Suminami, or Ink Wave, is a display typeface. My initial inspiration for this typeface was tsunamis and tidal waves. Due to my passion for Japanese culture and my knowledge of its folklore, I decided to focus my research on possible myths and stories about tsunamis. This research was paired with various representations of mythical sea creatures, gods, and waves in woodblock paintings, one of the most well known being 'The Great Wave off Kanagawa' by Katsushika Hokusai. These woodblock paintings led me to think about Japanese and Chinese calligraphy. As someone who practices Asian calligraphy, I'm very aware of the many factors in this beautiful art, such as the stroke order in characters, the movement of the bamboo brush, and the way ink reacts with paper. I aimed towards a balance between the uncontrollable art of bamboo brushing and the systematic structure of letterforms. Each letter, along with all ornamentation in this book, was done with bamboo brush and ink. This book showcases and explains my entire process of creating this typeface, from research to sketching, to its final form.

Published: March 10, 2014