Martina Flor: The secret language of letter design (with English subtitles) | TED

Translator: Camille Martínez Reviewer: TED Translators admin

翻译人员: Nancy Shen 校对人员: cleri liu

Can you imagine what the word "TED" would have looked like

你能想像“TED”这个词 看起来会像什么样子吗,

如果这个词出现在罗马帝国的时期？

if it had existed during the Roman Empire?

I think maybe something like this.

我觉得它会长得像这个一样。

An artisan would have spent days in the sun chiseling it into stone.

一个工匠可能会花费几天的时间 把这个词凿进石头里,

在太阳光底下。

And in the Middle Ages?

那么在中世纪呢？

A monk, locked in his room,

一个把自己锁在房间里的修道士，

would write T-E-D with his pen.

会用羽毛笔写下T-E-D三个字母。

And without going so far back in time,

那么如果不追溯到如此遥远以前，

how would these letters have looked in the 80s?

仅在80年代， 这些字母会是什么样子的呢？

They would have had electric, strange colors,

他们会携带着电流、充斥着奇怪的颜色， 就像我们当时的发型一样。

just like our hairstyles.

(Laughter)

（笑声）

If this event were about children,

如果这是一个关于孩子的项目，

I would draw the letters like this,

我会像这样画下这些字母，

as if they were building blocks,

就像他们在玩的积木一样，

in vivid colors.

用上各种鲜艳的颜色。

And if it were about superheroes instead?

那如果是和超级英雄们相关的呢？

I would do them like this,

我就会像这样画它们，

inspired by -- in my opinion -- the greatest of all:

灵感来自于我认为的最棒的超级英雄：

Superman.

超人。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

The shapes of these letters talk.

这些字母会用它们的形状说话。

They tell us things beyond what they represent.

形态告诉我们的远远要多于 它们本身表达的内容。

They send us to different eras,

它们把我们带回不同的纪元， 传达着不同的价值观，

they convey values,

they tell us stories.

它们还给我们讲述了不同的故事。

If we think about it, our days are full of letters.

如果我们仔细去想， 我们的生活其实充斥着字母。

We see them on the front of the bus,

譬如公交车的前面；面包店的门面上；

on the bakery's facade,

on the keyboard we write on,

用来打字的键盘上；

on our cell phones --

还有我们的手机上，

everywhere.

它们无处不在。

Since the beginning of history,

从历史的起点开始，人们就觉得

people have felt the need to give language an image.

语言应该被具象化。

And rightly so,

其实理当如此，

because language is the most important communication tool we have.

因为语言是我们最重要的交流工具。

Without understanding what a word means,

除了理解一个词的含义之外，

we can see certain things it conveys.

我们还可以确定它传达的东西。

Some letters tell us that something is modern --

有些字告诉我们哪些东西是现代的,

at least it was back in the 70s.

最早可能出现在在70年代。

Others verify the importance and monumentality of a place,

另一些字确定了重要的程度

和一个地方的纪念性，

and they do so in uppercase.

然后它们被用大写的方式表达出来。

There are letters not made to last long --

这些字写出来不会持续很久，

and neither is the opportunity they communicate.

它们也没什么交流的机会。

And there are letters made by inexperienced hands

这些字是被没有经验的人 写出来的，

that, whether they mean to or not,

有意义与否，它们都会让我们好奇 这个地方里面是什么样子。

make us imagine what a place looks like inside.

When I moved to Berlin, I experienced firsthand

曾经我搬去柏林的时候， 有过一次直接的体会。

all the impact that drawn letters can have in our day-to-day life.

绘制出的字母给人的印象 直接影响了我们的日常生活。

I arrived in a new city, which was exciting and novel for me.

来到一个新的城市， 对我来说既刺激又新奇。

Now, dealing with an unfamiliar language was at times very frustrating

学习一种不熟悉的语言 有时会令人非常沮丧，

并且很不舒服。

and uncomfortable.

