In this project, we are required to create typography portraits by using our whole name, part of our name, nickname or initials with a minimum of 2 letters in the composition. I got excited when we have the freedom to decide our own subjects or theme to work on and also, when the specification states that there is no limitation on the use of medium and we are free to explore different combination of techniques! — Photomontage, monoprints, collage, fumage and sewing were the techniques I got reminded of.
Very First Idea:

I thought of using our senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste) in the compositions.

I thought that this would be a great way to help people appreciate mother nature more by being more aware of their senses to their surroundings. Also through this way, people can learn to live and enjoy in the moment and no get too caught up with the complexity of the world.

I have came out with some ideas for the initial compositions. The inner theme for each composition of my name, Caroline. Each theme was thought out with the intention to spark the viewer’s reaction to their targeted senses.

Targeted sense of :

Touch: ANIMALS
» Idea was to make use of feathers. So that this would trigger viewers to touch it in a soft and gentle way. Simulating a gentle ‘pat’ on any animal for they are species to love and to learn from mother nature.

Touch: FABRIC
» Including some actual Cotton on my composition with hope to trigger a response from the viewers to ‘tap’ on them. Cotton is seen everywhere. They are around us(eg. bed) and over us(clothes). I thought of using the technique photomontage, by incorporate photographs that I have previously taken as shown below. There are photographs of my pillow and how I interact with it. Hoping that by using these images in my compositions, I could portray a sense of comfort from fabrics that is around us every time.

Hearing: RAIN
» Rain = Water = Life. To be thankful for rain that gives life to many plant and animals including us. Rain was created for a purpose and it doesn’t have to represent a bad weather. We can still dance in the rain whenever it pours (very often in Singapore). To simulate the sound of the rain, I thought of attaching transparent capsules balls with beads or water inside, onto my composition. The capsule balls could form the letter ‘O’ in my typography name. Or I would also make use of photomontage here too. The capsules would be hanging, to trigger views to ‘swing’ the capsule to activate the sound of the rain.

Sight and Smell: FLOWERS
» To use real flowers so that it would entice viewers to ‘sniff’ them. I was inspired by these images below. I thought of doing a cut out of my name, and use real flowers instead of a cut out again. Flowers = admiration, heal and to appreciate its beauty and for adding colours to the world.

Taste: FOOD
» To use all sorts of food particularly comfort food and deserts to activate the viewers taste buds to ‘feel like eating them now’ through photomontage as well. Or using beetroots as red/pupple ink to draw my typography as well. It is believed that yellow and red colours makes you hungry in colour psychology. Hence my idea was to make use of only these 2 colours here in the typography. Food = satisfy, comforts and represents the diversity around us.

However, I have decided to forgo this idea as the more I thought on how to alter and further improve, the more I was going increasingly 3D-like and sculptural-like. When this is a 2D assignment. Activating our/the viewers 5 senses require my typography as interactive and real as possible which made me realize that it was time to move on the other ideas.

Second Idea:
Moving on, I thought of doing my 4 compositions (cut down from 6) based on my character traits.

1. I am an Adventurer 
» Inspired by alice in the wonderland theme, to be able to open a little ‘door’ at the ‘O’ letter in my name.  Also, while my name would be in negative space, everything else from my name’s border to the end circumference of the paper,  would be covered in drawings like the secret garden colouring book image below.

2. I am a Nocturnal
» I live on caffeine. Using Coffee and Tea in my composition.

3. I am in Love with Details
» Using White on White to create my name. Incorporating white thread in the composition which you can only see it if the viewer looks at my composition in detail. Inspired by images below.

4. I am an Animal Lover
» Elongating my name vertically to mimic ‘Bars/Behind Bars’. It can be flipped open when pulled at the side of the paper. Beneath my elongated name, there would be a drawing or photograph of animals as the base/background of my composition. Message to bring across to viewers that I am a animal lover and I believe that animals should have their freedom and not be locked behind bars by humans.

However, I have also decided to forgo this as I felt as though my ideas were all over the place. I NEEDED a Theme to being everything together. I NEEDED a flow in my compositions. And so, I have carried on to think about how I am going to portray who I am or who am I exactly.

I am Caroline. A combination of my nicknames: CAR, O and  LINE. Therefore, My final idealization would either be the theme :

CAR  , or
LINES

Which I have chosen the former for my final.