Advanced Typography -- Task 1
30.8.2023-13.9.2023 (WEEK 1 - WEEK 3)
TAN YING YI / 0362425 / BACHELOR OF DESIGN (HONS) IN CREATIVE MEDIA
ADVANCED TYPOGRAPHY
TASK 1
LECTURES
AdTypo_1_Typographic Systems
Typographical organization is dependent on communication in order to function.
Eight Major Variations:
- Axial
All elements are organised 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
All elements expand from a central point in a circular fashion.Fig 1.3 Dilatational System
- Random
Elements appear to have no specific pattern or relationship.
Fig 1.4 Random System - Grid
A system of vertical and horizontal divisions.
Fig 1.5 Grid System
- Modular
A series of non-objective elements that are constructed in as a standardised units.Fig 1.6 Modular System
- Transitional
An informal system of layered banding.
Fig 1.7 Transitional System - Bilateral
All text is arranged symmetrically on a single axis.
Fig 1.8 Bilateral System
Principles of Design Composition: Emphasis, isolation, repetition, symmetry and asymmetry, alignment, perspective, rhythm, contrast
Fig 2.1 Principles of Design Composition
The Rule of Thirds: A photographic guide to composition. The intersecting lines are used as guide to place the points of interest, within given place.
Fig 2.2 The Rule of Thirds
Environmental Grid: Based on the exploration of an existing structure or numerous structure combined.
Fig 2.3 Environmental Grid
Fig 2.4 Form and Movement
The first mechanically produced letterforms were designed to directly to imitate handwriting. Handwriting would become the basis or standard for form, spacing and conventions mechanical type would try and mimic.
Fig 3.1 Evolution of The Latin Alphabet
Fig 3.2 Left: Cuneiform Right: Hieroglyphics
Early Greek ( 5th C. B.C.E ): Drawn free hand, not constructed with compasses and rule, no serifs. In time the strokes grew thicker, the aperture lessened, and serifs appear.
Roman Unicals: By the 4th century Roman letters were becoming more rounded, the curved form allowed for less strokes and could be written faster.
Carolingian Minuscule: The Carolingan minuscule, was used for all legal and literary works to unify communication between the various regions of the expanding European empire. 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 ): Characterized 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 rationalized letter.
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.
Fig. 3.5 The 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.
Fig. 3.6 Southeast Asia scripts, scripts of the communities that assimilated into Peninsula Malay communities.
INSTRUCTIONS
TASK 1
Week 1
Practical
Practical
We are asked to try on creating layout for Axial system.
Fig 4.1 Axial - Practical Attempt (Week 1, 30/8/2023)
Fig 4.2 Axial Layouts Design (Week 1, 30/8/2023)
Layouts Exploration
Process
Fig 4.3 Process (Week 1, 31/8/2023)
Axial
Fig 4.4 Axial Attempts (Week 1, 31/8/2023)
Left : Bodoni MT Black Italic, Italic, Bold Italic, Bold, Regular
Right: Futura Std Book, Bold, Extra Bold Condensed
Radial
Fig 4.5 Radial Attempts (Week 1, 31/8/2023)
Font used:
Left & Right: Futura Std Book, Bold, Heavy Oblique
Dilatational
Fig 4.6 Dilatational Attempts (Week 1, 2/9/2023)
Font used:
Left : Janson Text LT Std Bold Italic, Roman, Bold
Right: Futura Std Book, Bold, Extra Bold Condensed Oblique
Random
Fig 4.7 Random Attempts (Week 1, 2/9/2023)
Left : ITC New Baskerville Std Roman, Italic, Bold, Bold Italic
Right: Futura Std Book, Book Oblique, Light, Heavy
Grid
Fig 4.8 Grid Attempts (Week 1, 3/9/2023)
Left : Bodoni Std Poster Italic, Roman, Bold
Right: Bodoni Std Poster Italic, Roman, Bold
Modular
Fig 4.9 Modular Attempts (Week 1, 3/9/2023)
Left : Futura Std Book, Heavy, Extra Bold Condensed
Right: Futura Std Book, Heavy, Extra Bold
Transitional
Fig 4.10 Transitional Attempts (Week 1, 3/9/2023)
Left : Futura Std Book, Heavy, Bold
Right: Futura Std Book, Heavy, Bold
Bilateral
Fig 4.11 Bilateral Attempts (Week 1, 3/9/2023)
Left : Futura Std Book, Heavy, Extra Bold
Right: Futura Std Book, Heavy, Extra Bold
Week 2
Fig 4.12 The Work I Showed (Week 2, 9/9/2023)
Mr Vinod gave us some feedback and I made some changes based on the feedback given.
Fig 4.13 Axial - Revised (Week 2, 9/9/2023)
Fig 4.14 Radial - Revised (Week 2, 9/9/2023)
Fig 4.15 Dilatational - Further Exploration(Week 2, 9/9/2023)
I change the background colour so that it doesn't have too much white space.