I found myself several times at parties clutching my glass of wine,

我发现自己很多次在聚会上 仅是抓着一杯红酒，

without understanding a single word of what was being said around me.

完全听不懂别人在周围 讲述的任何一个词语。

And of course, I'd smile as if I understood everything.

当然，我会面带微笑 装作听得懂的样子。

I felt limited in my ability to say what I thought,

我觉得自己被限制住了 表达想法、

what I felt,

感受

what I believed.

以及信仰的能力。

Not only did I not understand the conversations,

我不仅没有理解对话的内容。

but the streets were full of signs and text that I couldn't read.

街道上也充斥着 我读不出的标识和文字。

But the shapes of the letters gave me clues;

但是字母的形状给我提供了线索；

they would open up a little window

它们向我打开了一扇小小的窗户，

to understanding the stories enclosed in those shapes.

让我去理解那些形状所表达的故事。

I recognized places where tradition was important.

我认识到那些传统依旧被重视的地方，

[Bakery Pastries Café Restaurant]

【面包店、甜点店、咖啡厅和餐厅】

Or I'd know when someone was trying to give me a signal,

或者我知道别人试图在给我一个信号，

and my gut would tell me it was better to stay away.

直觉告诉我，我应该马上远离。

[No trespassing!]

【禁止入内！父母要对子女负责!】

I could also tell when something was made to last forever.

我知道什么东西是为了永恒而造的。

The shapes of letters helped me understand my surroundings better

这些字母的形状让我可以更好地 去理解周围的环境，

and navigate the city.

并且去探索这个城市。

I was in Paris recently,

我最近生活在巴黎，

and something similar happened to me.

同样的事情也发生在了我身上。

After a few days in the city,

在这个城市待了几天后，

I was on the lookout for something tasty to take back home.

我出门想要买一些好吃的东西 带回家去。

So I walked and walked and walked until I found the perfect bakery.

所以我走啊走啊走，

直到发现了一个完美的面包店，

The sign said it all.

它的牌子告诉我了一切。

[Bakery]

【面包店】

I see it, and even today, I imagine the master baker

直到今天，我看到这个牌子，’ 还想像着做面包的大师

dedicating the same amount of time to each loaf of bread

在烤每条面包上会花费相同的时间，

就像工匠专注在这个单词中的 每个字母一样。

that the craftsman dedicated to each letter of this word.

I can see the bread, with just the right ingredients,

我可以看见面包 最恰当的成分

being kneaded softly and carefully,

被温柔地、仔细地揉和在一起，

in the same way the craftsman drew the ends of the letters

就像工匠去描绘每个字母的收笔一样，

with smooth and precise curves.

用上了光滑的、精确的弧线。

I see the master baker placing the buns over a thin layer of flour

我看见面包大师把圆面包 放在一层薄薄的面粉上，

使得面包的底部不会被烧焦。

so the bottoms don't burn.

I think of the craftsman putting the mosaics in the oven one by one,

我便想到工匠把一个个凿好的砖块 放入烤炉的时候，

being careful to not let the ink run.

也会小心不让里面的墨水流出来。

The love for detail that the master baker has

面包大师对细节的热爱，

is reflected in the attention that went into creating this sign.

反映在了对设计这个牌匾的重视上。

Without having tried their bread, we already imagine it tastes good.

在还没有品尝他们的面包之前， 我们已经可以想象出它们的美味。

And I can vouch for it; it was delicious.

并且我可以替它担保： 真的非常好吃。

I'm a letterer; that's my job --

我是一个文字书写员， 我的工作就是设计字体。

to draw letters.

Just like when you make bread, it requires care in its preparation,

向烘焙面包一样，

just the right amount of ingredients

我的工作需要我非常用心， 考量精确数量的成分，

and love for the details.

以及对于细节的热爱。

Our alphabet is at the same time my raw material and my limitation.

