Typography Task 2

2/5/2022-17/5/2022 (week6-week7)

Ng Jia Xien / 0355062

Bachelor of Design in Creative Media / Typography

Task 2

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LECTURES

Week 5: Understanding

We can see through the circle at the bottom of the letter A that shows the different arcs in the brackets that are attached to the diagnosed stems. It is important to note that it is not symmetrical!

Look carefully and will notice that the stroke on both sides is not equal in weight.

Noted that we need to simplify the characteristic within the strokes of our letters, and it needs to be replicable in all the letterforms as well. 

All letterforms that are curved generally will exceed a little bit of the median line, if we want to make it the same size, it will look optically smaller.

The adjustment of space between the letterforms will influence the readability, the counter form plays an important role in being able to recognize the form of either the word or the letterform itself.

The stroke of the letters E, G, and R are the counter form, and for the word scream, the white spaces are the forms and the black spaces are the counter form.

Remember that whenever we design a new letter, it is important for us to analyze the existing typefaces that fall under the same category.  

The most powerful and most dynamic in design - contrast. When we are dealing with a different set of information, to differentiate that information we require contrast. 

The options do we have to create contrast. 

Week 6: Screen & Print

This lecture it's talking about different mediums in typography, this is an increasingly interesting time we live in because typography has permeated many different platforms. 

Typography exists in all forms and shapes nowadays.

The typography that exists within this website it's well, it's bold, it's dynamic, it's a good contrast, and it's a good balance in the overall layout of the web page, so we can see how typography is used on screen. 

So typesetting is no longer rigidly controlled by only one phenomenon which is the designer controlling what it looks like. Today, it's subject to the variability that you find on an inner browser, for example, the experimentation level of that typography in web or app design is rather restricted.

We noticed that only Caslon, Garamond, and Baskerville are mentioned, but this is not to say others typefaces are not readable. 

This is an example of a very dated method of typesetting and is primarily seen in novels.

Previously, screens used to be limited in its clarity, and so typefaces were designed specifically for screens that had this lack of clarity. It couldn't express some of the delicate typefaces, for example, Bodoni, so depending on the type of screen that we are viewing the material on it, it could differ in terms of quality. 

But today, most the screens have good resolution, and therefore a lot of these problems are no longer there.

There are some typefaces are used for screen purposes. For example, Verdana and Georgia, those typefaces are specifically for the screen, so try not to use them on paper!

The hyperlink exists on phone devices, pages, PDF documents, social media platforms, and hashtags are a form of hyperlinks as well, it exists in many places. 

Some of the typefaces that we can use on both platforms. 

For most designers, when it comes to screen-based issues, it's very difficult to navigate.

Some technical information in terms of screen size, but it just gives us an example cause is kind of dated. 

Irrespective of the area specialize you go in, typography is fundamental across the board.

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INSTRUCTIONS

<iframe src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RAZJ7-17y45PUfmZlCXD4MJbBSgaqu28/preview" width="640" height="480" allow="autoplay"></iframe>

Task 2: Typographic Exploration &Communication (Text Formatting and Expression)

In task 2, we are asked to express typographically the content in the link provided in a 2-page editorial spread. We are not allowed to use any images, but some graphic elements are allowed. We may use Adobe illustrator to create and headline but for the final layout, we must use Adobe InDesign. However, it is important to note that we are only allowed to use the ten types of families that are provided to us.

Sketch

At first, I start my work by sketching out my idea of the layout. 

Figure 1. Sketch of layout, by Ng Jia Xien (5/8/2022)

Figure 2. Sketch of layout, by Ng Jia Xien (5/8/2022)

Figure 3. Sketch of layout, by Ng Jia Xien (5/8/2022)

Progress 

I select sketch 3 to put it into digital form. First, I use Adobe Illustrator to create my headline, then do the layout with Adobe InDesign. 

Figure 4. Headline, by Ng Jia Xien (5/9/2022)

Figure 5. The outcome of sketch 3, by Ng Jia Xien (5/9/2022)

Figure 6. Text covered by patches

I select sketch 3 to put into digital form because I think that it brings out the concept of "simplicity", which I believe can best present the Bauhaus style. Below are the details of my work. 

Font :

Univers LT Std 39, Bodoni Bd BT (headline)

Univers LT Std (lead-in text)

Univers LT Std (text)

Typeface :

Thin Ultra Condensed, Bold (headline)

 67 Bold Condensed (lead-in text)

 57 Condensed (text)

Font size : 

36pt, 100pt (headline)

9pt (lead-in text, text)

Leading: 11pt

Paragraph Spacing: 11pt

Average characters per line : 60-65

Alignment: Left Justify

Margins : 10mm (top, left, right, bottom)

Columns : 2

Gutter (for columns) : 5 mm

Process of improvement

After I take the feedback from the lecturer, I do some research about the style of Bauhaus. The Bauhaus movement championed a geometric, abstract style featuring little sentiment or emotion and no historical nods, and its aesthetic continues to influence architects, designers, and artists.

Bauhaus architecture's characteristics include functional shapes, abstract shapes used sparingly for décor, simple color schemes, holistic design, and basic industrial materials like concrete, steel, and glass.

Thus, in my own words, the characteristic of the style of Bauhaus is the focus on functionality and simplified design, without any superfluous decoration. So, my headline should present a simplistic expression. 

