25/09/2024 - 16/10/2024 / Week 1 - Week 4 Rio Sato / 0360530
Exercises 1 & 2
Advanced Typography / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylors University
Lectures:
Week 1 - Lecture 1
Advanced Typography: Typographic Systems
Typographic systems provide a sense of purpose that focuses and directs the decision-making.
Shape grammar is a set of shape rules that apply in a step-by-step way to generate a set, or language, of designs.
Fig. 1.1 Axial system (source: type 365)
Axial System: All elements are organised to the left or right of a single axis.
Fig. 1.2 Radial system (source: type 365)
Radial System: All elements are extended from a point of focus.
Fig. 1.3 Dilatational system (source: type 365)
Dilatational System: All elements expand from a central point in a circular fashion.
Fig. 1.4 Random system
Random System: Elements appear to have no specific pattern or relationship.
Fig. 1.5 Grid system (source: type 365)
Grid System: A system of vertical and horizontal divisions.
Fig. 1.6 Transitional (source: type 365)
Transitional System: An informal system of layered banding.
Fig. 1.7 Modular system (source: type 365)
Modular System: A series of non-objective elements that are constructed as a standardized unit.
Fig. 1.8 Bilateral system (source: type 365)
Bilateral System: All text is arranged symmetrically on a single axis.
WEEK 2 - LECTURE 2
Advanced Typography: Typographic Composition
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| Fig. 2.1 Principles of Design - emphasis |
Principles of Design Composition: Emphasis, isolation, repetition, balance (symmetry/asymmetry), alignment, perspective, rhythm, contrast.
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| Fig. 2.2 The Rule of Thirds |
The Rule of Thirds: A photographic guide to composition. The intersecting lines are used as a guide to place the points of interest, within the given space.
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| Fig. 2.3 Environmental grid, Typographic design: Form and communication (2015) |
Environmental Grid: Based on the exploration of an existing structure or numerous structures combined.
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| Fig. 2.4 Form and movement |
Form and Movement: Based on the exploration of an existing Grid Systems. The placement of a form on a page, over many pages creates movement. The forms could represent images, text or colour.
WEEK 3 - LECTURE 3
Advanced Typography: Context and Creativity
The first mechanically produced letterforms were designed to directly imitate handwriting. Handwriting would become the basis or standard for form, spacing and conventions mechanical type would try and mimic.
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| Fig. 3.1 Cuneiform c. 3000 B.C.E. |
The earliest system of actual writing, written from left to right and evolved from pictograms.
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| Fig. 3.2 Hieroglyphs |
- Ideograms, represent the things they actually depict.
- As determinatives to show that the signs preceding are meant as phonograms and to indicate the general idea of the word.
- As phonograms to represent sounds that "spell out" individual words.
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| Fig. 3.3 Letterforms through the ages |
Early greek (5th C. B.C.E.): Drawn freehand, not constructed with compasses and rules, and they had no serifs. In time the strokes of these letters grew thicker, the aperture lessened, and serifs appeared.
Roman Uncials: By the 4th century Roman letters were becoming more rounded, the curved form allowed for fewer strokes and could be written faster.
English Half Uncials (8th C.): In England, the uncial evolved into a more slanted and condensed form.
Carolingian Minuscule: Capitals at the start of a sentence, spaces between words and punctuation. It was this style that became the pattern for the Humanistic writing of the fifteenth century; this latter, in turn, was the basis of our lower-case roman type.
Black Letter (12-15 C. CE): Characterised by tight spacing and condensed lettering. Evenly spaced verticals dominated the letterform. Condensing line spacing and letter spacing reduced the amount of costly materials in book production.
The Italian Renaissance: Newly rediscovered letterforms Antica. The renaissance analysis of form that was being applied to art and architecture was directed toward letterform — resulting in a more perfect or rationalised letter.
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| Fig. 3.4 ‘Indian’ subcontinent the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) script (3500-2000 BCE) |
The oldest writing found in the ‘Indian’ subcontinent the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) script (3500-2000 BCE), is as yet undeciphered and seems to have been somewhat logo-syllabic in nature.
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| Fig. 3.5 Brahmi script (450–350 BCE) |
The earliest writing system developed in India after the Indus script. It is one of the most influential writing systems; all modern Indian scripts and several hundred scripts found in Southeast and East Asia are derived from Brahmi.
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| Fig. 3.6 Southeast Asia scripts, scripts of the communities that assimilated into Peninsula Malay communities. |
WEEK 4 - LECTURE 4
Advanced Typography: Designing Type
Type Design Process
1. Research
- Understand type history, type anatomy, type conventions and terminologies.
- Determine the type’s purpose or what it would be used for and what different applications it will be used in.
- Study existing fonts that are presently being used for inspiration/ideas/reference/context/usage pattern/etc.
2. Sketching: Traditional/digital
3. Digitisation
Professional softwares: FontLab and Glyphs App. Some designers also use Adobe Illustrator then only the specialised font apps. This however is frowned upon by the purist.
