ADVANCED TYPOGRAPHY | FINAL PROJECT
Yeoh Xiao Shi (0331577)
Advanced Typography
Final Project - Design, Exploration & Application
LECTURE
Lecture 9 : Typographic Perception & Organisation
22/10/18 (Week 9)
This week, another group were assigned to conduct a lecture on Typographic perception and organisation. They have explained on different typographic variables that will affect the reader's perception which include form and content, gestalt psychology, layout as well as creating a visual hierarchy.
From the lecture, I got to understand that form refers to the style, techniques and media used while content is a work's subject matter and both of them are used to complement each other when applying in typography. Gestalt is the way that a thing has been placed together and it emphasised the whole of anything is greater than its parts. Besides that, there are total 9 was of perceptual organisation which consists laws of similarity, law of continuity, law of pregnant, law of proximity, law of closure, law of symmetry, law of common fate, law of common region and law of past experience. For layout, it is said to be the overall appearance and arrangement of the page. It can be created with spacing, grids, balance, bullet and number lists as well as the figures and tables. Lastly, visual hierarchy is used to provide a visual guide to the organisation. Without hierarchy, the letters, words and sentences would all look identical. This makes the readers can't scan the content and read easily.
From the lecture, I got to understand that form refers to the style, techniques and media used while content is a work's subject matter and both of them are used to complement each other when applying in typography. Gestalt is the way that a thing has been placed together and it emphasised the whole of anything is greater than its parts. Besides that, there are total 9 was of perceptual organisation which consists laws of similarity, law of continuity, law of pregnant, law of proximity, law of closure, law of symmetry, law of common fate, law of common region and law of past experience. For layout, it is said to be the overall appearance and arrangement of the page. It can be created with spacing, grids, balance, bullet and number lists as well as the figures and tables. Lastly, visual hierarchy is used to provide a visual guide to the organisation. Without hierarchy, the letters, words and sentences would all look identical. This makes the readers can't scan the content and read easily.
Here is the compilation of the slides for this week lecture below.
Embedded PDF of week 9 lecture slides.
Lecture 10 : Typography in Different Mediums
29/10/18 (Week 10)
This week, my group were asked to present a lecture on Typography in Different Mediums. Our topic included print and screen type as well as static and motion typography. From the research, I got to have a better understanding on the difference between print and screen type, static and motion typography as well as to look at some interesting examples of typography in different mediums.
Here is the compilation of the slides for this week lecture below.
Embedded PDF of week 10 lecture slides.
Lecture 11 : No Lecture ( E-Learning Week)
05/11/18 (Week 11)
Since this week is an e-learning week, there was no any lecture being conducted. Instead, we will need to work on our final project remotely from home.
Lecture 12 : Colour in Typography
12/11/18 (Week 12)
In this week class, we got a lecture about colour in typography on different mediums which include signboard, poster, title and web. Through this lecture, I got to know that the use of colour is important to the effectiveness of a sign. The designers have to choose the colour wisely when designing the sign as it is important to let the readers see and understand the messages at a distance. One of the first considerations to choose the right colour combination is the level of visibility that will be created. It can be created by using a light colour font with dark colour background or a dark colour font with light colour background. Choosing the right colour will help to improve a customer's brand perception as well as to evoke the right associations.
Besides that, colours also play an important role in poster design. It shall be use to capture attention and highlight important information while preventing from disturbing the viewer's sight. It has been suggested to choose either in neutral or perhaps with one bolder colour is used as less is more. Next, colour was used to make a title or heading stand out and create typographic hierarchy. It set the mood for designs and make the text stand out when you make it right. Lastly, I got to learn on the function of colour for web typography. How these colour are used will affect how the visitors feelings when they visit your site. Thus, it is vital to choose the colour correctly. The experts have suggested to work with the simple colour combination, neutral colour combination or use neutral colour for background and dark colour for text.
Embedded PDF of week 12 lecture slides.
INSTRUCTIONS
FINAL PROJECT
Design, Exploration and Application (Week 9 - Week 13)
Week 9 (22/10/18)
This week, we were given a brief on our final project which we can choose to develop a font that is intended to solve a larger problem or to be part of a solution in the area of our interest or explore the use of typeface in the area of interest, understand its existing relationship, identify areas that could be improved as well as to explore possible solutions and combinations that may add value to the existing typeface.
To start off this project, I went through the examples and start thinking what I could do for this project. At last, I decided to go with experimental typography.
