Project Review
This week, I will be conducting an in-depth analysis of the project brief. LetterFest ’26 is a typography festival to be held in Edinburgh, and its main task is to create a complete visual identity system, including Visual Identity, Festival Branding, and Screen-Based Media. This festival targets a broad audience, from students and educators to professional designers and typography enthusiasts; therefore, the visual language must not only be professional but also accessible and engaging, resonating with people of all ages. The core objective of the project is "inform, connect, excite"—to provide a clear information structure, establish an emotional connection with the audience, and deliver visual novelty.
Inspiration
While thinking about a theme for this project, I noticed chalk-written sentences and drawings on the ground near my apartment. Anyone could join in, so I wrote something too. I realised that everyone’s handwriting was different, yet none of it felt “good” or “bad” — the messages were simple, honest, and free. This contrasted strongly with my school experience, where handwriting had to be neat and standardised, and anything outside the norm was judged as “messy.” The chalk writing, however, showed freedom, individuality, and emotion rather than rules. This made me want to explore the relationship between expression and standards, using handwriting diversity as a starting point for developing a visual identity and shaping a core concept.
Brainstorming
Keyword：Behavior, Habits, Processes, Standards, Change, Following, Personality
Theme: From imitation to creation; From imitator to creator
The article discusses the tension between structured systems and human freedom, using Müller-Brockmann’s grid as a symbol of order contrasted with the spontaneity of real life. Pecoraro argues that even within strict frameworks, emotion and flexibility still persist.(Design Reviewed, 2020).
The “freedom” created through self-monitoring and self-improvement is often just another form of discipline. Likewise, treating neat, standardized handwriting as the only “correct” form becomes its own discipline, while casual or chalk writing naturally resists this push toward uniformity.(Alphin, 2021).
Design Reviewed. (2020). Design Reviewed - Graphic Design History. [online] Available at: https://designreviewed.com/katia-pecoraro-the-dualism-between-system-and-freedom-design-and-life/In [Accessed 2 Dec. 2025].
Alphin, C. (2021). Disciplinary Neoliberalism and the Simulation of Freedom. Spectra, 8(1), p.18. doi:https://doi.org/10.21061/spectra.v8i1.161.
First Tutorial
Theme is interesting can develop further. turtor encouraged me to dive deeper into the question of how we write. This means not only looking at the visual also its physical act of writing itself. This feedback helped me clarify my direction.