It’s All Greek Ambigram Challenge

For this Ambigram Challenge, you are being asked to create an ambigram for a unique soft drink company that is currently creating a new soda. The manufacturer (which will remain anonymous until the end of the challenge) will incorporate the final design on the product.

The Ambigram
The word that is being provided by the sponsor is ‘Greek Gold.’ It is to be a 180 degree rotational ambigram.

Sponsor Requirements
The sponsor has requested that the ambigram be kept in a stacked format, i.e. the word ‘Greek’ on top of the word ‘Gold.’ The sponsor will not completely exclude one-line ambigrams, but since the ambigram will be presented in a very small area, the stacked version will be given preference over single line ambigrams. In addition:

• Legibility/readability will be a major factor in the judges’ decision.
• Incorporating elements of the art of the Byzantine Empire (such as use of gold and crimson) is encouraged.
• Use of a byzantine style font (especially like the first example below) is encouraged.

Note that even though the characters in the example are not all English, they are offered as an example of the style that the sponsor is looking for.

Prizes

The top 5 ambigrams will be recognized by the sponsor, with the first place winner receiving $150. We will have the prize money in escrow, so the payout is guaranteed and will be awarded when the artist of the winning design(s) turns over the copyright of the design to the sponsor to use as they wish. The grand prize of USD $150 will be paid via Paypal from Ambigram.com. All dollar amounts are in USD.

Judging

Unlike most Ambigram.com Ambigram Challenges, this one will be judged exclusively by the sponsor of the contest. These are designs that are intended for use by the company, so while some comments may be provided by some of the judges, the winning ambigram will ultimately be selected by the sponsor.

All designs should be submitted by Sunday, February 5th; all the submissions will be posted within a day & then the judging process will begin. Results will be posted as soon as the sponsor has selected the top ambigram, and a boilerplate document will be sent to the winner shortly thereafter. Cash prizes to immediately follow after the designer returns the signed document (along with the requested files) to the sponsor.

The challenge will be open to everyone without restrictions. We will send a boilerplate document to the winner(s) that simply assigns the copyright of the design to the sponsor. Sending the document back to the sponsor will be a condition of payout. The details of this will be worked out after the winning ambigram is selected.

File Submission

• Please submit no more than 3 entries, and make sure that they are “finalized” before emailing them.  We are getting swamped with entire collections of designs using incorrect file formats and dimensions; also, some artists make frequent revisions within the contest time frame and expect us to keep track of it all. You have several weeks for this challenge…so please take your time and send us the finalized submissions closer to the end of the contest. The ambigram(s) have to be created from scratch for this challenge. Make sure the files are in JPG format, 72dpi and AT LEAST 600×600 pixels in dimension. Please note that after the winning ambigram is selected, the sponsor may also request the final art in a vector format (.ai or .svg), so make sure you have that format available as well. That will be discussed between the sponsor and the winning designer.
• Please name your submissions as follows: JohnSmith_typeofambigram_Submissionnumber.jpg. Otherwise, it can be easy to lose track of which design belongs to which artist, especially if we get a lot of submissions.

To submit your ambigrams, or if you have any other questions, email us at challenge@ambigram.com.

Winner – Johan Skylling

Fifth place – Sharath Kumar

 

Sharath is well known to experiment with different lettering styles and types of ambigrams, and that never-ending exploration contributes to his continual success as an ambigram designer. He chose a great concept for this submission, and the somewhat reserved lettering style is well complimented by his wonderful background illustrations that, once again, help the ambigram instead of hindering it. Great job!

Honorable mentions

There were several other ambigrams that, although they didn’t make it into the top five, deserve to be recognized for the creativity that the artists exhibited. 

Ambigram Challenge 15 – No Fear

Ambigram.com When was the first time you encountered ambigrams?

Kevin Prejean I’m embarrassed to admit this, buy I have the LP “White Hot” for the glam rock band “Angel” in my vinyl collection. At the time, I didn’t know what an ambigram was, and I’m not sure how long it took me to discover that their logotype was readable upside down. I’d like to say I bought the album because of the logo design but the truth is I bought a lot of rock albums back then, both good and bad.

