Advanced Typography Task 1

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25.09.2024--16.10.2024 (WEEK 01-04)

LEBON STEPHANIE AMELIE JUDITH  0362853

Advanced Typography / Bachelor of Design ( Honors) in Creative Media/ Taylors University

Task 1 Exercises:

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

  • Lecture.
  • Instructions.
  • Exercise 1.
  • Exercise 2.
  • Feedback.
  • Reflection.
  • Further reading.

LECTURES

Week 1:
In week 1 lecture I learned about the 8 Typographic Systems:
  • Axial: all elements are organized to the left or right of a single axis. 
    Fig 1.1 Axial System.
  • Radial: all elements are extended from a point of focus.
    Fig 1.2 Radial System.

  • Dilatational System: all elements expand from a central point in a circular manner.
    Fig 1.3 Dilatational System.

  • Random System: elements appear to have no specific pattern or relationship.
    Fig 1.4 Random System.

  • Grid System: a system of vertical and horizontal divisions.
    Fig 1.5 Grid System.

  • Transitional System: an informal system of layered banding.
    Fig 1.6 Transitional System.

  • Modular System: a series of non-objective elements that are constructed in as a standardized unit.
    Fig 1.7 Modular System.

  • Bilateral System: all text is arranged symmetrically on a single axis.
    Fig 1.8 Bilateral System.
Week 2:
In week 2 we learned about Typographic Composition.
Types of Typographic Composition:
  • Principles of Design Composition: Emphasis, isolation, repetition, symmetry, asymmetry, alignment and perspective.
  • Rule of Thirds (not often used in typography).
  • Typographic Systems (Refer to Week 1 ).
  • Environmental Grids
  • Forms and Movement ( based on the exploration of Grid Systems).
Fig 1.9 Rule of Thirds.



Fig 1.10 Environmental Grids.

Fig 1.11 Forms and Movement.

Week 3: 
Context and Creativity.
Handwriting is the first mechanically produced letterform, the basis for form, spacing, and conventions (mechanical type will try to mimic).
Fig1.12 Evolution of Latin Alphabet.

Fig 1.13 Egyptian Writing System.

The Egyptian writing system was a mix of rebus and phonetic characters, the first link to a future alphabet system. 
Potential to be used:
  1. Ideograms
  2. Phonograms (indicate the general idea of the word)
  3. Phonograms (represent sounds of words)
 Fig 1.14 Evolution of Middle Eastern and Chinese Alphabet.

Week 4:
Designing Type
Reasons to design another typeface:
  • type design carries a social responsibility.
  • a form of artistic expression.
Process of Type Design:
  • Research: you must understand type history, type anatomy, type conventions and the terminologies( side-bearing, metric, hinting..). You need to choose the type's meaning and examine existing fonts for ideas.
  • Sketching: you can either sketch manually (pen and paper) and then digitalize or sketch on a digital tablet ( both methods have pros and cons).
  • Digitization: using FontLab, Glyphs, and Illustrator. Attention is also given to counter form ( readability).
  •  Testing and Prototyping.
  • Deploy: this still needs to be revised.
 Fig 1.15 Typeface Construction

"Designing a Typeface is a labor of love" - Vinod Nair

INSTRUCTIONS



EXERCISE 1

Week 1:
Before starting anything in In Design I made some sketches on Procreate on my I Pad to give me an idea of the composition I want to use for all 8 systems.
Fig 2.1 Composition Sketches.

After the sketches I watched the video tutorial on modular systems and many tutorials on YouTube to become a lot more familiar with In Design.
I started to play around In Design and started making the 8 system.
I decided to not use a accent color as nothing I tried fit and made the deigns too busy so i stuck to black and white as I felt that it showed more of the compositions.

Fig 2.2 First Draft of the 8 systems
Week 2:
During class I posted the first draft in the Facebook for Mr. Vinod to give me feedback and he said only my random system needed it to be changed as it was not random but rather just busy and bold. So I started from scratch on a new random system.

Fig 2.3 Re-done random system.

