Loading / Gigatype Workshop

Mural painting workshop at IED Kunsthal Bilbao

At the beginning of the year, Laura carried out her first mural typography workshop in the week of multi/interdisciplinary workshops at IED Kunsthal in Bilbao, together with Ruth Juan and facilitated by Eider Corral.

The purpose of the workshop “Gigatype” was to unite typography and mural painting, exploring the capacity of messages for urban transformation, based on the students’ personal search and instincts. We gathered 17 students from different disciplines and courses, and it was a unique experience, for many reasons but mainly for the experience and result of the collective work.

The proposal consisted of dividing the 20-hour workshop into 3 phases:

1. Conceptualisation and typography
In the first conceptual part, we searched for a word or short phrase representing the transformation, personal and of the school itself, located in Zorrotzaurre, a part of Bilbao that is changing daily.

2. Strategy and execution
In the second part, we defined a typographic style that would serve the purpose, taking into account the multiple conditioning factors: time, dimensions, space and technique -elements that undoubtedly mark the process that results in a final result that is not 100% predefined. In the second part, Ruth Juan masterfully directed the transfer and painting of the word on a 4.47 x 6 m high wall, where we all participated 🙂

3. Documentation of the process
And finally, in the third part, we sought to relate and document the process from beginning to end, based on a thread freely chosen by the students. The document is what remains as a testimony of their work, creativity and passion.

Goals
– To create a typographic mural.
– Define a unique and collective message.
– Define the typographic style appropriate to the message, available space and technique.
– The final result arises from the process and the balance between concept, creativity, time and technique.

Premises or conditioning factors
– 4.47 x 6 m high wall.
– Collective message reduced to a maximum of 3 words
– 17 students who will share tasks
– Time: 8 h for conceptualisation + 12 h for painting

After two days of work, the result of the first part was:

Word
LOADING

Typographic style
– Uppercase or tall letters for optimal legibility.
– “Sans Serif”style to let the verbal message take centre stage.
– Drawn ad hoc in ultra-condensed proportion adapted to occupy all the space.
– Black background and white letters, to gain impact in space.
– Reinforcement of the meaning by the repetition of the word and the elasticity of three letters occupying the entire height.

Technique
– Tools: Rollers and brushes
– Materials: acrylic paint