Gestualscript

Gestualscript is pursuing research to develop a visual representation of sign language, in order to foster the emergence of a writing system that recognises and embodies sign-language culture. Our research and systems explore the conditions required to replace the experience of the language in the act of writing. We are working with signers to develop a critical initiative rooted in experimentation and dialogue, focused on signs that make sense for us – designers and researchers – and them both, by enabling them to produce and interact with graphic forms that mirror the movements of their language.

Using our photocalligrahic system, we have been able to observe the emergence of a visual strategy among the signer/scripters who encounter a previously unseen form of their language. We developed a digital scriptural tool called Handline that extended this line of research to capturing the trace of movements. In Typannot, we then developed a typographic annotation tool for three sign-language components, based on scientific knowledge translated into a robust graphemic system.