古代書法的數(shù)字化藝術

古代書法的數(shù)字化藝術

From the moment we wake up and check the messages on our smartphones, we're exposed to text design. Throughout our day, storefronts and websites announce themselves, first and foremost, through the typefaces they use.

從我們醒來查看智能手機上的信息的那一刻起，我們就接觸到了文本設計。在我們的日常生活中，商店和網(wǎng)站首先通過他們使用的字體來展示自己。

For Adonian Chan, a 33-year-old graphic designer based in Hong Kong and co-founder of design company Trilingua, the different texts we encounter in our daily lives amount to what he calls a "visual landscape."

對于一位33歲的香港平面設計師兼設計公司Trimuja的聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人艾杜年·陳來說，我們日常生活中遇到的不同文本相當于他所說的“視覺景觀”。

In his hometown, signs written in traditional Chinese characters can be found around every corner. In the hectic district of Mong Kok, neon signs advertise pay-by-the-hour hotels and foot massage parlors.

在他的家鄉(xiāng)，用繁體字寫的招牌隨處可見。在繁忙的旺角，霓虹燈招牌上寫著按小時收費的酒店和足底按摩店。

According to Keith Tam, head of communication design at the Hong Kong Design Institute, Beiwei Kaishu originated in the Northern Wei Dynasty (386 -- 534 AD), and was inscribed on stones to document historical events.

據(jù)香港設計研究院傳播設計主管基思·譚介紹，北魏楷書起源于北魏(公元386-534年)，被刻在石頭上以記錄歷史事件。

Tam says although it's not possible to pinpoint when Beiwei Kaishu made its way to Hong Kong, a well-known local calligrapher named Au Kin Kung, who was born in the 1880s, helped to spread its popularity in the city during the 20th century.

譚說，雖然無法確定北魏楷書是什么時候來到香港的，但20世紀時，一位出生在19世紀80年代的香港著名書法家區(qū)建公幫助它在香港普及。

"[Au] was what we might call a 'commercial calligrapher,' who inscribed many shops and organizations throughout Hong Kong," says Tam. "His commercial signage work almost always used Beiwei Kaishu."

“區(qū)先生是我們可以稱之為‘商業(yè)書法家’的人，他為香港各地的許多商店和組織題字，”譚說。“他的商業(yè)標識作品幾乎都是使用北魏楷書。”

After World War II, Beiwei Kaishu was used prolifically in Hong Kong signage, partly because it is highly legible, even from far distances, says Tam. "Pragmatism is one of the characterizations of southern Chinese people, and Beiwei Kaishu seems to be a pragmatic choice."

譚說，二戰(zhàn)后，北魏楷書在香港的標識中大量使用，部分原因是即使從很遠的地方看也很清楚。“實用主義是中國南方人的特征之一，北魏楷書似乎就是一個實用主義的選擇。”

What sets Beiwei Kaishu apart from other Chinese writing styles is its asymmetric construction, bold lines and unexpected angles -- something that makes it "energetic," says Chan.

《北魏楷書》的不對稱結構、粗線條和意想不到的角度，是它與其他中國文字風格不同的地方——這使它“充滿活力”，陳說。

But with the advent of computer-generated fonts, Chan says he observed that signs written in the style -- work that depended on the skill of calligraphers -- were disappearing from Hong Kong.

但隨著電腦生成字體的出現(xiàn)，陳說，他注意到這種依靠書法家技巧而書寫的標識正在從香港消失。

"It's almost extinct," says Chan, pointing to the rapid transformation of Hong Kong's urban landscape. "They demolish old buildings and, of course, the shops, as well. So it's really destruction to the visual culture." As a consequence, few designers working today are aware of the Beiwei Kaishu style, he says.

“它幾乎滅絕了，”陳說，他指的是香港城市景觀的快速變化。“他們拆除舊建筑，當然，還有商店。所以這真的是對視覺文化的破壞。”因此，他說，如今的設計師中很少有人知道北魏楷書的風格。

In 2016, Chan asked a master of calligraphy in Hong Kong and apprentice of the famed Au Kin Kung, to teach him to write in the Beiwei Kaishu style.

2016年，陳請香港的一位書法大師、著名的區(qū)建公的徒弟教他寫北魏楷書。

Chan then started the process of digitizing the characters. He first writes the characters on paper with a brush and ink, which gives him a sense of proportion. Next, he makes a pencil sketch. Finally, he recreates the characters digitally, using a computer program called Glyphs.

然后，陳開始將這些漢字數(shù)字化。他首先用毛筆和墨水把字寫在紙上，這給了他一種比例感。接下來，他用鉛筆畫了個草圖。最后，他用一個名為Glyphs的計算機程序用數(shù)字技術重新創(chuàng)造了這些字符。

One of the main challenges when digitizing the ancient calligraphy is striking a balance between the artistic expression of handwritten lettering and the need for consistency and coherence in font design, says Chan.

陳說，將古代書法數(shù)字化的主要挑戰(zhàn)之一是如何在手寫字體的藝術表現(xiàn)和字體設計的一致性和連貫性之間取得平衡。

He can complete two characters a day, depending on their complexity, and is aiming to digitize 6,000 characters.

根據(jù)復雜程度的不同，他每天可以完成兩個漢字，他的目標是把6000個漢字數(shù)字化。

Chan says his project is geared at doing more than preserving a centuries-old writing style and that he sees himself as building on the work of previous generations.

陳說，他的項目不僅僅是為了保存一種古老的寫作風格，他認為自己是在前人的基礎上發(fā)展起來的。

He hopes it will eventually be installed on phones and computers.

他希望它最終能安裝在手機和電腦上。