Kanji Creation and Radicals 04 “Association with Meaning”

I don’t think anybody can catch a glimpse of the creator’s feeling by looking at each font character. However, many kanji characters have this meaning embedded, so I tend to associate a variety of things with the kanji character I’m creating at the time. I also have this tendency with radicals. For example, there are quite a few rather depressing characters in yamai-dare, such as “痛(pain), 疲(weariness), 痔(hemorrhoid).” Although there is “癒 (healing),” the yamai-dare characters have many elements in creation, and I have to worry about balance. Therefore, I feel the paradox of not having time for healing.

In ki-hen, and kusa-kanmuri, there are characters that indicate plants, such as “杉(Japanese cedar), 桜(cherry), 蕪(turnip),” so I think about: should I go get medication for hay fever? Can I go to a cherry-blossom viewing this year? Is it the season for turnips? Additionally, the four seasons are complete in ki-hen with “椿(木/tree + 春/spring), 榎(木/tree + 夏/summer), 楸(木/tree + 秋/autumn), 柊(木/tree + 冬/winter).” I feel a tiny sense of accomplishment when I finished creating all four characters. Sakana-hen has many names of fish, such as “鮪(tuna), 鯖(mackerel), 鯛(bream),” so I create kanji while thinking about going to eat sushi.

These ideas lead to dinner of the day, or images to be posted on the Type Project Instagram Page.

(T.I)

Series archive Japanese Type Design / Kanji Creation and Radicals