#Typography Archives - Jean-Dominique Lavoix-Carli https://jdlavoixcarli.com/blog/tag/typography/ Art Director ✸ Illustrator ✸ Author ✸ World Designer Fri, 24 Jul 2026 14:56:08 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.2 https://jdlavoixcarli.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/cropped-Rune_Vishvarcathar002-rework-05-color-clean-BLACK-JPG-SMALL-CROP-LIGHT-32x32.jpg #Typography Archives - Jean-Dominique Lavoix-Carli https://jdlavoixcarli.com/blog/tag/typography/ 32 32 204772952 “The 4M” : Designing Superheroes for Public Health https://jdlavoixcarli.com/blog/4m-superheroes-public-health/ https://jdlavoixcarli.com/blog/4m-superheroes-public-health/#respond Fri, 24 Jul 2026 11:17:46 +0000 https://jdlavoixcarli.com/?p=11416 The Complete Team of The 4M ☣️ Pandemics could also be of the Future and not only of the Past, as shows the Hantavirus, Gastroenteritis, Avian Flu or Ebola threats. The 4M are a comic-inspired and World Architecture project created during the COVID-19 pandemic to translate preventive health measures into empowering teenage narratives. With the […]

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The Complete Team of The 4M

Project and Supergroup Logo
Illustration of Miss Mano, a superhero black female character, with a giant Hands design Logotype emphasizing hand hygiene management and contact issues in pandemics issues and health preventive measures. A dynamic illustration of a futuristic female robot with glowing blue energy, advanced armor, and a confident stance, representing power in hand cleansing.

“The 4M against The Pandemics” – Project and Supergroup Logo

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Table of Contents
  1. Beyond Character Design: Building a Franchise
  2. The Context
  3. Part 1 : Identifying the Mistakes
    1. 1: Infantilization without Respect
    2. 2: Technocratic Communication without Empathy
    3. 3: Fear Without Agency
    4. 4: Information Without Storytelling
  4. Part 2 : The Solution of Comics Codes
  5. Part 3 : World Architecture – How to Apply Narrative Systems Design
    1. 1: Concept & Narrative Foundation
    2. 2: Art Direction & Illustrative Realization
  6. Part 4 : Backstage & Development
    1. Phase A: Story
    2. Phase B: Concept
    3. Phase C: Costume Concepts
    4. Phase D: Methodology – From Sketches to Final Art
    5. Phase E: Variations and Final Color Choices
    6. Phase F: Logotypes Research
    7. Phase G: Typeface Research
  7. Part 5 : Designing a Living Universe

☣️ Pandemics could also be of the Future and not only of the Past, as shows the Hantavirus, Gastroenteritis, Avian Flu or Ebola threats.

The 4M are a comic-inspired and World Architecture project created during the COVID-19 pandemic to translate preventive health measures into empowering teenage narratives.

With the rise of current pandemics and the inevitability of future ones, I have designed a new way of communicating crucial information to be delivered to the young generation in times of health crisis.

Therefore, I created The 4M : a team of Superheroes fighting all the Pandemics.

The 4M against The Pandemics : Miss Mano, Mister Mask, Mister Meter and Miss Minute

Beyond Character Design: Building a Franchise

I did not simply create “Cool Superheroes”, I have designed my project as a transmedia franchise which can radiate through all media to maximize their impact in time of real-world crisis pandemics.

Creating memorable characters is only the beginning.

As a World Architect, my objective was never to design four superheroes in isolation, but to create a coherent universe capable of expanding naturally across multiple media, audiences and real-world applications.

The 4M were conceived as a complete transmedia ecosystem. A single creative vision capable of becoming comics, animation, films, educational campaigns, toys, premium collectibles, video games, pharmaceutical products and public awareness initiatives : each adaptation reinforcing the same visual language and educational message.

Rather than repeating the same concept across different media, every version explores a different way of engaging its audience. A blockbuster poster inspires. A LEGO© adaptation makes the heroes approachable for younger children. A video game transforms prevention into active learning.

Everyday products encourage healthy habits long after the campaign itself has ended.

The following gallery illustrates how a single original concept can evolve into an entire franchise while remaining visually coherent, emotionally engaging and socially meaningful.

Blockbuster Style
Illustration of Miss Mano, a superhero black female character, with a giant Hands design Logotype emphasizing hand hygiene management and contact issues in pandemics issues and health preventive measures. A dynamic illustration of a futuristic female robot with glowing blue energy, advanced armor, and a confident stance, representing power in hand cleansing.

The Blockbuster : The 4M – The Movie

From concept art to cinematic universe.
The 4M were designed to evolve naturally into a live-action blockbuster where entertainment meets public health awareness.

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The Context

☣️ The Problem is simple : Health Communications mostly fails when adressing adolescents.

Teenagers occupy a unique position in public health communication.

They are old enough to understand complex concepts, yet often resistant to messages perceived as patronizing, moralizing, or disconnected from their reality.

During major health crises such as COVID-19, many communication campaigns struggled to effectively engage adolescents because they tended to fall into one of four extreme mistakes.

It is a difficult audience to reach and that’s exactly links the communication gap between generations and why traditional health messaging misses teenagers most of the times…

Part 1 : Identifying the Mistakes

1: Infantilization without Respect

A significant portion of health communication aimed at younger audiences relies on visual codes originally designed for children.

Typical Examples to NOT use :

❌ Bad Visual #1 : Failure to deliver the seriousness of the situation. Simplistic approach. Destined, at best, exclusively to children.

❌ Simplified cartoon character.

❌ Childlike illustration.

❌ Pastel color palette.

❌ Educational mascot.

❌ Overly simplified language.

❌ Classroom-style messaging.

While such approaches may work well for children aged 6 to 10, they frequently fail to resonate with teenagers.

For many adolescents, these visuals can feel condescending, outdated, embarrassing or detached from their cultural reference.

Teenagers generally seek symbols associated with autonomy, identity, competence, and social belonging.

When health communication resembles elementary-school material, engagement often decreases because the audience does not identify with the message.

❌ Bad Visual #2 : Ugly and agressive colors and art. Discrepancy between the tone and the situation.

❌ Smiling cartoon germs with oversized eyes.

❌ Friendly mascot characters teaching hygiene.

❌ Coloring-book style educational posters.

❌ Ugly and/or flashy colors and bad quality drawings.

❌ School-oriented visual campaigns designed for primary education but distributed to older students.

The information may be accurate, yet the visual language fails to match the psychological maturity of the audience.

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2: Technocratic Communication without Empathy

At the opposite end of the spectrum lies highly institutional communication.

This approach often prioritizes accuracy and compliance but neglects emotional engagement.

Typical Examples to NOT use :

❌ Bad Visual #3 : Unreadable. Uniformity of colors, layout and informations leading to lack of hierarchization and understanding.

❌ Dense blocks of text, administrative language and/or official directive.

❌ Overabundance of not hierarchized informations in a counter-intuitive layout which actually kills all useful informations.

❌ Statistical data and boring formal layout.

❌ Bad Visual #4 : Lack of contrast leading to a lack of interest and efficiency. Lack of life. Lack of reality. Lack of impact.

❌ Governmental visual codes using the ugliest and/or most neutral color palettes…

❌ Anonymous representation of citizens, abusive neutrality, forced inclusivity and political correctness blurring the message…

Although factually rigorous, such communication can appear Cold, Distant, Bureaucratic, Uninspiring and Difficult to remember.

For many teenagers, this style of messaging feels disconnected from everyday life and competes poorly against the highly visual and narrative-driven content they consume online.

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3: Fear Without Agency

Another common issue is the overreliance on anxiety-based communication.

Typical Examples to NOT use :

❌ Bad Visual #5 : Agressive and panic-inducing alarming color palette. Diffuse a sense of despair and armaggedon which reduce significantly the necessary calm to fight efficiently and in a responsible way the pandemics. Preventive measures shown dramatically. Doom is imminent and all hope is lost.

❌ Risks.

❌ Death tolls.

❌ Hospitalization rates.

❌ Threat scenarios.

❌ Panic tone and agressive color palettes.

While awareness of danger is important, excessive emphasis on fear can lead to:

❌ Message avoidance.

❌ Emotional fatigue.

❌ Desensitization.

❌ Feelings of helplessness and despair.

When individuals are repeatedly exposed to alarming information without being offered meaningful ways to act, they may disengage altogether. This phenomenon is particularly relevant among adolescents, who often respond more positively to empowerment than to fear.

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4: Information Without Storytelling

Humans naturally remember stories better than instructions.

Yet many public health campaigns communicate through lists, directives, and procedural explanations which sounds like lectures or sermons:

Typical Examples to NOT use :

❌ Bad Visual #6 : Minimal information with cryptic and non-explained use of them. Confusing abuse of shapes and colors within an unidentified space which leads eventually to an absence of action due to an absence of context. Responsibility is weighing upon the user and not the authorities.

❌ Wash your hands! (Without explaining Why)

❌ Wear a mask! (Without explaining Where)

❌ Keep your distance! (Without explaining How)

❌ Limit exposure time! (Without explaining When)

They tell you What… but they don’t tell you Why.

And, most of the time, abandon you on your own without much information. Leaving you to deal with an unknow menace which brings only more anxiety and confusion.

These recommendations are scientifically valid but lack narrative structure.

Without characters, symbols, metaphors, or memorable narratives, information remains difficult to internalize and transmit socially ; especially if the government or the official organizations transmits a message which sounds like they are avoiding their responsability and are doing the bare minimum without really caring.

Storytelling transforms instructions into experiences: Superpowers, recognizable faces, strong personalities, equipment and adventures.

Symbols transform recommendations into identities: cool looking logotypes, vibrant colors, classy superheroes suits matching existing superheroes’ references.

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Part 2 : The Solution of Comics Codes

The 4M as Blockbuster Movie Superheroes

Heroic Figures as Characters transform abstract concepts into relatable models of behavior: mnemonic mottos, pitches or quotes; iconic fighting scenes; emotional investment and identification through diverse representation: male, female and the 4 main ethnic groups.