Ambigram.com 
Before the mirror ambigram for PUG, have you tried to create any ambigrams? Would it be possible to see them?

Kevin Prejean In spring of 1989 I was on a team of designers working on a poster for the Dallas Society of Visual Communications. The poster was announcing two guest speakers and was titled “Over the Edge.” The symmetry of the word “EDGE” lent itself to ambigram possibilities and exploration. The final poster design used similar hand-drawn type derived from the exercise, but not an ambigram version. A Google search revealed several similar “EDGE” ambigram designs. It seems it is a popular, or obvious, word for ambigram experimentation.

Ambigram.com While you were developing concepts for PUG/OBP, was an ambigram concept in the forefront or did it come about later in the process?

Kevin Prejean I’ve never approached a logo design with the intention of creating an ambigram. An ambigram opportunity may, or may not, surface while doing the thumbnail ideation. For PUG, the ambigram possibility presented itself while tinkering with a lower case version of the word PUG. Another designer I was working with, Joe Barnes, discovered the all-caps treatment used in the final logo.

For Ovid Bell Press, the idea came from working with three circles for the initials. By removing the letter spacing, the concept of press sheets surfaced and it became symmetrical. To make the press sheets and rollers more overt, the perspective was changed from flat to dimensional. I don’t know all the rules, but the final version may not be considered a pure ambigram.

Ambigram.com What was the reaction of the client to the PUG/OBP ambigram logo, and why did they decide to go with it?

Kevin Prejean For PUG it was an immediate hit with the client. The pairing of the PUG type with the teeth negated the need to have type paired with a stylized pug dog icon.

In the case of Ovid Bell Press, we were a third-party design resource and didn’t work directly with this client. I don’t recall the reason, but the client chose a basic typographic treatment of the initials instead of this design. That was a big disappointment. I liked the idea enough to keep it in our agency portfolio.

Ambigram.com An ambigram is challenging enough to perfect if it is a personal project, but it will be observed even closer (and perhaps with more scrutiny) if it is an actual
commissioned piece that will be displayed in the ‘real world.’ What were your biggest challenges in perfecting the PUG and OBP ambigrams?

Kevin Prejean As mentioned before, I didn’t set out to do an ambigram for a logo. It was the fortunate result. In developing logos, I gravitate to solutions that are bold and simple. As
a result, the PUG and OBP logo ambigrams lack the complexity seen in some the incredibly complicated ones done for non-commercial purposes. The focus was more about creating a successful logo identity than a successful ambigram.

Ambigram.com Would you use an ambigram for another logo/identity, or would you have any reservations about it?

Kevin Prejean If the solution is on target strategically and graphically, sure. When executed properly an ambigram adds an extra layer of interest to an identity. The only reservation I can think of is trying to force-fit an ambigram as a solution. It could result in making the mark too complicated, less legible or simply not as visually appealing.

Ambigram.com What, to you, is the most unique aspect of an ambigram?

Kevin Prejean They have a discovery or “Aha” aspect to them. They’re intriguing and keep me engaged. They’re the typography equivalents of Escher drawings.

Kevin, thank you very much for sharing your work and your insight behind it. Beautiful work!

Congratulations to Sharath Kumar!!

Sharath Kumar, who is a frequent contributor and critic of the various work at Ambigram.com (including his own) has been declared the winner of the Ambigrammy Ambigram Challenge. The Ambigrammy award image challenge was a difficult one for several reasons:

-         A very specific word with challenging letter combinations, which made lettering consistency problematic in certain areas.

-         Room for predictability within the potential solutions: there are only so many ways you can create a certain letter combination flip.

-         The aesthetic aspect of the design, which needed to be representative of an award and have a more upscale Hollywood-esque aura about it.

Although the decision was made difficult by the excellent submissions that made it to the final round, this particular design is the one we have decided to move forward with as the Ambigrammy Award for several reasons.

Sharath tackled this challenge with aplomb and confidence which has developed throughout his neverending contributions and ambigram explorations. He took this challenge on and made this submission truly his own. His design is creative and imaginative, and includes just enough embellishments to make the design both beautiful & legible.

