Advanced Typography - Task 03: Type Exploration and Application

10/06/2024 - 08/07/2024 (Week08 - Week 13)

CHIN TZE WEI / 0357423
Advanced Typography / Bachelor (Honours) in Creative Media

Task 03: Type Exploration and Application

LIST

TABLE OF CONTENT

1. Lecture

1.1 Class Summary

2. Instructions

3. Task 03: Type Exploration and Application

3.1 Proposal

3.2 Sketching/Inspiration

3.3 Developing the Font

3.4 Importing Font to FontLab

3.5 Font Presentation

3.6 Font Application

3.6.1 Game Poster

3.6.2 Album Cover

3.6.3 Bank Card

3.7 Final Submission

3.7.1 Download the Font

3.7.2 Font Presentation (JPEG)

3.7.3 Font Presentation (PDF)

3.7.4 Font Application (JPEG)

3.7.5 Font Application (PDF)

3.8 Font Tester

4. Feedback

5. Reflection

6. Further Reading

1. LECTURE

All lectures are completed in Task 01: Exercise 01&02.

1.1 Class Summary

Week 09

Complete Task 2 eportfolio. Deadline to be determined in class
Update the Google Feedback Sheet with Week 9's feedback (general/specific)
T3: Complete all Uppercase letterforms (once designs are approved) at minimum (numerals, lowercase and punctuations left).
Use a grid to ensure consistency in weight (stroke thickness).
Update T3 eportfolio with research and process.
Sample font design references for TDC competition. Click HERE

Week 10

Watch and document summary of 4th lecture in your eportfolio.
View previous student eportfolio examples to see how documentation was carried out for Task 1 Exercises's Eportfolio post.
Update and complete your Task 1 Exercises: lecture, (process & final), feedback, reflection & further reading. Deadline to be set on: (Week 04)
Update the Google Feedback Sheet with Week 3's feedback (general/specific)
Task 2: Make a mind-map, create a moodboard or an inspo, determine a direction and decipher it in words. Produce explorations of possible wordmark/lettering of your name (first name or pet name or pseudonym) with a minimum of at least 4-5 characters. Showcase sketches leading to a digitised artwork.

Week 11

Update the Google Feedback Sheet with Week 11's feedback (general/specific)
T3 complete all letterforms uppercase, lowercase, numerals (punctuations left), complete font generation from FontLab7 (use MacLab D7.04 for original software)
Download, analyse and plan how to create your font presentation
Plan your font applications.

Week 12

Update the Google Feedback Sheet with Week 12's feedback (general/specific)
T3 adjust side bearings for all letters & punctuations using the chart provided on week 11. Use MacLab D7.04 for original FontLab7 software (or FontForge). Generate font.
Complete font presentations (5 artworks; 1024 x 1024 px, 300ppi).
Complete font applications (5 artworks simulated; size subject to application but should not exceed 1024px in width or height. 300ppi).

Week 13

Update the Google Feedback Sheet with Week 13's feedback (general/specific)
Complete font presentations (5 artworks; 1024 x 1024 px, 300ppi). Download, sample font presentations here should not exceed 1024px in width or height).A-Z; Numerals; Punctuation

Designed font link to your .ttf font.
Font preview (optional) ✅
Complete font applications (5 artworks; size subject to application but should not exceed 1024px in width or height at 300ppi). View Pentagram site for examples.

Submit Task 3 Eportfolio and Final Compilation & Reflection in class.

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2. INSTRUCTIONS

Module Information Booklet (MIB)

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3. TASK 03:TYPE EXPLORATION AND APPLICATION

During Week 08 (Independant Learning Week), Mr Vinod tasked us all to write a proposal on the type of font we want to make. I then went to Canva and start to made the proposal because Canva have many templates.

I was going to expand and explore exising font and aim to create the full set of the font refer to the references that I have found.

3.1 Proposal

Canva Link: Click HERE

After decided to proceed with Idea 2, I create a new file and start to develop my Idea 2.

