A collage of geometric paper shapes in red, pink, navy blue and grey. The forms overlap to create a series of sharp angles and intersecting planes.

Marianne Beck creates a typeface out of neatly overlapped scraps

Words: Maisie Skidmore
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Date: 6 May 2015; Work
Graphic Design

When presented with a stray piece of paper my reflex is unfailingly to attempt an origami vagina (surprisingly difficult) so I feel that Marianne Beck’s recent undertaking is especially admirable. The Danish-born, Paris-based designer was able to create an entire typeface out of neatly overlapped paper using a few scraps and some clever folds, in an uncommonly cohesive and well executed series.

Perhaps even more surprising is the fact that this project has been relegated to a sweet site called Serendipity Graphic World, which is described as “a place for self-initiated projects, happy accidents, unexpected discoveries, projects of pure decoration, forgotten or rejected sketches or work in process.” It’s a treasure trove, and we’re very happy to have stumbled across it.

An animation in which textured sheets of red, pink, navy and grey paper slide and overlap. The shapes shift constantly to create a series of abstract, geometric compositions. — Above
Marianne Beck: Paper ABC, GIF

A collage of textured paper in red, grey, navy blue and pink. The shapes overlap to create a central navy blue triangle. — Above
Marianne Beck: Paper ABC, A

A collage of overlapping paper shapes in red, pink, navy blue, grey and white. The geometric forms create a sharp, abstract composition of intersecting angles. — Above
Marianne Beck: Paper ABC, B

A collage of textured paper in geometric shapes. A large pink triangle overlaps a dark blue triangle, a light grey triangle and a red rectangle. — Above
Marianne Beck: Paper ABC, C

A collage of overlapping coloured paper sheets in pink, red, navy blue, white and grey. The shapes create a series of sharp, geometric angles and blocks of colour. — Above
Marianne Beck: Paper ABC, F

A collage of overlapping coloured paper in grey, pink, navy blue and red. The sheets are arranged in sharp, geometric angles to create a series of intersecting planes. — Above
Marianne Beck: Paper ABC, G

An abstract composition of overlapping coloured paper. Rectangles of pink, navy blue, red and grey are partially covered by a large white sheet cutting across the top left. — Above
Marianne Beck: Paper ABC, I

A collage of textured paper in geometric shapes. Blocks of pale pink, grey, navy blue and red overlap to create a sharp, angular composition. — Above
Marianne Beck: Paper ABC, O

An abstract composition of overlapping coloured paper sheets. The arrangement creates a series of geometric shapes in red, pink, navy blue, white and grey. — Above
Marianne Beck: Paper ABC, Q

A collage of textured paper shapes in a geometric arrangement. A red triangle sits atop a pink one, layered over a navy blue rectangle and a white strip against a grey background. — Above
Marianne Beck: Paper ABC, W

Four sheets of textured paper in white, pink, red and grey are arranged in a geometric pattern. They overlap to create a dark blue diamond shape in the centre. — Above
Marianne Beck: Paper ABC, X

Further Info

www.mariannebeck.tv
www.serendipity-graphic-world.tumblr.com

About the Author

Maisie Skidmore

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Maisie joined It’s Nice That fresh out of university in the summer of 2013 as an intern before joining full time as an Assistant Editor. Maisie left It’s Nice That in July 2015.

Marianne Beck creates a typeface out of neatly overlapped scraps

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