art by Guada Cahuantzi
Imagine looking at the world through glasses that allowed you to see things differently. Ordinary shapes, lines, and forms become letters and words to your eye. Using the Principle of Variety, we see that there are many types of shapes and colors that can fool the eye into seeing the letters of the alphabet.
Art by Angeline Cesar.
Start by looking on Google for some ideas on “found alphabets”.
Search for the photographs others have done of common shapes, lines, and forms that are shot to look like the letters of the alphabet.
Check out this youtube video on found alphabets to give you some idea of what you may be looking for…
cant’ watch vids on Youtube? Check out this student video on Found Alphabets from Vimeo!
Now check out a camera and go take photographs of Letterforms (no, not letters!). We only want photos of things that look like letters, NOT actual letters. This is your first attempt at seeing the world as an artist. Shift your perception of ordinary things until they appear extraordinary!
Try to see the world differently, shift your perceptions and find things that resemble or look like letters. Can’t find any?- create some!
Here are a few ideas:
- arrange items in the shape of letters
- use people as shapes
- use hands
- use shadows
- turn photos upside down
- change your (POV) point of view- lay down & look straight up at things from beneath, look straight down from above,
Twenty-First Century Art and Design 