Bryan Bigham
Typesetter Interactive Website
2024
Project Overview
Typesetter is an interactive website prototype that reimagines the physical process of letterpress typesetting through playful digital design. Built using Rive and Illustrator, it focuses on rhythm, tactility, and spatial interaction to help users better understand where print design began. The project establishes the foundation for a larger experience through three fully designed and animated screens.
Concept & Interaction Design
The concept came together after a hands-on visit to RIT’s Cary Collection, where I learned to set type manually. Inspired by the tactile, methodical nature of the process, I set out to create a digital version that felt just as deliberate and engaging.
I focused on a key moment in the typesetting workflow: selecting and arranging individual letterforms. The interaction is framed around a user-generated phrase, which guides their letter choices and placement. While the interaction is not fully built out, the structure and intent are clearly defined across three core screens:
A splash screen to introduce the tone and purpose
A type case for selecting letters
A composing stick screen for arranging type
These visuals act as a proof of concept for how the full experience could feel, grounded in physical design but delivered through a clean digital interface.
Visual Direction & Prototyping
The site uses a minimal black and white visual system, echoing the organized nature of type drawers and the stark contrast of printed ink. All assets were created in Illustrator, then animated and composed in Rive to explore timing, flow, and interactive potential.
Designing directly in Rive allowed me to treat each screen as both layout and motion, combining UI, animation, and narrative in one space.
Reflection & Next Steps
This project pushed me to trust my instincts and learn new tools quickly. Teaching myself Rive in just a few weeks opened up new ways of thinking about animation and interactivity.
If I continue developing the project, I plan to:
Build the full letter selection and placement interaction
Add feedback animations and motion refinements
Expand the experience to include inking, printing, and resetting type
Even in its current state, Typesetter reflects how I approach digital storytelling: grounded in craft, curious in process, and driven by strong visual systems.