Canva Link: Click HERE

3.2 Sketching/Inspiration

First, I have choose to proceed with Idea 02 (explore the posibility of Pixel Font). Before actually making them in Adobe Illustrator, I decided to sketch them out, by figuring out the length and the width of the font.

Figure 3.1 Sketches of Uppercase - Week 9 ()

After drawing out the uppercase sketch, I found out that there was some deviation. Because of the letter A, D,O, 0 were so similar, and I need to find a way to make them different and stand out since my idea was to explore the posibility of Pixel Font.

3.3 Developing the Font

3.3.1 Uppercase

While I have seize the length and width of the square, I started to develop the uppercase. First, I create several layouts and artboard for the working progression. Then, I start to allocate grid for the square, at first I make them 5x5.

Figure 3.2 Create several artboards and layout - Week 09 (17/06/2024)

Then, I use shape builder tool to build the shape I want. I start with uppercase letter A to P.

Figure 3.3 Start building the Uppercase letter A to P - Week 09 (17/06/2024)

Then, is Uppercase letter U to Z and lowercase letter a to j.

Figure 3.4 Building Uppercase letter U to Z and Lowercase letter a to j - Week 09 (17/06/2024)

Next is the lowercase letter k to z.

Figure 3.5 Building Lowercase letter k to z - Week 09 (17/06/2024)

After finnish the letterform, I also tried to finnish the number and punctuations

Figure 3.6 Building numbers and punctuations - Week 09 (17/06/2024)

While finnished the building sessions, I tried to delete the unused grid.

Figure 3.7 First Attempt at font construction - Week 09 (17/06/2024)

Changes after Feedback session on Week 10 - 24/06/2024

Feedback given from Mr Vinod is "Try to make the font wider, make the whole font more prominent, and make it different from other pixel style fonts".

I have make some changes on the number of grid, it have changed to 7x5. It will make the font looks more wider.

Figure 3.8 Changes of Uppercase and Lowercase after Feedback session - Week 10 (24/06/2024)

Figure 3.9 Changes of Number and Punctuations after Feedback session - Week 10 (24/06/2024)

Figure 3.10 Second Attempt at font construction - Week 10 (24/06/2024)

Changes after Feedback session on Week 11 - 01/07/2024

Feedback given from Mr Vinod is "The width of the strokes should be the same".

Figure 3.11 Final Attempt at font construction - Week 11 (01/07/2024)

3.4 Importing Font to FontLab

Before import the final attempt of font construction to FontLab, I tried to adjust and measure the Cap-Height, X-Height, Baseline, Width, Ascender and Descender.

Figure 3.12 Measure and Adjust the Cap-Height, X-Height, Baseline, Width, Ascender and Descender - Week 11 (01/07/2024)

Figure 3.13 Finnish adjusting and measuring the Cap-Height, X-Height, Baseline, Width, Ascender and Descender - Week 11 (01/07/2024)

- Cap-Height: 750pt

- X-Height: 450pt

- Baseline: 73.5pt

- Width: 100pt (Uppercase), 600pt (Lowercase), 650 (Number and Punctuation)

- Ascender: 302.26pt

- Descender: 302.26pt

After all the adjustment in Adobe Illustrator, I then copy and paste all the letters to FontLab 7.

Figure 3.14 Inport all the letters, numbers and punctuations into FontLab 7 - Week 11 (01/07/2024)

Adjustment of left and right side bearing - Week 11 (01/07/2024)

Figure 3.15 Adjustment of left and right side bearing of letters 01 - Week 11 (01/07/2024)

Figure 3.16 Adjustment of left and right side bearing of letters 02 - Week 11 (01/07/2024)

Figure 3.17 Adjustment of left and right side bearing of letters 03 - Week 11 (01/07/2024)

Figure 3.18 Adjustment of left and right side bearing of letters 04 - Week 11 (01/07/2024)

Figure 3.19 Adjustment of left and right side bearing of letters 05 - Week 11 (01/07/2024)

