Task 3: Type Design & Communication

16th May 2023 - (Week 7 - )

Aidel Ivo Johan bin Mohamad Ismail / (0360349)

Bachelors of Design in Creative Media / Typography / Taylor's Lakeside University

Lectures

Week 7

In this task, we were instructed to select a typeface from the provided options of ten typefaces, as well as a typeface from Fontshare. The objective was to analyze the anatomical components of the letters, focusing on small letters with ascenders, descenders, x-height, and capital letters with cap height. We then proceeded to engage in various activities using different tools to draw lines in different orientations (horizontal, vertical, diagonal), circles, and certain letters. It was important to maintain consistent angles throughout each style, as different angles, pressures, and techniques can yield varied results. This activity aimed to enhance our coordination between the mind and hand, as creating a consistent writing style requires extensive practice in maintaining the same angle, pressure, speed, and other factors.

Week 8

Independent Learning Week: As this was considered a non-contact week, we had no lectures held physically or online. Our lecturer informed us that we will be continuing to explore and practice the writing style that we had practiced with the 5 different tool options we acquired. 

Week 9

Absent due to Medical Leave

Week 10

For this week's task, we were instructed to further develop our type designs by exploring the chosen fonts we were given as options. Mr. Vinod gave us this session to work on and further develop our designs and if it was not clear or if it was not something that we can do without going through a lot of errors, the design was best scrapped and a new one had to be done. Consistently, the typefaces that we were given and chose are to be experimented on and we are to continue working on them in the same letters, "A E T K G R I Y M P N". Mr. Vinod went around in class, teaching and guiding those who found it complicated to work on their typefaces.
Instructions

Research on Type Design

Understanding Typography Anatomy

Typography anatomy introduces different components of a letter, such as x-height, stem, ascender, descender, baseline, serif, counter, and more. These elements are crucial to consider when sketching and creating a typeface.


Basic Concepts

Type design involves concepts like stroke, counter, body group, and structural group.

i) Stroke refers to the primary line that forms the shape of a letter, varying in thickness and modulation within a typeface.

ii) Counter represents the enclosed or partially enclosed space within a letterform, surrounded by the stroke.

iii) Body group includes letters that share similar basic shape or structure, maintaining consistency and harmony within a typeface.

iv) Structural group comprises letters with similar constructional elements, categorized based on their dominant strokes.

Writing Activity

In Week 7, the writing activity involves creating diagonal, horizontal, vertical, and circular lines using five different tools. Additionally, writing the letters "AOTMX" in five different ways for each tool and selecting one style to write the letters "a e t k g r i y m p n" in uppercase or lowercase.
Task 3

a e t k g r i y m p n

In Task 3, we have been tasked to create fonts with a limited number of Western alphabets. To start, we chose a font design that goes in the direction we want. Take a close look at the font and study its different parts. Begin with rough sketches and explore different options. Once your ideas are approved, use software like Adobe Illustrator and FontLab to turn your sketches into digital drawings.

Sketches (Preparing for digitalization)

Our task is to enhance our sketching skills using five different writing tools. We will be practicing writing words on graph paper.

(a) To begin, we will experiment with various techniques for each of the five tools. This includes creating diagonal, horizontal, vertical, and circular lines in five different styles for each tool.

Figure 3.1.1
Figure 3.1.2

Figure 3.1.3

Figure 3.1.4
Digitization

Figure 3.2.1

Refine

Figure 3.2.2

Figure 3.2.3

At first I felt like with my font, I was going to completely reset my style, but with what I had, I decided to just follow along with it and refine each font until I finalised with this.

FontLab

In FontLab we are required to copy paste the letter and punctuations into the glyphs and are required to adjust the kerning and tracking.

Figure 3.3.1

Figure 3.3.2

Figure 3.3.3

Poster Design

Figure 3.4.3

Using the letters we were given, I came up with several different words. The words shown in the poster are king, game, prime and gain. 

The words I found were game, tiger, park, gray, ink, ramp, pig, mink, grit, rainy, prime, tangy, pine, kite, grin, gain, mange, king, pray, geranium, tramp, tinge, gemini, nap, pint, ping, airy, kept, meaty, and gape. 

