Lyric Portrait
Print Design
Design Problem
The design problem was to create a lyric-based portrait that visually interprets the meaning and tone of a chosen song through expressive typography. The project explored how type can move beyond simple communication to become a key visual element that forms imagery and evokes emotion. Inspired by Billie Eilish’s What Was I Made For?, the challenge was to translate the song’s introspective lyrics into a cohesive and meaningful visual composition.
Concept Development
During development, I focused on how the flow, size and arrangement of text could replicate the soft contours of Billie’s face. I experimented with Illustrator techniques such as clipping masks, text wrapping and envelope distortions to shape the lyrics naturally within the portrait. Brush effects were used to enhance movement and rhythm, creating subtle tonal variations that mimic shading and depth. This process allowed the typography itself to express the song’s sensitivity and emotional nuance.
Design Solution
The final design features a typographic portrait rendered in soft pink and purple hues to represent the warmth and vulnerability within the song. The gradient tones enhance contrast while maintaining a gentle aesthetic that complements the emotional nature of the lyrics. By combining expressive typography with digital illustration
techniques in Adobe Illustrator, the final piece captures both the visual likeness of Billie Eilish and the delicate, reflective feeling of What Was I Made For?