Advanced Typography - Task 1: Exercise 1 & 2

30/8/2023 - 24/9/2023, Week 1 - Week 5
Berlian Johanna / 0360054
Advanced Typography / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media (Hons)
Task 1: Exercise 1 & 2

L30/8/2023 - END DATE, Week 1 - Week 5

Ng Zheng Kai / 0359424

Advanced Typography / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media (Hons)

Task 1: Exercise 1 & 2

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Lectures
Week 1 - Typographic Systems

Typographic systems are rules that guide how text is presented in design. They help create a consistent and purposeful look.

Variations of typographical structures:

Axial System : Elements aligned to one side of a central axis create "asymmetry" in design, adding visual interest.

Fig 1.1 Axial System

Radial System : Elements radiate outward from a central point, it creates a sense of "radial balance" in design, emphasizing that central focus.

Fig 1.2 Radial System

Dilatational System : Elements expanding outward from a central point in a circular manner create "radial balance" in design, drawing attention to the central focal point.

Fig 1.3 Dilatational System

Random System : Elements that lack a specific pattern or relationship are considered "random" in design, often used to create a more casual or eclectic aesthetic.

Fig 1.4 Random System 

Grid System : A system of horizontal and vertical divisions is referred to as a "grid" in design. Grids help organize content and maintain visual consistency in layouts.

Fig 1.5 Grid Sytem

Transitional System : Informal layered banding is a design style with casually arranged elements using horizontal strips for a dynamic look.

Fig 1.6 Transitional System

Modular System : A series of non-objective elements constructed as standardized units form an abstract or non-representational composition.

Fig 1.7 Modular System

Bilateral System : When all text is symmetrically aligned along a single axis, it creates a "symmetrical balance" in design, with a sense of order and stability.

Fig 1.8 Bilateral System 

Week 2 - Typographic Composition

Principles of Design Composition: Emphasis, isolation, repetition, balance (symmetry/asymmetry), alignment, perspective, rhythm, contrast.

Emphasis : 

Fig 1.9 Emphasis

Rule of Thirds :

Fig 1.10 Rule of Thirds

Environmental Grid : 

Fig 1.11 Environmental Grid

Form and Movement :

Fig 1.12 Form and Movement

Week 3 - Advanced typography: Context and Creativity

Long ago, the first way people wrote things was by making their writing look like how they wrote with their hands. This way of writing by hand became the model for machines that wanted to copy it, like typewriters and printers.

Fig 1.13 Showing How Letters Have Changed Over Time

• Early Greek (5th century B.C.E.):
  Originally drawn by hand without compasses or rulers and without serifs. Over time, the letters became thicker, with smaller gaps, and gained serifs.
  
  
• Roman Uncials (4th century C.E.):
  Roman letters started to become more rounded, which made them quicker to write with fewer strokes.
  
  
• English Half Uncials (8th century):
  In England, the uncial script became slanted and condensed.
  
  
• Carolingian Minuscule:
  This style introduced capitals at the start of sentences, spaces between words, and punctuation. It served as a model for 15th-century Humanistic writing, which later influenced our lowercase Roman type.
  
  
• Black Letter (12-15th century C.E.):
  Known for tight spacing and condensed lettering, with evenly spaced verticals to save materials in book production.
  
  
• The Italian Renaissance:
  During this period, ancient letterforms (Antica) were rediscovered. The Renaissance's focus on form, previously applied to art and architecture, extended to letterforms, resulting in more refined and logical lettering.

Fig 1.14 The oldest writing in the Indus Valley is the "Indus Script."

Fig 1.15  Brahmi Script

• The Brahmi Script, which followed the Indus Script, was one of India's earliest writing systems. It had a significant impact on modern Indian scripts and influenced many scripts in Southeast and East Asia.

Week 4 - Advanced typography: Designing type

The process of type design:

Research

• Learn about type history, anatomy, conventions, and terms.
• Figure out what the font will be used for and where it can be applied.
• Look at existing fonts for inspiration, ideas, and context.

Sketching

• Using either traditional tools or via digital.

Digitisation

• Most professional designers use Fontlab or Glyphs.

Testing

• Testing helps improve the font, and prototyping gets valuable feedback. 
• Readability matters more for reading fonts, but display fonts prioritize style over readability.

Deploy

• Even after launching a finished font, there can be unexpected issues that weren't noticed during testing and prototyping. So, the need for revisions continues even after deployment. Thorough testing is essential to ensure these problems are minor.

Typeface constructions 

Fig 1.16  Construction grid for Roman capitals

Using grids (with circular forms) can facilitate the construction of letterforms and is a possible method to build/create/design your letterform.

 Fig 1.17 Classifications according to form and construction

The 26 letters of the alphabet can be grouped based on their form and style. One group includes capital letters (uppercase), and the other group includes lowercase letters

Fig 1.18 The letters "c" and "e"

Week 5 - Advanced Typography: Perception and Organisation

Contrast :

Fig 1.19 Contrast

There are several methods in typography to create contrast.

