Rina Patton Graphic Designer

Objective

Use the broad topic of “Translation” to help guide you through your design work. You will be given a poem in a language that you do not speak and will have to find patterns within the letterforms of the poem. Once you have found the patterns, you are to read the English versions of the poem and design a product/packaging based on the discovered patterns. The final product needs to match what is happening within the poem. Take time to think of different packaging solutions for the poem.

Concept
I received a Japanese poem by Sayaka Osaki called “Ming-Ming.” This poem spoke of a woman who had passed away who was briefly mentioned in the local newspaper. The poet discusses how the writer of these comments about Ming-Ming does not actually know her, and how she now wishes she had known her. She speaks of getting tea and getting together as friends. I took this point of the poem and elaborated on it by putting the letterforms on tea leaves. I used different Japanese character forms to create a pattern within the leaves that would create eye-catching images.