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| Fig.1.1: Examples of experimental typography. |
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| Fig.1.2: Examples of experimental typography. |
Week 10 (29/10/18)
As for my idea, I'm thinking to relate typography with collage art which is the thing I'm always interest in. Collage is a technique used to result the artwork in which pieces of paper, photographs, fabric and other ephemera arranging and stuck onto a supporting surfaces. Based on my study, most of the typography collage are just the letter cut and paste from magazine and newspaper but there are still some letters created by the method of collaging. Therefore, I think there are still some room for me to develop and create a typeface that could be used in the collage art with the method of collaging.
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| Fig.2.1: Example of collage art. |
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| Fig.2.2: Example of typography collage. |
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| Fig.2.3: Example of typography collage. |
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| Fig.2.4: Example of typography collage. |
Week 11 (05/11/18)
Since this week is an E-learning week, we have to continue our work remotely from home. I started to sketch out the design of the typefaces and tried to collage it with magazine and some papers. However, the result doesn't turn out like what I think. Initially, my intent is to create the typefaces that could be used in collage art but the result ended up like I'm too focus on the way to create a typefaces without thinking for its solution.
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| Fig.3.1: Sketch. |
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| Fig.3.2: Sketch. |
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| Fig.3.3: First try out. |
In this week class, I got to show my idea to Mr Vinod and I was told that I have to be clear on the problem that I want to solve and create a solution for it or either enhance it to be better. Thus, I would need to do more researches and find something that I think I could solve. After researching, I found that typography play an important role on signboard for the driver to read quickly from long distances. The figures below showed the comparison between script font and highway signage font used on the signboard. In this context, the script font is said to be a bad typography as the driver could have a hard time to read it. Hence, the findings showed that legible is important when designing a typeface for road signboard.
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| Fig.4.1: Comparison of highway signage font with script font. |
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| Fig.4.2: Different typefaces used on the road signs of different countries. |
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| Fig.4.3: Different typefaces used on the road signs of different countries. |
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| Fig.4.4: Typefaces that used on Malaysia road signs. |
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| Fig.4.5: Typefaces that used on Malaysia road signs. |
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| Fig.4.6: Road sign in Malaysia. |
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| Fig.4.7: Process of enhancing the typefaces. |
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| Fig.4.8: Process of enhancing the typefaces. |
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| Fig.4.9: Road sign with the typefaces after enhancing. |
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| Fig.4.10: Example of batik. |
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| Fig.4.11: Example of batik. |
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| Fig.4.12 : Example of batik. |
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| Fig.4.13: Example of batik. |
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| Fig.4.14: Sketches. |
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| Fig.4.15: Process of extracting the letters from the motif of batik. |
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| Fig.4.16: Letter "M", "A", "L","Y","S"&"I". |
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| Fig.4.17: Process of refining the letters. |
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| Fig.4.18: Process of refining the letters. |
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| Fig.4.19: Final outcome of letterforms after refining. |
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| Fig.4.20: Process of adding the motif of batik to the letterforms. |
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| Fig.4.21: Process of adding the motif of batik to the letterforms. |
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| Fig.4.22: Final outcome of letterforms after adding the motif of batik. |
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| Fig.5.1: Final outcome of letterforms |
FEEDBACK
Week 9
General Feedback : When designing the second medium, we have to use the key artwork in different ways like extracting some parts of it or break it but maintain the consistency of it with the poster.
Specific Feedback : Mr Vinod told me to break the key artwork and play around with it so that it will not looks like copy and paste.Week 10
General Feedback : In this week class, my group got to give a presentation to the class. During the presentation, we were told to make sure the video we included in Google slide is always public. Overall, Mr Vinod said we did a good job on our presentation and it is also good that we included video in the slides.
Specific Feedback : I did not received any specific feedback since I'm still in the progress of researching.
Week 11
General Feedback : No general feedback given since we did not have class this week.
Specific Feedback : No specific feedback given since we did not have class this week.
Week 12
General Feedback : Before submitting the poster for our project 2, we were remind to write our name, student ID and contact at the back of the frame.
Specific Feedback : I was told that I have to be clear on the problem that I want to solve and create a solution for it or either enhance it to be better.
Week 13
General Feedback : We were told check all the posts for our e-portfolio and make sure we updated follow the format. When talking about lecture in the blog, we were told to briefly explain what is about in either paragraph or bullets. For the instructions, we will need to make sure it is the latest version. As for the image of the process, it is better to upload in JPEG rather than PDF. While the final piece should be in both JPEG and PDF. Besides that, we were also to print out all the final outcome for each exercise and project as the final submission. All of the artworks should include name. student ID as well as the date in 7 points, Helvetica and placed 10mm from the bottom.
Specific Feedback : Mr Vinod commented that the letters look fine but he asked to me to change the design from colours to black and white. Also, I would need to update the process on how I designed the letterforms in my blog.
