Copyright
By
Sirine Sami Al Srouji
2007
Arabic Type: An Experimental Platform
by
Sirine Sami Al Srouji, BS
Report
Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate school of
The University of Texas at Austin
in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements
for the Degree of
Master of Fine Arts
The University of Texas at Austin
May 2007
Arabic Type: An Experimental Platform
Approved by Supervising Committee:
David Shields, Supervisor
Kate Catterall, Reader
Acknowledgements
My greatest gratitude goes to my parents who believed in my abilities and talents, sent
me across the oceans to follow my dreams and supported me financially as well as
emotionally through my three-year journey. In addition to my family, I extend my
greatest appreciation to the love of my life Ibrahim who patiently waited and willingly
sacrificed for my success.
I would also like to thank the Design Faculty members at the University of Texas who
have guided me in my research, opened my eyes to new horizons and genuinely
supported me every step of the way. A special thanks to my colleagues Jimmy, Eric,
Michelle, Natacha, Alex L., Tina, George, Sana, Alex M., Erin, Christie and Selina who
through their support and compassion made grad school a memorable experience and
Austin a second home.
To the person who encouraged me to come to the program, welcomed me with a warm
heart and made sure I was never lost, thank you Judy Clack.
iv
Abstract
Arabic Type: An Experimental Platform
Sirine Sami Al Srouji, MFA
The University of Texas at Austin, 2007
Supervisor: David Shields
My graduate research at the University of Texas tackles a state of neglect and stagnation
in contemporary Arabic typography. Arabic typography is caught at a crossroads between
a calligraphic past and a future that too often relies upon developments in Roman
typography for evolution. It has been my aim to push the boundaries of Arabic
typography by experimenting and developing new methodologies in order to create a
contemporary Arabic display font. My work is a series of experiments that question and
challenge the conventional use of Arabic calligraphic styles as well as the Arabic type
solutions derived from formal aspects of existing Latin fonts. My experimental typefaces
come to life and evolve through an extensive process of extraction, construction,
mutation, layering and deconstruction. A situating of the type in a specific context,
analysis, and the use of diverse media and non-typographic tools such as photography
and screen printing all of which help me define a logic for the creation of the letterforms.
v
My work aims to bridge the gap between the past and the present, the old and the new. It
uses digital processes to aid in the creation of form rather than a controlling force to
inform my letterform development. I contend that the Arabic script should undergo a
visual development from a strong calligraphic tradition to a typographic one, but not by
submitting the letterforms to the restrictions of the machines and the process of
industrialization and mass production.
vi
Table of Contents
List of Figures………………………………………………………………………..viii-ix
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..1
Importance of Letterforms and Type……………………………………………………...2
Origins of the Arabic Alphabet……………………………………………………………5
Arabic Calligraphy………………………………………………………………………...7
Other Factors contributing to the Lack of Decent Arabic Type...………………………...9
Modernization Attempts either Leading to Failure or Rejection...…...………………….11
A Call for a Reformation Movement………………………….....…...………………….14
Experimentation as a Process Method……..………………….....…...………………….15
Experiment 1………………………...…….……………………………………………..20
Experiment 2………………………...…….……………………………………………..24
Experiment 3………………………...…….……………………………………………..28
Beirut Typeface…………………………………………………………………………..37
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………….....42
Bibliography/References………………………………………………………………...43
Vita………………………………………………………………………………………44
vii
List of Figures
Figure 1: Arch of Titus Inscription using Square Capitals………………...……………..2
Figure 2: Dio Cassius, Historiae Romanae, a page of a bible showing the uncial script....3
Figure 3: The development of the Arabic Alphabet………………………………………5
Figure 4: Syriac Alphabet…………………………………………………………………6
Figure 5: Diwani Script, a cursive style of Arabic Calligraphy…………………………..7
Figure 6: Successful Arabic Adaptation…………………………………………………..9
Figure 7: Pictures of shop signs misusing Latin forms as Arabic letters……………...…10
Figure 8: Unified Arabic font system by Nasri Khattar, 1956……………………...……11
Figure 9: ‘Sprawl’ lowercase letters a, b, c, e letters.........................................................16
Figure 10: Sketches of ‘Cyber-Bio’ typeface……………………………………………17
Figure 11: Rockport’s Letterforms 1998 by Martin Venezky…………………………...18
Figure 12: The 28 letters of the Arabic font based on Salvador Dali’s moustache……...19
Figure 13: 3 different media used to generate forms……………………………………21
Figure 14: Letter ‘B’ created from the photographs of light at night……………………22
Figure 15: 3 different iterations of the 5-letter word ‘Beirut’…………………………...23
Figure 16: 98/200 photographs of white paper under different light fixtures…………...25
Figure 17: Extracted modules from black and white pictures…………………………...27
Figure 18: Arabic letters created from the black and white photographs………………..27
Figure 19: Sketches of the digital Font…………………………………………….…….31
Figure 20: Digital type and calligraphic type…………………………………………....31
Figure 21: Digital and calligraphic type combined……………………………………...31
viii
Figure 22: Pictures from the demonstrations in Beirut…………………………………..32
Figure 23: Initial sketches of the sign……………………………………………………33
Figure 24: Pictures of the signs implemented on the street……………………………...34
Figure 25: second sketch, bolder version………………………………………………...35
Figure 26: Photographs of light passing through the sign stencil………………………..36
Figure 27: Free standing alphabet of ‘Beirut’ typeface………………………………….38
Figure 28: Details of the book…………………………………………………………...38
Figure 29: ‘Beirut Light’………………………………………………………………...39
Figure 30: Postcard for the MFA exhibition…………………………………………….40
Figure 31: Variations of ‘Beirut’ typeface………………………………………………41
Figure 32: 3-dimensional variations of ‘Beirut’ typeface……………………………….42
ix
Introduction
“People who love ideas must have a love of words and that means, given a chance they
will take a vivid interest in the clothes that words wear.” Beatrice Warde1
I have always been interested in words, languages and letterforms. Even when I was in
high school, I remember comparing my handwriting to my friends while trying to
decipher their personalities from the created forms and pencil strokes. It is fascinating
how simple characters could transmit valuable information and reflect personal, social
and cultural values. As I became a graphic designer and a visual communicator, I started
working closely with letterforms and type to disseminate my ideas. Type grew into a
passion and sometimes even an obsession.