Fig 2.3 Final Draft of the 8 systems.

Final 8 Systems of Exercise 1:
Fig 3.1 Final  Axial System

Fig 3.2 Final Radial System.

Fig 3.3 Final Dilatational System.

Fig 3.4 Final Random System.

Fig 3.5 Final Grid System.

Fig 3.6 Final Modular System.

Fig 3.7 Final Transitional System.


Fig 3.8  Final Bilateral System.



PDF with Gridlines.


PDF without Gridlines.

EXERCISE 2

Week 2: 
To begin with exercise 2 I needed to decide on the image I wanted to extract my letters from. I decided on a picture I took in Turin, Italy during Summer break 2024.


 Fig 4.1 Building with old Italian architecture, Turin 2024.

Using the details in the arches and columns I want to extract a few letters.

Fig 4.2 Extraction.


Fig 4.3 Trial 1
Week 3:

I started all over again with similar extractions but a different concept this time using the lines in the arches after hearing Mr. Vinod's feedback.

Fig 4.4 Example Mr. Vinod gave in class.

Fig 4.5 Trial 2.

After creating my 5 letters I edited the picture in Lightroom to start making my poster.

Fig 4.6 Editing in Lightroom.

After editing in Lightroom I exported the picture into Illustrator to continue making the poster. I used the Italian flag colors for bottom wording and added a wall texture to the title.

Fig4.7 Editing in Illustrator.

Week 4:
Fig 4.8 Editing in Illustrator.
After listening to Mr. Vinod's feedback I  changed the layout, removed the busy elements, and switched the typeface.

Final of Exercise 2 Type and Play:

Fig 5.1 Final Extraction.

Fig 5.2 Final Movie Poster.

Final of Exercise 2 Type and Play (PDF):






FEEDBACK

Week 4: Specific: Change the typeface and layout of the movie poster
General: Finalize the e-portfolio using the layout Mr. Vinod gave us.

Week 3: Specific: Rework the typeface by using all the lines I can see in the arches.
General: Update the e-portfolio and identify design language not just forms from extraction.

Week 2: Specific: Only my random system needed to be changed as it was not random but rather just busy and bold
General: Update the e-portfolio and continue the task.

REFLECTION

Experience: 
Quite a compact start to this module, I feel like its done this way to get us into the workflow and make more time for other task that will likely be a bit heavier in content and requirements. Exercise 1 had more content but was all made using premade fonts so was more of just composition. Exercise 2 has less content but more complex work such as observing, extracting and reconstructing.

Observations:
Knowing the rules and consistencies of making a typeface is very important such as the measurements the anatomy of letter faces. Following references and instructions is also very important but the most important thing to know when doing this task is getting feedback and sleeping on ideas so you can judge them again the next day.

Findings: 
Using the lectures and other given material such as further reading I was able to understand and learn how to use the typographic system to create compositions and even if you are following the rules you can create an original composition as there are still so many possibilities. I also learned when using an image extraction to make a typeface I do not just use the forms but also some other design elements that have the same design language as the extraction so I can make my typeface resonate with my image even more

FURTHER READING

Finding Type: A Novel Typographic Exercise by Vinod Nair.

This blog was a useful resource for exercise 2 as it provided a step-by-step guide to how to proceed with exercise 2. I used this article as a guideline as I was going on with exercise 2.


 Fig 6.1 Steps that are given.
To summarize these steps:
  1. Find an image that has a strong and consistent character ( not too many different elements)>
  2. Break down the image ( crop, outline and observe)>
  3. Using the breakdown search for letterforms or shapes that can be used to create letter forms.
  4. Extract the letterforms you have found
  5. Find a typeface that you want to use as a reference to merge and find the correct sizing and spacing of each character.
  6. Sort of merge the reference and extractions to get the best of both worlds ( keeping the idea and some parts of the extraction whilst having consistent height/width and contrast)
After following these given steps and some of the images Vinod Nair provided producing exercise 2 became much simpler.
Fig 6.2 Images Vinod Nair provided.

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