Our exhibition design and wayfinding for film special effects artist Ray Harryhausen at the National Galleries of Scotland.

Harryhausen's work includes the films Jason and the Argonauts, the Sinbad films, One Million Years B.C. and Mighty Joe Young. The exhibition traces his creative process from preparatory sketches, through to model making and bringing characters and creatures to life.

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Our design evokes the drama of these creatures and Harryhausen’s creative invention. The typography echoes the hand-made and experimental process of his model-making — taking the basis typeface Titling Gothic and painting, tearing, crinkling and even taking a cheese grater to it! For the wayfinding, we create dramatic hints of creatures at the edges of the gallery space. These giant tentacles (It Came from Beneath the Sea), a many-headed Hydra (Jason and the Argonauts) and a scorpion (The Black Scorpion) reach into and roam the gallery while a series of skeleton soldiers subtly lead the way from room to room.

Architecture by Gibson Thornley.
Photography by Dapple Photography.