Typography / Task 3: Type Design and Communication
21.10.2022 - 11.11.2022 (Week 8- Week 11)
Loke Yan Ling / 0344602
Typography / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Task 3: Type Design and Communication.png)
Figure 1 Guidelines
The guidelines are the basics of typography:- Ascender height
- Capital Height
- Mean/median line
- Baseline
- Descender line
Artboard settings: 1000 x 1000 points with CMYK
Notes:
- 500 pt of x-height
- Ascender and descender line must within the artboard
- Overshot: Optical/ Technical Reasons.
- Counter space: same amount of thickness between 2 stem/half size of a stem.
- Unite the basic shape with pathfinder before process to Fontlab 7/8.
- Unite the basic shape with pathfinder before process to Fontlab 7/8.
- Grayscale in poster
Instructions
Task 3: Type Design and Communication
1. Research
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| Figure 2.1 Ligatures 1 |
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| Figure 2.2 Ligatures 2 |
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| Figure 2.3 Ligatures 3 |
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| Figure 2.4 Paragraph of Germán article |
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| Figure 2.5 Ligature found in Australia |
I have attend a talk name "Go Glyphs" on 21st October 2022 which show us how you can do fonts and what fonts can do. I was inspired by the Ligatures (Figure2.1) and Figure 2.5. Thus, I added this into my sketches. Figure 2.1 let me feel like Chinese calligraphy. and the Figure 2.5 shows roman characteristic.
2. Sketches
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| Figure 3.1 10 minute sketch |
Mr. Vinod gives us 10 minutes to do a quick sketch on Adobe Illustrator. The sketch that I draw is really too conservative and lack of understanding on the typeface design. The bowls at the bottom should meet the stem quickly that means the curve part have larger thickness than the stroke that closer to the stem.
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| Figure 3.2 Sketches, Week 10 (27/10/2022) |
There are 5 sketches there. The first sketch is more like a combination of Chinese calligraphy and San serif. The second sketch is a San serif which have polygon shape at inner part. The thirds sketch also inspired by the Ligatures but not breaking apart, just added the stress on the the stoke but not all of it. The fourth sketch is more likely and Egypt font but in longer stem. The last sketch is a rounded San serif which does not have edges.
3. Identify and deconstruct references
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| Figure 4.1 Asymmetrical balance, Week 9 (28/10/2022) |
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| Figure 4.2 Deconstruct of Universe Lt Std, Week 9 (28/10/2022) |
After the feedback session of every Friday, Mr. Vinod is okay with my sketches and my decision of sketch 1 is approve. Out of the 10 typefaces, Univers LT Std 55 roman is my chosen reference. It looks similar to my sketch. I have noticed that capital "A" is asymmetrical balance which have thinner stroke on the left. It may seems nearly symmetrical but they are not.
4. Digitalize final font design
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| Figure 5.1 Build up guideline, Week 10 (4/11/2022) |
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| Figure 5.2 Digitize sketch 1, Week 11 (7/11/2022) |
Following the examples given int he demo video, construct a square with 500 pt x 500 pt, then pull the guidelines after command of ctrl + r. According to the reference chosen, set the cap line, ascender and descender. The baseline will be 0 pt and the x-height will be 500 pt. In Universe Lt Std, their capital is reach the ascender line. Construct the letter is a bot messy with the curve.
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| Figure 5.3 Outcome of digitize sketch 1,Week 11 (10/11/2022) |
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| Figure 5.4 Feedback session, Week 11 (11/11/2022) |
The feedback given is designs are unreasonable, like combining the San serif and serif. Mr. Vinod has show me a demo of how to construct the basic shape of letter G and K and give suggestion on how to construct the characteristic on the letter G.
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| Figure 5.5 Letter 'A', Week 11 (12/11/2022) |
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| Figure 5.6 Basic shape of letter 'G', Week 10 (6/11/2022) |
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| Figure 5.7 Basic shape of letter 'G' with median line, Week 10 (6/11/2022) |
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| Figure 5.8 Letter M, Week 11 (7/11/2022) |
I have picked San serif as my font design, but after I reconstruct I feel like I'm doing the same thing. I remain the letter G that I constructed and reconstruct all the letters again with the reference of the 4 serif typefaces, which are Bodoni Std, Bembo Std, Adobe Caslon Pro and ITC Garamond Std all in capitals.
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| Figure 5.9 4 serif typefaces reference, Week 11 (7/11/2022) |
I have noticed that all of them uses different thickness of stroke. Letter K upper stroke is thinner than the bottom part; letter 'M' is have a sequence of thin stroke then thick strokes, same as letter 'N'. Letter 'T' terminal is thinner than the stem which is mentioned by Mr. Vinod in class. Although there are different thickness stroke uses, but they are in equal weight. Thin stroke all in same weight and thick stroke in same weight which apply in all fonts. I decided to reconstruct the letter in Serif due to the characteristic I decided more likely suitable in Serif.
