Creating layouts can be made easier by using a grid, which is a framework of guidelines that form an underlying structure for the layout of a document or web site. Grids are used by designers to aid in the logical placement of design elements, to maintain consistency among related layouts, and to establish a sense of rhythm throughout a design. Using a grid streamlines the design process because it allows designers to reapply their design decisions to multiple layouts, rather than beginning a new one each time. Grids are especially helpful in saving time on large projects.

To give you several examples where we commonly see grids, they are used in websites, magazine layouts, calendars, and even term papers. When you look at a design, in most cases you do not see an actual grid, but you are definitely seeing it in the works.

There are several types of grids, but the most common of grids are single-column grids, multi-column grids, horizontal anchors, and modular grids. To help understand the visualization of these grids, I have created an interactive flash piece for you while using a screenshot of The Grid System’s home page (because, you know, they’re all about grids):

Next time you feel like creating a visually dynamic design with a grid, you do not always have to be restricted to the basic horizontal and vertical guides. Designers also use diagonal or shaped grids for their pieces, so if you do not feel like being a square for your next design do not be afraid about designing outside of the box. Just be sure that if your focus is on structure, be sure to use a grid.

For the creation of this Flash piece, credit goes to:

• The Grid System
• Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students by Ellen Lupton

Step 1: Research

To begin this assignment, I had to do research because I did not have any previous experience in designing ambigrams. Luckily my professor was able to help me out by forwarding me two very helpful websites:

• Ambiblog
• “Typographic Doppelgängers” by John Langdon

I read through them and studied all of the images that were posted on these two sites. While studying the images, I have noticed that many of these ambigrams have a blackletter look to them so I kept that in mind.

Step 2: Thinking… And a lot of it

When I decided that I was going to go forward with the project, I had to figure out what word I wanted to spell out. In my head I went through the letters of the alphabet and grouped together those that look similar or have a very good possibility of looking similar after careful manipulation (because in the end one letter has to match its opposite letter when rotated):

• A – B – H
• B – E – F – G – H – K – P – R
• C – D – G – J – O – Q – S – U – V
• I – J – L – T – Y
• M – N – V – W – X – Y – Z
• S – Z
• a – b – d – g – h – p – q
• c – e – o
• f – h – t
• i – j – l – t
• k – x
• m – n – r – u – v – w – y
• s – z

Of course all of these letter groupings can vary depending on the overall look of the ambigram, but this was just a general observation.

After going through the alphabet, I tried to think of my word. Since this was my first ambigram, I had to remind myself that the word must stay simple, preferably a one-syllable word. After running through ideas in my head and becoming frustrated for failing to come up with a word, I cursed at myself and thought “creating an ambigram is a bitch!”

A light shined.

Step 3: To the drawing board

Well… Not really the drawing board, but to Adobe Illustrator. I did not have any patience to draw in my sketchbook which would then be drawn again with my Wacom tablet. But, remember when I noticed that many of the ambigrams looked like they were in a blackletter style? What I did is I went through all of the blackletter typefaces that were available on the computer being used (Linotext™ Std, San Marco™ Std, Wilhelm Klingspor Gotisch™ Std, and Wittenberger Fraktur™ Std), and started to pair up the rotations of the word.

Linotext™ Std

San Marco™ Std

Wilhelm Klingspor Gotisch™ Std

Wittenberger Fraktur™ Std

I was sold on basing my ambigram off of Linotext™ Std due to its legibility and having the most similarity between the five letters used out of the four typefaces I tested with. What I also like about the typeface is that the “i” already has serifs coming out that can almost look like a “c”, so I felt like using this typeface was a good way to start. Then came the evolution of my ambigram:

So after much thinking and careful planning, I started from a blackletter typeface and turned it into an ambigram that has color and more of a tribal look to it, thus making it my own unique design.

"BitcH" ambigram from start to finish.

I do not read much, but I will read Dan Brown’s books. Thanks to reading Angels & Demons I have now been inspired to explore through a typographical design movement that is very complicated and challenging to begin with, which I have successfully accomplished in doing.