John Langdon '68 has published the second edition of
Wordplay : The Philosophy, Art, and Science of Ambigrams.
Langdon uses graphic design and fine arts to turn simple words into surprising logos and playful illusions. Ambigrams are words that can be read in different ways or from different angles. For example, the phrase "Truth & Beauty" in the illustration below looks the same even when the image is turned upside down:
See another example
As one of the foremost practitioners of a fairly obscure art form, Langdon remembers telling a friend, "I'm the best in the world at doing something no one gives a damn about." That changed when a little-known author named Dan Brown told Langdon that he'd like to feature ambigrams in a novel called Angels and Demons. Langdon created some spectacular examples for Brown to include, and Brown was so impressed that he named the book's hero Robert Langdon.
An English major at Dickinson,
Langdon teaches at the College of Media, Arts & Design at Drexel University in addition to his work in graphic design and fine art.
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