36 Days of Type is a project that invites designers, illustrators and graphic artists to express their particular interpretation of the letters and numbers of the Latin alphabet.
– 36 Days of Type website
For several years, I’ve aspired to participate in the 36 Days of Type challenge. However, it was only this year that I was able to work up the courage to take it on.
Every spring I marveled as my fellow lettering artists would share their interpretations of the alphabet. And each year I convinced myself that I wasn’t ready to tackle this feat. Creating an entire system for 36 days straight is a daunting task. Keeping up your confidence while comparing yourself to the other participants is even more difficult. It requires diligence, patience, and courage.
A B C, Easy as One Two Three?
The hardest part for me was deciding on a theme. For years, I agonized over this decision. Should I have each letter and number stand for something? Should I choose a completely different aesthetic for each piece? Do I want a cohesive unified set or something that really stretches my creativity? And once I finally nailed down a system, I had to contend with the negative inner voice. “No one cares about this, you’re just annoying your followers, this is a joke compared to everyone else’s, etc.”
My advice for someone contemplating participating in 36 Days of Type is to just jump in. Once I started, I knew I had to see it through to the end. And though there were doubts, I had the encouragement from the lettering community along the way to push through.
Done is Better than Perfect
Ultimately, I’m glad I worked up the courage to participate in this challenge. I felt like a much more active member of the online lettering community, I learned a lot from my fellow participants, and it re-energized my enthusiasm for the field. It might not be perfect, but I’m proud of what I’ve created. You can bet that the wheels are already turning for 2023!