The fact that the design is an ambigram, and yet appears similar to the human statue Oscar award brings the design together perfectly.  It also leaves open the possibility that as ambigrams becomes more well known in the world, and as the Ambigrammy Award gains in importance in the years to come that an actual physical statue is a possibility.  Although, with the price of Gold as high as it is, we may need to consider creating the physical statues out of bronze.  Or, making them only 2 inches high.

All the ingredients within Sharath’s design have been measured out carefully, thought through to perfection and in the end came together in a fantastic design that is worthy of recognition by the ambigram community.  We are as proud to have Sharath’s image as an icon for the Ambigrammy Award as any ambigram artist should be in receiving it as recognition of excellence in the ambigram field.

Congratulations Sharath!

A quick note about the Ambigrammy winners
We are still waiting for some final feedback from the judges on the actual Ambigrammy award finalists. We should be posting the article within the next week or so. The judges are well known, have a rather high standing within the design community and are incredibly busy. The staff at Ambigram.com are very thankful to them for taking the time to judge the Ambigrammy Challenge and to provide us with their insight and feedback.

Ambigrammy Ambigram Challenge Submissions

Below you will find all the submissions sent to us for the Ambigrammy Ambigram Challenge. It is quite a wide range of work, from simple typographic treatments to very intricate illustrations. The first question that will undoubtedly pop into your head is “…how can I possibly pick a favorite?” because the work is, simply put, incredible. Once you get over the initial shock of seeing the quality of the work, the next question may be “…why are all the ambigram numbered without the name of the artist?” The answer to that question is simple.

For this challenge, we would like the community to discuss the ambigrams & not have the discussion centered around the reputation of the artist.

Now, that is easier said than done. Many artists & designers have a very recognizable style, and the same holds true for ambigram artists, especially ones that frequent our challenges and whose work we see often. While that is unavoidable, please don’t be the one to point out that an ambigram is the work a specific artist, be it an artist that you may know or yourself. Discuss the quality of the work, admire the exceptional talent that is prevalent within our ambigram community, and thank the artists (anonymously for now) for their hard work and dedication!

The judging for the actual Ambigrammy Award Nominees will be finished within the next two weeks. Once the winners of our first ever Ambigrammy Award are determined, their winning ambigrams will be posted along with the winning Ambigrammy Ambigram Challenge design. We hope to enjoy one to two weeks of artistic discourse while the judges finish their work.

Oh, and did we mention that we have assembled a guest judging panel for the Ambigrammy Award Nominees? All of the judges are designers, illustrators & writers whose work you’ve probably seen/read at some point in your artistic careers. You will be able to ‘meet’ the judges once the Ambigrammy Award winners are revealed. Until then…keep sketching and stay tuned!

Oxford Dictionary

On March 24th, 2011 the word “ambigram” was finally added to the Oxford English Dictionary: The Definitive Record of the English Language!

Congratulations to everyone on this site for playing a part (however big or small) in making that happen.

If you look at the list of words being added to the OED, you will see that the word “ambigram” is being inducted along with some other overdue classics like “stonewash” and “rubberization”, so it is in very good company.

So, how do these new words get “discovered”?  Well, it seems that a lot of them are sent in by mail (you know, the kind delivered on paper) to the OED offices.  In the YouTube video about Oxford Dictionary’s word selection process for the dictionary, you can see that they have a stack of suggestions for the dictionary in an “inbox” on a desk in one scene.  Then the OED editors evaluate if the word has enough mainstream clout to make the cut.

Apparently, the word “ambigram” is in widespread use enough to convince the editors that it is time that the word was added to the dictionary.

A special shout-out is in order to Dougles Hofstadter who originally coined the term “ambigram” back in the 1980s.  How many people can say that they coined a word that later made it into the dictionary!

Of course, what that also means is that this site is now a “generic domain” web site, following the “[dictionary word].com” pattern.

We’re also proud to be the first site on the internet to let you know the big news that the word “ambigram” is now officially recognized.

There is something on the horizon at Ambigram.com. Something good is coming…something exciting…something sensational! Care to guess what it is? Post your guesses here…and the closest guess may win something!