Growing up in Lebanon, which is a trilingual diversified multicultural country, I learned
to work with both Latin and Arabic scripts. Comparing the two, I couldn’t help but notice
that the Latin script offered a large variety of contemporary styles that could be
implemented in various contexts while the Arabic script lacked this variety and was still
imprisoned by classical construction principles set by Arabic calligraphy. Questions
started to rise in my head: Why do we have more fonts in Latin than Arabic? How come
Arabic digital fonts are a mere vectorization of existing calligraphic letterforms? Has
there been any attempt to modernize Arabic type as well as the Arabic script? Why are
Arabic typefaces limited and ineffective in reflecting the spiritual, political and social
1
Warde, Beatrice. “Writing to Learn”. The Crystal Goblet: Sixteen Essays On Typography. World Publishing
Co., Cleveland, 1956.
1
aspects of our modern society? These questions triggered the extensive research and
experimentation that I conducted in the three-year Graduate Design Program.
Importance of Letterforms and Type
Figure 1: Arch of Titus Inscription using Square Capitals
Letterforms and typographic expressions have played an essential role in visual
communication and the propagation of knowledge and ideas. Throughout history, letters
have been used as a means of documentation to reflect the social, political and cultural
identity of a particular place and time. In the Roman world, the ‘Trajan’ style lettering,
which is also known as the Square Capitals (figure1), was used as the official hand in the
Grand Imperial and Senatorial inscriptions because the letterforms epitomized the
grandeur, order and uniformity of the Roman Empire2. The Square Capitals were mainly
carved in stone on columns and tombs, which characterized the script with serifs. The
serifs facilitated the task of the craftsmen and made it easier and faster to carve the letters
with the chisel in stone. The letters were stable, inorganic and uniform to reflect the
social and political life that existed in the Roman Empire. It is essential to note that the
2
Gray, Nicolete. A History of Lettering: creative experiment and letter identity. David R. Godine Publisher,
1987.
2
evolution of letterforms is affected by various factors such as: environmental, religious,
social and political changes that occur in the surroundings, production methods,
materials, tools, medium and context. For example, religion played an essential role in
the development of the letterforms in the Christian Empire from the Mid 4th C to Mid 6th
C. After Constantine defeated his rival Maxentius at the battle of the Milvian Bridge in
312 AD, Christianity became the official religion of Ancient Rome3. The writing and
production of the Bible became essential and crucial but the square capitals were difficult
to use and time consuming; therefore, defeating the purpose of spreading Christianity. A
new script, known as the Rustic or Uncial script (figure 2), was designed to facilitate the
work of the scribes. The script is wide and lucid, written with a broad-edged pen held so
that the vertical thick strokes are wide and in contrast with the thin horizontals. The
Uncial script was also a conscious choice made by the Church to dissociate itself from
the Pagan tradition. The Uncial letters reflected the image and beliefs of a specific group
of people in a specific period of time. Therefore, letterforms act as an active artistic
expression that transcends the role of legibility to reflect the age, culture and way of life.
Figure 2: Dio Cassius, Historiae Romanae, a page of a bible showing the uncial script
3
Gray, Nicolete. A History of Lettering: creative experiment and letter identity. David R. Godine
Publisher, 1987.
3
Throughout history, the Latin script has responded to diverse technological, political,
cultural, and religious changes that occurred. The introduction of the first movable type
in 1452 by Johannes Gutenberg had a great influence on type design and revolutionized
the art of making and printing books. It encouraged scribes like Peter Schoeffer to design
innovative typefaces that could be better utilized with the new technology. Typographers
all over the Western World have been experimenting, analyzing and interpreting
letterforms to adapt to the needs of their societies and to project an original visual cultural
identity ever since. Many typographers have subjected Latin type to an extended process
of experimentation by posing questions, solving problems and exploiting technology.
While Latin type is in a constant state of development and enrichment, Arabic
typography has suffered from a general state of neglect and stagnation. What are the
historical factors that lead to the underdevelopment of modern Arabic fonts? Why didn’t
Arabic typography evolve in relation to the technical and cultural advancements of the
contemporary Arab world? What are the inherent problems of the Arabic alphabet? Have
there been any attempts to modernize Arabic type? Why are most letterforms still rooted
in the calligraphic tradition? Can Arabic calligraphy represent our contemporary Arab
culture? In order to fully understand the vast problem facing Arabic type, it is essential
to understand the history of Arabic calligraphy, the emergence of the Arabic alphabet as
well as the structure of the Arabic script.
