May 2004

Hex is modular typeface based on a hexagonal grid which has eight different configurations depending on the linking of the elements within each character. Hex has been designed to explore modularity of type and colour application within an individual character form, not for a pure aesthetic.

The hexagonal grid allows for characters to be created from dots/lines on 30, 90 and 150 degree angles. These directional elements can then be isolated and individual fonts made for each of the directions. Type can then be set, duplicated, assigned one of the three fonts and coloured accordingly. At the point where the lines intersect there is also the opportunity when offset printing to overprint the three colours and generate an additional 3 or 4 colours within a single character. The ability to colour type in this way is an innovation in type design that has not be explored previously.

Hex also has the ability to be weighted according to the specific use, as the modular nature allows the thickness or thinness of the dot or line to be reduced or enlarged at will. It can be very simply animated by oscillating between the eight different configurations, giving the appearance of movement, which has specific applications in websites or banner advertisements to draw attention to a static piece of typography.

Hex has provided the opportunity to explore much broader issues in typography than just style by addressing issues related to function and use in varying environments.

When Paperlinx decided to merge Tomasetti Paper across Spicers Paper and Dalton Fine Paper, different paper stocks went to each merchant. Suits paper stock was one of the speciality stocks that went across to Dalton and we were asked to create a direct mail piece to communicate this move and the stowaway was created to fit in a DL envelope.

In 2004 Andrew Ashton (Studio Pip & Co) was creative director of the Victorian Design Awards and asked a number of designers from different creative fields to illustrate a butterfly. Our response was to take the letter B and with the help of Samantha Slicer, render them in differing weights of the typeface Futura to create the following image. Render was produced by FloodSlicer.

Below is a poster created by Studio Pip & Co incorporating the range of butterflies.