- Every week to two weeks, 2 ambigrammists will be randomly chosen by Ambigram.com and will be given a word to turn into an ambigram.
- After approximately a week, the sketches and final ambigrams will be emailed to Ambigram.com, along with a paragraph or two from the artists describing their approach to this ambigram. Those ambigrams will then be posted in the new Quick Draw section for everyone to observe and comment on.

The idea behind this section is to see how different designers approach the same ambigrams, what their methodology is, and how quickly their mind works. The first pair has already been selected and given a challenge, and the results of their challenge will be posted next week. As always, we look forward to some fantastic work!

Milton Glaser once said that “…a logo is the entry point to the brand.” If that was said about a simple logo, what if that simple logo was instead…an ambigram? Most of us are brand loyal to a certain extent. Brands permeate our lives, from radio spots to TV commercials, giant billboards to small digital banners, and simply via word of mouth. This challenge is…Brands and Brand Loyalty!!!

Rules

1. The ambigram has to be the name of a well-known brand. Do not design an ambigram based on a local coffee shop or pizza place in your neighborhood, because chances are that noone else has ever seen it. Please select a well-known brand for this challenge: McDonlads, Pepsi, Ferrari, Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Starbucks, AC/DC, Madonna, Kiss, etc. Yes…the last 3 names listed could also be considered a brand! The brand could be domestic or international, but is not limited to a corporation/company/product only! If you’re not sure whether your choice applies or not, please email us and we will be happy to review your choice(s). Also, please send us a logo of the original brand along with your entries if you think it isn’t a brand that everyone is familiar with. We will be posting the original logos along with ambigram versions.

2. For this challenge, your ambigram will also be judged on how closely it reflects original brand logo. Keep in mind that the logo of a good brand communicates clearly and consistently. Make sure your ambigram communicates the essence of the brand as closely as possible. Legibility, readability and similarity to the current brand logo will be held in high regard for this challenge. The biggest challenge is maintaining as much of the original logo aesthetic as possible while turning it into a legible and readable ambigram.

3. Please submit no more than 2 designs and make sure that they are “finalized” before emailing them.  We are getting swamped with some participants sending entire collections of designs, or they make frequent revisions and expect us to keep track of it all. The ambigram(s) have to be created from scratch specifically for this challenge.

4. To better track the designs, please name your submissions as follows:[NAME]-[DESIGN].jpg. Please emails JPG files only.

For example, “JohnDoe-Ambigram1.jpg“

Otherwise, it can be easy to lose track of which design belongs to which artist, especially if we get a lot of submissions.

Deadlines

All ambigrams will need to be submitted by midnight on Sunday, December 5th, 2010 to qualify. Email your designs to challenge@ambigram.com . The contest is open to everyone, whether or not you have participated in the past, so give it a shot.

The results will be published between Christmas and New Years, at which point the next challenge will be announced. We may also have a surprise in store for everyone, so…be on the lookout for a special announcement!

Please be sure to include a web site URL that we can link to if your design makes it into the top 5 list.

Ambigram.com Hello Michael, and thank you for speaking with ambigram.com. Let me start off with a predictable, albeit relevant question. Have you heard of ambigrams, and if you have, what was your first encounter with them?

Michael Bierut An early one I remember is the NEW MAN logo designed by Herb Lubalin, and the VISTA logo designed by Paul Davis. A good one is like magic.

Ambigram.com At its core, ambigram design is still pure typographic manipulation that adheres to some traditional typographic principles. If a project you’re working on calls for a non-standard typeface, would you rather use an existing typeface and manipulate it, or would you call on a type designer to create a custom typeface?

Michael Bierut I have done both. I actually have a bit of an aversion to inventing or changing things for no reason when there’s a perfectly good alternative already available, so I probably (slightly) favor the former.

Ambigram.com In your mind, is there a difference between the term ‘typographer’ and ‘type designer’, or are those terms use interchangeably in an erroneous manner, much like ‘font’ and ‘typeface’? If there is a difference between a ‘typographer’ and a ‘type designer’, what would you say it is?

Michael Bierut Typographers, in my mind, do design work using typography as an element. Type designers actually, you know, design typefaces.

Ambigram.com You’re known as a very hands-on designer who works closely with his designers. Have you taken on the task of designing your own typeface or hand-lettering type, or ever ask any of your designers to perform that task?

