SELECTED WORK

RIMBAUD’S VOWELS

3D / ART DIRECTION

Five highlighters for the five vowels of a sonnet.

In 1871, Arthur Rimbaud wrote his sonnet “Voyelles”. Exactly one hundred years later, in 1971, the STABILO BOSS highlighter was invented.

A noir, E blanc, I rouge, U vert, O bleu. Animated loop.

“A noir, E blanc, I rouge, U vert, O bleu : voyelles,
Je dirai quelque jour vos naissances latentes :”

Arthur Rimbaud, “Voyelles”, 1871 — opening lines.

Étienne Carjat, Arthur Rimbaud, 1872.

A — Noir

A, noir corset velu des mouches éclatantes qui bombillent autour des puanteurs cruelles, golfe d’ombre ;

E — Blanc

E, candeur des vapeurs et des tentes, lance des glaciers fiers, rois blancs, frissons d’ombelles ;

I — Rouge

I, pourpres, sang craché, rire des lèvres belles dans la colère ou les ivresses pénitentes ;

U — Vert

U, cycles, vibrements divins des mers virides, paix des pâtis semés d’animaux, paix des rides que l’alchimie imprime aux grands fronts studieux ;

O — Bleu

O, suprême Clairon plein des strideurs étranges, silences traversés des Mondes et des Anges : — O l’Oméga, rayon violet de Ses Yeux !

02 / Five vowels

Each marker is a vowel and its colour from the sonnet. Its body carries the lines Rimbaud wrote for it.

The five markers in close-up. Video.

03 / A — Noir

The black marker carries the packaging: the title “Voyelles”, the sonnet’s first lines and a label linking the two dates.

Written 1871, Arthur Rimbaud, Charleville.
Art. № 1871 → Voyelles
Art. № 1971 → STABILO BOSS

04 / Rimbaud

Manuscript of “Voyelles”, signed A. Rimbaud.

Luque, Arthur Rimbaud, cover of Les Hommes d’aujourd’hui, no. 318, text by Paul Verlaine.

In the sonnet, each vowel has a colour. The markers take the colours as they are written: black, white, red, green, blue.

Caps off.

“— O l’Oméga, rayon violet de Ses Yeux !”

The last line of the sonnet, printed on O — bleu.

Technique: 3D modelling and rendering, animation, hand lettering

3D / Art direction

1871 → 1971

Rimbaud’sVowels

Five highlighters for the five vowels of a sonnet.

A noir, E blanc, I rouge, U vert, O bleu. Animated loop.

In 1871, Arthur Rimbaud wrote his sonnet “Voyelles”. Exactly one hundred years later, in 1971, the STABILO BOSS highlighter was invented.

“A noir, E blanc, I rouge, U vert, O bleu : voyelles, Je dirai quelque jour vos naissances latentes :”

Arthur Rimbaud, “Voyelles”, 1871 — opening lines.

Portrait photograph of the young Arthur Rimbaud.
Portrait photograph of the young Arthur Rimbaud.

Étienne Carjat, Arthur Rimbaud, 1872.

Five vowels

01

Each marker is a vowel and its colour from the sonnet. Its body carries the lines Rimbaud wrote for it.

The five markers in a stepped diagonal row: black, white, red, green, blue.
The five markers in a stepped diagonal row: black, white, red, green, blue.

A — Noir

A, noir corset velu des mouches éclatantes qui bombillent autour des puanteurs cruelles, golfe d’ombre ;

E — Blanc

E, candeur des vapeurs et des tentes, lance des glaciers fiers, rois blancs, frissons d’ombelles ;

I — Rouge

I, pourpres, sang craché, rire des lèvres belles dans la colère ou les ivresses pénitentes ;

U — Vert

U, cycles, vibrements divins des mers virides, paix des pâtis semés d’animaux, paix des rides que l’alchimie imprime aux grands fronts studieux ;

O — Bleu

O, suprême Clairon plein des strideurs étranges, silences traversés des Mondes et des Anges : — O l’Oméga, rayon violet de Ses Yeux !

The five markers in close-up. Video.

A — Noir

02

The black marker carries the packaging: the title “Voyelles”, the sonnet’s first lines and a label linking the two dates.

Two black markers, caps off, one printed with VOYELLES.
Two black markers, caps off, one printed with VOYELLES.

Written 1871, Arthur Rimbaud, Charleville.
Art. № 1871 → Voyelles
Art. № 1971 → STABILO BOSS

Rimbaud

03

In the sonnet, each vowel has a colour. The markers take the colours as they are written: black, white, red, green, blue.

Manuscript and caricature

Swipe →

Rimbaud’s handwritten manuscript of the sonnet “Voyelles”.

Manuscript of “Voyelles”, signed A. Rimbaud.

Caricature of Rimbaud building giant letters.

Luque, Arthur Rimbaud, cover of Les Hommes d’aujourd’hui, no. 318, text by Paul Verlaine.

The five markers scattered in mid-air with their caps off.
The five markers scattered in mid-air with their caps off.

Caps off.

“— O l’Oméga, rayon violet de Ses Yeux !”

The last line of the sonnet, printed on O — bleu.

Technique

3D modelling and rendering, animation, hand lettering

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