Final Task 1 - Exercise 1: Typographic Systems
Fig 4.17 Axial Final (Week 2, 9/9/2023)
Fig 4.18 Dilatational Final (Week 2, 9/9/2023)
Fig 4.19 Grid Final (Week 2, 9/9/2023)
Fig 4.20 Modular Final (Week 2, 9/9/2023)
Fig 4.21 Radial Final (Week 2, 9/9/2023)
Fig 4.22 Random Final (Week 2, 9/9/2023)
Fig 4.23 Transitional Final (Week 2, 9/9/2023)
Fig 4.24 Bilateral Final (Week 2, 9/9/2023)
Fig 4.25 Typographic System Final -- PDF without grids (Week 2, 9/9/2023)
Fig 4.26 Typographic System Final -- PDF with grids (Week 2, 9/9/2023)
Task 1 - Exercise 2: Type and Play
Part 1: Finding Type
For exerciser part 2, we are asked to analyze, dissect and identify potential letterforms ( 5 letters ) within a chosen image of a subject - organic or man-made.
1. Chosen Subject
Fig 5.1 Chosen subject (Week 2, 9/9/2023)
Letterform Extraction
Fig 5.2 Traced Letters, Y, X, V, O, F (Week 2, 9/9/2023)
Fig 5.3 Extracted Letterforms, Y, X, V, O, F (Week 2, 9/9/2023)
Reference
Fig 5.4 Typeface Reference - Futura Std Light Condensed (Week 2, 9/9/2023)
Mr Vinod said that the reference was not accurate so I found and changed to the more similar one.
Fig 5.5 Typeface Reference - Californian FB Regular (Week 3, 13/9/2023)
Digitalisation
Fig 5.6 Extracted Letterforms (Week 2, 9/9/2023)
Fig 5.7 Attempt #1 - Refining Letters to Have More Consistent Shape (Week 2, 9/9/2023)
Fig 5.8 Attempt # 2 Simplified Letterforms (Week 2, 9/9/2023)
Fig 5.9 Attempt # 3 (Week 2, 9/9/2023)
Fig 5.10 Attempt # 4 (Week 3, 13/9/2023)
Fig 5.11 Poster -- JPG (Week 3, 13/9/2023)
Final
Fig 5.12 Process Compiled (Week 3, 13/9/2023)
Fig 5.13 Compare (Week 3, 13/9/2023)
Fig 5.14 Final Outcome (Week 3, 13/9/2023)
Fig 5.15 Final Attempt on 'F' (Week 3, 13/9/2023)
Fig 5.16 Final Attempt on 'O' (Week 3, 13/9/2023)
Fig 5.17 Final Attempt on 'V' (Week 3, 13/9/2023)
Fig 5.18 Final Attempt on 'X' (Week 3, 13/9/2023)
Fig 5.19 Final Attempt on 'Y' (Week 3, 13/9/2023)
Fig 5.20 Final Outcome PDF (Week 3, 13/9/2023)
Fig 5.21 Final Poster (Week 4, 20/9/2023)
Honor Competition Submission
Fig 6.1 Halloween (Week 6, 7/10/2023)
Fig 6.2 Final Poster (Week 6, 7/10/2023)
FEEDBACK
Week 2 General Feedback: Need to be careful with balancing. Content should not exceed the columns for grid and modular system. Lines that are under the words will affect readability. Specific Feedback: Leading should be the same. White space is too much for the dilatational system. Make the random system more readable. For the axial system, better to put 'Lecture Theater 12' on the left of the bottom to make it balance. The circle is in the wrong place for the radial system. Need more exploration.
Week 3
General Feedback: Time management is important. Aware of the consistency of letterforms.
Specific Feedback: The letter 'f' is not consistent. The reference is not accurate.
Week 4
Specific Feedback: The background of the poster is not clear, needs to be brighter.
REFLECTIONS
Experience
For exercise 1, I am struggling with how to make the layouts more interesting while sticking strictly to the typographic system. Sometimes I put the circle in the wrong place but I have adjusted them after listening to Mr Vinod's feedback. The finding type exercise was quite challenging for me to find a similar reference typeface. I need more practice to maintain the consistency of letters. Though it was a creative way to develop type design from subjects.
Observation
In exercise 1, I had to pay attention to balance and white space besides observing the typography basis such as point size and leading. From the finding type exercise, I learned how to maintain the consistency of letters.
Findings
After working on exercise 1, I found that it was interesting to create different layouts using the typographic systems. For the finding type exercise, I found that we can develop lots of type design from many things we can see in daily live.
FURTHER READING
Fig 6.1 Typographic Systems by Kimberly Elam (2007)
I understand typographic systems deeper through reading this book.
The random system consists of elements that are arranged without definite aim, pattern, direction, rule or purpose. Repetition is also one of the traits of random system. Although difficult to read, is visually satisfying.
Fig 6.2 Random Traits (page 72)
Variable word spacing and letter spacing creates distinct changes in texture and tone. Grouping is important as it simplifies the composition and enhances readability.
Fig 6.3 Constraints and Options (page 10)
The circle is a wildcard element which can be used anywhere in the composition. The circle, particularly in the restrained one size, one weight compositions. The circle gives designer a tool to guide the eye and contribute to visual organization or balance.
Fig 6.4 The Circle and Composition (page 12)
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