The 4M as icons with their respective individual colors

Thus, as an author-illustrator, I have noticed the abovementioned difficulty of transmitting to the young generation of 17-12-year-olds (and over) the safety information necessary to fight the pandemics. Therefore, I have decided to use an effective communication grounded in the genre of stories, full of “punchy” graphic codes, which can attract teenagers: the world of Super-Heroes, such as the “Avengers” or the “X-Men”.

Such a story would allow the younger generation to identify with the characters.

They would no longer suffer the anxiogenic circumstances of the pandemics, but, on the contrary be offered the opportunity to act, and react, fundamentally become empowered, as heroes …

Therefore, I created 4 Super-Hero Characters, each of them embodying one of the 4 essential Preventive Measures, all starting with “M” and forming the “4M Supergroup”, namely:

• Hand cleaning is embodied by Miss Mano.

• Wearing a mask is embodied by Mister Mask.

• Physical distancing is embodied by Mister Meter.

• The duration of virus exposure is embodied by Miss Minute.

Since, between infantilized communication and technocratic communication, lies an opportunity:

A form of health communication that remains scientifically accurate while embracing the visual and narrative language familiar to adolescents.

This includes:

✅ Strong visual identities: I replace government official iconography or approximate puerile symbolism with mature, efficient and vibrant graphic charter.

✅ Symbolic characters: I replace generic, anonymous or interchangeable daily-life figures with strong, iconic and powerful characters.

✅ Memorable slogans: I replace reading sentences, boring sermons or moronic “falsely funny” sentences with mnemonic heroic mottos.

✅ Storytelling: I replace simplistic situation or -most often- NOTHING AT ALL with comics based epic adventures.

✅ Humor: I replace administrative boring tone or child-like gags and stupid jokes with subtle, straight-to-the point, corrosive and sense-related humor.

✅ Empowerment: I replace anxiety, helplessness and self-defeating thoughts with power, evolution and storytelling propagation.

✅ Positive action: I replace passive obedience, submissive conformity and pessimistic resignation with optimism, vigilance and efficient prevention.

Rather than presenting young people as passive recipients of health information, such an approach invites them to become active participants.

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Part 3 : World Architecture – How to Apply Narrative Systems Design

Creating a visually compelling campaign is not simply a matter of designing attractive characters.

To create a system capable of transmitting information, generating identification and encouraging behavioral change, every component must support the others.

For the 4M Project, I needed to build:

• Archetypes.

• A symbolic logic.

• A visual grammar.

• A mnemonic system.

• A transmedia universe.

Each element had to function independently while also reinforcing the overall narrative ecosystem.

The objective was not merely to create four superheroes, but to create a coherent symbolic framework capable of transforming abstract health recommendations into memorable characters, stories, symbols and behaviors.

To achieve this, I methodically identified the different layers that would need to be designed simultaneously in order to build a complete and scalable universe.

1: Concept & Narrative Foundation

The first challenge was not visual, but conceptual.

How do you transform preventive measures into characters people can emotionally relate to?

Health communication often presents information as instructions. Stories, however, present information as actions.

Instead of asking teenagers to memorize rules, the project sought to transform those rules into heroes, symbols and adventures.

Each preventive measure therefore became an archetype, each archetype became a character, and each character became a vehicle for identification.

The objective was not only to explain prevention, but to make prevention meaningful.

Therefore, I did structure down the project first in:

• A mnemonic Motto : To embody both the function of the preventive gesture and also to make a “cool character slogan” symbolizing the hero which would be easy to remember. Similar to “I am the Night” of the Batman©.

• The Core preventive principle : Which would be determining for the “style of superhero” I would have to develop visually and how it would embody this principle within the superhero mythology already known by the teenagers.

• The Superpowers : I needed to blend subtlety actual scientific protection and data with a magnified “superhero mythology” and humor to ease communicating the message towards teenagers. This part would define the behavioral empowerment synergy of the character.

• The Equipment : ​​Similar to Superpowers above, I needed to borrow to the actual scientific recommendations and data to base my concept on real life gear required to face a true pandemics. Thus, creating a form of “science-fiction equipment” mixed with humor, it eases communicating the message more efficiently towards teenagers concerning wearing or using such actual medical gear. This part would match the responsibility synergy of the character.

• Ethnicity and Genders : I needed two males and two females, one from each continent to show globality of response towards a worldwide pandemic:

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Miss Mano

Illustration of Miss Mano, a superhero black female character, with a giant Hands design Logotype emphasizing hand hygiene management and contact issues in pandemics issues and health preventive measures. A dynamic illustration of a futuristic female robot with glowing blue energy, advanced armor, and a confident stance, representing power in hand cleansing.
Miss Mano – Full Character, Logo and Title

Mnemonic Motto :

“Touch with your heart……not with your hands.”

Illustration of Miss Mano, a futuristic character, with the quote "Touch with your Heart... not with your Hands!" emphasizing hand hygiene management and contact issues in pandemics issues and health preventive measures.
Miss Mano – Mnemonic Motto / Catchphrase

Core preventive principle :

Miss Mano transforms hand hygiene into empowerment.

Ethnicity, Gender and Superhero inspiration :

• Super Mood Board Inspirations : Hellboy©, Ironman©, Klaw©, Mister Fantastic©, Storm©, Thanos© (and his Infinity Power Glove), The Vision©.

• Ethnicity : Black and representing Sub-Saharan Africa and/or Afro-Americans and/or Aborigine Australians.

• Key Words : Endurance, Power, Resilience, Strength, Superstrength. She is the Power Blaster type.

Miss Mano and her 4 Superpowers

Powers :

1 – Giant Gauntlets of Purifying Power : Emit at will beams of purifying energy, which destroys all the viruses she might have at hand… incidentally serves to present the obvious: “You see what a very clean hand looks like?”

2 – Coronavision : Supervision capable of detecting all the surrounding viruses – except computer viruses: “You can’t be perfect all the time…”

3 – Superstrength : To clean superstrongly, scrub superstrongly, destroy the Covid Queen’s Troops superstrongly, well … do everything superstrongly…

4 – Aura of purification : Aura of constant protection destroying all surrounding viruses – “Don’t even try to mutate on me!”

Miss Mano and her 4 pieces of Hitech Equipment

Equipment :

A – Built-in air purification system : …with a bit of lemon flavor, please.

B – Reserve masks : Contained in a removable compartment that purifies them, cleans them in less than a minute and Ding! Served.

C – Power Armor : Fueled with Optimism, along with a Heart of Gold and more energy than it takes.

D – Hydroalcoholic Gel reserve : To deal with all unwelcome soiling.

Mister Mask

Illustration of Mister Mask, a superhero caucasian male character, with a giant Mask design Logotype emphasizing the importance of wearing a mask to protect others and embody true heroism in pandemics issues and health preventive measures, with a dynamic pose and vibrant colors.
Mister Mask – Full Character, Logo and Title

Mnemonic Motto :

“True Heroes… …wear a mask.”

Illustration of Mister Mask, a superhero character, wearing a mask and cape, with the quote "True Heroes... wear a Mask!" emphasizing the importance of wearing a mask to protect others and embody true heroism in pandemics issues and health preventive measures, with a dynamic pose and vibrant colors.
Mister Mask – Mnemonic Motto / Catchphrase

Core preventive principle :

Mister Mask transforms mask wearing into identity.

Ethnicity, Gender and Superhero inspiration :

• Super Mood Board Inspirations : The Batman©, Daredevil©, Darkman©, The Phantom Stranger©, The Shadow©.

• Ethnicity : Caucasian and representing Europe continent and/or White Americans & Australians.

• Key Words : Adaptability, Concealment, Dexterity, Precision, Stealth. He is the Vigilante Infiltrator type.

Mister Mask and his 4 Superpowers

Powers :

1 -Pistogel and Pistomask : Weapons of Massive Creation that project at high velocity a Mask and Hydroalcoholic Gel altogether in order to protect any innocent passer-by. “Plop, masked! Plop, purified! Plop, protected!”

2 – Mask-Cape : Polymorphic trench-coat cut from a giant mask, allowing to wrap oneself in a protective cocoon resistant to viruses. Incidentally, allows you to fly, to manipulate objects like a tentacle, to imprison enemies and to look super-cool…

3 – Superdexterity : Allows to throw very precisely the Maskovids to mask all the unmasked passers-by in the perimeter… “If you want to be nosey… put at least a mask on it!”

4 – Maskovid : FFP 1000 quantum mesh mask to resist all sizes of viruses: “Because size does not matter! …”

Mister Mask and his 4 pieces of Hitech Equipment

Equipment :

A – Creation Gloves : Allow to create quantum mesh Maskovids at will and project them like shurikens on all exposed faces to protect them. “In your face!”

D – Hydroalcoholic Gel Cartridges : To never run out of ammunition, Gringo.

C – Extraordinary Leap Armor : Allows to jump and land unexpectedly – and without damage – near any ongoing contamination to bring it to an end. “Viruses! Put your spicules up! This time, you won’t end up in Cells!”

B – Armor of Dexterity : powered by Vigilance… by Prudence…by Safety, even.

Mister Meter

Illustration of Mister Meter, a superhero asian male, ninja-like character, with a giant Double Arrow design Logotype emphasizing distance management and safety distance in pandemics issues and health preventive measures, with a superspeed effect, dynamic pose and vibrant colors.

Mister Meter – Full Character, Logo and Title

Mnemonic Motto :

“Become the Master…… of one Meter.”

Illustration of Miss Minute, a futuristic character wearing a huge ruler as a sword, with the quote "Become the Master... of One Meter!" emphasizing distance management and safety distance in pandemics issues and health preventive measures.
Mister Meter – Mnemonic Motto / Catchphrase

Core preventive principle :

Mister Meter transforms physical distancing into mastery.

Ethnicity, Gender and Superhero inspiration :

• Super Mood Board Inspirations : Deadpool©, Deathstroke©, The Flash©, Psylocke©, Quicksilver©, The Silver Samurai©, Tarantula©.

• Ethnicity : Asian and representing Asia and/or South America continent and/or Polynesia and/or Natives.

• Key Words : Agility, Martial Arts, Nimbleness, Superspeed. He is the Speedster Striker type.

Mister Meter and his 4 Superpowers

Powers :

1 – Katana of the Great Ruler : It is both a weapon for hitting very hard viruses and a telescopic ruler with a base length of One Meter. It starts to glow red as soon as you get a little bit too close to contamination distance… “This distance is too small for both of us, Cowboy!”

