Alignment to Air: A Dynamic Exploration of Typography

Jin Jeon's Award-Winning 3D Animation Breathes Life into the Alphabet

Jeon's inspiration for this project stemmed from the numerous designers undertaking 36-day type projects to broaden their skills and perspectives. Unlike many of these projects that focus on static images or short sequences, Jeon's work stands out with its unique animations that encapsulate meaningful moments beyond the beauty of design.

The project's title, "Alignment to Air", reflects the contrasting elements Jeon wanted to capture. The animation begins with precise and elaborate moments, embodying the concept of alignment. It then transitions to a more flexible and loose vibe, symbolizing air. This dynamic transformation of the alphabet "A" is what makes Jeon's work unique and captivating.

Jeon used a variety of software to bring his vision to life. Maxon Cinema 4D was used for 3D software, Octane for the render plugin, and Adobe Creative Cloud for retouch and composite tool. The result is a 29-second video that mesmerizes viewers with its photorealistic rendering and dynamic performance.

The project, which started in March 2020 in New York City, is an ongoing work that Jeon shares via social media and his personal online portfolio. Before diving into the animation, Jeon conducted extensive research, gathering a wide variety of related images and videos to inspire his work. The project posed several challenges, particularly in modeling and texturing, due to the sophisticated abstract shapes and layers involved.

Despite these challenges, Jeon's "Alignment to Air" has been recognized for its exceptional design and innovation. The project was awarded the Platinum A' Design Award in 2020, a prestigious accolade that recognizes world-class, highly innovative designs that contribute to societal wellbeing and push the boundaries of art, science, design, and technology.