![Female figures designed in the shape of the A to F letterforms](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/8cfccbfb-1fee-4181-a7c0-c21719ee06e5_rw_3840.png?h=ffd04eec14f99fd2ab1cbfd2c7ef90e7)
![Female figures designed in the shape of the G to L letterforms](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/cb652220-0447-415e-ad73-9840b5d92dc3_rw_3840.png?h=a118b88efe49cd312c77d419cbd33a0a)
![Female figures designed in the shape of the M to R letterforms](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/8fd1b6e4-d8bd-4e34-8292-71336bc3f08d_rw_3840.png?h=0287c29c5590e3c72e124d94a3cb2e77)
![Female figures designed in the shape of the S to X letterforms](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/8c3cb9ef-a91a-473b-8385-38d1ae95bb4a_rw_3840.png?h=bff0f96119e81b4508265d9cea9df9a1)
![Female figures designed in the shape of the Y to Z letterforms and 1 to 3 numbers](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/60a017b5-ddba-4815-bd03-f9e6facd6cba_rw_3840.png?h=ef76aec3d9c70439bf4f7ab61450d65d)
![Female figures designed in the shape of the 4 to 9 numbers](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/7a6e4121-7a9a-4d46-ba3c-ef3477c7ba61_rw_3840.png?h=4d2c5000ab74f7aa65d7a0cfa57b0b61)
For my second 36 Days of Type challenge, I illustrated a set of female figures in the shape of each A-Z letter and 0-9 digit.
Challenge
The annual global design challenge is to create a cohesive set of 36 letterforms in as many days. My goal this year was to loosen up and have fun with my character shapes, opting for expressiveness over anatomical accuracy.
![Rough thumbnail sketch](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/8c905f19-fcc2-475a-b0ae-18dc66568130_rw_1920.png?h=a8c65d73e97a4f10e0524c88e34f5cc4)
Rough thumbnail sketch
![Colour final](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/93faeb09-ccea-4c01-a8f6-7a87591a2c63_rw_1920.png?h=33f5acd16c8504473b3b095ca6d4bf22)
Colour final
Timelapse colour process
![Thumbnail sketch](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/5823095b-986f-4511-b5cb-d06a0b2c29e2_rw_1920.png?h=3c0d51d288d38221079218deb583edc3)
Thumbnail sketch
![Final colour](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/c34e660e-af64-420e-b902-8a55242f29ec_rw_1920.png?h=dafefe5f1ac4b5176bcafa68e1a31c3f)
Final colour
Timelapse colour process
Solution
I started with rough thumbnail sketches in a 6x6 grid to jot down my initial ideas. When I was happy with the basic concept, I transferred the small sketch into a new document, enlarged it, and refined it, adding colour, pattern, and details.
![A grid of 36 rough letterform sketches planning 36 Days of Type 10](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/67f510b0-890a-4b4a-9329-57cacd40b53b_rw_1920.png?h=0fedff908b838b8022a6e42faa2c8d77)
Rough thumbnail sketches
I limited my colour palette to 7 risograph colours using brushes in Procreate on the iPad. This gave me the texture I was looking for, as well as the flexibility to vary the background colours and still create enough emphasis against the different skin tones of the figures.