REFLECTION
Experiences :
Week 9 : After finalising the collateral for project 2, we were then introduced to our final project. I got to go through some examples with the link provided in MIB as well as to find some visual reference online by myself.
Week 10 : In class, I continue to look for the idea of my final project and I'm thinking to relate typography with collage art.
Week 11 : This week is an E-learning week. Thus, I start to sketch and make some try out to see how my idea works.
Week 12 : My previous idea doesn't achieve the requirements for this project since I'm no clear with the instructions. Thus, I continue to do more researches and found something that could be solve or enhance. At last, I decided to enhance the typefaces for the road signs in Malaysia. Throughout the progress, I did not manage to create the typeface effectively so I have to rework with another idea again.
Week 13 : In this week class, I got to show my design to both of the lecturers. With the feedback received, I have to change the design from colours to black and white.
Observations :
Week 9 : It is interesting to look at all the experimental typography which is totally different from the print typography.
Week 10 : I observed that most of the letters used in collage art is just cut and paste from the magazine and newspaper. Hence, I am curious whether I could explore to create a typeface by collaging it with magazine and other paper.
Week 11 : I realised that I focus too much on the way to experiment the typefaces with different mediums rather than thinking how it could work in the real life. Thus, there is no meaning behind it.
Week 12 : Throughout the study, I got to observe the typefaces used on the road sign not only Malaysia but other country as well. I also got to noticed that every country using different typefaces on the road sign but Highway Gothic and Transport is the most commonly used typefaces. As the idea doesn't work effectively, I got to rethink and rework with another idea for my final. From my observations, the tourism logo that used to promote Malaysia doesn't really reflect the culture of Malaysia. Hence, I'm thinking to combine one of the art in Malaysia with the letterforms.
Week 13 : I realised that I have to design the letterforms in black and white first to see the overall structure and composition before moving to apply colour.
Findings :
Week 9 : I found that this project is consider challenging for me as it is not easy to form an idea when I have to consider for the problem and its solution.
Week 10 : I found difficulties when looking for the idea so I try to look for more references.
Week 11 : I'm lack of confidence when doing this project as I think I did not manage to understand the requirements well. Thus, I decided to give it a try for my first idea and see how it works before thinking another one.
Week 12 : I found that the legibility of the typefaces on the road signs are important. There are a lot of things that need to be considered while designing the typefaces for the road signs like differentiation between the letters, stroke width, open counter of the letters, x-height and more.
Week 13 : I found that this project was not my strength and there are still a lot of things I need to learn as to improve myself. As I used up too much of time for the idea formation, I ended up to complete my final project in rush. Although the result wasn't that good, but I still manage to learn something through all the explorations that I have done.
FURTHER READING (WEEK 9 - WEEK 13)
Week 9
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| How to Use Type By: Marshall, Lindsey, Meacham & Lester |
This week, I read about colour and movement from this book. The authors claimed that the used of imaginative colour on the type or its background can add the impact and meaning to the designs. The colours interact and react with each other like some work together and some fight each other and cancel each other out. So, considerations are needed when choosing the colours for type. In addition, background and any images also have to be considered when using as they will affect the colours used for the type. The way that colours work together may also affect the legibility of the type. However, some designers choose to make legibility difficult to grab audience's attention to the content. Besides that, the authors also discuss on how to make the most of colour like defining hierarchy, to create balance or contrast and to refer to the symbolic properties of certain shades with examples.
While for movement, the authors claimed that the term movement can mean actual moving type, either through animation on screen or means of mechanism to make physical, printed type alter in some way as well as how to create the illusion of movement in a static piece of printed work. The authors have given each example for the animated type on paper and screen. For animated type on paper, it is one of the simplest methods of simulating movement which produce a paper animation by placing a series of pictures in each page of a book that change gradually from the first to last page. For animated type on screen, sophisticated software that enable the designers to experiment with moving type for a range of screen-based contexts, from smartphone apps to TV ads have been used recently. It is said that the type designers basic principles of legibility and readability should not be forgotten although the production of moving type entails the acquisition or specialist technical or software skills. Other than that, movement can be also created or implied in a static type by the way the type is positioned in relation to the audience's viewpoint. This can be done by experiment with combinations of typefaces, point size, and type families.
Week 10
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| Typography Referenced : A Comprehensive Visual Guide to the Language, History, and Practice of Typography By: Haley, Allan |
From the chapter of contemporary usage, the authors claimed that the new generation of typographers have deliver the fonts at an alarming pace. As a result, the designers have a multiplicity from which to choose and they take greater liberties with letterforms, modifying them often with abandon, yet sometimes with great care. For centuries, type has been used for communicative, expressive, educational, and entertainment purposes. Contemporary designers continue this traditions, albeit through different approaches, technology, and aesthetics. Form may follow function and type can become an image. No matter what, the readers will still seek out the information and clarity, sometimes wanting merely visual entertainment and in some cases, wanting a spectacle instead of a message. In the book, the authors also included some examples of the inspirational ways that designers have used type as a primary means of design, an end unto itself-type as image, type as word, type as the ultimate communicator, from a and faction rolled into one.
