Typomotif

From Motif to Typography

Context: Workshop project by Nada Abdallah, ATypI 2020
Industry: Typography / Experimental Design
Duration: 3 weeks

Scope of Work: Typographic exploration | Poster design | Alphabet development (36 Days of Type challenge)

This project began during the ATypI 2020 workshop “Typomotif: From Motif to Typography” by Nada Abdallah. The goal was to illustrate words related to love, unity, and tolerance across languages by combining typography and motif design.

The workshop drew inspiration from Arabic Square Kufic calligraphy and prehistoric motifs, emphasizing the idea of turning words into visual systems.

I selected the word “EQUAL” as my starting point, reflecting the project’s themes of unity and inclusivity.

Sketching Structure: Used Excel grids to replicate the structural rhythm of Square Kufic calligraphy.

Vectorization: Digitized the sketches into geometric forms rooted in three primary shapes: square, circle, and triangle.

Poster Design: Created a bold, abstract poster that celebrated equality through modular composition.

Once the base shapes were established, I expanded the exploration into a full lowercase alphabet for the annual 36 Days of Type challenge, using the same structural principles.

The result is a colorful typographic exploration that transforms the visual language of Arabic Square Kufic into a modern geometric alphabet. The lowercase set blends ornamental motifs with legible letterforms, producing patterns that can scale from posters to digital media.

The poster and alphabet serve both as an homage to cultural calligraphic traditions and as an experiment in cross-cultural visual storytelling.