4
Origins of the Arabic Alphabet
Figure 3: The development of the Arabic Alphabet
The Arabic alphabet was developed around 500 AD in Arabia and is considered the last
of the North Semitic scripts. It consists of 28 consonant letters, three of which are also
used as vowels4. It is generally accepted that the Arabic script is a descendent of the
Nabataean alphabet (figure 3, row 2), which preserved Aramiac (figure3, row 1) as its
official language, but transformed Aramiac into a national cursive style mostly used for
the fast documentation of commercial transactions5. The evolution of the Nabataean
alphabet towards the curvilinear and circular shapes of the letters was caused by the
modification of the writing tools from the reed pen of the old Aramiac scribes to the
brush. The Arabic alphabet was also influenced by the Syriac script (figure 4), which was
born in Mesopotamia as a variation on the Aramiac script. The Syriac alphabet consists
of 22 letters written from left to right. The originality of this alphabet lies in the
abundance of ligatures whereby the same letter can have different shapes depending on
its position within a word. This aspect of the script clearly identified the ending of the
words and gave the alphabet a clear horizontal linear emphasis. It also used a system of
4
5
AbiFares, Huda. Arabic Typography: a comprehensive sourcebook. London: Saqi Books, 2001, p: 26.
AbiFares, p: 24.
5
diacritical dots and vocalization marks to differentiate certain letters. All these
characteristics and features became inherent in the structure of the Arabic script.
Figure 4: Syriac Alphabet
The Arabic written text was only fully embraced with the advent of Islam. After the death
of the Prophet Mohammad (saas), religious wars took place where many died including
the Huffaz6. In fear of losing the message, the 3rd Caliph Uthman in the early 7th C
ordered that the Quran must be recorded in writing.7 The scribe Zayd Ibn Thabit who was
also the secretary of the Prophet, was the one responsible for gathering and noting down
the first codex of the Quran in 651 AD8. It is important to note that the Quran is only
written in Arabic and all Muslims practice the religion using this language. Since the
Arabic script was initially developed to document and represent the word of God, scribes
became preoccupied with beautifying and perfecting the written script so that it would be
worthy of the holy message. As a result, Arabic calligraphy emerged as an art concerned
mainly with aesthetic qualities. What is the importance of Arabic calligraphy? Why are
modern digital fonts still rooted in that form of manual writing?
6
The Huffaz are the men who memorized the Quran in order to preach to people.
AbiFares, p: 27.
8
AbiFares, p: 27.
7
6
Arabic Calligraphy
Figure 5: Diwani Script, a cursive style of Arabic Calligraphy
Arabic calligraphy, which is an elegantly proportioned script, is the primary form of Art
for Islamic visual expression and creativity. Islam prohibited the use of figural images
because of their implication of idolatry; therefore Arabic calligraphy was adopted for
religious expression. It became the symbol representing unity, harmony, beauty and
power. Anthony Welch described Arabic calligraphy in the following words: “ Written
from right to left, the Arabic script at its best can be a flowing continuum of ascending
verticals, descending curves, and temperate horizontals, achieving a measured balance
7
between static perfection of individual form and paced rhythmic movement.”9 Arabic
calligraphy is not only an art form but also a divine moral representation. Arabic
calligraphy is mainly divided into two calligraphic styles: the dry style usually called
Kufic and the soft cursive style, which include Nakshi, Thuluth, Nastaliq and many
others. The creation of these classical calligraphic styles diminished with the decline and
disintegration of the Islamic Ottoman Empire. During this period, Arabic calligraphy
shriveled and weakened leading to a gap in its growth. This is due to the fact that while
Europe embraced the new technology and process of movable type to print Arabic books
in the 15thC, the Ottomans condemned it as aesthetically inferior to the manuscripts
produced by the skilled Arab and Turkish calligraphers. They believed the word of Allah
to be divine and should not be simplified nor mass-produced. The Europeans discovered
that their printed Arabic books failed to generate any interest in the East and eventually
concentrated on producing Arabic books for their own market—books that teach the
Arabic language as well as manuscripts of scientific and literally value. It was not until
the 18th C that printing with Arabic types was re-introduced into the Middle East. This
delay of embracing technology is one of the main reasons that led to the
underdevelopment of Arabic type. Arabic typography lacks the diversity, grace, delicacy
and presence of Arabic calligraphy.
9
Mubireek, Khaled. “Introduction”. 2000 http://www.islamicart.com/main/calligraphy/intro.html
8
Other Factors contributing to the Lack of Decent Arabic Type
Recent cultural and identity problems: In Lebanon for example, a large sector of society
mainly the middle and upper classes are heavily influenced by the French or American
language and culture. That portion of the Lebanese Society tries hard to forget the fact
that they are Arabs (especially with the recent events occurring in the world and 9/11). A
short walk in the streets of Beirut shows that people prefer to use foreign languages over
the local one even for street signs. Arabic is viewed in Lebanon as a language of lesser
value; therefore the native tongue is neglected. Unfortunately, the people who use foreign
languages rather than the local one are the well-educated people that might contribute to
the reform of Arabic type.
Design education: it may sound impossible but it is true, there are only two books that
discuss Arabic typography and Arabic type design. The awareness that there is a
deficiency in the number and quality of Arabic fonts pushed some Universities in the
Arab world to address this issue.
