Marsaskala or Wied il-GHajn? – Work-in-Progress
This week’s challenge was a follow-up on the research we did last week. It consisted of documenting typography within a given location. As a result we were to take pictures of the examples we found interesting and that we feel that they reflect the town’s identity (read more here). Following this, this week we are to illustrate the town’s name typographically, using last week’s research as an inspiration.
Marsaskala (or Wied il-Għajn in Maltese) was primarily a fishing village turned into a touristic location between the 80s and the nightlife peaked in the 90s. Today, one can still find numerous bars and pubs, however, the hotels and clubs closed down as the times changed. In this challenge I want to capture that 90s summer vibe through typography. Along with the photos I took, I looked also at graphic design examples of that decade. I also looked at the type of events that normally took place in this town in comparison to today.
I am currently experimenting with various letterforms and I am considering both the English and Maltese versions of the name. I may include them both in the final artwork, but that remains to be seen. It depends on the line of thought I take and whther I will have the time to complete it. Below are some of my sketches.
As one can see, my sketches are quite varied. I am a bit all over the place with this task, as I have a few different ideas, but I cannot seem to zero in on a solid one. The thing is that I would like to capture the diversity of this small town, as there really is something for anyone who like to have a good time. Following up on these sketches, I am still debating whether I would digitise my final outcome, or go full-on hand lettering. Digitising we make it look neater probably, but then again, creating it my hand makes it more authentic. If I did not have a full-time job, I would actually enjoy this exercise… just saying.
