Future Notes II.
Methods of the Present

His research deepened his understanding of typeface design logic and detail, while also sparking an interest in applying generative tools to design practice. Chen envisions a future in which type designers actively advocate for open-source technologies—enabling tools and methods that address the cultural and industrial challenges posed by the time-intensive nature of Traditional Chinese typeface design.

Future Notes invites student members to share their creative practices during the first one to two years after graduation. In this edition, three emerging designers and their invited collaborators explore methodologies that blend AI, new media, and traditional techniques—shaping a design philosophy in which the old and new coexist harmoniously.

Chen Chun-Chi
AI-Assisted Typeface Design

Chen Chun-Chi’s research into typeface design investigates the use of pix2pix as a tool for the creation of Traditional Chinese characters. Based on Conditional Generative Adversarial Networks (cGANs), he trained models to learn and replicate the graphic intricacies of Chinese typefaces. Through interviews with typeface designers and an extensive review of Chinese character design literature, Chen sought to explore the potential of AI in advancing Chinese typography at a time when AI applications in visual design remain largely experimental.

Liu Guan-Lin
Rulers of the World

Liu Guan-Lin frequently incorporates images generated by new media tools into his graphic design, creating a sense of dissonance that balances absurdity with intrigue. His project Rulers of the World uses Python to scrape global presidential portraits, blending their features through StyleGAN to sequentially generate the ‘ultimate ruler of the world’. Driven by a desire to forge unique creative pathways, Liu experiments with sensory media to generate original visual content—finding the conventional approach of beginning a design project by searching for references uninspiring.

Chu Guan-Cheng
Bug Eyes

‘Our memories shape who we are.’

In Bug Eyes, Chu Guan-Cheng parallels the metamorphosis of insects with the structure of his own memories, collaging established facts and redrawing them into new recollections. Using traditional tools, he moves through a cycle of observing, handling materials, translating, and re-observing—allowing his works to transcend personal attachment and become external, objective entities: media that catalyse self-reflection.

For Chu, graphic design serves as a way to embody his current mental state, producing images that convey emotion intuitively—an approach that fuels his ongoing passion for the discipline. He aspires to further integrate experimental creations into society through practical work, seeking ways to reconcile diverse modes of thinking into cohesive visual forms.