Selecting a region changes the language and/or content on really nice part about designing your letter pairings is that you only need to create around half as many of them as there are letters because you just reuse them for the other half of the word. Need more inspiration before you jump in? Take a look at Behance and see what other artists are creating. Making it meaningful and legible makes all the difference in the world. Now you’re ready to attempt an ambigram design of your own. These programs can inspire a new combination of letters or help you solve design problems that arise when rotating or flipping letters upside down. If you’re looking for inspiration for your ambigram tattoo, don’t be afraid to reference ambigram generators like. Ambigram logos are also memorable and can help companies stand out from their competition.Īs optical illusions, ambigrams are popular designs for tattoos. Pander calls ambigrams a branding palindrome, “where logos and graphic design become a real art form, because you have to twist your mind and break or bend the rules to make it work.” Brands may want ambigram logos since they can hide a secondary meaning or convey a message beyond a simple brand name. “ where logos and graphic design become a real art form, because you have to twist your mind and break or bend the rules.” Outside of popular book covers, you’ll most often spot ambigrams as logo designs or tattoos. In fact, Brown named his main character after artist Langdon, who helped foster the development of ambigram designs. The design style features in the plot of Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, and one adorns the cover of his book Angels & Demons. They have since been made famous in popular culture by author Dan Brown in his novels and artist John Langdon. Hofstadter, who described them as calligraphic designs that manage to squeeze in two different readings.
Additionally, follow this logo tutorial to learn how to polish up any design, including your ambigram.Īmbigrams were first referenced by Douglas R. Familiarize yourself with how to rotate and reflect objects in Illustrator so you can flip and finalize your letters. If you’ve sketched on paper, scan or photograph your design and create a vector version of it. When you have a design that works, formalize it with Adobe Illustrator. If a design isn’t working, try referencing a different font or switch to all capitals. Ambigrams are inherently tricky to design - don’t get discouraged by your first draft. The kerning and spacing of letters varies depending on which way it’s read, so keep that in mind when sketching your shapes. “There are a lot of layers to ambigrams that make it work, but if it doesn’t work, it’s very obvious,” according to lettering artist Robin Casey. See where the letters line up and experiment with shapes. If you need a place to start, try exploring Adobe Fonts - you may find the inspiration you’re looking for.Īmbigrams are word puzzles, so broaden your mind by sketching out your word several times. Understanding the flourishes and serifs used in medieval or gothic fonts can give you more tools to use when designing and warping letters for your ambigram design. “By looking at motifs and design styles from different cultures, you can build your frame of reference,” explains artist and designer Arnold Pander. Research different fonts and iconography. Some letters can’t be transformed into others, and short words can’t magically become lengthy sentences when flipped upside down.Ģ.
What will your ambigram say? Whether it’s a phrase or a simple word, be cognizant of the limitations of ambigrams.