Calligraphy and typeface were long been different from each other after type cuts stopped mimicking calligraphy in early Renaissance, but as we progress into the digital world, their definitions and forms have been slowly merging into each other thanks to the new technology available such as OpenType. Like the Gothic Revival movement, this project is an attempt to bring the soul of traditional calligraphy into the digital world and explore what new forms could letterings achieve that typefaces cannot.

The nature of calligraphy is built upon the meditative repetitions of systematic strokes defined by specific rules that require careful executions and innovative variations. I made it no different in the digital medium: every line and stroke were drawn meticulously, and every detail was individually inspected and perfected. The process is quite a celebration of hand-craft quality, which is different from the industrialized, mass-produced, and well-optimized design workflow that leads to fast iterations and rapid prototyping. It is an anniversary gift to my significant other.

First row reads “Doudougou”; second row reads “Xiaoxueqiu”; third row reads “Anniversary”.