4. Testing
The results of testing are part of the process of refining and correcting aspects of the typeface. Prototyping is also part of the testing process and leads to important feedback. Depending on the typeface category (display type/text type) the readability and legibility of the typeface becomes an important consideration. However, it is not as crucial if the typeface is a display type, where expression of the form takes a little more precedence.
5. Deploy
Even after deploying a completed typeface there are always teething problems that did not come to the fore during the prototyping and testing phases. Thus, the task of revision doesn’t end upon deployment. The rigour of the testing is important so that the teething issues remain minor.
Typeface Construction
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| Fig. 4.1 Construction grid for roman capitals (8 x 8 cells) |
Using grids (with circular forms) can facilitate the construction of letterforms and is a possible method to build/create/design your letterform.
Construction and considerations
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| Fig. 4.2 Classification according to form and construction |
Different forms and constructions must be taken into account when designing a new type. An important visual correction is the extrusion of curved (and protruding) forms past the baseline and cap line (overshoot). This also applies to vertical alignment between curved and straight forms.
Fitting the type: A visual correction is also needed for the distance between letters. The letters must be altered to a uniform visual white space - the white space between the letters should appear the same.
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| Fig. 4.3 Ink traps |
Ink traps were generally used when printing on cheap absorbent paper and when printing is fast and not very precise. Excess ink gathers at the corners, but with ink traps the corners remain visible.
INSTRUCTIONS
Task 1: Exercise 1 - Typographic Systems
This exercise explores eight design systems in InDesign: Axial, Radial, Dilatational, Random, Grid, Modular, Transitional, and Bilateral. We'll use the content provided in the MIB. We're also required to watch the InDesign demonstration videos in the lecture playlist.
- Size: 200 x 200 mm
- Colors: Black plus one additional color
- Minor graphical elements
InDesign Progress
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| Fig. 1.1 The Creation Process for Several Systems |
Figure 1. 1 illustrates the creation process for several systems, including grids and guides.
All body text is set in 12-point type with 14.5-point leading. Title sizes vary. The color scheme consists of dark pink as an accent color, along with black and white.
In this exercise, I aimed to emphasize layout diversity. Consequently, each design attempt is distinctly different from the others.
Week 1 attempts
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| Fig. 1.2 Attempt #1 - Radial |
Attempt #1 - Radial
For my first attempt, I envisioned radial lines emanating from the top right corner. Creating a poster using the Radial system proved challenging, as it risked compromising the legibility of the information.
Font Used: ITC New Baskerville Std(Bold, Roman)
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| Fig. 1.3 Attempt #2 - Bilateral |
Attempt #2 - Bilateral
The linear symmetry of the letter arrangement resembles an exclamation point. It's crucial to distinguish between key points and information you want to emphasize.
Font Used: ITC New Baskerville Std(Bold, Roman)
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| Fig. 1.4 Attempt #3 - Axial |
Attempt #3 - Axial
By arranging the content chronologically, I effectively conveyed the duration of a schedule. However, I found the layout of this poster challenging.
Font Used: ITC New Baskerville Std(Bold, Roman), Bahnschrift (Bold)
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| Fig. 1.5 Attempt #4 - Modular |
Attempt #4 - Modular
Guide first and create the design while considering overall balance. I found it intriguing that the elements appeared scattered yet were arranged in a structured manner.
Font Used: ITC New Baskerville Std(Bold, Roman, Bold Italic), Bahnschrift (Bold)
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| Fig 1.6 Attempt #5 - Dilatational |
Attempt #5 - Dilatational
Creating a poster with curved letters in InDesign was a new experience for me. I found that adding curves to the design enhanced its fluidity. However, due to my inexperience with this technique, the final result felt somewhat ordinary.
Font Used: ITC New Baskerville Std(Bold, Roman)
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| Fig. 1.7 Attempt #6 - Random |
Attempt #6 - Random
Creating a poster using the Random System was surprisingly impactful. While it may appear chaotic at first glance, selecting keywords and varying their size and color creates the illusion of floating letters. This approach adds depth and visual interest to the design.
Font Used: ITC New Baskerville Std(Bold, Roman)
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| Fig. 1.8 Attempt #7 - Grid |
Attempt #7 - GridI established guidelines and aligned the text along them. By effectively utilizing left and right alignment, I managed to reduce the appearance of skewness in the text.
Font Used: ITC New Baskerville Std(Bold, Roman)
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| Fig. 1.9 Attempt #8 - Transitional |
Attempt #8 - Transitional
My goal was to create the illusion of floating letters, but upon reflection, I realized my initial arrangement was too orderly.
Font Used: ITC New Baskerville Std(Bold, Roman)
Final Task 1: Exercise 1 - Typographic Systems
Fig. 1.18 Final Task 1 - Exercise 1: Typographic Systems - PDF
Task 1: Exercise 2 - Type and Play
Part 1: Finding Type
For exercise 2 part 1, we are tasked to analyze, dissect, and identify potential letterforms (4 letters only) within a chosen image of a subject - organic or man-made.
