a classic student project (continued): playing with letterforms à la Norman Ives

In the two previous blog pieces in which we featured graphic design work from Dordt College students, we continue the theme here with more examples of students’ work.

This classic project of closely cropped letterforms was influenced by designer and educator Norman Ives and is commonly found in most graphic design programs. Each composition closely crops the lower case “a” letterform to suggest and reveal the intrinsic artistic form and character of the letter. One of the goals of the project is to enrich ones imagining powers by handling positive and negative space.


© Kit Drennon 2013


© Kit Drennon 2013

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a classic student project (continued): close cropping of letterforms à la Norman Ives

In the previous blog piece in which we featured graphic design work from Dordt College students, we continue the theme here with a couple of examples of students’ work.

This classic project of closely cropped letterforms was influenced by designer and educator Norman Ives and is commonly found in most graphic design programs. Each composition closely crops the lower case “a” letterform to suggest and reveal the intrinsic artistic form and character of the letter. The goal of the project is to develop greater thoughtfulness toward the communicative function of typography.


© Amanda Oberman 2013


© Nathan Walter 2013

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a classic student project: close cropping of letterforms à la Norman Ives (1923–1978)

This classic project of closely cropped letterforms is commonly found in most graphic design programs. In essence, this project was inspired by the work of designer/artist Norman Ives. Dordt College students in Graphic Design 1 this past semester completed the examples shown here. Each composition closely crops the lower case “a” letterform to suggest and reveal the intrinsic artistic form and character of the letter.

Norman Ives’s work celebrates and cultivates the typographic arts. Designer Rick Valicenti says that Ives typographic compositions promote “the poetry of organic curves and rigid structures found hidden deep within an alphabet…”(1) 

The tension created by the juxtaposition of positive and negative spaces—or the figure and ground shapes—articulate a wonderful visual rhythm and pattern.

1. Valicenti, Rick, et al. “Digital Glass Portfolio Series.” Thirst 3st. n.p., 12 June 2013. Web. 15 Dec. 2013. http://www.3st.com/work/skyline-digital-glass-portfolio-series#5.

compositions by © Shelby Herrema 2013

compositions by © Tanner Brasser 2013

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Dordt advanced graphic design students explore the issues of childhood mortality

Records for Life: Reaching Children with Life-Saving Vaccines 
A Concept for Universal Child Health Records
poster size: 42 inches x 54 inches 

This semester, Dordt College’s advanced graphic design class responded to the call issued by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which was seeking help in redesigning the look and feel of child health records. The above graphic shows the collaborative poster that explains and details the students’ concept proposing a UPC/QR identification system for universal Child Health Records.

Student designers included: Daryl Bruinsma, Hayley Dahl, Rebekah Dykhuizen, Teddy Getenet, Brett Jasper, Jayson Korthuis, Caleb Vugteveen and instructor David Versluis.

Six million children between the ages of 0 and 5 die annually, worldwide. In response to this global health crisis, Dordt students and non-governmental organizations convened on Wednesday, November 20 to dialogue and explore the issues of childhood mortality and to share their thoughts. It was at this event that the graphic design students presented their project. Approximately 300 people were in attendance..

The project was a culmination of the Dordt’s semester-long AGILE (Approaching Global issues through Interdisciplinary Learning Experiences) Project, which examines a critical global issue and looks at creative solutions. This year's focus was on child and infant mortality.

The introduction on the poster written by the graphic design students states:

Child and infant mortality rates affect families and communities around the world. Mortality rates for young children are caused by many variables including health, nutrition, cultural practices, lack of education, and more. Healthcare for both pregnant mothers and young children is essential to allow newborns to grow and develop in a healthy environment. Immunizations and vaccinations are essential for all children at a young age. Unfortunately, the health record system in many countries often allows children to miss vaccinations, failing to stop preventable diseases. A simple, universal system would allow doctors, mothers, and other health workers to confidently vaccinate and care for young children.

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Divisionistic luminosity in glass: designs by Thirst for Skyline Design

Pictured above are entry doors to the showroom of Skyline Design, which is located in the Merchandise Mart, Chicago. Some of the artifacts that appear in these photographs are designs by studio Thirst and recently commissioned by Skyline Design. Gallery photo by versluis.

Information from Thirst states, “Thirst has four series in the Digital Glass Portfolio curated by Skyline Design. The portfolio is a collection of works by artists that transform public spaces, from Anne Lindberg to Bryan Nash Gill, all working on a large scale in the medium of printed glass for interior architecture. The portfolio won The Best of NeoCon 2013 gold awards by Contract Magazine in both Surfacing Materials/Finishes and Wall Treatments.”


Samples of the Thirst collection are displayed on the table in the foreground and include the facial profile on the wall. Gallery photo by versluis.

