Freewrite approached me to create a new boot-up animation for two of their flagship E-Ink typewriters: the Smart Typewriter and the Traveler. The animation was developed to celebrate the launch of Sailfish, a complete firmware overhaul that brings a faster, smoother writing experience to both devices.
The aim of the animation was to "help you center yourself before your writing journey begins and celebrate what this update means for Freewriters."
Main animation
Requirements
The brief came with some unusual constraints due to the nature of a 6" E Ink display:
5 fps, a 1024 × 758 canvas, and a 16-level grayscale palette.
Instead of restricting the process, these limits brought clarity. With so little to work with, every pixel and transition had to be purposeful.
It was equally important that the boot-up sequence evoked themes of flow, calm, creativity, and inspiration. We settled on a "Writer's Journey" concept - showing the idea-to-creation process - to get the users in the right state of mind when sitting down to write.
From sketch to final design
The project led to a fun interview where Freewrite asked me about my creative process.
You can read it in the link below:
Visualizing the Writing Process: Working with Animator Mathias Lynge
Credits
You can read it in the link below:
Visualizing the Writing Process: Working with Animator Mathias Lynge
Credits
Astrohaus/Freewrite:
Annie Cosby
Adam Leeb
Annie Cosby
Adam Leeb