TYPOGRAPHY ✿ TASK 3: TYPE DESIGN & COMMUNICATION ✿
TYPOGRAPHY ✿ TASK 3: TYPE DESIGN & COMMUNICATION ✿
15.05.23 - 09.06.23
week 7 - week 10
✿ TAN JIA JIA 0350577 ✿
Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media
✿ LECTURES ✿
Please refer to Task 1.
✿ BLOG POSTS ✿
Task 1: Type Expression and Text Formatting
Task 2: Typographic Exploration and Communication
✿ RECAP ✿
During week 7, our module lecturer, Mr. Vinod, instructed us to bring 5
different writing tools with various nibs for an exercise in the next
class. This exercise serves as an introduction to Task 3, where we are
required to design a specific set of Western alphabets with certain
limitations.
A good font should have:
- Legibility
- Readability
- Presence
- Subtlety or character
During the class, Mr. Vinod introduced us to the concepts of baseline,
descender, cap height, and x-height in typography. The baseline is the
imaginary line upon which the letters sit, providing a consistent
horizontal alignment. The x-height refers to the height of lowercase
letters, specifically the distance between the baseline and the top of
lowercase letters like "x." Understanding these concepts is crucial for
creating harmonious and balanced typographic designs.
✿ INSTRUCTION ✿
Figure 1 Module Information Booklet
✿ DESIGN PROCESS ✿
1.0 RESEARCH
Figure 2.1 Research from the Internet.
Figure 2.2 Research from the Internet.
Figure 2.3 Cap-height, x-height, baseline, and descender.
Cap height -- refers to the height of
capital letters in a typeface, measured from the baseline to the top of
uppercase letters. It is important for alignment and scaling in
typography.
The assignment involved a series of exercises using five different writing
tools. The tasks included writing diagonal, horizontal, vertical, and
circular lines with each tool in five different ways.
As part of the assignment, we were tasked with writing the sequence "///\\\
_ _ _ OOO AOTMX" using the five different tools we had prepared. Each tool
was used to create a unique representation of the sequence, showcasing its
distinct characteristics and style.
X-height -- the height of lowercase
letters in a typeface, excluding ascenders and descenders. It impacts
legibility and serves as a reference point for the proportions of other
lowercase letters.
Baseline -- a horizontal line where
letters rest. It helps align and position characters for readability.
Descender -- refers to the
downward extension of certain lowercase letters below the baseline in
typography. It adds visual interest and requires careful spacing in
typesetting.
2.0 IDEATION
The tools I had chosen:
Figure 3.1 Caligraphy (3mm), Super Fine, Round, Standard Broad, Brush.
(from up to bottom)
Figure 3.2 "///\\\ _ _ _ OOO AOTMX" in different tools.
After completing the initial task of writing "///\\ _ _ _ OOO AOTMX" with
the five different tools, the next requirement was to write the letters "a e
t k g r I y m p n" in five different ways using each of the prepared tools.
This task allowed for further exploration of the tools' capabilities and
encouraged creative expression in representing the specified letters.
Figure 3.3 Caligraphy (3mm)
Figure 3.4 Super Fine
Figure 3.5 Round
Figure 3.6 Standard Broad
Figure 3.7 Brush
After using the five different tools to write "a e t k g r I y m p n" in
various styles, the next step was to choose one style from each tool. This
selection process involved deciding on the most visually appealing or
suitable representation for each letter using the respective tool.
Figure 3.8 Standard Broad, Super Fine, Round, Brush, Caligraphy (3mm).
(up to bottom)
Upon receiving feedback from Mr. Vinod, he suggested that I focus on
working with Caligraphy (3mm) from the options I had created. therefore, I
need to start practicing writing using Caligraphy (3mm).
Figure 3.9 Pratice on graph paper.
After attaining proficiency in writing using Caligraphy (3mm), I proceeded
to write formally on a new graph paper. To thoroughly evaluate the
options, I decided to write in both lowercase and uppercase styles. This
allowed me to compare the differences between the two cases and ultimately
select the final outcome that satisfied my preferences and met the desired
criteria.
Final Outcome
Figure 3.10 Final Outcome.
3.0 DIGITALISATION
After careful consideration, I made the decision to utilize uppercase letters for the digitalization process. This choice was influenced by my personal difficulty in writing the lowercase letter "a". To proceed with the digitalization, I opted to utilize Adobe Illustrator, a software known for its design capabilities, to create the uppercase letterforms in a precise and visually appealing manner.
Figure 4.1 Adjusting the layout.
Figure 4.2 creates cap height, x-height, baseline, and descender.
After creating the layout, Mr. Vinod provided guidance on arranging the
cap height, x-height, baseline, and descender within the design. To
accomplish this, we were instructed to use the ruler tool in Adobe
Illustrator by pressing (command + R). With the ruler tool activated, we
needed to click and drag a line from the ruler located above the
layout.
Figure 4.3 Process creating the letters.