2 – Superspeed : Allows you to get away really, really fast from any aerosol projections, splutters, sneezes and to practice Superphysical Superdistance… “Nasal spray is from outside to inside, not the other way around! “

3 – Martial Arts Mastery : Unbeatable in melee with either humanoids or viruses, his unparalleled agility allows him to practice physical distancing with the grace of the heron, the strength of the tiger and the calm of the bonsai. “My Kung-Fu is stronger than your Kung-Fu… and, more important, it is way farther.”

4 – Ninever Suit : Insulating suit made out of proteiform molecules. NEVER lets viruses through, NEVER gets dirty and NEVER tears. Incidentally, allows to blend in the shadows to get medieval on the viruses … “Ninja one day, Ninja always!”

Mister Meter and his 4 pieces of Hitech Equipment

Equipment :

A – Shao-Lin Symbols : …based on arrows which remind us that the average length of an adult arm from shoulder to wrist is about 50 cm… “Elbow grease to escape with ease!”

B -Armor of Speed : ​​fueled by Iron Will and Nerves of Steel.

C – Masks Discs : Sterilizing compartments containing an inexhaustible supply of masks to help all the ninjas wannabes around …

D – Boots of Non- Encounter of the First Kind : Nonskid and Antifriction, these high-tech boots grant the ability to NEVER meet the First Kind coming, nor the Second and even less the Third, in order to avoid any unknown infection…

Miss Minute

Illustration of Miss Minute, a superhero middle eastern female character, with a giant Clock design Logotype emphasizing time management and urgency in pandemics issues and health preventive measures. She is in a high-tech suit with long flowing hair, dynamic pose, vibrant pink and blue colors, and digital background elements.
Miss Minute – Full Character, Logo and Title

Mnemonic Motto :

“Spend but One Minute……to avoid the Final Hour.”

Illustration of Miss Minute, a futuristic character, with the quote "Spend but One Minute... to avoid the Final Hour!" emphasizing time management and urgency in pandemics issues and health preventive measures.
Miss Minute – Mnemonic Motto / Catchphrase

Core preventive principle :

Miss Minute transforms time into foresight.

Ethnicity, Gender and Superhero inspiration :

• Super Mood Board Inspirations : Access©, Chronos©, Kronos©, Magik©, Nightcrawler©, Professor X©, Raven©, Tempo©, Tron©, The Wizard©.

• Ethnicity : Middle Eastern and representing Middle East and/or North Africa.

• Key Words : Dimensional Travel, Teleportation, Time and Space Control, Wisdom, Willpower. She is the Polyvalent Support type.

Miss Minute and her 4 Superpowers

Powers :

1 – Time Mastery : Slows down, accelerates or freezes Time to stop all viral propagation. “The Future of my Present depends if I get Past this meeting…”

2 -Superwisdom : Allows to appraise the quantity of viruses present in the air, accumulating as time passes within an enclosed place and why I should really leave now…

3 – Preventive Gesture : Power allowing access to dimensional pockets across space and time to recover and generate any protective equipment from the past, present or future: stolen masks, hoarded hydroalcoholic gel, lost vaccine dose, etc …

4 -Spatiotemporal Portal : Allows to open dimensional portals across the spacetime continuum to instantly teleport out of reach from cluster formations and clubbers’ temptations…

Miss Minute and her 4 pieces of Hitech Equipment

Equipment :

A – Silver Time Armor : Once Upon a Time on the Chest. Because Time is Money, this armor allows all available funds to be transformed into infallible actions by managing time efficiently…

B – Invariant Clock-Disk : Projectile moved by willpower, which sticks on any surface and allows to create bubbles of frozen Time where the virus can no longer act or mutate, or might even regress to its previous mutation state. “O Time, suspend thy blight!”.

C – Time Zone Suit : Tight Suit which material changes color in the presence of excessive exposure to the virus. “My suit gets a blush to tell me when to rush…”

D – High Chronology Armor : …powered by the energy of Life, when there is not a minute to lose and many lives to gain…

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2: Art Direction & Illustrative Realization

Style Choice: Silver Age

In terms of drawing and design, I wanted these heroes to resemble the “Silver Age” style of the superheroes developed by DC and Marvel; I therefore opted for a more “hitech” and less “full tightsuit with cape” style of the “Golden Age”.

The goal was to generate both aesthetic and conceptual appeal. The concept of the Superman-like, “classical” superhero was feeling somewhat outdated and caricatured for this project. Therefore, the skintight suit with large areas of very flashy color and a cape billowing in the wind was rejected. This was viewed as too basic and childish.

In terms of drawing and inking, I drew inspiration from great names of the Silver Age such as Jack Kirby, Michael Byrne, Neal Adams or Michael Golden: a semi-clear line incorporating thick and thin strokes; shading and hatching for volume; and a strong, flowing anatomy.

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Color Palette & Symbolic Language

Colors were not selected solely for aesthetic reasons. They function as a symbolic language designed to reinforce memorability and emotional identification.

The Customization Colors enable the differentiation of each member of the Group while assigning a recognizable emotional value to each preventative measure. And for a more effective memorization:

Customization Colors Table of the costume : One accent color per Hero, emotional value and signage efficiency

1. The Color of Miss Mano is Golden Yellow which represents Optimism [#fdda3d]

2. The Color of Mister Mask is Mauve which represents Vigilance [#a673ff]

3. The Color of Mister Meter is Coral Orange which represents Willpower [#ff665e]

4. The Color of Miss Minute is Magenta Pink which represents Vitality [#ff66cc]

These 4 Colors are also found in the “M” of the 4M logo (see below LINK).

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Individual Logos

Each hero was also assigned an individual emblem.

Beyond simple visual identification, these logos function as symbolic condensations of each preventive measure, allowing complex concepts to be recognized instantly through shape recognition.

The 4 Personalization Colors are also used as reference color codes for each of the Individual Logos displayed by each hero and symbolizing his/her own preventive measure :

Miss Mano

Miss Mano Emblem : the Golden Pair of Hands

Represents a Pair of Hands presenting their palms to represent Cleanliness. Also evokes a stylized Eagle which represents the rise of Optimism.

Mister Mask

Mister Mask Emblem : the Mauve Mask

Represents a Stylized Mask and its four fasteners in the form of a Hexagon evoking Protection. This also symbolizes the strength of Vigilance.

Mister Meter

Mister Meter Emblem : the Orange Double Arrow and Locations

Represents a Double Arrow between two separate locations to symbolize Physical Distancing. Its dynamism also evokes Willpower.

Miss Minute

Miss Minute Emblem : the Magenta Chronometer

Represents a Chronometer Dial, one of its section being shaped in a triangle which symbolizes a single minute and the need to reduce one’s exposure time to the virus. It also represents the Cycle of Life.

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The group identity needed to communicate cooperation before individuality.

While each hero possesses a unique color code and symbol, the 4M logo serves as the visual representation of their collective mission.

Its structure combines the shared values ​​that unite the team while preserving the identity of each member.

The Logo of the 4M Group has been developed in a modern, impactful and dynamic style capable of responding to the graphic codes experienced by the teenagers through the media they use such as Comics, Social Networks or Video Games.

The Colors are both frank and clear, without being aggressive, and their symbolism is found throughout the group’s graphic charter, suitable for being declined to serve clear communication.

There are therefore 3 Base Colors and 4 Customization Colors :

The Base Colors are common to all the characters because they represent the symbolic virtues and objectives shared by all the members of the Group :

1. Blue represents Strength [#1a25e8]

2. Turquoise represents Health [#00ffff]

3. White represents Purity [#ffffff]

These 3 Base Colors balance is found in the “4” of the 4M logo, as well as in all the equipment and costumes of the members of the group.

As mentioned before, the “M” is blending all the 4 Customization Colors used for each character of the group. This harmonious and energetic gradient illustrates the Group’s desire for cooperation.

The shape of the “M” also evokes the pulsations of the Life Line which takes its source in Vigilance (Mauve), then evolves through Vitality (Pink), then Will (Orange) to finally end in Optimism (Yellow).

The gradient between these colors represents the need to harmonize all these virtues between them in order to be effective.

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Typography

Typography plays a critical role in worldbuilding. For this project it was about designing a Heroic yet accessible visual voice.

Long before a reader consciously interprets a word, typography already communicates tone, genre and emotional intent.

For the 4M Project, the challenge was to find a visual language capable of evoking the worlds of superheroes, science-fiction and adventure while remaining clear, modern and immediately legible.

• A typography that felt too institutional would weaken the sense of imagination and identification.

• A typography that felt too fantasy-oriented would distance the project from its educational purpose.

• A typography that felt too futuristic could become difficult to read and therefore reduce the effectiveness of the communication.

The final solution emerged through the combination of two complementary visual influences :

The primary structure of the character names was built using the NFS typeface, whose geometric construction conveys energy, movement and a contemporary technological aesthetic associated with comics, video games and science fiction.

To reinforce the symbolic importance of the 4M identity, the initial “M” of each character name was redesigned using a modified version of the Elasis typeface.

This custom treatment allowed the letterform to become more dynamic and expressive while creating a visual connection between all four heroes.

The result is a hybrid typographic system positioned at the intersection of readability, modernity and heroic storytelling.

Rather than simply displaying names, the typography contributes to the construction of the universe itself.

Like the costumes, logos and completed with color codes, it becomes part of the narrative architecture.

In a narrative system, typography is not decoration. It is character design expressed through letters.

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Part 4 : Backstage & Development

Here are listed the typical phases that are needed when achieving a process of World Architecture.

You may also download my brochure covering all genres and all styles for more details.

Phase A: Story

As mentioned previously, I had the idea to develop the 4M in 2019-2020 at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

When I observed the lack of effective communication from authorities regarding youth, I had the idea to create superheroes to counter this global threat.

All the elements of an epic comic book scenario were there: a global threat, terror, a clearly identifiable enemy with unknown “powers”, the upheaval of a civilization… It is in times of crisis that the greatest heroes emerge : thus, I conceived this group of superheroes.

Phase B: Concept

However, these superheroes needed to be paired with real and effective public health recommendations. And since there were four “barrier gestures” (social distancing measures), I had the idea of ​​creating a group of superheroes… rather than one or two individual heroes: this allowed for unification in terms of storytelling, visuals, branding, and mnemonics.