Michael Bierut’s sketches for the MAD face. Image is property of Pentagram.com

Michael Bierut Yes, I’ve asked designers to do handlettered or custom-designed type. Like other designers, I’ve also used my own handwriting on occasion.

Ambigram.com Speaking of hand-lettered typography, I’d like to discuss a specific project. The “Want It!” campaign from 2007 is one of my favorite advertising campaigns for its design as much as for its typography, which was created by Marian Bantjes. What was the reasoning behind using an altered typeface rather than use an existing script typeface?

Michael Bierut There were three reasons. First, the script is based on the Saks handlettered logo invented originally by Tom Carnese and then redrawn for us by Joe Finocchiaro. We wanted the basic Want It! logo that year to go with the Saks logo. Second, I had this vision of obsessiveness and imagined an overelaborate graphic language with almost too many curlicues and flourishes, as if the artist almost couldn’t help herself.

This is Marian’s specialty, so we brought her in. Finally, Saks’s creative director Terron Schaefer had an additional idea to have the script flourishes turn into illustrations of product. Marian and I both thought this would be impossible to do, but she pulled it off!

Ambigram.com Let’s continue the Saks theme and touch base on the new “Think about…” campaign. The typography for that campaign is more traditional, while highlighted by the black/white illustrations of the various products from the Saks line. In contrast with the previous campaign, why was the typographic element of this campaign relatively subtle?

Images property of Pentagram.com

Michael Bierut Each campaign at Saks is different, with a few things connecting them. The “Think About…” campaign started with our discovery that it had to unite 10 different catalogues, and that there happened to be ten letters in the theme “Think About.” We assigned each catalogue a letter. The logo is basically the catalogues all put together. Although it is very simple, it’s still very typographic.

Ambigram.com The identity for the Museum of Arts and Design uses a beautiful custom typeface that was created specifically for this project. After seeing it in person and applied to various mediums, it’s hard to imagine another typeface working just as well in its place. How often do you find yourself in a position where an existing typeface just won’t do and you have to create an original typeface for a client?

Images property of Pentagram.com

Michael Bierut With MAD, we started with the three-letter logo and then Joe Marianek drew out an entire alphabet based on those three letters.  Because the Museum had a new name and a new location, we wanted something pretty aggressive to make sure they’d get the attention they deserve. In other cases we custom design a typeface because we want to blend in. For the restoration of Lever House, a 1952 skyscaper office building on Park Avenue by SOM’s Gordon Bunshaft, we wanted to match the building and the mid-century era perfectly. Typefaces like Futura and Neutra would not do. So we commissioned Jonathan Hoefler and Tobias Frere-Jones to do one based on the original signs.

Ambigram.com Choosing a typeface for an identity project is one of the most difficult parts of a project, and it’s something I see students and new designers struggle with. Does that process become easier with time and experience, and what advice would you give to designers that are struggling with this problem?

Michael Bierut I wrote a piece for Design Observer called something like “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Typeface” that pretty much sums up my advice.

Ambigram.com What is your favorite project you’ve worked on that was focused on typography? (if you can tell me which project you would like to use for this answer, I will find images of it and include them with the final interview.)

Images property of Pentagram.com

Michael Bierut I would say the ten-year-old poster series we’ve been doing for the Yale School of Architiecture. It is a highly visual subject and a highly visual audience, but I would say that most of the posters are all type.

Ambigram.com There are several current typefaces that have achieved a negative cult status because they are so misused and overused: Papyrus and Comic Sans are the first two that come to mind. Do you feel that they are poorly designed typefaces from the get go, or is that only our perception of them since they’re so overused, and they’re actually well-designed typefaces?

Michael Bierut I think they are badly designed, not misused or overused. Sorry, Comic Sans and Papyrus!

Ambigram.com Michael, I have one last question for you. I’ve heard you and other designers discuss their feelings about this typeface…but how do you truly feel about Helvetica?

Michael Bierut I think Helvetica is a truly beautiful typeface. Along the lines of your last question, it’s been so overused through the years that it seems to be about everything and about nothing. I seem to find it really hard to use now.

———–

Michael, thank you for the interview, advice and insight!