Font Download:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1VHcwaoPNmKSqcoc59u1JvD-IajZos_8w?usp=drive_link

Feedback


Week 8

Feedback Overview: During Week 8, Mr. Vinod evaluated our initial exercise for Task 3, which involved creating five different handwriting styles using five selected tools. He provided feedback on general writing principles, such as proper placement of letters on the baseline and the appropriate height of the letter 't' compared to the x-height. In terms of specific feedback, the Fine and Q-tips writing stood out as the best. Suggestions were given to improve certain letters in the Q-tips style. It was also advised to explore more variations to determine the most suitable options based on personal preferences.

Week 9

Feedback Overview: In Week 9, Mr. Vinod discussed the handwriting options we had chosen for digitalization and font creation. He emphasized the importance of practicing with the selected handwriting style and selecting the best one for the digitalization process. During digitalization, adjustments should enhance the characteristics of the typeface. While maintaining consistency across letters is crucial, some level of inconsistency can provide a distinctive appearance. It was recommended to study contemporary typefaces and understand font anatomy to create a suitable typeface.

Week 10

Feedback Overview: Mr. Vinod provided feedback on the digital letterforms in Week 10. He emphasized the significance of digitization in maintaining control over the design of letterforms, which required improving the handwritten versions. Vertical and horizontal strokes were allowed up to two modifications but needed to remain consistent. Each stroke should have clear starting and ending points.

Week 11

Feedback Overview: In Week 11, we received feedback on both our e-portfolio blog and the digitalized fonts. The general requirements for our blog included comprehensive explanations and relevant submissions based on assignment standards. Additionally, punctuation should align with the design of the font. For example, the exclamation point's stroke width should match the font's vertical stroke. Circular strokes should have appropriate overruns.

Week 12

Feedback Overview: During Week 12, Mr. Vinod reviewed the composition of our posters. He emphasized that a well-composed poster should have tension, balance, impact, and dynamism. To capture the audience's attention, impactful and dynamic content is crucial. Achieving a sense of harmony in the arrangement of elements enhances tension and balance, resulting in an improved visual experience and readability.

Reflection

Experience:
The third typography task has proven to be the most time-consuming and demanding compared to previous tasks. It involves meticulous attention to detail, presenting various challenges along the way. However, the process of designing a font from scratch, conducting research, and eventually exporting a downloadable font has been incredibly rewarding. Seeing my own handwriting digitized and prepared for printing was a thrilling and satisfying experience, affirming that all the effort invested was worthwhile. I am immensely grateful for the invaluable experience gained from this undertaking.

Observations:
Prior to undertaking this task, I revisited the fundamentals of font design that I had learned earlier. I carefully selected a typeface that appealed to me. It was intriguing to discover that even though the letterforms of a font may appear to have uniform height or volume, it is actually a clever geometric illusion that ensures consistency among the letterforms. I witnessed the gradual emergence of a font as I worked on its design. Maintaining the integrity of the typeface was of utmost importance, so I adhered to the established guidelines while infusing my own creative ideas.

Findings:
This assignment has provided me with valuable insights into the essentials of effective typography. Crafting individual letter designs requires significant effort and entails addressing various technical considerations such as x-height, ascender and descender heights, dimensional consistency, stroke width, and more. I discovered the importance of kerning, the process of adjusting the spacing between each letterform, as it directly impacts the legibility and clarity of a typeface. Additionally, I learned about the guidelines for designing punctuation marks. While the rules for each punctuation mark may vary, understanding typography proved to be relatively easier compared to mastering the nuances of punctuation, as the stroke design remains consistent with the font's overall aesthetic.

Further Reading

"Designing Type" by Karen Cheng

"Designing Type" by Karen Cheng is a book that directly relates to my findings on font creation. It provides comprehensive guidance on the technical aspects and principles of designing typefaces. From understanding letter anatomy to mastering spacing and stroke consistency, the book offers valuable insights and practical advice. By studying "Designing Type," I can deepen my knowledge, refine my skills, and gain a broader perspective on the art of font design. It serves as an invaluable resource for further enhancing my understanding and expertise in creating high-quality typefaces.


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