So I decided to limit them to four (like the Fantastic Four©) and give them simple, memorable names, all starting with the same letter: “M” – for Mano, Mask, Minute, and Meter. Simply embodying basic precautions in terms of a pandemic.

The 4M were born.

Later, working for a foresight and warning website, The Red Team Analysis Society (LINK), and being personally involved in the repercussions of climate change and its role in pandemics, I decided to extend this concept to all pandemics because, with little adaptation, the concept of preventative measures embodied by the 4M could be applied to many pandemics.

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Phase C: Costume Concepts

Color should NOT be decided at the end, once all the elements are in place: it must be decided at the beginning – or at least – very early in the design process, because depending on the chosen artistic direction, the design may be affected.

I wanted a very diverse and syncretic group of heroes in which every teenager could see themselves. So I decided to have two males and two females. And each should represent a part of the world. Because, since the pandemic is global, the 4M would be necessary on every continent of the globe.

So in the end, I settled on a Caucasian, a Black, an Asian, and a Middle Eastern.

I wanted a unified visual style that would link all the heroes together. A uniform indicating that they all belonged to the same group, but with an additional unique color for each character that would personalize them and allow us to thematize the preventative measure they represent.

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Phase D: Methodology – From Sketches to Final Art

Since I had drawn up a design guideline based on the Silver Age, after deciding beforehand on all the components of the characters and costumes mentioned above, I began developing my methodology according to these criteria for each character:

• I used Sketchbook software to sketch the early poses and set the different elements individually on different layers: the blue lines represented the character’s body, and the red ones represented the armor/extra props, allowing me to work on them separately.

• Once the final drawing was complete, I inked the final illustration using preset brush models to create thick and thin strokes based on hand pressure, achieving a fluid and organic effect by varying the thickness, like a real pen or brush. This made the drawing more sensual and organic, and less technical and cold.

• In the end, the individual logos were developed in Illustrator and then incorporated into the final black and white inking in Photoshop.

• Then, once the black and white inking was finished and the individual logos incorporated to create the final version of the characters, I moved on to several color tests (see Phase E below).

• The glow elements and lighting adjustments for the technological elements were perfected in Photoshop.

• The graphic layout of the background, as well as the typography (see Phase G below), were also added at the end in Photoshop.

Miss Mano

The main idea was to focus the design on her hands ; as she was supposed to be the “power blaster” of the group, I decided to focus her power on her hands, which I oversized by means of “giant gauntlets of power” crackling with energy. A purifying energy instead of a destructive one.

As this character is expansive and powerful, like a power blaster, I chose a central position that is both very confident and dominant: “I will destroy all viruses” and reassuring as well as if she was saying: “Look how clean my hands are, rest assured.”

This gives the character a reassuringly powerful stance. Therefore, representing her with legs and arms spread in a classic comic book “power display” pose was the best choice.

Slide to Left or Right to access either the rough or the inked version

Mister Mask

This character being the stealthy one of the group, due to his mandatory role of being masked, it was necessary to give him the stature of a Batman© or a Shadow©. Reinforce his “bad boy” side while giving him a certain retro elegance.

So I decided to transform his trench coat into a cape made from the materials of surgical masks, which could adapt and fluidly change shape, reinforcing the character’s shadowy aspect.

This character is depicted in a classic vigilante hero pose: leaping from a rooftop or skillfully bounding out of the shadows or blending into them before launching a ranged attack. “I withdraw from the contamination before counter-attacking.”

And in this very “Batman” spirit, the living trench coat/flowing cape comes to life in a large part of the background of the composition as the character throws his masks like shurikens, not to destroy, but to protect the unmasked innocents.

Slide to Left or Right to access either the rough or the inked version

Mister Meter

As the speedster of the group, I wanted to add an artifact to the character so he could “measure” distance at any time.

Therefore, I decided to give him – in addition to his super-speed of distance – a “giant ruler” that he could use as an offensive or defensive weapon.

The idea of ​​a sword linked to Speed ​​immediately made me think of a Ninja-type character, making him a Martial Artist, which reinforced the idea of ​​disciplined behavior.

To ensure the viewer encounters the group’s speedster “as quickly as possible,” I deliberately shifted him to the left, contrary to the reading direction, to reinforce the idea: “You don’t gradually encounter Mister Mask: you bump into him…”

I chose a very dynamic running pose combined with kata and ninjutsu sword positions for the arms. Forming a contrast between the upper part of the character (refined and complex) and the lower part (powerful and fast)… giving this ambiguity of a super-fast ninja character.

The free space in the center and on the right of the image allowed me to more clearly showcase the graphic effects of superspeed as well as the “saber ruler katana.” The running effect also allowed me to work graphically and elegantly on the traditional ninja ribbon floating behind his hood.

Slide to Left or Right to access either the rough or the inked version

Miss Minute

This character is of the “wizard,” “mystic,” or “psionic” type. She relies more on pure power and knowledge than physical strength.

As a time and dimensional traveler, it was necessary to embody his power through easily recognizable energy halos in accordance with precise gestures – almost like spellcasting.

For this magical and mysterious character who travels through time and space, I wanted to give her a regal and spellcasting stance. To illustrate her power, I had her emerge from a dimensional portal.

I gave her a refined and complex right-hand and finger position evoking spellcasting and/or a delicate manipulation of realities. The left-hand gesture also has a double meaning: it signals the start of a countdown, and it’s also a gesture of caution and attention-grabbing, like “pay close attention to the time remaining…”

Slide to Left or Right to access either the rough or the inked version

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Phase E: Variations and Final Color Choices

I had drawn up a design guideline based on the Silver Age, after deciding beforehand on all the components of the characters and costumes mentioned above. Therefore, I developped my color codes according to these criteria for each character and for a common group uniform, as well:

Base Costume Colors

As indicated in the Group logo section, the colors common to the 4 characters would therefore be Blue, Turquoise, and White. However, after many visual tests (see the Gallery below), I came to the conclusion that I didn’t want them to appear too “military,” which might frighten a teenage audience.

Illustration of Miss Mano, a superhero black female character, with a giant Hands design Logotype emphasizing hand hygiene management and contact issues in pandemics issues and health preventive measures. A dynamic illustration of a futuristic female robot with glowing blue energy, advanced armor, and a confident stance, representing power in hand cleansing.

Team Costume research : Version A

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Therefore, I decided to vary the localized distribution of the base colors on the costumes to give a touch of originality and fairness among all the characters, so they wouldn’t be too “uniform.”

In the end, the most optimal choice among all the combinations was the following:

The final versions chosen for the costume colors combination

• 1 woman with a white tightsuit + a turquoise armor + blue attachments (Miss Mano).

• 1 man with a white tightsuit + a blue armor + turquoise attachments (Mister Mask).

• 1 man with a blue tightsuit + a turquoise armor + white attachments (Mister Meter).

• 1 woman in a blue tightsuit + a white armor + turquoise attachments (Miss Minute).

Base Colors Table of the costume :Common to each Hero

Individual Costume Colors: The Symbolism of the Characters and Social Distancing

Since I wanted these heroes to more closely resemble the “silver age” style of superheroes developed by DC and Marvel, I opted for a more “high-tech” style and less of a “full tightsuit with a cape.” More subtlety was needed for a teenage audience already familiar with the world of branding and complex technology.

The individual colors therefore needed to be sufficiently prominent to fulfill their signage role, yet discreet and elegantly arranged to allude to a branding message and symbolic abstraction perfectly understandable to the younger generation.

In the end, I chose colors that were complementary to each other, but also colors that would harmonize with the base of the costumes described above. Since the color base of the costume (blue, turquoise, and white) are within the range of cold colors, I logically chose warm colors to warm up the overall look, but also to create a contrast that would make the individual color stand out more easily.

After many trials, the most judicious choices were the following:

Miss Mano

Yellow : Optimism [#fdda3d]

As the only primary color, it suggests a very explosive, power-blast vibe. It energizes the base of the costume without being too flashy.

It highlights Miss Mano‘s dark skin, which also gave me the idea of ​​making her blonde to complement the golden yellow of the costume. Blonde hair dye is quite popular among African-American and African populations.

The Yellow of Miss Mano

Mister Mask

Mauve : Vigilance [#a673ff]

It was bright enough to contrast with the base of the costume, but not so bright as to suggest the character’s “stealth” nature as this violet-based color is somewhat deep, introspective, insightful -almost mystical- and discreet. Complementary to Miss Mano‘s yellow as a secondary color.

The Mauve of Mister Mask

Mister Meter

Orange : Willpower [#ff665e]

Since blue and yellow were already taken as primary colors, I could have used red, but it would have been too aggressive and clashed too much with the blue of the base costume.

So I used blue’s complementary color : ​​orange. Bright and dynamic enough to play the role of red and match the evocation of the character’s superspeed. It contrasts sufficiently with the base colors of the costume without creating a visual clash.

The Orange of Mister Meter

Miss Minute

Magenta Pink : Vitality [#ff66cc]

Since I decided against using red for these characters, I was left with only two colors harmonious enough to contrast with the costume and distinct enough to theme the character: soft green and magenta.

They both had their advantages aesthetically and practically no disadvantages: each could complement the three.

The other characters’ colors were used harmoniously. Green was a cooler color that complemented Mister Mask‘s mauve, and the bright magenta/pink possessed the same dynamic qualities as Mister Meter without the drawbacks of red, and was sufficiently distinct from orange.

In this type of dilemma, the narrative and semantic vision takes over: green is a vegetal, soothing, healing, and regenerative color. But this character is “Miss Minute”; her role is precisely to be in a state of urgency, not serenity, similar to Mister Meter moving away in space, Miss Minute moves away in time.

Consequently, her color had to be as dynamic as Mister Meter‘s: I therefore opted for magenta. The added value of this choice is that bright magenta/pink is a very… “girly”. And the “girly” look is very popular among young girls eager to express themselves through a slightly “edgy” and assertive femininity (as per Barbie©, Sentai-like squads like Power Rangers© et al.)… so it was the right choice.