Below are some of my visual research for the final work, since we are allowed to use some basic graphic elements, I think I should add some shapes and lines to make the headline more interesting.

And I come out with my work of typographic exploration & communication, below are the detail of the design.

Figure 7. Headline, by Ng Jia Xien (5/16/2022)

This is the headline of the layout, I use the shape and lines to express and emphasize the Bauhaus. 

Figure 8. Text covered by patches

Figure 9. Alignment 

Font :

Univers LT Std (lead-in text)

Univers LT Std (text)

Typeface :

67 Bold Condensed (lead-in text)

57 Condensed (text)

Font size : 

13pt (lead-in text)

11pt (text)

Leading: 13pt

Paragraph Spacing: 13pt

Average characters per line : 57-63

Alignment: Left Justify

Margins : 10mm (top, left, right, bottom)

Columns : 2

Gutter (for columns) : 5 mm

Figure 10. Typographic Exploration & Communication, by Ng Jia Xien (5/16/2022)

After the lecturer gave the feedback on week 8, I continue to improve my work on typographic exploration and communication.  And below is my final submission for task 2.

Final submission of Typographic Exploration &Communication 

Figure 11. Final submission for Typography Exploration & Communication, by Ng Jia Xien (5/19/2022)

Font :

Univers LT Std (lead-in text)

Univers LT Std (text)

Typeface :

67 Bold Condensed (lead-in text)

45 Light (text)

Font size : 

11pt (lead-in text)

10pt (text)

Leading: 12pt

Paragraph Spacing: 12pt

Average characters per line : 55-62

Alignment: Left Justify

Margins : 10mm (left, right, bottom), 40mm (top)

Columns : 2

Gutter (for columns) : 5 mm

PDF of final submission 

<iframe src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ulb4o_jfTWjjp2CoCaqWAtNvEu3r9GJu/preview" width="640" height="480" allow="autoplay"></iframe>

<iframe src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LCEzN5WAb9350h8yrhqkYuEtI2JIrkHZ/preview" width="640" height="480" allow="autoplay"></iframe>

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FEEDBACK

Week 6

Specific Feedback:

N/A

General Feedback:

N/A

Week 7

Specific Feedback: 

Simple and simplistic, it's two very different things, require finding a better way to express Bauhaus by doing some research on its theory or design. Expressing it, in the same manner, will be a better expression of Bauhaus by mimicking its design sensibilities through the use of the headline. Body text looks a bit on the smaller size.

General Feedback:

It is not good enough, try to work harder on the headline. 

Week 8

The sketches seem to be an afterthought in the process. The body text in the final submission seems a little scattered, but the exp is relatively good. However, its placement in the center of the fold isn't advisable.

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REFLECTION

Experience:

In task 2, we often use the techniques and knowledge that we learned from task one, which I think is a good way to reinforce our learning. In addition, it's satisfying for me to come out with my own layout with all the knowledge that I learned from the class.   

Observations:

As Oliver Reichstein said, "A great designer knows how to work with text, not just as content, he treats text as a user interface." I must work harder on the research about the text that I have to convert into a layout and knows better the content can turn out into a better design. 

Findings:

In task 2, we mainly used Adobe InDesign, which we used in task 1. Therefore, it was important for me to master all the software that we had to use in our work to create better artwork or designs. 

Further Reading:

Willen, B. (2009). Lettering & Type: Creating Letters Designing Typefaces. Princeton Architectural Press, New York

I think this is an interesting and innovative book about graphic design and typography. This book communicates the professional principles of design simply to the reader. Filled with theory, history, explanatory diagrams, and exercises, Lettering and Type features the context and creativity that shapes letters and makes them interesting.

Legibility, Connotation, and Creativity

Letters and the words they form are the home of language and ideas. While letters are functional in their own right, their appearance can evoke a surprisingly wide range of emotions and associations-from formal and professional to playful, sophisticated, vulgar, and beyond.

The visual form of a letter or word that confuses or overwhelms the viewer can disrupt communication and diminish its own function. Such disruptions are usually undesirable, but the acceptable level of legibility varies by context.

Some letterers seek an idea or visual style rather than immediate utility.

When used properly, less readable glyphs require the reader to take the time to study their shape and become a more active participant in the reading process.

Unusual, illustrative, or otherwise difficult-to-read letters often convey a highly specific visual or intellectual tone that is meant to be seen rather than read through.

As a letter form becomes more radical or unorthodox, it begins to lose its readability and utility, requiring designers to strike a balance between the new and the familiar.

New forms and experimentation slowly expand the range of legibility, changing and expanding the vocabulary of the alphabet.

At the most basic level, context relates to the end use of any letters. What message will these letters convey? Where and when will they appear? How will they be reproduced? Who will see them? But the context also represents the broader cultural and social context in which these letters are found. Nothing is more important to an artist or designer than context, as it provides the structure for learning and working.

In creating and using letterforms, designers draw on, reinforce, and invent these social and cultural associations. Long before the development of movable type, the stately capital letter style of the Romans represented power, learning, and sophistication.

Today, graphic designers continue to use typefaces such as Trajan, which is based on the Roman uppercase alphabet, to convey an air of classical sophistication.