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| Design/Type : A Seductive Collection of Alluring Type Designs By:Paul Burgess, Tony Seddon |
"Less is so much more." The author had discussed on minimal type in the first chapter of this book. He claimed that it doesn't mean he is not trying hard when he said less, but he is trying to make things simple. This isn't as easy as it sounds, because we have to make layouts say more at the sane time. He also said that the navigable qualities of any layout are just as important as the quality of the styling or the choice of typeface. It is true to say that it takes skill and practice to select the perfect typeface that completely captures the essence of the project and speaks directly to the readership, but it's a skill that most manage to master a respectable level.
Other than that, he also suggested some ways that can be used when striving for simplicity. Typographic hierarchy is said to be one of the greatest assets available to designers wanting to create clear navigation through a layout without having to coax too much effort from the reader. Another way is to pare down the range of typefaces and use contrasting weights from within a well populated typeface family as well as to use a coherent set of geometric forms from within a single typeface. Thus, the reader can scan the text and recognise those forms from one word to the next easily. The author has also included different examples at the end of this chapter.
Other than that, he also suggested some ways that can be used when striving for simplicity. Typographic hierarchy is said to be one of the greatest assets available to designers wanting to create clear navigation through a layout without having to coax too much effort from the reader. Another way is to pare down the range of typefaces and use contrasting weights from within a well populated typeface family as well as to use a coherent set of geometric forms from within a single typeface. Thus, the reader can scan the text and recognise those forms from one word to the next easily. The author has also included different examples at the end of this chapter.
Here are some of the examples below :
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| Fig.1.1: Example of the used of minimal type. |
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| Fig.1.2: Example of the used of minimal type. |
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| Fig.1.3: Example of the used of minimal type. |
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| Type, Form & Function : A Handbook on the Fundamentals of Typography By : Jason Tselentis |
This week, I read the chapter about experimentation from this book. It is said that type can be rendered with nearly anything that the mind imagines. For example, food, gum, architecture, bacteria, or hair. And when physical media are combined with digital media, the possibilities expand even further. Some designers pay tribute to their favourite typefaces in doing these experiments while others prefer to render something new. Ultimately, this work helps the designer to explore alternative methods, processes and media for rendering typography that may contribute to work done for the clients. Different interesting examples of the experiment typography were also showed in the book for the readers to have better understanding on it.
Week 13
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| The Typography Idea Book : Inspiration from 50 Masters By : Steven Heller & Gail Anderson |
Hand lettering : It has increased the popularity among the designers and students over the past two decades. The current approach is not precisionist custom lettering but rather illustrative, interpretive and expressive characters created more often by illustrators than by type-designers or typographer. Th results are usually interpretive copies of antique or vintage commercial typefaces. It can be created with any method, from illustrative to calligraphic and any combination thereof.
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| Fig.5.2 : Example of hand lettering. |
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| Fig.5.3: Example of brush scrawl. |
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| Fig.5.4 : Example of custom letters. |
Logo type : It is said to be a challenge for a typographic logo designer to develop a letter or word-mark that are able to distinguish from the others as all of us in the West using the same Latin alphabet. Thus, typographic logo designers have to explore and create the characteristic that might lead to a successful coupling. The authors have included one of the logo design by Seymour Chwast who use a single letter to represent the product's distinct personality. The examples were shown in the image below.
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| Fig.5.5: Logo type design by Seymour Chwast. |
Blackboard : It was a tool for the speakers to perform using chalk drawings and writings as visual aids. Chalk is usually used for a slew of illustrative lettering and stylised scribbles.
Vector : A type made of individual points connected by lines and curves to allow the designers to be more 'hands-on'. The letterform will be easily sized and positioned individually, compelling designers to slow down and consider decisions more deliberately.
Laser : Can used to crate letterforms and patterns with focused beams of light directed at paper, fabric and wood. The facility to make intricate designs with pin point accuracy also provide more opportunities to the typographers on everything from wedding invitations to wine labels. Other than that, it has been used to fashion typographic scarves and pendants, turning letterforms into wearable objects, and to make usable furniture. It is the intersection between print design and state of the art technology and it allows the creation of tactile and dimensional typography. Also, expanding the possibilities for how the letterforms can be used other than traditional print applications.
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| Fig.5.4 : Example of letterforms created by laser cut. |
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