- Uppercase or lowercase only
- Choose a reference typeface from the 10 typefaces
1. Chosen subject
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| Fig. 2.1 Chosen subject - plastic bag |
I chose this plastic bag as my project because I thought the crinkles and folds in the plastic create interesting shapes that can be interpreted as letterforms. Also, the malleable nature of the plastic allows for diverse letter shapes to be identified within its contours.
Letterform extraction
Fig. 2.2 Traced letters - M, U, L, P, R
From this image, I identified the letters M, U, L, P, and R.
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| Fig. 2.3 Extracted Letter Forms |
These letters were chosen based on their distinct shapes and how well they represented the organic forms found in the plastic bag.
2. Reference
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Fig. 2.4 Reference Font - Futura (Regular)
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I chose Futura as the reference typeface for this exercise. Futura's simplicity and clarity make it an ideal reference point for translating organic shapes into more defined letterforms. The font's circular shapes and straight lines complement the organic yet structured forms found in the crumpled plastic.
3. Digitalisation |
| Fig. 2.5 Process Work |
This is how I proceeded to create the font. It was difficult to keep the original characteristics and change the form to make it look like a font at the same time.
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| Fig. 2.6 Attempt #1 |
In my initial attempt, I strived to preserve the original forms as much as possible by trimming certain anchor points. However, the result still lacked the characteristics of a proper font. I realized I needed to infuse more typographic elements to achieve a font-like appearance.
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| Fig. 2.6 Attempt #2 |
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| Fig. 2.7 Font Edges - Attempt #2 and Reference Font |
As shown in Fig 2.7, for my second attempt, I incorporated specific characteristics from my reference font to create a sense of unity.
4. Characteristics studies
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Fig. 2.8 Charactarestics - Attempt #3 and Reference Font
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After modifying the font edges to sharper shapes that more closely resemble the reference image, I fine-tuned the typeface's characteristics.
5. Further refinement
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| Fig. 2.9 Further Progress - Attempt #3 |
During the week 3 feedback session, it was suggested that I add texture to the font to enhance its plastic bag-like quality. Following this advice, I traced highlight lines from the reference image and incorporated them into the previous version of the font.
Final Task 1: Exercise 2 - Type and Play
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| Fig. 2.10 Compiled process, Week 3-4 |
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| Fig. 2.11 Original extracted letterforms compared to the final type design, Week 4 |
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| Fig. 2.12 Final type design, Week 4 |
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| Fig. 2.13 Letters, Week 4 |
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| Fig. 2.14 Type showcase, Week 4 |
Fig. 2.15 Final Finding Type - PDF, Week 4
Week 2
General Feedback: In the feedback session for Exercise 1, we reconfirmed whether each system was correctly understood.
Specific Feedback: In particular, using fonts that are too large or colors that are too complex is risky, and how you use them is important.
Week 3
General Feedback: Keep the characteristics but change the shape of the other parts to create a united font.
Specific Feedback: Add patterns (wrinkles) to create a plastic bag look.
Week 4
General Feedback: We need to start task 2.
Specific Feedback: Complete Task 1 and upload my e-portfolio.
REFLECTION
Experience
This Type and Play assignment has been an enlightening experience in the world of typography and design. By exploring letterforms within an everyday object like a plastic bag, I've gained a deeper appreciation for the ubiquity of potential typographic elements in our surroundings. The process of extracting letterforms from the plastic bag image was both challenging and rewarding. It required a keen eye for detail and the ability to see beyond the obvious.
Observations
The iterative process of refining my letterforms was particularly valuable. Each attempt brought new insights and improvements. The feedback received during the Week 3 session was instrumental in pushing my design further. Adding texture to mimic the plastic bag's surface was a breakthrough moment, significantly enhancing the connection between the source material and the final typeface.
Findings
This assignment has not only improved my technical skills in type design but also broadened my understanding of typography as a whole. It has shown me that inspiration for new and innovative typefaces can come from the most unexpected places.
Overall, this exercise has reinforced the idea that typography is not just about legibility and aesthetics, but also about storytelling and capturing the essence of an object or concept through letterforms.
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| Fig. 3.1 7 Essential Typographic Layout Systems by Lucas Czarnecki |
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To gain theoretical and practical knowledge in Advanced Typography, I sought out a book related to this week's exercise.
Modular system: While people often associate modular layouts with grids, the two aren't inseparable. Modular layouts use repeating structures to break up content, and these structures can be virtually anything—shapes being the most common.
Consider using circles as modules. You can type inside them or create a series of radial or dilatational designs. Alternatively, try arranging your content in squares. It might resemble a grid, but that's fine. Feel free to experiment with different sizes and arrangements.
Your modules can be crafted from almost anything—any shape or layout. They're essentially mini-compositions that come together to form a larger composition.
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