我们的字母表同时是我的原料 也是对我的限制。

The basic structure of the letters is for me a playing field,

这些基础的字母结构是我的一个游戏场，

where the only rule is that the reader, at the end of the road,

在那里唯一的规则就是 使另一端的读者，

will be able to read the message.

能够去阅读这些信息。

Let me show you how I work,

让我像你们展示一下我是怎么工作的。

how I "knead my bread."

我是怎样“揉制我的面包”的。

A while back, I was commissioned to design the cover of a classic book,

不久之前，我被委任去设计 一本经典书籍的封面，

"Alice in Wonderland."

《爱丽丝梦游仙境》。

Alice falls in a burrow

还记得吗？爱丽丝掉进了一个地洞，

and begins an absurd journey through a world of fantasy, remember?

然后在一个魔幻的世界里 开启了一场荒唐的旅行。

In this situation, the title of the story is my raw material.

在这种情况下

书名是我的第一手资料。

At first glance, there are elements that are not very important,

初次一瞥，我发现了标题中 很多并不非常重要的元素，

and I can decide to make them smaller.

于是我决定把它们的存在感缩小。

For example, I'll write "in" on a smaller scale.

比如，我会把“里”这个词写得很小。 （直译为“在仙境里的爱丽丝”）

Then I'll try some other ideas.

然后我会尝试一些其它的想法。

What if, to communicate the idea of "wonder,"

如果，我去表达出“奇妙的”意义呢？

I used my best handwriting,

我用上了自己最好的手写体，

with lots of curleycues here and there?

有着大量的花体装饰。

Or what if I focused more on the fact that the book is a classic

或者如果我更多地聚焦于 这本书的经典性上？

and used more conventional lettering,

使用更多的传统形式的字母，

making everything look a little more stiff and serious,

让所有的东西看起来更加拘谨和严肃，

like in an encyclopedia or old books?

就像一本百科全书或古籍那样。

Or how would it look, considering this book has so much gibberish,

若考虑到书中异想天开的内容，

if I combined both universes in a single arrangement:

我可以把两个领域合并成一个：

rigid letters and smooth letters living together in the same composition.

方正的字母和流畅的字母 同时被排列在一个组合里。

I like this idea, and I'll work on it in detail.

我喜欢这个主意， 并且我会去把它细化。

I use another sheet of paper to work more comfortably.

我在一张纸上进行设计， 因为这会令我更加舒服，

I mark some guidelines,

我标注了一些参考线，

delimiting the framework where the words will be.

规定了字母被排列的框架。

There, I can start giving form to each letter.

在这框架中，我可以开始赋予 这些字母形式。

I work carefully.

我工作地很仔细。

I dedicate time to each letter without losing sight of the whole.

我专注于整体的同时 也会把时间分配到每一个字母上。

I draw the ends of the letters methodically.

我系统地画出每个字母的收笔。

Are they square or round?

它们究竟是方的还是圆的？

Are they pointy or plump and smooth?

它们究竟是尖锐的，丰满的， 还是平滑的？

I always make several sketches,

我总是会画许多的草稿，

where I'll try different ideas or change elements.

我会尝试很多不同的想法 或者改变其中的元素。

And there comes a point when the drawing turns into precise forms,

然后就到了精确绘画的阶段了，

with colors, volumes and decorative elements.

加入了颜色、体积和装饰。

Alice, the celebrity here, is placed at the front

主角爱丽丝被放置在了最前面，

with volume in her letters.

她名字的字母都拥有着体积。

Lots of points and lines playing in the background

背景是交错的点和线，

help me convey that in this story, lots of things happen.

这些帮助我传达了一个信息： 故事中发生了大量的事情，

And it helps to represent the feeling it generates,

它们也协助同时代表了 生成出的感觉，

as if you had your head in the clouds.

就像把头枕进云里一样。

And of course, there's Alice, looking at her wonderland.

当然，这是爱丽丝对她的仙境的感觉。

Drawing the letters of this title, I recreate the text's atmosphere a little.