![Rough thumbnail sketch](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/88525d13-6cf1-4e1d-940e-15283fde15f2_rw_1920.png?h=2a6c9d394ab147be7aabe0640bb176c8)
Rough thumbnail sketch
![Final colour](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/7eb6fffc-5057-49be-92cb-33d12937984c_rw_1920.png?h=10bcc226ddb3224eb6d8de179ae32383)
Final colour
Timelapse colour process
![Rough thumbnail sketch](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/a5d8a254-089d-445f-b4e9-cc9ebcece5d3_rw_1920.png?h=47241db500e09b6f1fe4b26342704d36)
Rough thumbnail sketch
![Final colour](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/f89cbe77-79c7-4b42-897c-77849fcb0f83_rw_1920.png?h=1d4166ad5bfa5417ba43609da150b595)
Final colour
![1st sketch didn't quite hit the mark](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/1e317065-448a-4a3f-91ce-9b67e69e2fe2_rw_1920.png?h=5b25a0d1f5c87125456caf4addf73445)
1st sketch didn't quite hit the mark
![2nd sketch communicated the idea more clearly](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/aebd11e1-e684-41ec-b284-20e3eda024ca_rw_1920.png?h=7ff63c6d38cfa00cbf4992dadc3692d5)
2nd sketch communicated the idea more clearly
![Final colour](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/b706c9b8-c1fb-4a5d-b616-e352d556cdb2_rw_1920.png?h=0eaa814365d456de8250dae0c33f0c7b)
Final colour
Timelapse colour process
I kept the shapes, patterns, and colours simple and playful – exploring different ways to translate female forms into recognisable letterforms.
![Rough thumbnail sketch](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/edc79a27-c89c-43af-b215-0f8ece54663e_rw_1920.png?h=a2a59c2655ab3c446b8165be9414a564)
Rough thumbnail sketch
![Final colour](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/aa529698-e2d4-4253-9ba9-0a2589b12e84_rw_1920.png?h=4f8b5fa4f3592e63a78beebfaf6c7920)
Final colour
Timelapse colour process
![Rough thumbnail sketch](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/d53b2d85-7864-4ee3-8558-f75721371699_rw_1920.png?h=3f073e3068bfd2e81d741ebbb82f9117)
Rough thumbnail sketch
![FInal colour](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/059afa02-ae4a-4798-b907-1b06e8513561_rw_1920.png?h=662995ba95c4662412867deb0610de5d)
FInal colour
Outcome
As I got further into the project, I became more open to pushing the proportions of the figures and exaggerating shapes to make an emotional connection and communicate an idea more effectively. I look forward to using what I've learned in this challenge to stretch my imagination further and explore more creative character designs in the future.
![Initial concept was static and uninteresting](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/253b7c40-5b67-4632-8222-af39d85a4078_rw_1920.png?h=a88d5d1e1d5377f9c22c334644adbcea)
Initial concept was static and uninteresting
![2nd sketch had more potential](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/06bce4b3-ee49-4f73-a9a3-bf9e160cbd3c_rw_1920.png?h=9dcc2fe39eb7639f384e7bce7c9b74d3)
2nd sketch had more potential
![3rd refined sketch pushes the shapes](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/0458de0f-7415-46c9-816d-a1bd816300c5_rw_1920.png?h=275970295b4505ef5bda76e9fa9bc79c)
3rd refined sketch pushes the shapes
![Additional flag detail clarifies the message](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/c755afbf-4c0e-4609-a968-4a4ae0dc4386_rw_1920.png?h=4f0c3208aed6fc2c23dbdcdff220b5c1)
Additional flag detail clarifies the message
![Initial rough sketch](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/f5893118-a235-4534-9c0c-04572f41a01c_rw_1920.png?h=ab4393beacc066b4c5b60d959beb92a5)
Initial rough sketch
![Refined sketch](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/90a75a20-3d18-4e3e-8719-b4fb6bdb317b_rw_1920.png?h=64cd300f648e8117d49d5a4f9ef0bb6d)
Refined sketch
![Colour final](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/31de7220-70fb-4e22-b818-1f7d0f5d21e6_rw_1920.png?h=3c07c92f51388f0596c6083351e31f4a)
Colour final
![Rough thumbnail sketch](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/494471df-d8a6-48b1-9c06-6834d14300fc_rw_1920.png?h=8e2b68991ce102ea8fd98c51bafa6552)
Rough thumbnail sketch
![Tipping the glass adds more movement in the final image](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/dba2650e-25d9-42b2-ba8c-6a99cec5d56d/f87c212d-c1aa-476e-944b-9924d320ecd4_rw_1920.png?h=fd9ff8dc04e1cfe8d5d7617f3b423049)
Tipping the glass adds more movement in the final image
Timelapse colour process