Typography - Task 3: Type Design & Communication
Samuel Keane / 0376236
Task 3: Type Design & Communication
JUMPLINKS
3. TASK
LECTURES
There are no lectures.
INSTRUCTIONS
TASK
Week 7
Task 3: Type Design & Communication
1. Dissecting Letters
On this task, we were instructed to dissect the letter H, o, g, b from the selected 10 fonts provided. In my case, I chose to dissect the font Serifa Std 45 Light.
|
| Fig. 2.1.1, H, o, g, b dissection, (05/11/24) |
|
| Fig. 2.1.2, H, o, g, b, dissected, (05/11/24) |
2. Sketches
|
| Fig. 2.2.1, Initial sketches (scanned), (08/11/24) |
Week 8
3. Digitalization
After do some sketching and receiving feedbacks from Ms. Vitiyaa and some of my friends, I decided to digitalize my second sketch. The characters we were told to make are o l e d s n c h t i g , . ! #. Before working on Illustrator, I decided to make one final sketch on graph paper.
|
| Fig. 2.3.1, Last sketch before digitalization, (12/11/24) |
To begin with, I followed Mr. Vinod's tutorial video by matching the 500 x 500 box and the text "Tyd" to determine the x-height, ascender height, cap height, baseline, and descender height.
|
| Fig. 2.3.2, Creating guide lines, (12/11/24) |
I used a rectangle tool and make them rounded for each of the stems. I also used a lot of the curvature tool for rounded characters such as o, e, d, and so on. Moreover, I tried to be consistent for each of the character so I reused a lot of parts of existing shapes and merged them with a new one with pathfinder and the shape builder tool.
.png) |
| Fig. 2.3.3, Final result and outlines, (12/11/24) |
Week 9
After receiving feedbacks, I tried to change the final result to resemble the sketch more by making the typeface look more circular. I also made another font but decided to stick with the first one. Finally, I decided to name the font blorp.
.png) |
| Fig. 2.3.4, The other font, (19/11/24) |
|
| Fig. 2.3.5, Final result and outlines (revised), (19/11/24) |
Week 11
We were told to put the fonts we made on a software called Fontlab. However, before I put my finished font on Fontlab 8, I measured the size for every imaginary lines and optical adjustments. Here are the measurements I took.
 |
| Fig. 2.3.6, Font size measurements, (03/11/24) |
.png) |
| Fig. 2.3.7, Font size measurements, (03/11/24) |
Then, I adjusted the side bearings on each letters and punctuations. I followed the guide given on Microsoft Teams.
 |
| Fig. 2.3.8, Side bearing adjusting process, (03/11/24) |
Here are the measurements for each character.
 |
| Fig. 2.3.9, Side bearing measurements, (03/11/24) |
Week 12
4. A4 Poster
This week I started to work on the typography poster. With very limited characters, I came up with "I see the light shines on the design school!"
 |
| Fig. 2.4.1, Final A4 typography poster, (10/12/24) |
FEEDBACKS
Week 8
General Feedbacks
On week 8, we have to update our E-portfolio and work on the digitalization process of the text.
Specific Feedbacks
After texting Ms. Vitiyaa on Microsoft Teams during independent learning week, she approved my work so I can move onto the digitalization process.
Week 9
General Feedbacks
We need to tidy up our blog and fix minor mistakes (if there is any) to make it look perfect. One thing that Ms. Vitiyaa mentioned about the blog is also to keep it simple.
Specific Feedbacks
Although what I did was good already, The final result does not really resemble the sketch I made, so I need to redo the digitalization process.
Week 10
General Feedbacks
We were reminded to fix our blog if it is still incomplete. Also, we were encouraged to check on our peers feedbacks as reference.
Specific Feedbacks
Ms. Vitiyaa said that my blog looks nice and easy to follow, but I need to separate the tasks and instructions on the blog into 2 different sections.
Week 11
General Feedbacks
The finished fonts need to be put on fontlab. If done, we can move on to creating the A4 poster.
Specific Feedbacks
I showed Ms. Vitiyaa the 2 fonts I have made. She said she preferred my first font since it looked more unique compared to the first one.
Week 12
General Feedbacks
We need to finish the font and the A4 poster. Also, the blog has to be finished before next week's class.
Specific Feedbacks
I asked Ms. Vitiyaa whether it is fine to add shapes on the poster and she said only text, so I deleted the simple shapes I put on the poster.
REFLECTIONS
Experience
Out of all the task we have already done for typography, I enjoyed this task the most. What I find enjoyable is how we were allowed to use our creativity to write the letters and turning them digital. it feels very satisfying to me, especially the digitalization part. I also got to use some of the techniques and tools I have already learned from the other courses such as pathfinder, shape builder, and the knife tool. Working with fontlab is a little confusing at first, but after some time, I got used to it.
Observations
After observing and dissecting fonts for quite some time, I just discovered that every stroke, every line and curves on a single character of a type can be very complex and detailed. For example, When I was dissecting the letters H, o, g, b of Serifa, I did not realize that even the serifs on the uppercase H was uneven. Every strokes and shapes of these type are intentional and it is made like that for a more comfortable reading.
Findings
I kept designing generic looking fonts at first, but after some time I discovered ways to make a font look unique. However, the most important discovery I found within this project is when I was required to use my knowledge and utilize these technical skills for building the fonts.
FURTHER READING
How To by Michael Bierut
The book tells a lot about how we can use design to impact the world through many methods. Also, this book is not all about typography, it also tells a lot about graphic design, the philosophy behind it and so much more. This book is for anyone who are interested in being creative, problem-solving, and design.
In Chapter 1 of How to, Michael Bierut tells the reader that the idea of graphic design is a powerful tool for problem-solving, whether it’s for selling products or conveying messages. He explores how a design is capable to affect emotions and behavior. The book also emphasized that effective design goes beyond aesthetics, requiring a deep understanding of the audience, context, and goals, along with strong collaboration with clients.
Comments
Post a Comment