Figure 6: Successful Arabic Adaptation
9
Adaptation from Latin: This approach would become an interesting process if utilized
properly targeting specific problems inherent in a bilingual city. A successful example is
illustrated in the image showing the 7UP cans (figure 6). Even though the type created is
experimental and playful, it succeeds in reproducing the same feel of the Latin without
overlooking the structure of Arabic letterforms. Both maintain the same visual effect and
prominence. The problem though, lies in the fact that the lack of specialists and typefaces
opened the door for experimentation at the user’s end. The result was catastrophic: cut up
pieces of decent Latin typefaces put together to replace Arabic characters. The image
below (figure 7) illustrates three shop signs that borrowed some letters from Latin and
used them as Arabic letters. The Latin forms do not even have the same density, stroke or
even style. In the left image, a Latin lowercase ‘a’ is used at the end of the word to
replace the letter ‘heh’. Visually it does not belong to the rest of the letters; the form is
more curved and it lacks the straight serif dominant in the other letters.
Figure 7: pictures of shop signs misusing Latin forms as Arabic letters
The process of drawing letters on the computer: many typefaces have outline problems
such as the direction of the counters, intersecting tangents, bumpy intersection points
when a smooth intersection is to be expected and no points at extremes. If one magnifies
the letters and prints them, the rough surfaces become apparent, but by enhancing
technical skills, this issue becomes less apparent.
10
The complexity of the Arabic Script: The Arabic script consists of only 18 basic forms,
which logically would make drawing the Arabic letterforms a simple task, but the
complexity lies in the ligature sets. Unlike the Latin standard set of 26 letters, each
Arabic letter should be presented in its four different shapes initial, medial, terminal and
freestanding. This complexity of the alphabet makes it harder to create a visually uniform
typeface and more time consuming.
Modernization Attempts either leading to Failure or Rejection
Figure 8: Unified Arabic font system by Nasri Khattar, 1956
During the past hundred years, a few attempts were made to modernize and simplify the
Arabic script but were either rejected or disregarded. One of the most interesting project
proposals took place in Lebanon in 1947. Nasri Khattar, a graphic designer and a
graduate of Yale School of Art, proposed a revolutionary project that attempted to
simplify the Arabic script by creating one form per letter without connecting the letters to
form words.10 This system of one form per letter and no ligatures is an attempt to speed
up typesetting as well as facilitate learning and writing Arabic. The typeface, known as
10
AbiFares, Huda. “Arabic Type: a challenge for the 2nd millennium”. 1998
http://sakkal.com/articles/Arabic_Type_Article/Arabic_Type1.html
11
Unified Arabic (figure 8), is characterized by an even stroke weight that unifies the
letterforms visually, reduced ascender and descender heights and an enlarged x-height.
These characteristics reflect the principles of most Latin sans serif fonts of that period
that tried to enhance legibility in small sizes (8pts and less). Although the font was quite
legible, the market did not accept it because it eliminated the calligraphic quality of
ligatures and connected letterforms. Another attempt was made in 1975 by Robert
Hamm, a professor of typography and visual communication at the Ecole des Beaux Arts
in Algeria11. He proposed a simplification of the Arabic alphabet through a design
method based on the reduction of all Arabic letters to 2 shapes per letter; one letterform
for both the initial and medial shapes and one form for the terminal and freestanding. He
also suggested the creation of a strong baseline with a minimum variation and irregularity
in letterform proportions, which reduced the ‘non-orderly’ quality that Arabic calligraphy
has. This typeface, which was known as Albeit, is an impressive study and analysis of the
problems of Arabic letterforms. It offers a strategy to adapt Arabic type to modern
industrialized technologies without rejecting the calligraphic nature of the letterforms in
the sense that they are still attached to one another. This extensive study, which is crucial
to modernization of Arabic type was simply disregarded and forgotten. Experiments like
these should be encouraged through universities and contests in order to modernize our
Arabic alphabet. In that same period, while these few designers attempted to modernize
Arabic letterforms, many distinguished and known Arab calligraphers dedicated
themselves to refining their craft and reviving the beauty of the Arabic letterforms by
11
AbiFares, Huda. “Arabic Type: a challenge for the 2nd millennium”. 1998
http://sakkal.com/articles/Arabic_Type_Article/Arabic_Type1.html
12
imitating and copying the past. These Calligraphers neglected the fact that they have
distanced themselves from the realities and needs of the Contemporary Arab world as
expressed through visual culture. In the Modern World, calligraphy represents history
and beauty; it is a traditional art or craft, but not an appropriate method for generating
letterforms to be used in contemporary contexts. Arabic Calligraphy serves as a path of
the past that acts as a source of inspiration and a structural model to reinterpret the Arabic
letterforms. “It is not the exact copying of letters and aesthetic rules that needs to be
retained from the glorious past of Arabic calligraphy, but rather the spirit of creative
experimentation and the pragmatic design solutions that show affinity with the materials
and media.”12
Arabic typefaces in use today tend to be derived from vector drawings of existing
calligraphic letterforms. If you magnify an Arabic letter on the computer, the brush stroke
used to manually write the letter becomes apparent, which shows a dire need for a
reformation movement in the field of Arabic type. Rarely do we even see minor
manipulations being made to modernize the fonts in relation to their use or contemporary
visual culture. Arabic typefaces are few, often poorly designed and do not effectively
reflect the spiritual, political, social and economical aspects of modern Arabic societies.
