Jarrik Muller is an Amsterdam-based designer. His work explores dimensional letter-forms and typography as an object. The Journal interviewed Mr Muller about his latest explorations and his thoughts on type.

You created the 3D typeface for German magazine Jpeople, correct? How did they approach you for the project?

I started this 3D typeface as a personal project in 2006 and finished it in 2009. It started as a 2D typeface; after I added grey tones to it I realized that there might be more than one way of viewing it than a 2D typeface. I began to see the possibilities of a 3D typeface and began experimenting with random words made out of foam board and wood. This resulted in a 3D typeface, constructed out of paper, that is easy to use, reproduce and has plenty of possibilities for design processes. Thanks to Zedz for being a good sparring partner, always there to bounce ideas off.

I presented the experiments, research, results and the whole 3D typeface in an A2 poster. Jpeople received a copy from this poster, they liked it and decided to write an article about it for their 3D issue, issue 12. They asked me if I could make a type treatment specially for Jpeople. This resulted in the Type piece (below), inspired by the colors of a shooting circle.

Do you have a name for the typeface?

The typeface is called 3D typeface. Pretty basic, but it says it all.

What was your process for developing the shapes on the 3D type? How did this translate to easy cut-out patterns for each letter?

First, I planned on making letters out of wood. I quickly realized that it would be hard to form words or sentences this way. Furthermore, people would not be able to experience the fun of making the 3D letters themselves. Therefore I had to come up with a more creative approach to trigger other people to bring this 3D typeface into operation. I had to figure out a way to produce and reproduce the typeface, ensuring the sense of playfulness stayed intact while working with the 3D typeface. This resulted in a typeface made out of paper: constructed by cutting, folding and gluing the paper together, like a building model.

Are you offering the EPS for the cut-out patterns as a download? Where might one find it?

Yes, the 3D typeface comes as an EPS file. By offering the typeface in this format, the final decisions on size and color are handed over to the user.

To purchase the typeface give me an email at jarrik@jarrik.com. Price is 35 Euro.

What is your experience working with type?

I explore the boundaries of what type is and what it could be. See how far I can push the boundaries between illegible but still readable type. In my subconscious there is always a concept within the typeface. If I look back at the Puzzle, Soft Machine and NBLight typeface they all started with a concept and a new approach on type. For the NBLight typeface Stefan Gandl (Neubau) and I started with a real installation. Since we could not use these images in Fontlab, Stefan suggested that we could make a vector/digital version of the typeface. This version is published in Neubau Modul and for sale on Neubauladen. A nice future of this typeface is that the cables of each letter are different!

How do you approach typography?

I see typography as shapes instead of the meaning of the word or letter. With this approach I design and treat typography, finding a balance between shape and readability. Always working within a concept and not by trends, which I think more people should do! We have to look forward and not to each other. Innovate and not recreate.

Since the start of the 3D typeface I approach and think more in 3D. Experiencing the whole process of printing the letters, cutting them out, gluing them together, arranging them in place and taking photos of them feels good. I just finished a new 3D typeface made out of blocks with on each side another form. Six or nine of these blocks together create a letter or a number.

The thoughts of not only thinking in graphic purposes, have broadened my vision and changed my approach of what typography could do. In the development of the 3D typeface I looked at the possibilities of 3D typography on buildings. Maybe this is the future of advertising on buildings?

What are you working on now?

Right now I am working on a logo/logo system for my own studio. The idea behind this logo/logo system is: The work I make is my identity as a designer. People may know my name but they don’t know/recognize my work, or vice versa. That is why I use parts of the logos and typefaces I made for clients for my own logo. I use the letters from the logos and typefaces that are also in my own name.

What are your future plans?

I am working on a new project called 50 Wallpapers from the City of Amsterdam. The product is an A4 note block with 50 pages with 50 different walls. The seams/grooves in the walls are the lines that you could write on. There are street signs, graffiti tags and other specific signs that could only be found in Amsterdam. You can recognize Amsterdam through these walls. It is a project about public space and city culture. This idea could also work for other cities like Berlin, Paris, New York, et cetera. The cover of the note block is a typographic translation off a wall.

I am now in the phase where I try to find a publisher who is interested in it.

Besides this project I will work on some new identities, logos and I have a couple ideas for a new 3D typeface.

More of Jarrik Muller’s work may be viewed on his website and Behance profile.