During the process, I adopted a meticulous approach by copying and pasting
each step I completed. This method allowed me to ensure that I was
executing the steps correctly and provided the flexibility to revert back
to a previous step if needed. By maintaining a record of my progress
through the copy-and-paste method, I had the freedom to experiment and
make adjustments while maintaining a safety net to backtrack if necessary.
Figure 4.4 Brush to adjust the details.
After being satisfied with the letters I had created, I proceeded to
utilize the brush tool recommended by Mr. Vinod to fine-tune the details
of my letters. This allowed me to refine the letterforms and make them
closely resemble the ones I had written on the graph paper.
Figure 4.5 Fine-tone the details.
Figure 4.6 minus front (pathfinder).
Figure 4.7 Final Outcome of Digitization.
After receiving feedback from Mr. Vinod, he suggested that I make changes
to the position and angle at which I write the letters so that they appear
consistent and belong to the same font family. Additionally, he
recommended using Adobe Illustrator to implement these changes instead of
redoing them on paper.
After making changes to the original font I created before, Mr. Vinod started requiring us to finalize the letterforms and also to create ", . ! #".
After making changes to the original font I created before, Mr. Vinod started requiring us to finalize the letterforms and also to create ", . ! #".
Figure 4.8 Sketches
Figure 4.9 After finalized.
Figure 4.10 font.
Ascender: 704
Cap Height: 605
X Height: 409
Descender: -239
4.0 Development in Fontlab
Figure 5.1 Importing letters to FontLab.
Figure 5.3 Kernign for all letters.
After finalizing the adjustments for all the letters, I proceeded to
export the font and downloaded it onto my laptop. With the font now
available, I could begin working on my poster design using Adobe
Illustrator.
Figure 5.4 Export the font from FontLab.
5.0 Poster Design
After downloading the font I created, I started using ChatGPT to generate
words that can be created using these letters. By interacting with
ChatGPT, I can gain creativity and inspiration for my next steps in the
design process. ChatGPT provides various possible combinations of words,
helping me explore the potential relationships between letters and the
creative use of language. This approach provides new ideas and directions
for my design process.
Figure 6.1 Words given by ChatGPT.
By using these words, ChatGPT created various short sentences for me, and
I started using those short sentences to design a poster in Adobe
Illustrator.
Figure 6.2 Poster Design using the font I created.
After receiving feedback from Mr. Vinod, I realized that I had created the
poster incorrectly. It became evident that the font should have been
consistent in terms of size throughout the design. As a result, I need to
start over and redo the entire poster to ensure uniformity in the font
size.
Figure 6.3 New poster design.
After presenting my poster design to Mr. Vinod, he made some improvements
to one of my posters, enhancing its overall appearance. He also emphasized
the importance of maintaining the same font size for the hashtag and
suggested that I consider removing it altogether. This way, I could focus
solely on refining the title for a more impactful design.
Figure 6.4 Improvement for the poster design.
Due to the improvements made by Mr. Vinod, I have started working on a new
poster design focusing on those improvements. One crucial aspect
emphasized by Mr. Vinod is that the spacing between the words must be
consistent throughout the design.
Figure 6.5 Poster design.
6.0 Final Outcome
Preview of the font:
A downloadable link to the font:
Final project:
Figure 7.1 Type Design and Communication "Typera CY" in JPEG.
Figure 7.2 Screen grab of "New Metrics Window" with sentence.
Figure 7.3 Poster Design in JPEG.
Figure 7.4 Poster Design with background in JPEG.
Figure 7.5 Type Design and Communication "Typera CY" in PDF.
Figure 7.6 Poster Design in PDF.
Figure 7.7 Poster Design with background in PDF.
✿ FEEDBACK ✿
Week 8
General Feedback: The letters should be written out instead of
designed, and it is important that all the letters are properly aligned
on the baseline. Once the letters have been chosen, begin practicing by
writing them in the designated style.
Specific Feedback: Regarding the alignment of the letters g, y,
and p, which were not sitting on the baseline as desired. They were also
advised to refer to the type anatomy, specifically for the letter t,
with a suggested height of 5 units. To address this, I was instructed to
practice writing in the designated style, focusing on achieving proper
alignment and proportions. They were encouraged to continue practicing
to improve their letterforms and identify the best letters for
digitization in the future.
Week 9
General Feedback: The key points to remember are that images
should be scaled up or down while maintaining their proportions. Strokes
of letters can be duplicated and reused, instead of redrawing them
continuously. It's advisable to finish all letters, compare the strokes,
and convert them into shapes. Regularly creating backups is crucial to
avoid losing progress.
Specific Feedback: Ensure consistent position and angle for
letterforms when writing. Practice improving alignment and maintaining
uniformity. Pay attention to the positioning and angle of each letter.
Regular practice will help achieve consistent and well-aligned
letterforms.
Week 10
General Feedback: Ensure controlled and complete digitalized
letters with consistent angles for vertical, horizontal, diagonal, and
curved lines. Research similar fonts on "Google Fonts" for inspiration,
but don't copy directly, learn from them to create your own unique
letterforms.