The script is underdeveloped for the proper representation of today’s visual
communication needs of the Contemporary Arab world.
12
AbiFares, Huda. Arabic Typography: a comprehensive sourcebook. London: Saqi Books, 2001
13
A Call for a Reformation Movement
Arabic typographers will need to address the needs of their culture and develop
letterforms, which undergo a rigorous process of experimentation and interpretation that
takes into consideration the limitations of the context in which the letters will be used.
The design of contemporary Arabic type should strike a balance between aesthetic mores,
social issues and practical concerns. The reformation process should call for a visual
development of Arabic type from a strong calligraphic tradition to a typographic one but
not by submitting the letterforms to the restrictions of the machines and the process of
industrialization. It is certainly feasible to use technology as a means of liberation rather
than a means of constraint.
The research that I am conducting in my MFA design program at the University of Texas
at Austin tackles many of the current issues and problems facing Arabic type. By
conducting an extensive formal investigation through experimentation, I aimed at
developing new methodologies for creating Arabic Display Fonts. My work is a series of
experiments designed to help me address my own assumptions about form and context,
and to question and challenge the conventional Arabic calligraphic styles as well as the
contemporary solutions used to create Arabic type (Latinization). The experimental
typefaces come to life and evolve through extraction, construction and deconstruction.
Context, medium and various tools such as photography are used to create an internal
logic for the letterforms. My work is designed to bridge the gap between the past and the
14
present: calligraphy and typography. It uses the digital processes as a tool to aid the
creation of the form rather than as the driving force used to inform my letterforms.
Experimentation as a Process Method
‘It is only through failure and experimentation that we learn to grow’13 Isaac Stern
What is experimentation? Experimentation is defined as the act of using innovative
methods and techniques. David Carson defines experimentation as the process that goes
against the prevailing patterns rather than being guided by conventions.14 Unlike Latin
type, which was subjected to an experimental phase, Arabic type is still confined to the
classical construction principles set by Arabic Calligraphy. In order to break from the
conventional and traditional patterns practiced, I adopted the experimental method.
Through experimentation, I aimed at pushing the boundaries without fearing the barrier
of failure. Michael Worthington, a British designer and educator, once said: “True
experimentation means to take risks; the risk involved with not knowing the exact
outcome of the experiment in which the designer is engaged.”15
Since the experimentation method was rarely used to create new Arabic letterforms, I
conducted extensive research into experimental Latin type. Three experiments inspired
my work and altered my analytical and visual approach.
13
Stern, Isaac. http://creatingminds.org/quotes/experimenting.htm
Balusikova, Johanna and Zaruba, Alan. We Want You To Love Type. The Hague: Typotheque, 2005. p: 4.
15
Ibid, p: 4
14
15
Figure 9: ‘Sprawl’ lowercase letters a, b, c, e letters
Experiment 1: The Belgian designer Brecht Cuppens created ‘Sprawl’, an experimental
typeface rooted in cartography. The typeface is based on urban planning maps and the
density of population in Belgium16. The density of the letters is achieved by relating the
letter’s frequency of use in the Dutch language to the corresponding population density.
As a result, the letter 'e', which is most used would have the most common density, while
'q' would have the least common density. Relating the most used letter with the highest
population density resulted in an inaccurate but interesting representation of Belgium.
The lowercase letters traced patches of the ground and buildings, while the uppercase
16
Balusikova, Johanna and Zaruba, Alan. We Want You To Love Type. The Hague: Typotheque, 2005. p: 5.
16
letters were built using only patches of the ground. The knowledge gained from this
experiment can be summarized in the following points:
1. Inspiration of the letterforms could exist outside the realm of typography.
2. Experimental typography is concerned with documenting the story, concept and
process behind the evolution of a typeface.
3. The letterforms created represented sections of the infrastructure of a city.
Figure 10: Sketches of ‘Cyber-Bio’ typeface
Experiment 2: The Contemporary Czech Designer Martina Maresova created the
experimental type ‘Cyber-Bio’ in 2002. The font united two contradictory principles:
‘Bio’ originating in nature, and ‘Cyber’ derived from digital technologies.17 The use and
combination of these opposite creative forces resulted in a surprising blend. The cyber
letterform outlines were traced from the complex circuit boards of electronic devices such
17
Balusikova, Johanna and Zaruba, Alan. We Want You To Love Type. The Hague: Typotheque, 2005. p: 18.
17
as computer processors. The bio shapes were based on the resemblance of these forms to
the relief of a prehistoric fossil. Although the letters were constructed mostly from simple
lines or circles rooted in the chips’ structures, they have the potential to create complex
image compositions, which illustrate nature’s mystery (DNA). In this case, the legibility
laws were superseded by the narrative power of written images inspired by the subject
itself. This experiment was fruitful in defining an innovative experimental technique of
joining two contrasting ideas to create forms. It also stresses on the importance of the
process and story behind a font.
Figure 11: Rockport’s Letterforms 1998 by Martin Venezky
Experiment 3: Martin Venezky created Rockport’s Letterforms in 1998 for a Rockport
billboard campaign. The letters were crafted from actual materials. One material was
18
chosen for each group (like cloth, paper or wood), and the letters were affected by the
physical properties of the material like shredding, tearing and shrinking. “The challenge
was to make the letterforms seem to design themselves as a natural consequence of their
physicality.”18 According to Venezky, letters follow an inner logic, which is built from
rules and consequences that we comprehend based on our understanding of the physical
world. Venezky’s experiment emphasized the importance of physical activity in the design
process and its power of discovery. It is essential to embrace accidents that occur in the
physical realm.