The Pink of Miss Minute

Costume Trim and Graphic Charter Reinforcement

With the aim of developing a costume that offers the same characteristics as a uniform while allowing for significant personal customization, I had the idea of ​​adding another touch of customization to each character’s tightsuit: an asymmetrical geometric trim running the entire length of the costume.

This trim extends along the entire left side of the character, from their ankle, down their leg, torso, arm, and to the wrist.

It offers an elegant and graphic asymmetry that reinforces the idea of ​​a sporty jumpsuit, a uniform, while being characterized by a color and pattern unique to each character.

The principle is that this trim is a colored line adorned at intervals. regular repeating geometric patterns specific to the character; thus creating the combo: unique geometric pattern + one color.

This reinforces the visual message of each preventative measure for each character:

• Miss Mano : Circles.

Evoking the crackling of purifying energy around her hands.

Close-up on Miss Mano‘s uniform trim



• Mister Mask : Squares.

Evoking the shape of the mask.

Close-up on Mister Mask‘s uniform trim



• Mister Meter : Triangles.

Evoking speed of movement.

Close-up on Mister Meter‘s uniform trim



• Miss Minute : Pairs of opposing arrows repeating an hourglass pattern.

Evoking time.

Close-up on Miss Minute‘s uniform trim

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Phase F: Logotypes Research

The placement of the logos was determined beforehand through drawing, color anticipation, storytelling, and world architecture. I conducted logo research along the following lines:

• The logos had to be simple, almost like signs, contrasting with the intricate details and character of the illustrated figures, as they had to be adaptable to any type of medium and any size, from the characters’ costumes to a simple individual sign.

• Each logo would be in the character‘s custom color on a white background to create a strong semantic link : logo > color > character > barrier gesture.

• Unlike “branding” logos, which are meant to represent abstract values ​​rather than products, these logos were intended to be more like signage than a brand. Each barrier gesture had to be immediately understandable: Hand/Mask/Meter and Minute.

Consequently :

The 4 base Logotypes of The 4M

Miss Mano

Two hands spread apart, as if to demonstrate cleanliness and also to make a gesture of appeasement or welcome.

A single hand would not have been sufficient, as BOTH hands must be clean, and this would have confused the message. Furthermore, it could have been mistaken for a “Stop” gesture.

Mister Mask

A stylized hexagonal mask with three stylized “folds” and four fastening cords. The mask had to be instantly recognizable and almost evoke the image of a medieval helmet visor or a high-tech breathing mask…

Moreover, the hexagon lends strength to the monogram and alludes to the symbol of France, since the health and safety concern originated and was implemented at the national level.

Mister Meter

Two elongated triangles representing two people or two specific locations separated by a double arrow, indicating the distance between these two points.

Evoking a force that repels rather than attracts.

Miss Minute

A graduated circular dial evoking a watch, a chronometer, or a simplified clock.

A portion of this “symbolic time” is highlighted in the form of a “triangular segment” that symbolizes the one-minute time limit.

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Phase G: Typeface Research

Stage 1: Selection Criteria – The Consultant’s Decision

To complete the superhero/high-tech feel, I needed a typeface with the following characteristics:

• Sans Serif : It had to be a sans-serif typeface would evoke modernity and immediacy. As, on the other hand, a serif typeface would evoke tradition, introspection, and luxury.

• Geometric : The typeface had to be impactful, perfectly legible, and convey a sense of urgent signage as well as reassuring strength.

• Modern/Sci-Fi/Hi-Tech : A typeface capable of evoking modernity, technology, and confidence in the future, while respecting superhero conventions without being too fantastical, ridiculous, or outlandish.

• Original : A typeface with a touch of formal originality that makes it memorable and permanently links it to the characters, without sacrificing legibility. A typeface that is too neutral or generic would miss the mark in delivering the message in its entirety.

Stage 2: Pre-selection – The Typographer Eye

I therefore pre-selected 186 typefaces that met these criteria. Then I divided them into 5 categories, in order to select from these categories the ones best suited to the defined criteria as well as a degree of typographic intuition:

• Geometrical typefaces (3 typefaces)

• Modern typefaces (28 typefaces)

• Official Superhero typefaces (4 typefaces)

• Sans Serif typefaces (29 typefaces)

• SciFi typefaces (39 typefaces)

• Technological typefaces (83 typefaces)

Stage 3: Broad Selection – The “Cool” Factor

From these 186 typefaces, I then selected 42 that met the initial criteria.

But to see, understand, and feel the impact and relevance of each of these typefaces, I now needed to insert them into the final illustrations to see how they “reacted” and “interacted” with the characters.

In other words, the superhero names written with these typefaces had to generate a “cool factor” in me that would make me say, “Wow! Yes, it works!”

So I created 42 Photoshop mockups with each of the 42 typefaces, illustrated in the sliders below:

Android Italic
Illustration of Miss Mano, a superhero black female character, with a giant Hands design Logotype emphasizing hand hygiene management and contact issues in pandemics issues and health preventive measures. A dynamic illustration of a futuristic female robot with glowing blue energy, advanced armor, and a confident stance, representing power in hand cleansing.

Team Typeface research : Android Italic

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Then, after analyzing each of these screenshots, I then classified these 42 Typefaces again into 3 categories, according to the degree of intensity of my “cool factor”:

• No : Typeface rejected. Satisfies only the typographical criteria but does not work neither the image and/or the composition and/or not having a satisfactory “cool factor”.

• Maybe : Not completely bad… but not completely good either. Requiring further examination.

• Yes : Satisfies both typographical criteria, works well with image, composition and has a satisfactory “cool factor”.

• Preferred : Same as “Yes” above. But Evokes an intrinsic “vibe” which allows us to anticipate the 4th Phase below: Refining the Vision.

Stage 4: Narrow Selection – Refining the Vision

By eliminating the “No” category from the previous Phase, I had reduced the choice of typefaces to 27.

I therefore reviewed these 27 images three more times ; I narrowed them down again and again, classifying and comparing them using the same filtering system as before: No / Yes / Maybe.

Until I manage to select the 12 best candidate typefaces, from which I can choose the final(s) typeface(s).

Stage 5: Semifinal Selection – The Experimented Intuition

The 12 candidate typefaces were as follows :

• Auto Mode

• Bonk

• Cyberfall Italic

• Elasis

• Ganymedian

• Gin Rai Italic

• Monster Mech

• Montalban

• NFS Font

• Space Quest

• Voyage fantastique Laser

Auto Mode
Illustration of Miss Mano, a superhero black female character, with a giant Hands design Logotype emphasizing hand hygiene management and contact issues in pandemics issues and health preventive measures. A dynamic illustration of a futuristic female robot with glowing blue energy, advanced armor, and a confident stance, representing power in hand cleansing.

Team Typeface research : Auto Mode

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And from these 12 typefaces, I used my years of experience as Art Director and typographer to summon my “professional intuition” enabling me to finally select two… because of the “choice of hybridization” that I talk about in the last stage below.

Stage 6: Final Selection – The Choice of Hybridization

The typeface I chose to represent the 4M was therefore the NFS Font. It was the best candidate, perfectly meeting all the requirements I had set:

• It was sans-serif.

• It had a modern, slightly high-tech/sci-fi look and was geometric, yet maintained excellent legibility without being too whimsical or fantastical.

• It was slanted, giving the dynamism and sense of strength and urgency I was looking for.

• It was original because it mixed sharp, dynamic bevel shapes on some glyphs with softer curves on others. These shapes interacted harmoniously within a single word. Certain combinations of glyphs formed almost like lightning bolts in the spaces without affecting readability.

However, despite all its qualities, the NFS had two flaws :

• The “M” was perfect for the first part of the hero’s name: “Mister” or “Miss” but wasn’t impactful enough for the hero’s “Proper Name” which I really wanted to stand out from the other glyphs… And above all, I wanted connect it to the shape of the Group Logo, which I had already designed to be much sharper, with vibrant beveled shapes and almost a “lightning bolt” appearance.

• The “K” tended to be read as an “H”. Particularly in the case of “Mister Mask” : it appeared as “Mister Mash”.

For the first point, I therefore used the Elasis typeface for the initial “M” of the hero’s proper name – Mano, Mask, Meter, Minute – which I had reworked in Illustrator to give it the same weight and slant as the NFS Font. I also slightly increased its size so it stands out a little from the name, to symbolize that each hero is an “M” among the “4M”.

For the second point, I also modified a “K” in Elasis to give it the same slant and weight as the NFS Font, as well as its glyph boxing and kern : and it worked perfectly: Mister Mask now reads as such and not as “Mister Mash”.

The final titles of each of The 4M names

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Part 5 : Designing a Living Universe

The 4M were originally imagined during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Their powers, equipment and visual identity were therefore intentionally designed around the four fundamental principles that proved essential during that global health crisis : hand hygiene, respiratory protection, physical distancing and exposure time.

To embody the invisible threat of COVID-19, I also imagined an antagonist known as The COVID Queen : a symbolic supervillain representing the virus itself.

Each fictional adventure would therefore become more than entertainment.

It would provide an opportunity to communicate genuine public health recommendations through memorable characters, visual storytelling and emotional engagement.

The Pandemics : Wraith of Ebola, The COVID Queen and Hantavirux representing the diseases of Ebola, COVID-19 and Hantavirus.

However, the real strength of this project lies beyond a single pandemic.

The underlying creative system can evolve alongside future health challenges.

Different diseases require different preventive behaviours, different communication strategies and sometimes entirely new visual metaphors.

Rather than redesigning everything from scratch, the franchise provides a flexible framework capable of adapting to new scientific realities while preserving a coherent visual identity.

New heroes, new equipment, new educational tools, new gameplay mechanics -or even a 5th member joining the team! – could naturally emerge as future needs evolve.

The 4M Pharmaceuticals Products : Destined to serve real life purposes.

This is why I see The 4M not simply as a comic-book property, but as a long-term cultural platform capable of bringing together education, entertainment, design and public health communication.

The possibilities extend far beyond today’s media.

The 4M Videogame : Educational purposes can be fun as hell…

They invite future collaborations between artists, educators, healthcare professionals, game designers, museums, publishers and public institutions to transform prevention into something memorable, engaging and genuinely useful.

