Alphabet Monsters Design Notes a / A
What are Alphabet Monsters?
Alphabet Monsters are original educational materials that feature uppercase and lowercase letters designed as Pokémon-like characters.
By utilizing the shape of the letters as monster silhouettes, we have designed them so that children can enjoy becoming familiar with the alphabet.
As a design note, I will be writing about the behind-the-scenes of the production.
* The Alphabet Monsters list (A3 size) is available for free download for home and educational use.
▶ Alphabet Monsters List (A3 size / Free Download)
Eigyo and Aish
The first characters of the Alphabet Monsters are, of course a and A.
The lowercase and uppercase letters look quite different.
The lowercase 'a' has a rounded, soft shape.
On the other hand, the uppercase 'A' is linear and sharp.
How to combine the differences between lowercase and uppercase letters into related characters was a major point of the design, including for the other letters.
'Ei' is the reading of a
First, I firmly incorporated the reading of the alphabet a 'Ei' into the name.
In Alphabet Monsters, we value thinking about characters based on the 'shape of the alphabet' and the 'reading of the alphabet.'
For a/A, it's 'Ei.'
This allows children to immediately understand which letter is being read.
Utilizing the shape to make it creature-like
When looking at a and A as they are, it is difficult to find common points, but if you tilt A slightly and look at it, both have shapes that feel 'creature-like,' and I thought, 'This must be a fish.'
It is not that I intended to draw a 'fish,' but rather the feeling that
as a result of utilizing the shape of the alphabet, it naturally became a creature
.
Lowercase a: Eigyo
For the lowercase 'a,' I emphasized cuteness.
Utilizing the rounded form, I made it a friendly and gentle-looking character.
The name is Eigyo.
Focusing on the reading 'Ei,' I combined it with the sound of the image of a fish, literally.
The eyes are round, and the expression is calm.
I am conscious of its role as the very first entrance into the world of Alphabet Monsters.
Uppercase A: Aish
For the uppercase 'A,' I changed the direction even though it is the same 'Ei.'
Utilizing the linear and stable shape, I made it a character that looks fast and strong.
The name is Aish.
While also centering on the reading 'Ei,' I combined it with the sound of 'Fish' to give it a different presence from the lowercase letter.
The shape of the eyes is a sharp triangle.
Rather than cute, it is reliable.
Even with the same alphabet, when it becomes an uppercase letter, its personality changes; I am expressing that kind of difference.
Since it is the first letter, it is red.
a and A are the beginning of the alphabet.
Therefore, the color was set to red.
It is easy to see, full of energy, and is a color that acts as a signal that "it starts here."
Eigyo and Eish are the entrance to the world of Alphabet Monsters.
They are like a catalyst for enjoying letters as "shapes" and as "characters."
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