Figure 12: The 28 letters of the Arabic font based on Salvador Dali’s Moustache
These experiments reflect aspects of the analytical thinking procedures embraced in my
experimental work. This passion for experimentation and unconventional thinking
became the vehicle to address the problems facing Arabic typography. My method of
using the experimental process to develop new forms for Arabic type can be traced back
to my undergraduate education. In my Arabic typography class, I was interested in
18
Venezky, Martin. It is Beautiful... Then Gone. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2005
19
finding unconventional inspirations for the creation of my letterforms. While the class
based their forms on existing calligraphic Arabic letters or Latin fonts, I decided to base
my modules, which are the building blocks of letters, on Salvador Dali’s moustache. It
was an experimental process that aimed at pushing the limits and breaking the chains of
confinement. At this point, my investigation was simply based on questions such as: Is it
possible to draw typographical modules out of a context that is not related to design? Can
we create a legible Arabic type based on visual images? The experiment was productive;
I was able to create letterforms that are quite legible and cohesive. The success of the
project increased my interest in Arabic type and amplified my fascination with the
process of creating forms for type purposes. This became the starting point of my
graduate research.
Experiment 1
My undergraduate thesis project engaged my interest in applying methods outside of the
realm of typography to create innovative forms for type purposes. In my first experiment
as a Grad student, I decided to engage myself in an extensive formal investigation based
on using various media as a means of experimentation. The project conducted was a
series of experiments with paper, ink and photography were the visuals achieved became
mere forms ready for mutation, construction and deconstruction to generate letters.
20
Figure 13: 3 different media used to generate forms
The process of experimentation can be compared to a baby trying to explore the world
around him and consequently gets entangled with new experiences that capture his
imagination. The same can be said about the process of creating type. I began my journey
by creating abstract visuals using four different media: ink, paper, photogram and
photographs. The visuals then served as a basis to create one Arabic letter ‘B’ in multiple
unique shapes. All the letters that evolved had an interesting basis where they came from,
which was sometimes reflected in the letters themselves even though it was not one of my
aims. The four iterations acted only as a starting point in this project. The importance of
this process of finding forms to create type lies in the sensitivity of the typographer to the
21
forms and letters. The eye plays an important role in the way these forms are extracted.
Different people may extract different modules especially that the process of extracting
forms from complex visuals involves hand sketching, adding, subtracting and joining lines
together. I compare this process to trying to photograph lines in a city.
Figure 14: Letter ‘B’ created from the photographs of light at night.
The next step was to choose 3 forms of the letter ‘B’ and challenge myself to create the
whole legible word, “Beirut”. Here, another obstacle chose to step in front of my path.
How am I supposed to create the other letters? Will it be uniform? How can I create the
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rest of the modules? Suddenly, it hit me. I can deconstruct the parts of each letter in order
to create modules for the other letters. The modules would be rearranged in various ways
to create the other letters I need in order to bring my word to life. At last, the end result
was 3 different iterations of the 5-letter word “Beirut”.
Figure 15: 3 different iterations of the 5-letter word ‘Beirut’
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The entire process helped me discover intimately how these letters are formed and the
intricate parts that aid in their creation. It pushed me into discovering how far I could
manipulate the form of a letter for it still to be legible. It was another step to help me
understand the logic of forms, the limits that can be pushed as well as the importance of
physical activity. The demands of drawing, cutting, shooting pictures… fill the person
with an emotional charge and give him ample time to explore the unexpected impulses.
The critique of this project raised the following questions: What is the context in which
the font will be used? Does it relate back to the medium or tools utilized? Are there any
preconceived rules that guide the extraction of the letters? Do these fonts reflect a
particular aspect of culture? Where will they be used? Do they solve an existing
communication problem? Should the tool qualities be more evident in the final product?
What would happen if the texture produced by a specific tool becomes evident in the final
modules produced?
Experiment 2
The last two questions opened the possibility for a further investigation in one of the
iterations. The black and white paper photographs that were shot under various light
fixtures became an obsession. The quality of the pictures, the illusion of threedimensionality, the light medium and the texture were captivating elements that drove me
to investigate this medium extensively. I wanted to find a method to produce letters with
the same appealing qualities that would embody meaning and thought.
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Figure 16: 98/200 black and white photographs of white paper under different light fixtures
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The second step of the experiment was to extract forms from the black and white
photographs that could serve as potential modules for Arabic letters without losing the
inherent qualities. Therefore I created three-dimensional architectural objects to separate
the selected forms from the whole image. This fastidious physical labor of cutting and
pinning strengthened my technical procedures, enhanced my sensitivity to forms,
improved my eye for extracting form and shaped my understanding of which forms reflect
within them the skeletal structure of Arabic letters to allow them to stay legible. Martin
Venezky believes that: “The tools and materials, the camera and scanning are all elements
of a larger visual and physical experiment.”19 He emphasizes the importance of the
interaction of the body and the project especially in the process of understanding the
relation of one part to another. Physical labor always seems to provide new paths to take
and opens up various unexpected opportunities. The architectural quality of the objects
also result in a new number of exciting forms produced by the created shadows as well as
the juxtaposition of the cutouts onto the whole visual. This accidental discovery reinforces
the idea that experimentation and physical work lead to discovery, which is rare in the
digital realm.