在绘制书名的时候， 我重制一点文字的气氛。

I let the reader see the story through a peephole in the door.

我令读者可以通过门上的窥视孔 得以窥探整个故事。

To do that, I gave shape to concepts and ideas

为了这个目标， 我将脑海中的概念和思想具象化。

that already exist in our imagination:

the idea of dreams,

关于梦想和混沌的想法；

of chaos,

the concept of wonder.

和对于奇幻的概念。

The typography and the shape of letters work a bit like gestures

文字的排版和字体就像手势一样，

and tone of voice.

就像说话的语调一样。

It's not the same to say,

就像这样说话表达的意义并不一样：

(In a flat tone of voice) "TEDxRíodelaPlata's audience is huge,"

（用平静的语调说：） “TEDxRíodelaPlata‘s 的观众很多。”

as it is to say (In an animated voice), "TEDxRíodelaPlata's audience is huge!"

和（用活泼的语调说：） “TEDxRíodelaPlata‘s 的观众真多啊！”

Gestures and tone are part of the message.

手势和语调都是信息的一部分。

By giving shape to the letters,

通过赋予这些字母以形状，

I can decide more precisely what I mean to say and how,

我可以更加精确地决定 要说的内容和如何去说，

beyond the literal text.

这些都超越了文字的字面意思。

I can say my favorite swear word in a very flowery way

我可以把最喜欢的脏话 装饰得非常华丽，

and be really corny when I talk about love.

但当谈到爱情的时候又变得很套路。

I can talk loudly and in a grandiose way

我可以大声地并且浮夸地去讲话，

or in a soft and poetic voice.

或者用一种温柔的且富有诗意的声音。

And I can communicate the difference between Buenos Aires

我可以描述布宜诺斯艾利斯

and Berlin,

和柏林的区别，

two cities I know very well.

我对两个城市的感触都非常深。

It was precisely in Berlin where my work became more colorful,

这种感触对柏林更加确切，

因为我的工作在那里 变得更加五彩斑斓，

more expressive,

更加富有表现力，

more precise at telling stories.

更精确地在讲述着故事。

Everything I couldn't say at those parties,

所有在那些聚会上 我拿着酒杯

standing there holding my glass of wine,

说不出来的那些话语

exploded in shapes and colors on paper.

都展示在了纸上的图案和颜色里。

Without my realizing it, this limitation that language has

在我还没意识到的时候，语言的限制

became an engine

就已经变成了一台引擎，

that propelled me to perfect the tools with which I could express myself.

它驱使着我去熟练那些 可以让我表达自己的工具。

If I couldn't say it by speaking,

如果我不能口述我的想法，

this was my way of talking

这便是我用来表达， 并且告知世界的方式。

and telling things to the world.

Since then, my big quest has been to find my own voice

从那时开始，我最大的追求就是去 寻找我自己的声音，

and to tell stories with the exact tone and gesture I want.

然后用我想要的确切的语调和 手势去讲述故事。

No more, no less.

不多也不少。

That's why I combine colors,

这就是我为什么想要去 合并这些颜色、纹理，

textures

and of course, letters,

当然字母们，因为它们是精髓。

which are the heart.

And that's why I always want them to have shapes that are truly beautiful

这就是为什么我经常希望 它们能有真正的美丽，

and exquisite.

和精致的形状。

Telling stories by drawing letters --

通过设计字母来讲述故事——

that's my job.

是我的工作。

And with that I look for a reaction in the reader,

我通过这个来观察读者的反应，

to wake them up somehow,

以某种方式把他们叫醒，

to make them dream,

去构筑他们的梦境，感动他们。

make them feel moved.

I believe that if the message is important,

我相信，如果一条信息非常重要，

it requires work and craftsmanship.

它便需要被加工，被技艺修饰。

And if the reader is important,

然后如果一个读者很重要，

they deserve beauty and fantasy as well.

他们同样值得所有的美丽和魔幻。

(Applause)

（掌声）