A student calendar competition with a deceptively simple brief: five words maximum, a positive vision of the future, and typography as the hero. Finding the positive was the hardest part, have you read the news lately? But digital connection felt like a genuine answer worth exploring. Five words is not a lot to work with, which means the idea and the execution have to do everything. The piece went on to win a spot in the published calendar. One of twelve monthly winners. Proudly claiming October!

THE PROCESS

The blend tool in Adobe Illustrator became the central device, connecting each letterform to the next in a continuous flowing ribbon of type. The varying scale of the letters creates rhythm and movement, a sense of things progressing forward rather than sitting still. The gradient treatment across both type and background adds depth and energy, pulling the eye through the composition.

THE SOLUTION

A typographic illustration where the concept and the craft are inseparable. The letters don't just spell out connection, they perform it.

The judges said it best:

"This piece is really evocative — the colours, composition and typographic treatment make for a very dynamic piece. The use of the blend tool that connects each letterform has been used to great effect and the contrast in type size provides a really interesting rhythm and sense of movement — a forward progression of technology and how it connects us."

Winner, Ball and Doggett Student Calendar Competition 2024.