19
Venezky, Martin. It is Beautiful... Then Gone. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2005
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Figure 17: Extracted modules from black and white pictures
The final stage of the experiment concentrated on developing legible Arabic letters that
reflect the textural qualities that characterized the photographic images.
Figure 18: Arabic letters created from the black and white photographs
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Experiment 3
The experiments mentioned above were crucial in my formal investigation since they
stretched the lines that constrained the formal development of Arabic type and provided a
closer analysis of type forms in general. In the past experiments, the context has been selfreferential; the letters were not created to embody a specific type of information or solve
an existing need. In my third experiment, I decided to investigate unanswered questions
that could inform my form creation such as: What is the context in which the font will be
used? What is the medium? What are the tools used and how could tools manipulate the
form? How can the computer play a role in the shaping of form? How can I bridge
between Digital fonts and Calligraphic ones? What is the message behind my fonts? Am I
trying to create fonts that reflect social or political aspects of my country? What makes
Lebanon unique? What are the issues in Lebanon that strive to be tackled through
typographic visual expression?
This series of questions made me realize that I was interested in my country Lebanon and
more specifically in the city Beirut. I wanted to create a font that could mirror Lebanon’s
diverse culture, speak about its political issues, hint on its layers of history and represent
its strong Lebanese people. I wanted to illustrate to the world the passion I hold for this
country through my Arabic type. I sat down, held a pen and paper, and jotted down all the
ideas, facts, experiences and information associated with my view of Lebanon.
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. The layering of history: Lebanon has traces of various cultures such as the Phoenicians,
Romans, Assyrians, Ottomans...
. The beauty of the disintegration of old walls
. Texture of old cities with new overlays
. The intertwined electrical wires that become part of the architecture of the buildings
. The marriage of conservative traditions and liberal thinking
. The impact of political issues on the lives of the people/ constant political agitation
. 18 different sects of religion: continuous tension between the various religions
. Multi-faceted, hybrid, lively
. A church built next to a mosque
. Outgoing, lively people amidst the darkest of situations
As I went down the list various questions and ideas emerged as an effect of freethinking,
which would serve as powerful starting points for future projects. The list is a set of points
that interprets issues and ideas and then pushes them into potential design experiments.
After going through an extended analytical process, I realized that I wanted to create an
Arabic type that narrates a specific story about Beirut. I wanted to define a context but
allow for form transformation and evolution through the learned practices of
experimentation. In contrast to the previous experiments, this project had a set of
guidelines and rules that defined the path but left room for manipulation.
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Context: The recent political problems occurring in Lebanon, which included the
assassination of the Prime Minister Rafik el Hariri, shook the country. Universities, shops,
companies and schools all closed to support the demonstration, which demanded for
independence.
Ideas to carry from previous experiments:
1. Letterforms have two separate entities: a basic form and a surface
2. Significance of physical labor
3. Usage of different media
4. Constantly posing questions
After the assassination of the prime minister Rafik El Hariri, people have been
demonstrating constantly to make their voice heard and impose a change. Usually people
meet in a specific place and march all the way to Martyr Square in Down Town Beirut. I
was interested in mapping the march by introducing signs on the street that interact with
the marching people as well as leave a trace as a reminder of that event in history.
What should inspire the form? What is this march about? Isn’t it about inflicting a change?
Isn’t it a break from the past? At this point, I described the situation in Lebanon as a
struggle between the past and the new and the march as a breaking point from the past.
Therefore, I decided that the forms of the letters would be the intersection of an existing
calligraphic font and a purely digital one made with lines on a computer grid.
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Figure 19: Sketches of the digital Font
Figure 20: Digital type and calligraphic type
Figure 21: Digital and calligraphic type combined
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With these basic forms reached to use in my sign, I started researching the best medium
that would express the feeling of a demonstration. Most of the tools and media used in
demonstrations consist of cardboard, felt pens and spray paint (figure 22).
Figure 22: Pictures from the demonstrations in Beirut
I chose spray paint and chalk: a permanent and a disintegrating media to express my idea.
The digital parts of the letters will be spray painted to symbolize the permanency of the
new, while the calligraphic parts of the font will be drawn in chalk so that when erased
they will mark the beginning of a new era. The traces that are left act as a reminder of this
march of freedom especially that they show the date and time of the event. My interest in
this project revolved around documenting the degrading of the surface of the font when
subjected to external human and environmental factors.
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Figure 23: Initial sketches of the sign
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Figure 24: Pictures of the signs implemented on the street
After implementing the sign on the street (figure 24) and documenting people’s reactions
and implications, I realized that the font should be bolder and stronger to give more of a
presence and reflect the powerful energy of the people who are trying to enforce a change.
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Figure 25: second sketch, bolder version
The new sketch is stronger and bolder; therefore reflects the force that is driving the
people to change history.
During this experiment and by coincidence I took pictures of light passing through the
stencil boards (figure 26). The photographs were visually appealing to an extent that I
wanted to create a version of the typeface using this technique. The display type created
by light may serve a whole new context and purpose. This incident reinforces the
importance of physical labor and its power of unexpected discoveries.
