The Famous Macintosh Artist
The Famous Macintosh Artist
[Motion & Typeface Design]
[Motion & Typeface Design]
[Animation] [2025]
[Animation] [2025]
Overview
Overview
A narrative motion graphics sequence exploring Susan Kare’s contributions, with a focus on her Chicago typeface. The project uses diagrammatic visuals to communicate the typeface’s defining characteristics, design intent, and impact through storytelling.
A narrative motion graphics sequence exploring Susan Kare’s contributions, with a focus on her Chicago typeface. The project uses diagrammatic visuals to communicate the typeface’s defining characteristics, design intent, and impact through storytelling.
Process
Process
Researched Susan Kare and the Chicago typeface, scripted the narrative, experimented with typography, and animated visual elements to create an engaging motion sequence.
Researched Susan Kare and the Chicago typeface, scripted the narrative, experimented with typography, and animated visual elements to create an engaging motion sequence.
Softwares Used
Adobe After Effects
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Stock
Theme
Typeface Designer
Motion
Project Duration
6 weeks
Stage 01 :
Research
Stage 01 :
Research
I began by exploring Susan Kare’s life and career, with a particular focus on her breakthrough at Apple, where she designed iconic screen typefaces and graphics.
I began by exploring Susan Kare’s life and career, with a particular focus on her breakthrough at Apple, where she designed iconic screen typefaces and graphics.
She designed screen typefaces including Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and Monaco, shaping modern digital typography.
She designed screen typefaces including Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and Monaco, shaping modern digital typography.
Macintosh Era
Macintosh Era
Inspired by Chicago’s bold skyline, the typeface features heavy strokes and pixel-like outlines suited for low-resolution screens.
Inspired by Chicago’s bold skyline, the typeface features heavy strokes and pixel-like outlines suited for low-resolution screens.
Chicago Typeface
Chicago Typeface
Born in 1954 in Ithaca, New York, Susan Kare began in fine arts before her design career took off at Apple, where she became a Macintosh artist.
Born in 1954 in Ithaca, New York, Susan Kare began in fine arts before her design career took off at Apple, where she became a Macintosh artist.
Overview
Overview
Kare designed Apple’s early pixel icons, like the paint bucket and lasso, creating intuitive graphics that enhanced the Macintosh interface.
Kare designed Apple’s early pixel icons, like the paint bucket and lasso, creating intuitive graphics that enhanced the Macintosh interface.
Iconic Pixels
Iconic Pixels
Key typefaces designed by Kare
Key typefaces designed by Kare
TYPOGRAPHIC EXPERIMENTATION
TYPOGRAPHIC EXPERIMENTATION
TYPOGRAPHIC EXPERIMENTATION
TYPOGRAPHIC EXPERIMENTATION
TYPOGRAPHIC EXPERIMENTATION
TYPOGRAPHIC EXPERIMENTATION
TYPOGRAPHIC EXPERIMENTATION
TYPOGRAPHIC EXPERIMENTATION
TYPOGRAPHIC EXPERIMENTATION
TYPOGRAPHIC EXPERIMENTATION
TYPOGRAPHIC EXPERIMENTATION
TYPOGRAPHIC EXPERIMENTATION
TYPOGRAPHIC EXPERIMENTATION
TYPOGRAPHIC EXPERIMENTATION
TYPOGRAPHIC EXPERIMENTATION
TYPOGRAPHIC EXPERIMENTATION
Stage 02 :
Design development
Stage 02 :
Design development
After researching Susan Kare’s Macintosh-era work, I explored three visual directions through moodboards and translated pixel-inspired elements into the storyboard.
After researching Susan Kare’s Macintosh-era work, I explored three visual directions through moodboards and translated pixel-inspired elements into the storyboard.
