I came across a few references on pinterest that explored text and transparency using paper (like tracing paper). The concept of “transparency” often discussed in typographic circles refers to the clear, seamless communication of text—where the visual form (type) does not overshadow or interfere with the conveyed message. This idea of transparency is a double-edged sword, especially when viewed in the context of non-Latin scripts like Devanagari.
In Industrialized settings, especially those influenced heavily by European and Latin-centric practices, there’s an emphasis on simplifying and standardising text, making it more “transparent” to wider audiences. While this may enhance readability and efficiency, it often strips away the nuanced visual complexity of traditional scripts. The rich interplay of curves, diacritics, and ligatures seen in scripts like Devanagari are essential to the script’s cultural and historical identity, yet they are often sacrificed in the name of modernisation and mass production.
This gap between Industrialisation and linguistic legacy creates a tension: on one side, there’s the push for efficiency, standardisation, and universal legibility, and on the other, the need to preserve the aesthetic and cultural depth of traditional scripts.The project navigates this tension by highlighting how industrialisation has streamlined scripts at the cost of losing vital elements tied to the script’s identity and history.
By examining this “transparency,” the project underscores how industrialisation, while bringing progress, has led to a loss of visual and cultural richness in non-Latin scripts. Devanagari, with its inherent complexity and unique scriptural elements, serves as a critical example where simplifying type for modern use results in disconnecting the language from its roots. This investigation into transparency, therefore, is not just about the technical aspects of readability, but also about the broader implications on cultural preservation and linguistic heritage.
To achieve this I got my ink impressions printed on tracing paper and manifesto on a news print. One more option but I switched the papers. I tested both of them out to see which one is visually stronger.
Above are the two styles where left one has text on translucent paper and right one has ink impression on the translucent paper. Although, both of them use the same visuals, the choice of paper drastically impacts the visual appeal.
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