For, as heroism, imagination is infinite…

“And don’t you forget : it is up to you to be a hero like any of us…“

Logo of "The 4M against the Pandemics" featuring a dynamic, colorful design with a stylized lightning bolt and circular elements, representing a team of comic-inspired superheroes designed to translate preventive health measures into empowering visual storytelling for teenagers. .

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]]> https://jdlavoixcarli.com/blog/4m-superheroes-public-health/feed/ 0 11416 Site Update : World Architect Offers https://jdlavoixcarli.com/blog/update-world-offers/ https://jdlavoixcarli.com/blog/update-world-offers/#respond Thu, 27 Nov 2025 14:50:33 +0000 https://jdlavoixcarli.com/?p=10998 The Site Update : A New Creative Framework 🌐 I have developed a new set of offers and consequently opened a new section – and two dedicated sub-sections – on this site : My offers as a World Architect. This marks a structural evolution of this site : It now becomes a gateway into fully-fledged […]

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The Site Update : A New Creative Framework

🌐 I have developed a new set of offers and consequently opened a new section – and two dedicated sub-sections – on this site : My offers as a World Architect.

This marks a structural evolution of this site : It now becomes a gateway into fully-fledged creative universes ; designed, expanded, and refined through a multidisciplinary lens.

The World Architect framework brings together my narrative, visual, and systemic expertise into a cohesive professional offering. It is more than illustration or storytelling : it is Creative Architecture at every level.

What is a World Architect ?

If you are seeking more than an illustrator or a writer, you are seeking a World Architect.

A World Architect designs living systems – fictional, realistic or strategic – that bridge imagination and structure. Unlike traditional creative roles that focus on one discipline, this practice merges several:

○ Art Direction & Illustration • to give the world its visual identity.


○ Narrative Design & Writing • to shape its logic, myths, and storytelling layers.


○ Game Design & Gamification • to structure interactivity, choice, and engagement.


○ UX/UI & Conceptual Design • to make complex worlds coherent and navigable.


○ World-Building & Strategic Thinking • to ensure the universe scales across media and time.

As a World Architect, I create frameworks that evolve from games to films, from brands to cultural systems.

Access & Navigation

To help visitors explore this new structure, I’ve designed a simple dual path from the homepage or via the navigation menu on “My Offers”:

Browse by Budget

Explore structured packages for every creative stage : from the conception of a world to its expansion, audit, or large-scale deployment.

You may also access this page via the following methods:

  • Main menu navigation
  • Homepage access

Browse by Theme

Discover how world-building adapts to different industries: cinema, publishing, branding, games, immersive experiences, and more.

You may also access this page via the following methods:

  • Main menu navigation
  • Homepage access

How to choose : a short Guide

Offers by Budget

If you already know your scale or budget, this path is for you. You’ll find two main subcategories unified on the same page:

A – Creation Packages

For building or expanding a universe from scratch.

○ The Mini-World : compact, efficient world concept.

○ The Complete World : cohesive narrative + visual ecosystem.

○ The Epic Universe : full multi-media world architecture.

○ The Visionary Multiverse : large-scale, transmedia saga systems.

B – Audit & Expansion Packages

For evaluating, refining, or extending existing universes.

○ Coherence Check : narrative and visual diagnostic.

○ Expansion Formula : scalable content & lore design.

○ Strategic Overhaul : deep restructuring for long-term viability.

○ Legacy Audit : reviewing established IPs and sagas.

Applications by Theme

If your entry point is sectoral rather than structural, explore how world-building adapts to each creative domain:

○ Boardgames & Videogames : interactive worlds with systemic depth. (use clickable image)

○ Branding & Creative IPs : transforming identity into mythology. (use clickable image)

○ Publishing & Comics : worlds as serialized narrative engines. (use clickable image)

○ Strategic & Futuristic Scenarios : speculative thinking for real innovation. (use clickable image)

○ Theme Parks & Immersive Experiences : physical storytelling architecture. (use clickable image)

○ Video, Film & Television : visual universes with transmedia continuity. (use clickable image)

Closing Note

The World Architect section represents the synthesis of my creative philosophy :
Each world, no matter its size or purpose, deserves the same structural care as a city or a symphony.

This is not simply about design.


It is about architecture for imagination.

Contact

Contact me now for a one hour free interview about your needs.

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Premium Universes by Budget Page 🇬🇧

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]]> https://jdlavoixcarli.com/blog/update-world-offers/feed/ 0 10998 Creative Compass : Where Art meets Story https://jdlavoixcarli.com/blog/creacomp/ https://jdlavoixcarli.com/blog/creacomp/#respond Tue, 14 Jan 2025 12:23:27 +0000 https://jdlavoixcarli.com/?p=9502 The Podcast 🎙️ Explore the intersection of visual artistry, storytelling, and world-building with “Creative Compass: Where Art Meets Story” by Jean-Dominique Lavoix-Carli, Iris Devocca and Alex Karlson. We delve into the creative processes behind art direction, illustration, narrative design, game design, typography, and, overall, how Storytelling affects every creative discipline and how it is influenced […]

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The Podcast

🎙️ Explore the intersection of visual artistry, storytelling, and world-building with “Creative Compass: Where Art Meets Story” by Jean-Dominique Lavoix-Carli, Iris Devocca and Alex Karlson. We delve into the creative processes behind art direction, illustration, narrative design, game design, typography, and, overall, how Storytelling affects every creative discipline and how it is influenced by them in return.

Through vivid discussions between Alex and Iris, we uncover how compelling stories are shaped by visual design, and how these elements come together to craft immersive worlds.

Whether you’re a creative professional or simply a story enthusiast, join us as we navigate the world where art and narrative converge.

Listen directly to the Trailer below or open it on Spotify :

Themes

The topics covered on Creative Compass include the following, but this list is far from exhaustive:

• Art Direction
• Comics
• Consulting
• Game Design
• Illustration
• Narrative Design
• Painting
• Storytelling
• Typography
• World Design

Episodes Samples

You may either listen directly these epidodes on the present site or access them through Spotify.

Eight Disciplines, One Story

The Creative mindest of a Storyteller. How to infuse Storytelling through each creative discipline.

The French Air Force Hackaton

How Storytelling can actually design and influence very serious activities and concerns such as a National Army’s Defense.

Fishprey

How Storytelling influences the very conception of Concept Art, Game Design and Gameplay in a Videogame.

Apocalypse in the Red Sea

How Storytelling is influencing the Art Direction of a Header Illustration for a Geopolitics article.

The Team

Jean-Dominique Lavoix-Carli

When I met Iris and Alex online, it was love at first sight between the three of us: we had exactly the same enthusiasm for Visual Art, Narration and, above all, Stories in general!

I have never met people who understood my work so well and who spoke about it with so much passion and kindness, while maintaining a constructive critical eye…

So, when Alex -who produces the show- told me about his idea of creating Creative Compass around my universe, I jumped at the chance.

In addition, since they have total freedom of speech -I was adamant about that- their exchanges give me a host of ideas and allow me to constantly improve. It is a real gift to benefit from their respective professionalisms coming from backgrounds as varied as they are complementary.

Jean-Dominique Lavoix-Carli – Senior Art Director, Illustrator, Author, World Designer & Narrative Designer


A visionary in the fields of art direction, illustration, and narrative design, Jean-Dominique Lavoix-Carli has dedicated his career to bridging the realms of visual art and storytelling. Born in the North of France and educated in Paris, Jean-Dominique honed his creative skills at the prestigious École de Direction Artistique et Architecture Intérieure Penninghen, where he cultivated a unique style that seamlessly blends classical technique with innovative design.

Now based in Corsica, Jean-Dominique finds inspiration in the island’s rugged beauty and cultural heritage, which often permeates his work. His portfolio spans an impressive array of disciplines, including editorial illustration, comics, logo branding and world-building for all kinds of media such as Roleplaying Magazines like Casus Belli or JDRMag, videogames companies like Arxel Tribe or publishing houses like Mnémos Editions.

A standout moment in his career was his contribution to the acclaimed Worldcon “Intersection” exhibition in Glasgow for the 53rd World Science Fiction Convention in 1995, where his science-fiction-inspired artworks Animal Wars : Nature will recyle Man explored prophetically the end of the world via global warming, climate change and revolt of the Animal Kingdom.

Jean-Dominique’s work has also gained recognition in the digital space. His expertise in scenarios, photography, game design, and gamification has led to collaborations with organizations such as Ernst & Young, the French Army’s Air Force and AID – the French Army Innovation, Research and Development Division.

He is currently the Head of Design of The Red Team Analysis Society where his unique Art Direction view, blending visual mastery with deep narrative meaning, leads him to collaborate regularly with Dr. Hélène Lavoix, an international PhD. expert in Strategic Foresight and Warning. Whether designing immersive narratives or crafting intricate illustrations, his work consistently demonstrates a mastery of both form and function.

In 2024, a chance online meeting with Iris Devocca and Alex Karlson became the spark for a creative partnership. Sharing a deep passion for art, storytelling, and the power of narrative to connect people, the trio quickly developed a shared vision.

This synergy gave birth to the Creative Compass: Where Art Meets Story podcast, which delves into the themes central to Jean-Dominique’s work. Together, they explore the interplay between artistic expression and narrative design, drawing inspiration from his extensive portfolio and artistic philosophy.

Iris Devocca

I know Alex since quite a time ; when he invited me to be interviewed for his Tales of StoryMakers podcast on my Gotham-inspired series, based on the works of Hugh Ferriss, exhibited at the Met Annex, I didn’t hesitate. That interview felt like a sparring match of ideas—a real meeting of minds.

But the real spark came later, during the live Q&A. There was this voice from the ether—deep, inquisitive, and French—that stood out. Jean-Dominique asked questions so precise, they were almost surgical, about the intersection of urban myths and visual storytelling. You know, there are not much people knowing Gotham is the true name of NYC and how it inspired Bob Kane’s Batman ; there are even less people knowing that Batman’s Gotham is inspired by Hugh Ferriss’ works… and there is only ONE among them who is french : it’s Jean-Dominique !

It was magnetic. Alex and I both noticed it immediately. After the session, we reached out to him, and it was like we’d all known each other for years. Like, bam! We weren’t just riffing; we were creating something. Jean-Dominique brought this European sophistication, Alex brought his rugged Western storytelling edge, and me? Well, I added a little NYC flair.

