• 2024 
• 
  
• Typography Explorative

• Kau Faham Bahasa Tak? (Do You Even Get It?) is an explorative project that looks to reframe the neglected script of Jawi and how it can be a huge communicative tool in Malay graphic design. This was inspired by the dynamic and robust typographic stylings of the Jawi-scripted Malay entertainment magazines in the 20th century. By upholding and referring to established Arabic calligraphic styles, the project explores contemporary allographs of letterform variants, showcasing the flexible possibilities and the versatility of Jawi in typography. This was created to hold a space for Jawi to exist and thrive in contemporary typography, thus safeguarding not only the script itself but also the Malay language. Embracing a maximalist approach, these works look towards decolonizing typography by challenging Eurocentric norms and fostering a space for diverse typographic expressions.
  

• This project naturally evolves through different stages, each representing distinct facets of my learning experience. Initially, my goal was to highlight Jawi’s potential and create a space for its integration into modern graphic design. However, I’ve come to realize that amidst the iterative processes, my journey has been primarily about learning and immersing myself in the script. While my intention was to showcase the script’s beauty, it ultimately became a profound learning process for me as well.

Learning ^{(STAGE ONE)}

• This stage includes a compilation of explorations where I embarked on to acquaint myself with the Jawi script, delving into various methods of writing and comprehending Jawi letterforms, while also noting its distinctions from the Latin alphabet. These explorations include experimenting with writing with different mediums. Refer to my process journal to know more about each exploration in detail.

Interpretation ^{(STAGE TWO)}

• Download Glyph Sheet

“Latin type conventionally sits on a baseline, with five main vertical levels of reference: baseline, x-height, ascender, descender, and caps-height. By contrast, Arabic type is less constrained, with more invisible typographic levels at the designer’s disposal. There is no one set of typographic levels in Arabic type anatomy as there is in Latin type anatomy. Designers decide on the number of levels needed for the type they are designing, and according to the calligraphic style that the typeface is based on.”

Kashidas ^{(STAGE 2)}

Contexualisation ^{(STAGE 3)}

• Following the development of letterforms, I delved into two primary methods of contextualizing these letterforms, illuminating the intimate connection between Jawi letterforms, the Malay language, and the essence of Malay identity. Click on the following links to direct you to the specific extensions of this project.