and crafted not for their own purpose, but for the larger system of words and sentences they are a part of – influencing how we read and how we see. Rather than thinking of letterforms as always being a small piece of something else, I wanted to find a way to let the design of a single character be celebrated on its own.

With these images, I wanted to explore what could be created by repeating, overlapping, and rotating a single letterform. I found that details of the design started to become highlighted as the letterforms were repeated and new, more unexpected forms emerged from the negative spaces. With the addition of color, patterns started to appear. The next step was to expand this exploration to each letter of the alphabet and, in turn, the exploration of 26 different typefaces. In alphabetical order, I tried to choose a typeface in which the letter I was working with was particularly interesting and unique.

Below are a few samples from the collection that demonstrate the possibilities within a single letterform. It was amazing to discover how much potential was built into the design of a single letterform, allowing it to create something entirely new on its own. 

Uppercase L, Zapfino, Hermann Zapf

Uppercase O, Century Gothic, Monotype

Uppercase T, Mercury, Hoefler & Co.