And that’s how Creative Compass came to life. It’s our passion project, really—art and story coming together like lovers at twilight. I like to think I bring the charm, the spark, the occasional British-ism to keep it posh. And yes, if you’re wondering, I do adore being the provocateur, stirring the pot just enough to keep the magic simmering. Keeps the boys on their toes.

Iris Devocca – Painter, Illustrator, Plastic Artist & Photographer


A dynamic force in the art world, Iris Devocca is a celebrated painter, photographer, illustrator, and plastic artist known for her ability to merge traditional techniques with bold contemporary themes. Splitting her time between New York City and Los Angeles, Iris draws inspiration from the energy of urban landscapes and the rich cultural diversity of these iconic cities.

A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Iris began her career designing intricate book covers for independent publishers, a craft that soon evolved into gallery exhibitions showcasing her evocative paintings and multimedia installations. Her acclaimed series, Reminiscent Echoes of Tomorrow, explores themes of memory and urban decay, earning her features in magazines such as ArtNow and Canvas.

In addition to her studio work, Iris has contributed illustrations for notable publications like The New Yorker and collaborated on set designs for experimental theater productions in Los Angeles. Beyond her art, Iris is an avid traveler and an advocate for arts education, hosting workshops for underprivileged youth through initiatives like The Vivid Urban Palette Project.

Having worked on numerous articles written by Alex Karlson she met in Washington, Iris enthusiastically accepted his invitation about co-hosting the podcast Creative Compass with him, in collaboration with Jean-Dominique Lavoix-Carli.

Alex Karlson

Meeting Jean-Dominique online was like stumbling across a hidden gem in the desert, you know? One of those serendipitous moments that make you pause and think, ‘Dang, this is something special.’ His art struck me right in the gut—not just pretty pictures, but stories unfolding in every brushstroke. It reminded me of the raw, unapologetic energy you get from a great indie flick, the kind that leaves you thinking about it for days.

When Iris joined the conversation, it was suddenly like we were a crew of filmmakers, all on the same wavelength. She’s got this knack for capturing emotions in her work—like how some directors can tell an entire story with just one perfectly framed shot. The way she and Jean-Dominique riffed off each other’s ideas was electric, and I knew right then we had something big brewing.

That’s how Creative Compass came to be. With Iris’s artistry and Jean-Dominique’s world-building, it’s like we’re crafting an indie masterpiece with every episode. We didn’t just want to create a podcast ; we wanted to build a campfire where people could gather and talk about the art and stories that move them. Out here, folks don’t beat around the bush—we cut to the chase. That’s the vibe I bring to the show.

Alex Karlson – Writer, Journalist, Scenarist & Producer

A master storyteller with a passion for uncovering untold narratives, Alex Karlson is a journalist, writer, and screenwriter based in the tranquil deserts of Nevada, where he finds inspiration in the stark beauty of the surroundings of Carson City, settled like a modern-day hermit besides the shores of Lake Tahoe.

With a journalism degree from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, Alex honed his craft reporting on cultural shifts and human-interest stories for national outlets such as The Atlantic and Rolling Stone.

Alex’s first book, Desert Whispers and Little Sounds that matter, a deeply personal collection of essays on life in rural America, became a bestseller and was lauded for its poignant and vivid prose. His transition into screenwriting brought him acclaim at The Sundance Film Festival, with credits including the indie hit Echo Junction, Silence Terminus and the docuseries The Shadow Stars of History, which explores forgotten American stories. He writes regularly for The Washington Post where his humorous chronicle about the bizarre and the supernatural, 51 Shares of Little Greys, received unilateral praises from both the critics and audience alike.

Known for his resonant baritone voice and thoughtful insights, Alex has also hosted several podcast episodes on storytelling and culture, guesting on platforms like Tales of StoryMakers and Narratim. He is now co-hosting the brand-new podcast Creative Compass with Iris Devocca and Jean-Dominique Lavoix-Carli about Art and Stories mutual influences and innovative creative insights of all kinds. When not crafting narratives, Alex enjoys hiking, playing guitar, and exploring the quiet corners of Nevada’s vast wilderness.

Credits

All images, texts, titles and characters subjects to copyrights : ©Jean-Dominique Lavoix-Carli. Music under the license of ©StlabStudioMusic (Licenses 4ea63052-f0db-4cc5-8482-ba5d26ba017e and 998a2fb7-d4f9-42da-a7c3-52d97c3d35bd) and ©Roa – https://roa-music.com/. Created with the help of NotebookLM.

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]]> https://jdlavoixcarli.com/blog/creacomp/feed/ 0 9502 Building Stories and Images via Reciprocity-2: “Mister Sunshine” https://jdlavoixcarli.com/blog/rec2-mrsunshine/ https://jdlavoixcarli.com/blog/rec2-mrsunshine/#respond Thu, 14 Mar 2024 16:42:12 +0000 https://jdlavoixcarli.com/?p=8218 The Context 📚 This article is dedicated to a series of 28 practical exercises, one per article, consisting of applying a fluid and organic methodology which is : creating a story from a given visual, then impacting the art direction of the base visual, nuanced by the story thus created. It is an interdependent cycle generating […]

The post Building Stories and Images via Reciprocity-2: “Mister Sunshine” appeared first on Jean-Dominique Lavoix-Carli.

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Mister Sunshine – English and French Cover

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The Context

📚 This article is dedicated to a series of 28 practical exercises, one per article, consisting of applying a fluid and organic methodology which is : creating a story from a given visual, then impacting the art direction of the base visual, nuanced by the story thus created. It is an interdependent cycle generating the following creative flow: Basic Visual > Analysis and Psychological impact> Narrative reflection and Narrative design > Story > Improved Visual.

Through 28 concrete examples, and then 28 stories, I will present how a visual can inspire a story and how, in return, the story will guide the art direction to nuance the said visual. For it can improve the semiological atmosphere of the result of the narrative design, which is the Story.

I will also indicate how the differences in cultural context between the English version (or American) and the French version will slightly nuance the stories, mainly for the choice of the Title and Pitch. And, consequently, how these differences in titles will affect the final visual.

Usually, each of these articles would present TWO “back covers” of the same story as well as TWO “front covers” for each of the two languages ; but here, since the title stays the same for either language, there is only a single visual, albeit there are two “back covers” stories and pitches for either French and English version.

It is the reciprocity between Image and Story, Story and Image.

The Story (English Version)

Click to enlarge

Mister Sunshine

“Vengeance is a cold dish. Justice is a hot drink.”

Nick Flemmings is a biochemist.

Or, rather, a former biochemist since his company decided that he was too costly and that his attitude was too negative -according to the head of the “happiness department” of the said company.

Unable to find work -because of his negative attitude, according to his social helper- he found himself thrown out of his flat because of his bank accounts -which were also way too negative, according to his landlord.

Abandoned by his friends and his wife -who considered him too negative since he lost everything- he decided finally to embark on a trendy and very positive reconversion: the one of personal development and life coaching.

By studying the systems of traumas and their neurochemical actions on the brain, Nick invents a process that allows traumas to be chemically extracted from the human brain, to condense them into a liquid, then bottle them.

Very soon, his activity becomes a phenomenal success and people crave after his revolutionary process which makes people more and more happy and more and more positive, free of all their traumas. Everyone is wandering around with a beatific smile on their lips. Everything is very positive.

Having quickly become a billionaire, his old friends, his ex-wife, and even his old company suddenly find him way much more positive and attempt to reconnect with him. And this, in the hope that all his prosperous positivity will be shared with those who have always believed in him from the start…

Now, for Nick, two problems arise: first, how to express all his gratitude to his ex-country, his ex-wife, his ex-company, his ex-friends and his ex-supporters?

And, above all, what to do with all these bottles filled with traumas?…

The Story (French Version)

Click to enlarge

Mister Sunshine

“La Vengeance se mange froide. La Justice se boit chaude.”

Nick Flemmings est un biochimiste.

Enfin, un ancien biochimiste depuis que son entreprise a décidé qu’il coûtait bien trop cher et que son attitude était bien trop négative, selon la responsable du « département bonheur » de ladite entreprise.

Ne trouvant pas de travail, à cause de son attitude trop négative selon l’assistante sociale, il se voit jeté hors de son logement pour cause de comptes également trop négatifs, selon son propriétaire.

Abandonné de ses amis et de sa femme, qui le jugent trop négatifs depuis qu’il a tout perdu, il décide de se lancer dans une reconversion tendance et très positive : celle du développement personnel et du coaching de vie.

En étudiant les systèmes des traumatismes et de leurs actions neurochimiques sur le cerveau, Nick invente un procédé qui permet d’extraire chimiquement les traumatismes du cerveau humain, de les condenser en liquide, puis de les mettre en bouteille.

Très bientôt, son activité enregistre un succès phénoménal et les gens se disputent son processus révolutionnaire qui rend les gens de plus en plus heureux et de plus en plus positifs, débarrassés de tous leurs traumatismes. Tout le monde erre partout avec un sourire béat sur les lèvres. Tout est très positif.

Devenu rapidement milliardaire, ses anciens amis, son ex-femme, et même son ancienne entreprise le trouvent soudainement beaucoup plus positif et reprennent contact avec lui. Et ce, dans l’espoir que toute cette positivité sonnante et trébuchante soit partagée avec ceux qui ont toujours cru en lui…

Maintenant, deux problèmes se posent pour Nick : d’abord, comment exprimer toute sa gratitude envers son ex-pays, son ex-femme, son ex-entreprise, ses ex-amis et ses ex-soutiens ?

Et, surtout, que faire de toutes ses bouteilles remplies de traumatismes ?…

The Creative Process

Step 1: Analysis of the Picture

The basic visual – Click to enlarge

A-The emotional and psychological feeling

The proposed visual – before any graphic intervention – represents a close-up shot of a man in a modern dark gray suit, his hands are in his pockets and he is wearing a golden glittering tie. His face is not shown and the neutral background gives no indication of a specific location or spatio-temporal context.

There is a strong contrast between the character’s very classic attire and his very outrageous tie which conveys an opposite symbolism, forming the core visual interest of the image. We narratively deduce a form of excess, dream, provocation, ridicule or contradiction between a “general conformist system” opposing a “contradictory minority”.