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| Figure 5.10 Letter 'A', Week 11 (7/11/2022) |
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| Figure 5.11 Letter 'K', Week 11 (7/11/2022) |
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| Figure 5.12 Construct process, Week 11 (8/11/2022) |
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| Figure 5.13 visualized the various punctuation signs |
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| Figure 5.14 visualized how the various punctuation signs |
The font are all designed without edges which is rounded to 10 pt. Letter 'A' take different options when rounding up the serif, they are rounded from left to right, which are 20 pt,40 pt,10 pt and 30 pt. The resources given by Mr. Vinod in Instagram is useful when constructing the punctuation, the punctuation should bigger the the period to prevent misreading both of them.
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| Figure 5.15 Progress Work, Week 11 (9/11/2022) |
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| Figure 5.16 Outcome, Week 11 (9/11/2022) |
I have private message Mr. Vinod to ask for feedback, but the typeface design look to similar to the 4 typefaces references so Mr. Vinod feedback is "distort the exists typeface is not allowed". I take a deep breath and abandon all the sketches I made, clear up my mind. However, I still like the letter 'G' i have constructed, so I play around with it. Then, I was inspired by the letter 'G' after tilted (stress) it.
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| Figure 5.17 Basic Shape of G, Week 11 (7/11/2022) |
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| Figure 5.18 Letter 'I', Week 11 (9/11/2022) |
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| Figure 5.19 Letter 'K', Week 11 (9/11/2022) |
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| Figure 5.20 Letter 'G' , the inspiration, Week 11 (9/11/2022) |
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| Figure 5.21 Letter 'A' asymmetrical balance, Week 11 (9/11/2022) |
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| Figure 5.22 Process work, Week 11 (9/11/2022) |
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| Figure 5.23 Process work 2, Week 11 (9/11/2022) |
The basic shape of every letter is constructed with tilted horizontal strokes, only letter 'A' and letter 'M' have one straight horizontal stroke. The serif is added and rounded up to the maximum between the space of serif and the stem only in inner part. The serif is short.
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| Figure 5.24 Outcome, Week 11 (9/11/2022) |
With feedback given, letter 'A' is adjusted wider, the middle part of letter 'M' is given more stress, and letter 'N' has exchange the thickness of stroke which make an equal weight of stroke in overall typeface. The serif of upper Letter 'T' stroke is tilted in the same way of the same to make it visual balance. The serif of hashtag is removed.
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| Figure 5.25 Outcome 2, Week 11 (11/11/2022) |
Measurements (from baseline)
Ascender: 846 pt
Capital height: 785 pt
Median: 500 pt
Descender: -293 pt
Ascender: 846 pt
Capital height: 785 pt
Median: 500 pt
Descender: -293 pt
Overshoot: 13.35+ 26.27pt (letter 'G')
Stem and gap: 141.22 pt width
Serif: 54.08 pt width
Crossbar: 107.87 pt (all letters)
Stem and gap: 141.22 pt width
Serif: 54.08 pt width
Crossbar: 107.87 pt (all letters)
5. Developing the final font in FontLab 7
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| Figure 6.1 Settings, Font info, Week 12 (16/11/2022) |
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Two poster to display the font are designed. The first poster is designed before I read the book of 'A Type Primer_2nd', it have mentioned different kinds of proportion, the most suitable proportion for this poster design is the golden section [a:b = b:(a+b)]. That's how the poster 2 design came from. I picked the poster 2 design as my final.
6. Final Outcome
Final Task 3A: Type Design and Communication
Font download:
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| Figure 7.1 Final Task 3: Type Design and Communication - JPEG, Week 11 (9/10/2022) |
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| Figure 7.2 Type Poster A4 - JPEG, Week 12 (16/11/2022) |
Figure 7.3 Final Task 3: Type Design and Communication - PDF, Week 12 (16/11/2022)
Figure 7.4 Type Poster A4 - PDF, Week 12 (16/11/2022)
FEEDBACK
Week 8 (Independence Learning Week)
Week 9
General Feedback:
Research, deconstruct one of the typeface you choose from the 10 typefaces then sketch. Week 10 needed to see the digitization of the for Task 3: a e t k g r i y m p n ! # , . (export jpg - all on one baseline)
Specific Feedback:
Okay, go for it.
