This project was created entirely in Letterpress using one of the couplets from William Blake’s Auguries of Innocence. The task was to create 12 identical A6 postcards.
The entire evolution was based on failed and successful practical experiments, choosing the right typeface and size manually and the appropriate background to set the mood of the text.
Throughout this project I have endeavored to keep my postcards aesthetically pleasing without compromising the readability of the couplet.
‘A Riddle or the Crickets Cry,
Is to Doubt a fit Reply.’
Is to Doubt a fit Reply.’
The couplet I was provided with (shown above) can be analyzed to give some context towards a possible design outcome for my postcard. A riddle can be analysed in greater detail and are often described as being difficult to understand. They are sometimes used as a code therefore complicating or confusing the reader towards the meaning of the intended message or answer. However, crickets copy one another making inaudible noise that is difficult to understand and also creating confusion as to where the cricket’s location is. The two words joined together in Blake’s context, I believe mean that if a confusing matter is put into conversation and further a layer of clarity is put into place, how are you expected to get a coherent answer to the original question.
I believe the main factor hear is confusion and conflict. This is the reason that I have used overlapping text as the main design element. Each typographic style represents a different point of confusion with the main visible text clearly displayed overlapping them as if shouting an answer.
