Yuan Ye: "Dimensional Script" (Department of Visual Communication)

In her postgraduate work, Yuan Ye opted to create a "three-dimensional" font design. In the work, the spatial curve of the writing trajectory is combined with the shape of strokesin a traditional Chinese font.

"Spatial movement is a key factor in the Chinese writing system. In clerical script, there is a deep connection between the appearance of a stroke and the spatial path produced in the writing process - the ebb and flow of the movement is directly translated into the visual shape of a stroke," Yuan explained. In the early stage of creating her graduation work, she focused her research on two classic works of calligraphy by ancient calligraphers Wang Xizhi and Yan Zhenqing. 

Based on the research results of Chinese and Western writing theory, the study conducts a "three-dimensional" analysis of stroke forms. From the analysis of the spatial movement form of writing, commonalities of movement laws in the writing systems of Western words and Chinese characters and the prominent features of Chinese writingcan be seen. Comparing the spatial movement forms of Chinese and Western writings, it is evident that the writing of Chinese characters has more significant spatial movements.

Wang Hongwei, Yuan's mentor, said that the work breaks with traditional ways of thinking, and is both experimental and innovative. The research captures the natural spatial trajectory between the writing implementand the surface of the paper during the writing process, presents the performance factors involved in the writing, and generates a unique visual effect. 

"There are many more possibilities to explore in the future for the expressive spaces of writing in different script styles," Wang said.