Moodboard # 1
Retro look - vector form
Styleframe # 1
Retro look - vector form
Moodboard # 2
Collage style - bold, vector & pictures
Styleframe # 2
Collage style - bold, vector & pictures
Moodboard # 3
Line art - simple, clean form
Styleframe # 3
Line art - simple, clean form
Moodboard # 1
Retro look - vector form
Styleframe # 1
Retro look - vector form
Moodboard # 2
Collage style - bold, vector & pictures
Styleframe # 2
Collage style - bold, vector & pictures
Moodboard # 3
Line art - simple, clean form
Styleframe # 3
Line art - simple, clean form
Moodboard # 1
Retro look - vector form
Styleframe # 1
Retro look - vector form
Moodboard # 2
Collage style - bold, vector & pictures
Styleframe # 2
Collage style - bold, vector & pictures
Moodboard # 3
Line art - simple, clean form
Styleframe # 3
Line art - simple, clean form
Moodboard # 1
Retro look - vector form
Styleframe # 1
Retro look - vector form
Moodboard # 2
Collage style - bold, vector & pictures
Styleframe # 2
Collage style - bold, vector & pictures
Moodboard # 3
Line art - simple, clean form
Styleframe # 3
Line art - simple, clean form
Moodboard # 1
Retro look - vector form
Styleframe # 1
Retro look - vector form
Moodboard # 2
Collage style - bold, vector & pictures
Styleframe # 2
Collage style - bold, vector & pictures
Moodboard # 3
Line art - simple, clean form
Styleframe # 3
Line art - simple, clean form
Moodboard # 1
Retro look - vector form
Styleframe # 1
Retro look - vector form
Moodboard # 2
Collage style - bold, vector & pictures
Styleframe # 2
Collage style - bold, vector & pictures
Moodboard # 3
Line art - simple, clean form
Styleframe # 3
Line art - simple, clean form
Moodboard # 1
Retro look - vector form
Styleframe # 1
Retro look - vector form
Moodboard # 2
Collage style - bold, vector & pictures
Styleframe # 2
Collage style - bold, vector & pictures
Moodboard # 3
Line art - simple, clean form
Styleframe # 3
Line art - simple, clean form
Moodboard # 1
Retro look - vector form
Styleframe # 1
Retro look - vector form
Moodboard # 2
Collage style - bold, vector & pictures
Styleframe # 2
Collage style - bold, vector & pictures
Moodboard # 3
Line art - simple, clean form
Styleframe # 3
Line art - simple, clean form
[Explored 3 visual styles and developed styleframes to inform the final design]
[Explored 3 visual styles and developed styleframes to inform the final design]
STORYBOARD
STORYBOARD
STORYBOARD
STORYBOARD
STORYBOARD
STORYBOARD
STORYBOARD
STORYBOARD
STORYBOARD
STORYBOARD
STORYBOARD
STORYBOARD
Stage 03 :
Final Aninmation
Stage 03 :
Final Aninmation
I refined the storyboard into high-fidelity frames and animated the sequence, integrating sound effects and audio to produce the final animation.
I refined the storyboard into high-fidelity frames and animated the sequence, integrating sound effects and audio to produce the final animation.
STILL FRAMES
STILL FRAMES
STILL FRAMES
STILL FRAMES
STILL FRAMES
STILL FRAMES
STILL FRAMES
STILL FRAMES
STILL FRAMES
STILL FRAMES
STILL FRAMES
STILL FRAMES
Animation
Animation
The final design adopts Styleframe #2’s collage approach, using clean white and aged, crinkled paper textures to contrast and represent two different eras
The final design adopts Styleframe #2’s collage approach, using clean white and aged, crinkled paper textures to contrast and represent two different eras
ANIMATION ON SUSAN KARE
Stage 04 :
Reflection
Stage 04 :
Reflection
Reflecting on the design development and animation process, I gained a deeper understanding of motion design and the problem-solving required at each stage.
Reflecting on the design development and animation process, I gained a deeper understanding of motion design and the problem-solving required at each stage.
This project was my first real experience with motion design and working in Adobe After Effects. While the storyboard gave me a clear sense of the story flow, I quickly realised that finding the right images and vectors to match the visual style took much longer than I expected.
Adding animations brought its own challenges, I had to experiment with timing transitions, background changes, and zooms while keeping everything in sync with the audio. Adding sound effects was the most fun part, but also required a lot of trial and error to find what really worked.
Overall, this project helped me develop technical skills while also learning the patience, experimentation, and attention to detail required to create a cohesive and engaging motion piece.
This project was my first real experience with motion design and working in Adobe After Effects. While the storyboard gave me a clear sense of the story flow, I quickly realised that finding the right images and vectors to match the visual style took much longer than I expected.
Adding animations brought its own challenges, I had to experiment with timing transitions, background changes, and zooms while keeping everything in sync with the audio. Adding sound effects was the most fun part, but also required a lot of trial and error to find what really worked.
Overall, this project helped me develop technical skills while also learning the patience, experimentation, and attention to detail required to create a cohesive and engaging motion piece.