From the moment we wake up and check the messages on our smartphones, we’re exposed to text design. Throughout our day, storefronts and websites announce themselves, first and foremost, through the typefaces (字体) they use. For Adonian Chan, a 33-year-old graphic designer born in Hong Kong and co-founder of design company Trilingua, the different texts we encounter in our daily lives amount to what he calls a “visual landscape”.
In his hometown, signs written in traditional Chinese characters can be found around every corner. One calligraphy style, above all, has come to represent Hong Kong for Chan: Beiwei Kaishu, a dynamic way of writing that has its origins in 4th-century China. After World War I II, Beiwei Kaishu was used in Hong Kong signs, partly because it is highly legible, even from far distances. What sets Beiwei Kaishu apart from other Chinese writing styles is its unique construction, striking lines and unexpected angles, says Chan.
But with the appearance of computer-generated typefaces and LED signs, Chan says he observed that signs written in the style were disappearing from Hong Kong. As a consequence, few designers working today are aware of the Beiwei Kaishu style, he says.
In 2016,Chan asked Wong Gok Longa master of calligraphy in Hong Kong, to teach him to write in the Beiwei Kaishu style. Chan then started the process of digitizing the characters. He first wrote the characters on paper with a brush and ink, which gave him a sense of proportion. Next, he made a pencil sketch (素描). Finally, he recreated the characters digitally, using a computer program called Glyphs.
He has named his typeface Beiwei Zansyu and hopes it will eventually appear on phones and computers. “Chan’s effort is more than missing bygone eras — it's reinterpreting and continuing our heritage (遗产) ins more contemporary life,” says Keith Tam, head of communication design at the Hong Kong Design Institute.
4. What does the underlined word “legible” in paragraph 2 mean?
A.Original. | B.Sensitive. |
C.Readable. | D.Variable. |
5. Why did Chan begin to learn to study Beiwei Kaishu?
A.His talent for the writing style was spotted by a master. |
B.He received an invitation to design a traditional sign. |
C.His colleagues encouraged him to create a new style. |
D.He found the writing style declined in Hong Kong. |
6. What's Tam's attitude to Chan's work?
A.Skeptical. | B.Approving. |
C.Ambiguous. | D.Uncaring. |
7. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
A.The art of digitizing ancient calligraphy |
B.The difficulty in practicing calligraphy |
C.Why should we observe tradition? |
D.How does text design influence our life? |