• Cartoon and Animation Studies
• /
• s.42
• /
• pp.241-262
• /
• 2016

British TV Channel 4 is one of the famous TV Channel in the world. Its station ID has also played a leading role in the developments of Motion Graphics including station IDs. This station ID's main visual design concept is its name and an iconic logo '4' at the same time. The first channel 4 station ID was designed by using modular typography to construct the iconic '4'. Modular typography is a technique of creating letters with similar elements. Channel 4's station ID was constructed from coloured polygons. The polygons split and converge at the same point in 3D space. Modularity in Channel 4's station ID is evidenced by the similar units of polygons. After the first station ID, Channel 4 was re-branded. Eventhough the station IDs which followed did not use coloured and geometrical polygons, modularity is seen in most of the station IDs especially between 2004 - 2011. In these station IDs, the iconic '4' is formed from similar natural and environmental objects like rocks, buildings, lights etc. In this analysis paper, there is a visual narrative on the history of Channel 4, the concept of modular typography in the original station ID and the application of modular typography in other Channel 4's station IDs.