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Figure 26: Photographs of light passing through the sign stencil
The forms achieved follow logic, narrate a story and serve a specific purpose. They are
characterized by a strong baseline and a digital look even with the usage of calligraphic
forms. I saw it as a font that could represent ‘Beirut’; it is layered (history), bold, (strength
of people) and a harmonious mixture of contrasts (Beirut as a hybrid). Therefore for my
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MFA thesis project, I aimed at developing the whole typeface from the two words created
for the demonstration sign.
Beirut Typeface
The Beirut typeface is an Arabic display font based on an analysis of the city Beirut.
Beirut is a multifaceted city of high contrast and diversity­­ in its architecture, religion,
culture and layering of history. All of these elements merge together to create a rich
balanced fusion. While wandering the streets of Beirut, a duality becomes apparent—
layered history and the present, tall modern high rise buildings standing wall to wall with
the old disintegrating ones, conservative religious individuals mingling with liberal free
spirited ones, a mosque and a church existing within footsteps of one another. Beirut’s
beauty lies in its ability to accommodate this cultural, social, religious and political fusion.
Beirut type is an experimental typeface that metaphorically reflects the diversity of Beirut
through merging a contemporary digital font with a traditional calligraphic one. One of the
most dominant characteristics of the font is the thick bold baseline that unifies all the
letters visually. The thick bold baseline mirrors the strength and boldness of the Lebanese
people who stood in the face of various wars and disasters, accepting their fate with a
positive mentality. The letterforms connect to create words that resemble cities and their
complex social, architectural, and cultural developments and layering.
Link to Beirut Typeface Book
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Figure 27: Free standing alphabet of ‘Beirut’ typeface
Figure 28: Details of the book
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Fascinated by the accidental light pictures that occurred in experiment 3, I decided that
‘Beirut Light’ (figure 29) should reflect the qualities of light rather than be a thinner
version of the original letterforms. It is an unconventional lighter version of the font that
can be used for titles and posters. ‘Beirut Light’ opens a new dimension for form
metamorphosis and manipulation till the intended result is achieved.
Figure 29: ‘Beirut Light’
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Figure 30: Postcard for the MFA exhibition
‘Beirut’ typeface, a contemporary display font, tackles many of the problems facing
Arabic type. Unlike most of the typefaces available, this typeface reflects our current
visual world. The typeface as a whole looks digital and high tech even though it is a
mixture of both digital and calligraphic forms. Its importance lies in its strong linear
baseline, which simplifies the process of connecting the letters to each other. Extra
ligatures are not needed to form words. The diacritic dots are based on a uniform grid and
not just placed randomly. It is technically well constructed, which eliminates the problem
of rough surfaces and unsmooth points. It is a display font that is used for titles, headlines,
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signs and posters. Its strength lies in its ability to morph into new forms to fit a specific
context by subjecting it to the process of experimentation. I have already started working
on different variations of the font (figure 31, figure 32) but the next step for me is to
simplify it more so it becomes legible in small sizes and consequently used for texts. The
analytical process used throughout and the conceptual ideas deduced from the city Beirut
could always serve as a starting point to a new project. This analytical and experimental
method I created could be adopted to solve problems inherent in any project.
Figure 31: Variations of ‘Beirut’ typeface
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Figure 32: 3-dimensional variations of ‘Beirut’ typeface
Conclusion
Arabic typography cannot be neglected anymore. Designers should become aware of the
stagnant situation that Arabic type is in. As a designer and typographer, I aim to educate
and increase awareness of the current problems of Arabic type. Designers should be
encouraged to experiment, research and create Arabic typefaces in order to update our
poor font Library. Since typeface design is a long and meticulous process, it is key that we
start today.
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Bibliography/References
Venezky, Martin. It is Beautiful... Then Gone. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2005
AbiFares, Huda. Arabic Typography: a comprehensive sourcebook. London: Saqi Books, 2001.
Warde, Beatrice. “Writing to Learn”. The Crystal Goblet: Sixteen Essays On Typography. World
Publishing Co., Cleveland, 1956.
Stern, Isaac. http://creatingminds.org/quotes/experimenting.htm
Crouch, Christopher. Modernism in Art, Design and Architecture. New York: Saint Martin’s
Press 1999.
Gray, Nicolete. A History of Lettering: creative experiment and letter identity. David R. Godine
Publisher, 1987.
Mubireek, Khaled. “Introduction”. 2000 http://www.islamicart.com/main/calligraphy/intro.html
Chahine, Nadine. http://www.arabictype.com
AbiFares, Huda. “Arabic Type: a challenge for the 2nd millennium”. 1998
http://sakkal.com/articles/Arabic_Type_Article/Arabic_Type1.html
Balusikova, Johanna and Zaruba, Alan. We Want You To Love Type. The Hague: Typotheque,
2005
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Vita
Sirine Al Srouji was born in Beirut, Lebanon on August 14, 1982 to her loving parents
Sami and Leila Al Srouji. She graduated in 2004 from the Lebanese American University
in Beirut with a Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design. From 2001 till 2004, during her
undergraduate studies, she taught Art elective classes at the International College. After
graduation, Sirine moved to Austin, Texas to complete her MFA in design and currently is
moving back to Beirut, Lebanon.
Permanent Address: Verdun, Hussein Oueini Street, Burj Libnan Al Jadid Bldg, 12th floor
Beirut, Lebanon.
This report was typed by the author.
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