Size :

Fig 1.20 Contrast of Size

Size is a useful way to direct the reader's attention. When there's a big letter and a small letter, people tend to notice the big one first. This is often used by making titles or headings much larger than the regular text to make them stand out.

Weight :

Fig 1.21 Contrast of Weight

Weight refers to the thickness or boldness of a typeface, and it helps bold text stand out among lighter text in the same style. Aside from using bold type, you can also use lines, dots, or squares to create contrast and draw attention to specific parts of the text.

Structure :

Fig 1.22 Contrast of Structure

Structure refers to the distinct shapes and styles of different typefaces. For instance, you can have typefaces with uniform line thickness (monoline sans-serif) or those with decorative elements like serifs (traditional serif). It can also include variations like italics and unique styles like blackletter fonts.

Texture :

Fig 1.23 Contrast of Texture

By using differences in size, boldness (weight), style (form and structure), and applying them to a block of text on a page, you create what's known as "texture." Texture describes how the overall appearance of the text looks both up close and from a distance. It depends on the shapes of the letters and how they are organized within the text.

Direction :

Fig 1.24 Contrast of  Direction

Contrast of direction involves differences between vertical and horizontal elements and the angles in between. For example, turning a word sideways can significantly impact a design layout. Text blocks also have their own vertical (up and down) or horizontal (side to side) directions. Mixing wide blocks of long lines with tall columns of short lines can also create a contrast in direction within a layout.

Colour :

Fig 1.25 Contrast of  Colour

Using color can sometimes make a second color appear less prominent compared to plain black on white. So, it's important to carefully consider which element you want to stand out and how the colors you choose affect their visual importance.

Form :

Fig 1.26 Form

Form in typography refers to the overall appearance and style of the elements within a typographic composition. It's a crucial aspect that influences the visual impact and initial impressions. When typography has a good form, it captivates the eye, guides it through the content, engages the mind, and tends to be memorable.

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Instructions

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Task 1: Exercise 1 - Typographic Systems

For this exercise, we are to explore 8 typographic systems, which are axial, radial, dilatational, random, grid, modular, transitional, and bilateral. It must be done in Adobe InDesign using contents from the MIB. 

• Size: 200 x 200 mm
• Colours: Black and one additional colour
• Limited graphical elements

 

Fig 2.1 Axial Attempt (1)

 I made an effort to draw and focus the title by enlarging it substantially and giving it a noticeable slant to create a more pronounced visual impact.

Font Used :

Title: NewBaskervilleStd-Bold

Body Text :  NewBaskervilleStd-Roman

Fig 2.2 Radial Attempt

It's quite tricky for me to achieve a radial look as I encounter difficulty in pinpointing the precise angle required for that effect.

 

Font Used :

Title: UniversLTStd-Bold

Body Text : UniversLTStd-Roman

Fig 2.3 Dilatational Attempt

Coming up with the concept has been a bit challenging for me, so I decided to depict it as a set of stairs that resemble half circles.

Font Used :

Title: Futura Std-Bold

Body Text : Futura Std-Book

Fig 2.4 Random Attempt

I refers to the use of a variety of fonts, styles, and formatting techniques in a design or text to create an element of randomness or unpredictability.

 

Font Used : Most of the 10 fonts

Fig 2.5 Grid Attempt

I use a structured grid layout to organize and arrange text on a page or screen. It's a fundamental aspect of graphic design and typography that helps me to create a visually balanced and cohesive composition. 

Font Used :

Title: SerifaStd-Black

Body Text : SerifaStd-Roman

Fig 2.6 Transitional Attempt

I find it a bit difficult since it has to combining transitional fonts with other typefaces or designing an entire typographic system that includes headings, subheadings, body text, and other elements requires careful consideration.

Font Used :

Title: JohnTextLTStd-Bold

Body Text :  JohnTextLTStd-Roman 

Fig 2.7 Modular Attempt

I emphasizes the use of a systematic grid or module-based structure to organize and arrange text in a visually cohesive and structured manner. 

Font Used :

Title: BemboStd-BoldItalic

Body Text : BemboStd-Italic

Fig 2.8 Bilateral Attempt

Font Used :

Title: GillSansStd-Bold

Body Text : GillSansStd (Regular)

Fig 2.9 Final Design Task 1 (PDF)

 

 Fig 2.10 Final Design Task 1 (PDF) with guides

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Task 1: Exercise 2 - Type & Play

In Task 1, Exercise 2, our goal is to examine, break down, and spot five possible letter shapes in the chosen picture. These shapes will then be studied further and eventually transformed into digital form.

Finding the Image :

 

Fig 3.1 Chosen Image - Sea Fan Coral

I search the picture with unique features and branches for this assignment.