Specific Feedback: Ensure they are consistently positioned
and aligned with the baseline. Practice and improve your lettering
technique to address any inconsistencies or deviations. Pay attention to
letter positioning, size, shape, and alignment for better consistency.
With regular practice and attention to detail, you can create
well-formed and aligned letterforms.
Week 11
General Feedback: Exercise caution in maintaining the width
contrast in letterforms, ensuring that the exclamation point transitions
from thick to thin rather than remaining the same width throughout.
Please watch the video that Mr. Vinod shared with us on how to create
the characters ', . ! #', before attempting to create them.
Specific Feedback: My font lacks a consistent baseline and
does not appear to be finalized. It would be beneficial to refer to
Google Fonts as a reference to make further improvements to my font.
Additionally, it is important to make them appear as if they belong to
the same font.
Week 12
General Feedback: Taking notes on what Mr. Vinod said during the
class and immediately working on the tasks afterward would be
beneficial, as it helps us avoid missing or forgetting important
information. Additionally, it is important to maintain a consistent font
size throughout the poster design.
Specific Feedback: The font sizes I used in the poster
design were inconsistent, resulting in the initial poster not being
successful. After making the necessary changes, Mr. Vinod pointed out
that the text "#TRYMAKINGART" should also be in the same font size. He
further suggested deleting the hashtag to avoid consuming excessive
space.
✿ REFLECTION ✿
Task 3, which is our final task, is where we have become familiar with
typography and have a general understanding of what kind of design Mr.
Vinod is looking for. This allows us to approach this task more easily.
In Task 3, we are required to create our own font. I am particularly
interested in this task because it seems simpler to me compared to
drawing characters. We need to use different pens to create different
fonts. Of course, in this task, everyone's designs will be different
because we all have our own handwriting styles, and we cannot refer to
other students' designs. Through this process, I have gained a deeper
understanding of various fonts. The lecturer also took this opportunity
to introduce us to "Google Font," a website that offers a wide range of
different fonts. Additionally, we need to learn how to use "FontLab."
Although I was unable to download FontLab successfully on my MacBook, I
can use it in the Design Lab provided by the school, which allows me to
have a better visual experience and create my font more
meticulously.
Observation
Observation
During this process, I discovered that creating a font is not a simple
task as it involves repetitive actions. Many aspects need to be
adjusted, such as Ascender, Capital height, Median, Descender, Baseline,
Kerning, etc. To ensure that I didn't mix them up, I conducted various
researches. Additionally, when creating fonts, we must ensure that they
appear as one cohesive typeface rather than having different designs for
each letter. Otherwise, it would be different types of fonts instead of
the same typeface. This could confuse users as to why there are
different letter designs within the same font. Apart from making them
look like the same typeface, we also need to ensure that the font
remains readable in a creative manner. In conclusion, we need to invest
more thought into our creations.
Finding
Through task 3, we can understand the immense importance of type design
and communication in visual communication. Typefaces are not just
aesthetic choices but powerful tools that convey meaning, evoke emotions,
and enhance the overall readability and accessibility of written content.
Effective typography guides readers through information, establishes
visual hierarchy, and contributes to brand identity. It plays a
significant role in creating engaging user experiences and preserving
cultural and historical contexts. By employing thoughtful and strategic
type design, we can elevate the impact and effectiveness of written
communication in various mediums, fostering understanding, connection, and
effective visual storytelling.
✿ FURTHER READING ✿
Figure 8.1 Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers,
Editors, & Students
Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors,
& Students" by Ellen Lupton is a widely acclaimed book that serves as
an essential resource for anyone interested in typography and its
application in design and communication.
Figure 8.2 different typeface.
Comprehensive coverage: "Thinking with Type" covers a broad range of topics related to typography, including letterforms, type classification, grid systems, hierarchy, legibility, spacing, and typographic composition. It explores both traditional print typography and digital typography for screens and devices.
Historical context: The book provides a historical perspective on typography, tracing its evolution from ancient writing systems to modern digital fonts. It highlights significant typefaces, influential designers, and key moments in the history of typography, giving readers a deeper understanding of the subject.
Figure 8.3 example from "Thinking with Type".
Interactive exercises: "Thinking with Type" includes interactive exercises and projects that encourage readers to apply the concepts they learn. These exercises help develop a practical understanding of typography and allow readers to experiment with type in various contexts.
Contemporary relevance: The book explores the impact of digital technology on typography and the challenges and opportunities it presents. It discusses issues such as web typography, responsive design, and designing for mobile devices, keeping the content up-to-date with the changing landscape of typographic design.
Figure 8.4 Example from "Thinking with Type".
Figure 8.5 "Thinking with Type".
"Thinking with Type" is renowned for its clarity, accessibility, and the depth of knowledge it provides. It is widely used as a textbook in design and typography courses and is equally valuable for designers, writers, editors, and anyone interested in the art of typography. It encourages readers to think critically about type and its role in effective visual communication.
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