Áber

“Áber,” is a logo I created for a cross-cultural youth exchange program facilitated by Qatar Foundation International (QFI) between students in the US and Qatar. We chose the Arabic word عبر because it held a double meaning depending on the inflection of the word. Áber could either mean “to express” or “to cross” something and I experimented with these two meanings in the creative approach; playing with the letters of the Arabic word to illustrate the act of expressing one's self and of crossing bridges or channels, while still maintaining the legibility of the Arabic form. Additionally, the program centered around the study of Arabic language and Arab culture via alternating artistic themes each year, such as storytelling or graffiti art. Thus, the logo needed to be uncomplicated and straightforward enough so that it could still work with different creative embellishments and collateral designs to fit the annually changing themes of the exchange trip. The final logo chosen was the simplest of them all, but the first letter, ع, was subtly altered to look like an open mouth mid-expression and the last letter, theر , was designed with a slanted line to mimic a drawbridge. This rounded design was also the most compatible with the Foundations own logo and Gotham Rounded type family.