From using Google until Pinterest, I decided to use a coral image.

The letters I found are U, D, R , Y, F. Possible arrangement : FRUDY

Fig 3.2 Traced Letters (U, O, R, Y, F)

Fig 3.3 Extracted Letters ( FRUDY )

Fig 3.4 Extracted Letters Example Progress

Fig 3.5 Final Poster (JPEG)

Fig 3.6 Final Poster Design in PDF

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Honor Competition

In Exercise 2 Part B, we've been given the exciting opportunity to participate in the HONOR competition, which features a range of categories to choose from. I've personally selected the "Wallpapers" category for this endeavor, and within this category, there are two intriguing options: foldable wallpapers and regular wallpapers. Our creative task involves crafting a comprehensive visual design, generously sized at 6000 pixels by 3000 pixels. Notably, our challenge goes beyond static imagery; we're also tasked with incorporating an animated element into our design.

For my submission, I've chosen to embrace the spirit of October, often referred to as the "Spooky Month," by centering my design around the Halloween theme. I initiated the creative process by using Adobe Illustrator as my foundation, meticulously building the structure layer by layer. Once satisfied with the visual structure, I seamlessly transitioned to Adobe Photoshop to introduce the animation elements, bringing an added layer of life and dynamism to the final artwork. This fusion of software and creativity serves as the canvas for my imaginative exploration within the realm of Halloween-themed wallpapers for this competition.

The Results

Fig 3.7 Full Visual Design

Fig 3.8 Visual Animation

Fig 3.9 Wallpaper Design

Fig 3.10 Foldable Wallpaper Design

Halloween Themed

Titled "Halloween, the Spooky Month," this artwork depicts a captivating scene. On the left side, we see a witches brewing concoction, symbolizing the playful "tricks" associated with Halloween. Meanwhile, on the right side, there's a serene cityscape under the night sky. This composition highlights the duality of Halloween – a day known for its eerie aura, yet in society, it's a time when the spooky and fun elements come alive at night.

The underlying message here is simple yet delightful – let's relish the sweet tricks and treats of this enchanting month together.

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Feedback

Week 1 : 

• General Feedback :
  In the first meeting, our lecturer talked to us about a subject called "advanced typography." They explained what we will be learning in this module and gave us an overview of the topics they will be covering.

Week 2 : 

• General Feedback : 
  When using graphics, don't cover up the main words. Pictures should complement the words, not overpower them. Keep words in their space and leave some room for easier reading below them.
  
  
• Specific Feedback : 
  Axial : The white box line was too distracting, fix it. Grid : It doesn't shows I use and follow using column grid. Need to fix it too Transitional : The schedule make it more zig zag in order to make it look flow down. Fix it.
  
  

Week 3 :

• General Feedback : Making sure that when you extract letters from an image, they match the image's real look is super important. Instead of taking random stuff like cracks, we should pay attention to the main things.
  
  
• Specific Feedback : Use font reference. Dont change or modify the entire characteristic of the extracted font. Make all the letter consistent long same as the letter of "R" and pay attention with the thickness.

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Reflection

• Experience : 
  1st exercise, the lecturer asked us to design 8 differents of typographic systems. Which are axial, radial, dilatational, random, grid, modular, transitional, and bilateral. It must be done in Adobe InDesign using contents from the MIB. I got inspired by the design the previous senior created. At first, I didn't think my first attempt was very impressive, but my lecturer had a different opinion. They thought it was quite good and just needed some minor tweaks. Getting feedback boosted my confidence, and I'm now determined to improve upon my previous design. I really enjoy this subject because it involves experimenting, adding more functionality, and gaining knowledge.
  
  
• Observation :
   It's crucial to carefully arrange text using grids and guidelines. This helps achieve symmetry and a balanced layout. In the second exercise, I discovered how to recognize and design letters using ordinary, everyday objects.
  
  
• Findings :
  I learned to understand how to create designs using the 8 typographic systems and also improved my skills with Adobe InDesign. As for exercise 2, I discovered that maintaining consistency is key when shaping letters from specific patterns or shapes.

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Further Reading :

Fig 4.1 Typographic Systems - Kimberly Elam

Fig 4.1 The Introduction of Typographic Systems

Typographic systems are like design guidelines that help us create unique text layouts. Imagine them as the tools designers use to craft stylish text. These systems come in eight varieties, each with its own set of rules and specific objectives. These rules serve as a creative compass, guiding designers to produce visually captivating designs. Interestingly, it's the structure these rules provide that sparks designers' creativity, encouraging them to explore and innovate within these boundaries.

Fig 4.3 Visual Organization System

Understanding visual organization systems helps designers create more flexible and appealing designs. In the past, design was tied to strict grids, but now we have more creative options. The visual organ allows us to design using lines, circles, text, and more in various ways. It's all about making designs that are both efficient and visually engaging.