Week 10
General Feedback:
Consistency (Equal weight & Visually Equal) have to be in your typeface design. Sutley, character, presence, legabilty and readability also required in the design. Genrerally, T upper line is thinner than the bottom line. The capital letter 'A' one side have thinner stroke. Letterform for serif should have thick and thin stroke. 4 submission of task 3 - the font(link), the image of font with baseline (300ppi), Screenshot in Fontlab with sentence type out and the poster. The words on the poster for your typeface design name should be in the 12 point size with Helvetica or Ariel.
Specific Feedback:
The design is unreasonable, like bear head with lizard body, reconstruct is needed. The gap is unnecessary, it is making a complicated design more complicated. Try to construct the basic shape of the letter first, then add on the characteristic at second stage.
Week 11
General Feedback:
Finalize the task 3 and go on to the the next stage Special Task). There is no delay for the deadline. Any edition or submission are not accepted after week 14. There will be 0 mark if you do so.
Specific Feedback:
The 'K' and 'G' is nice, 'M', 'N', 'P' and 'R' shall have equal thickness, Letter 'A' is narrow and working on the hashtag, too many weird things on it. Overall is elegant.
Reflections
Experience:
The task was a rollercoaster ride for me, starting off with a normal sketch phase. It was only during the digitisation that mistakes were pointed out and I lost my sense of direction. I found that I was too obsessed with large sizes and san serifs and I lost my creativity. But the most important thing is not to be discouraged, I kept trying and even though there was still a lot of room for improvement, at least I was moving forward. After this task, I understood that a good system is built up of many rules. These rules have been tried and tested by those who have gone before us, and they are there for us to use.
Observation:
My knowledge of fonts has increased a lot since the beginning of the term. Experimentation is more important than learning, and it is only through experimentation that I can imprint what I have learned in my mind. However, before practice, doing research is also a discipline that books can help with. Thanks to the resources provided by Mr. Vinod too.
Findings:
The book A Type Primer_2nd has helped me a lot in the design process in different ways, such as type font design and the layout.
Further Reading
A Type Primer_2nd by John Kane
Chapter3: Letters, Words, and Sentence
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| Figure8.1 Letter 'A' in Serif |
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| Figure 8.2 Letter 'A' in San serif |
It show the two forms of a relatively simple letter- the uppercase 'a', the two strokes are in different weights of the Baskerville form (Figure 8.1); The connection of serif to stem expresses a unique arc. The Univers form (Figure 8.2) may appear symmetrical, but a close examination shows that the width of the left stroke is thinner than that of the right stroke. Both demonstrate the meticulous care a type designer takes to create letterforms that are both internally harmonious and individually expressive.
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| Figure 8.3 Letter 'a' in Serif |
The complexity of each individual letterform is neatly demonstrated by examining the lowercase "a' of two seemingly similar sans serif typefaces - Helvetica and Univers. A comparison of how the stems of the letterforms finish and how the bowls meet the stems quickly reveals the palpable difference in character between the two.
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| Figure 8.5 Lowercase Letterform |
The x-height generally describes the size of lowercase letterforms. The curved strokes, such as 's', must rise above the median (or sink below the baseline) in order to appear to be the same size as the vertical and horizontal strokes they adjoin. Compare the 'a' in the large examples above with the 'o' and's! The latter two characters clearly seem too small, and bounce around within the perceived ×-height of the typeface, because they do not extend beyond the median or baseline.
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| Figure 8.6 Details of Linotype Didot Letterform |
Chapter 3; Type and Color
In addition to properties best discussed elsewhere
-hue, saturation, temperature
-each color has a specific value, a tone that describes the color's weight on the page as a percentage of black. Consider the color shown opposite, Pantone 032. Compare how the color meets black, white, and tints of black. It provides more or less the same contrast to white as to black, and neither advances nor recedes when seen next to a 50% screen of black. We can therefore describe it as having a gray value of approximately 50%. Understanding-being able to see gray value contributes significantly to readability in simple two-color' printing situations.
Here, simple contrast of scale, weight, and color is used to dramatic effect to demonstrate the idea of the statement.
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| Figure 8.7 Type and Color |
Chapter 4: Kinds of Proportion
A designer's first consideration is the size and shape of the page. Although practical limitations particularly economies of paper, often limit the designer's options. Remember that these
proportions -like so much else in typography and design in general are the result of direct observation of, and interaction with, the world around us.
The golden section
A dominant influence on the sense of proportion in Western art is the golden section. The term "golden section' describes a relationship that occurs between two numbers when the ratio of the smaller to the larger is the same as the ratio of the larger to the sum of the two. The formula expressing this relationship is a: b=b: (a+b).
The aspect ratio described by a golden section is 1:1.618. The golden section has existed as a model for proportion since classical times, employed by architects and visual artists in determining composition at all scales, from the shape of a page to the façade of a building. Its relation to contemporary graphic design, however, has become somewhat attenuated.
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| Figure 8.8 The Golden Section |
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