The effect of Thirst’s designs rely on optical blending which is determined by the division of color values into individual units generated by the developer’s code. Whether using the unit forms of dots (as in the facial profile image above) or tightly cropping typographic forms (shown below), the singular units are grouped in a regular pattern to form an entirety according to the principle of similarity that derives the image’s impact. The design becomes interactive because it requires the viewer to combine the colors optically.

Regarding this particular design, Thirst’s information says, “Phone photographs of the visual details found “classic beauty” from fashion and media are converted into a grid of circles, each punctuated by dots and lines of complementary colors.”


A close-up of the classic matrix of “dots and lines of complementary colors” that comprise Thirst’s “classic beauty” designs. Graphic courtesy of Skyline Design.


The Alphablox design, is shown above just right of center. According to Thirst, “Alphblox uses custom software to tightly crop and color letterforms in abstract, beautiful visual rhythms, inspired by the work of designer/artist Norman Ives and the foundation assignments of the Bauhaus.” Gallery photo by versluis.


The following passage from Thirst wonderfully expresses the sentiment of Alphablox: “The poetry of organic curves and rigid structures found hidden deep within an alphabet become amplified, turning a typeset phrase from Shakespeare’s famous sonnet from As You Like It which begins ‘All the world’s a stage…’  into pure pattern.” Graphic courtesy of Skyline Design.

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“a fine title, ‘Enlaced: a Burning Bush, Psalm 19’” —a quote from Calvin Seerveld at the Dordt College sculpture dedication

This past Monday afternoon, 4 November, the dedication of the Dordt College sculpture “Enlaced” took place with 25–30 people in attendance. The piece was recently installed west of Covenant Hall. The sculpture’s designer, Dordt College Art Professor David Versluis says, “The design is guided by a sense of an intertwining of a Christian perspective that’s found within Dordt College’s academic community.”

The dedication ceremony featured an introduction by Dordt President, Dr. Erik Hoekstra, acknowledgements by Versluis, remarks by Dr. Calvin Seerveld, and a prayer by College Chaplain, Rev. Aaron Baart. The photograph above and the one below shows Seerveld, who looks and sounds rather like a Rabbi, speaking at the dedication.


Seerveld was on campus that day as a First Mondays speaker (Dordt’s monthly speaker series). Regarding Seerveld, a Dordt news release states, “A prolific writer, speaker, and educator, Dr. Calvin Seerveld has dedicated his life to the study of aesthetics, redemptive art, and biblical wisdom.” Versluis says that the sculpture was inspired by Seerveld’s book Rainbows for the Fallen World where he characterizes Psalm 19 as all things are like “a burning bush of the Lord God.”

Here are Seerveld’s gracious remarks—taken from his notes:

Congratulations to artist Professor Versluis, to all who paid for Enlaced, and to Dordt College for promoting and receiving this artwork. It has a fine title: Enlaced: a Burning Bush, Psalm 19. 

This exceptionally good artwork, to my eye, is not strictly representational, but also not an “abstracted,” esoteric construction. 

It could be called a metaphor in COR-TEN steel. It sparks multiple suggestions:
Sure, the flames of a burning bush confronting Moses; the 7 (holy number) upright forms woven together suggest variety in unity…. Could there also be fingers of an unusual hand? 

This is not a monument, however—not pompous nor heavy set. There is upward movement; it appears almost airborne. Perhaps there is a letter design character behind it, telling you something, yet enigmatic…. It seems friendly to me, people-aware, safe, inviting, beckoning, sited for passers-by. 

Keeping in character with Professor Versluis and his modesty, quietly Christian…, redeeming [the want for] more attention—showing love for one’s neighbor, helping you to remember that your fellow student, prof, staff person cutting grass and cafeteria server, like Psalm 19 world-at-large are burning bushes! 

This is a very fine, larger-than-life, highly imaginative artwork. A surprise from such a quiet artist… that should remind generations to come: here at Dordt College, neighbors (Matthew 25), like trees and stones, are burning bushes—creatures of God’s grace for us to respond to with respect and love. We should thank God for the imaginative work/dedication that is present before us. (1)

1. Seerveld, Calvin G. “‘Enlaced’ Sculpture Dedication.” Dordt College. Sioux Center, IA. 4 Nov. 2013. Address. 

Dordt College President, Dr. Erik Hoekstra giving introductory remarks at the dedication.

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Alexander Girard: optical color blending suggesting the bright Mexican blanket.

Alexander Girard, American, 1907–1993
Manufactured by Maharam, American, founded 1902
Millerstripe Textile, 1973, reissued 2002
Wool and nylon upholstery
photograph by versluis

Reflecting the powerful effect of color this piece was displayed at the The Art Institute of Chicago in an exhibition titled, Sharing Space: Creative Intersections in Architecture and Design.

This exhibition, which occurred earlier this year, featured artifacts from the permanent collection of the Department of Architecture and Design.

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