B-The possible narrative symbolisms of the character

Depending on this first reading – and in a current modern context – several options are therefore possible, according to a non-exhaustive and non-exclusive list:

• The cold gray suit can evoke that of a trader or a businessman and therefore the world of finance. The gold tie can therefore evoke success, material wealth or the moral drift of one’s profession.

• This costume can also be that of a politician. The golden tie can evoke “smoke and mirrors” used to deceive one’s interlocutor or, conversely, the desire to bring “sun” to the citizens and people.

• The extremely monotonous and conformist appearance of the costume can symbolize the “ordinary life” of a routine from a life without surprises and without emotions. The golden tie could therefore evoke a desire to dream or escape towards a more “sunny” life, full of meaning. Unless it symbolizes a form of escape towards an artificial world like drugs or activities assimilated to “escapism”.

The character’s body language is also important: the man has his hands in his pockets, which can have several meanings:

• Is it a position of assurance and self-confidence, indicating success? Or even a posture of arrogance?

• Is it, on the contrary, a way of hiding one’s hands, as a defense tactic? Allowing him to hide a lack of self-confidence or emotional weakness that his hands might betray?

• Is this a way of hiding something that he would have inside his pockets, ready to use it when the time comes? In this case, what would this thing be and what motivation would guide its use?

Therefore, we have several avenues of interpretation of this visual, but to create a narrative interest which would go against stereotypical interpretations by a first reading, it is appropriate to both carry out the synthesis of all these elements, then to observe the richness of their contradictions, without being incoherent.

Step 2: Narrative Approach

A-Literary Genre

The most widespread approach in our current very materialistic and money-based Western socio-cultural context. Would be to treat only one of the narrative approaches cited above, namely:

• Financial success, which would lead to a type of “success story” – real (memoir) or imaginary (realistic novel).

• The mirage and the superfluous, which can cover genres such as fantasy, science-fiction, drama or fairytales.

• Escapism, which can mix all the genres mentioned above.

In order to create an emotional hybridization which would take on the “appearance” of the genres mentioned above before leading to a “hidden reality“, I therefore decided to develop first the plot on the themes Science Fiction, Satire and Social Fiction. But, later on, I will add a component of Vengeance, in order to be completely out of step with the aforementioned list, and then create an unexpected element of surprise.

B-The “bling” mirage…

To establish the initial context of the plot, I used the initial symbolic elements of “narrative appearance” transmitted by the basic visual: the success story (from nothing to everything), personal development and mirage.

By using the subjective approach of the unemployed person confronted with the cruel social reality of the world of work, I create an implication for the reader which allows him an identification with a well-known situation borrowed from Social Fiction. The resulting success story allows me to activate the leverage of the dream for a better life delivered “by magic” to arouse the reader’s interest.

The nature of the character’s profession allows me to lay the foundations of the science-fiction genre through biochemistry to be able to develop it later. Thus, the invention of “trauma in a bottle” allows me to make the link between the “success story” and “personal development”, creating another type of mental ideal, in addition to the material ideal of the success-story. Thus, creating the Mirage.

C-…and the “blood” reality.

The principle of “Mirage” having been established at start, I can then reveal the first elements of the plot which will arouse the interest of the reader by going against an utopian story appearing too perfect to be true.

The strong sarcastic tone employed from the beginning of the summary serves as an emotional guide for the reader to understand that “something is wrong” all along.

Indeed, by describing the utopian and futile pressure of a “perfect society that never makes a mistake” and by placing the “fault” on the protagonist, I create a cognitive empathy that develops between the reader and the character. I establish notions of injustice which can be understood by most of western readers, these will serve as a conclusion to the summary by setting out the premises of Vengeance.

The idea of “poetic justice” – where the victim uses the same weapons as his persecutors– allows us to explore many emotional routes with which the reader can identify, such as: injustice, social revenge, highlighting hypocrisy or administrative and sentimental manipulation.

The three initial themes of success-story, personal development and mirage are ultimately revealed to have been nothing more than pretexts for the real plot: Vengeance.

And by concluding the summary with the use of the science-fiction technology principle described at the beginning, I create a causal link loop by changing the destination of this technology. I change consequently the plot itself as well and I question the reader about its use, encouraging him to read the story to finally discover the true motivations behind the technology of “Trauma in a bottle”:

• Was it really supposed to help society?

• Did the protagonist initially develop it to heal himself?

• Am I making a symbolic allusion to a society that desperately wants to move toward happiness at the expense of reality?

• Am I referring to the “logistical problems” of storing toxic waste inherited from biochemistry – on a material or mental level? What repercussions would this “traumatic waste” have if it were released into nature?

• Was this “traumatic poison” created from the beginning by the protagonist only to satisfy his desire for revenge?

By leaving all these questions open, I instill an emotional and investigative tension in the reader and I therefore encourage them to read the story to satisfy these different narrative tensions.

D-The Title (French and English)

• The English and French titles are the same: “Mister Sunshine”. By creating a very theatrical, almost burlesque nickname, I form a cognitive caricature of an ideal and sublime character which could be borrowed from the world of the circus or superheroes. The protagonist literally claims to be a ray of sunshine for everyone: for society by ridding it of its trauma, for himself by achieving financial success and for all his relationships by forcing the line on the overused expression of “positivity” via the archetype of sunlight.

To avoid any confusion about the nature of the story, the subtlety of the reading of this title must therefore be counterbalanced: by strong visual signs through the graphic treatment of the cover, by the typography and as by the pitch itself. Doing so enables me to signal to the reader that “this is all too good to be true” and that “something is wrong”.

E-The Pitch (French and English)

The English Pitch is « Vengeance is a cold dish. Justice is a hot drink», the French pitch is « La vengeance se mange froid. La justice se boit chaude»  which has almost the same meaning. The literary expression “Vengeance is a dish best served cold” was used in the 18th century by the French writer Pierre Choderlos de Laclos for his famous work “Les Liaisons Dangereuses”, which also speaks of revenge and self-destruction.

I decided to develop this expression by qualifying it with my own plot, drawing a parallel between “what is eaten” and “what is drunk“, between Vengeance and Justice. In addition, I instill an allusion to the “liquid element” of the “trauma in a bottle” which is the technology that serves as the narrative pivot of the entire story.

The “hot/cold” opposition of the pitch allows us to evoke two complementary concepts: both a revenge carefully planned over time – the “cold”; but, also, a rage and an all-consuming resolve smoldering beneath the surface – the “hot”.

This also allows us to establish a moral and philosophical notion developed within the story: the blurred boundaries between Justice and Vengeance, whether personal or social.

F-Easter Egg Bonus: The names of Author and Publishing House

“Easter eggs” are very common in video games. This concept is a form of “private joke” hidden within the program which allows an allusion, a meme or a hidden message to be transmitted to those who know how to detect it. In this exercise and all the following ones, I use this playful semantics to “invent” an author name in relation with the story itself, as well as for the publishing house which is fictitious, according to the same principle.

• The author of this book is “Archie Ficial”, which is a pun on the word “Artificial” which evokes both the ephemeral pursuit of illusory desires instilled by the chemistry developed in the book, as well as the “fake” personality of the protagonist who pretends to be someone he is not.

• The publishing house “Actes Rudes” – means “Rough Acts” in French. This is a joke reference to Actes Sud (“South Acts”) which is a French publishing house based in the South of France. The homophony between “Rude” and “Sud” in French language allows us to make a pun on the “roughness” of the protagonist’s actions and motivations.

Step 3: The orientation of Art Direction for the Cover

A-Choice of picture enhancement

Important note : The original visual contained a graphic error: the lower part of the jacket revealed the end of the real tie of the man who served as the model and on which a “false golden tie” was placed. I therefore had to correct this error by removing the tip of the true tie to avoid a false reading of the final visual. It’s all in the details.

Once the story was designed, it was necessary to nuance the very “caricatural” initial visual by instilling
clues about the true nature of the story.

This is why I speckled the shirt of the protagonist (who represents Nick Flemmings) with a few blood stains. The pattern of these bloody traces should not be excessive or too “gory”. Actually, these traces had to be almost hidden by the golden tie, giving the impression that the protagonist had tried to hide them in a hurry after committing a crime.

Symbolically, it is the shimmer of the golden tie -and, therefore, the mirage and the success- which is used to conceal the crime.

B-Typographic choice

To complete the visual reading in order to form a cognitive reciprocity of meaning and understanding of the plot, I needed a very particular Typeface whose treatment would allow me to convey the quintessence of the story:

I opted for the Victorian Parlor Vintage Alternate.

Because this font has several characteristics specific to serving the multiplicity of themes addressed in the story:

• First, it is a typeface which mixes the properties of a Garalde serif -on its low-cases glyphs– whereas its upper-cases glyphs are almost borrowed to an English type manual script writing, each upper-case glyph being almost an illuminated letter.

It therefore makes the connection between a Classic and ordered aspect – evoking the integration of the Success-story element (classy, elegant, calm, respectable) with the Exuberant and fancy aspect of the illuminated aspect – evoking excess, illusion and mirage (convolutions, sinuosity, complexity, ramifications).

• This font is also slightly textured. It therefore evokes a form of authenticity and/or raw harshness capable of serving the implacable and sincere character of Vengeance’s approach, without being too apparent.

• Finally, this font has almost a “narrow” type structure, elongated vertically. This induces a form of elegant and elaborate structure serving a feeling of subtlety extending over time and the maturation of carefully crafted plans, rather than simple brute and immediate force.

• This vertical elongation can also evoke the pursuit of “high” and “abstract” goals rather than material and crude ones. It confirms the ultimate high ideal pursued by the protagonist such as Justice and Vengeance.

Regarding the graphic treatment of the typography, I replicated the glittery texture of the tie over the entire surface of the glyphs, in order to make the visual link between the tie and the title to initially produce the “miraculous character” effect from “Mister Sunshine”. As I added blood stains under the golden tie to evoke the hidden crime, I used the same principle for the title: I created a blood-colored splash gradient in the lower part of the title, to signify that all that glitters is not gold and that, definitely, something sinister is lurking beneath the glitter of the illusion.

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Related Links :

🇬🇧 The Biography of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos on Wikipedia

🇬🇧 “Actes Sud” publishing house on Wikipedia

🇫🇷 The Website of “Actes Sud” publishing house

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