Figure 3.20 Adjustment of left and right side bearing of letters 06 - Week 11 (01/07/2024)

Figure 3.21 Adjustment of left and right side bearing of letters 07 - Week 11 (01/07/2024)

Figure 3.22 Adjustment of left and right side bearing of letters 08 - Week 11 (01/07/2024)

Figure 3.23 Adjustment of left and right side bearing of letters 09 - Week 11 (01/07/2024)

Figure 3.24 Adjustment of left and riht side bearing of letters 10 - Week 11 (01/07/2024)

Font information

📌 Dowload the Font here: Click HERE

3.5 Font Presentation

For font presentation, I really don't know what to do haha...🥲. So I tried to look at some examples (Senior's E-portfolio) that Mr Vinod gave and Pinterest. At first I tot I need to make poster with the size of 1024x1024.

3.5.1 Looking for inspiration

These are the inspiration I look from Pinterest.

Figure 3.25 Inspiration 01 - Week 11 (01/07/2024)

Figure 3.26 Inspiration 02 - Week 11 (01/07/2024)

After that, I decided to stop searching for anything and get somthing done on Adobe Illustator.

Figure 3.27 Working progress for Font Presentation in Adobe Illustrator - Week 11 (01/07/2024)

Since Mr Vinod told us to create 5 design for Font Presentation, and I wanted the first artboard contains of name of the font, year or date of the font that been created by me, short introduction of the font and my name. Next the second and third artboard should contains of Uppercase, Lowercase, Numbers and Punctuations. The fourth and fifth artboard should be the minimalist poster.

After that, I start to decide the colour palette of the whole presentation.

Figure 3.28 Choosen colour palette - Week 11 (01/07/2024)

Figure 3.29 First attempt at Font Presentation - Week 11 (01/07/2024)

The forth artboard is about album cover, but Mr Vinod said that it still got room for improvement. For the fifth artboard, it is not related to my presentation slides, so I need to design a new one to replace it.

Changes after Feedback session on Week 12 - 15/07/2024

During Week 12, Mr Vinod said that our Font Presentation should related to our presentation slide so I have to make changes on the fourth and fifth artboard. Since my font should be use on Album, Game and Poster.

For the forth artboard, I'll make it into a pixel art style game poster, using the inspiration I found on Pinterest (Figure 3.26).

Figure 3.30 Make changes on forth artboard - Week 12 (15/07/2024)

For the fifth artboard, I'll make it into an album cover with a pixel art strawberry matching with the background colour.

Figure 3.31 Make changes on fifth artboard - Week 12 (15/07/2024)

Since the colour scheme (Figure 3.28) was not match the whole presentation, therefore I have changed the colour schme.

Figure 3.32 Make changes on fifth artboard - Week 12 (15/07/2024)

Figure 3.33 Second attempt at Font presentation - Week 12 (15/07/2024)

3.6 Font Application

For font application, I wanted to do poster, sonething special or something related to KPOP album cover.

3.6.1 Font Application #1 Game Poster

Since my font is related to pixel font, so I have an idea to do a Game Poster. In my memory, the first Game I played was Super Mario Bros Game, which didn't have nice pixels like the Nintendo Switch, and only the Game Boy. So I decided to make a Super Mario Bros game poster.

Figure 3.34 Working Progression of Font Application #01 Game Poster - Week 13 (15/07/2024)

Figure 3.35 Font Application #01 Game Poster - Week 13 (15/07/2024)

3.6.2 Font Application #2 Album Cover

To have related to my presentation slides, I then decided the Font Application #02 be Album Cover.

First, I went to Pinterest to find some photo material (Click HERE) and tried to find some examples on album cover.

Figure 3.36 Working Progression 1 of Font Application #02 Album Cover - Week 13 (15/07/2024)

Figure 3.37 Working Progression 2 of Font Application #02 Album Cover - Week 13 (15/07/2024)

When finnish the album cover, I then go to the Mock Up website to find mock up resources.

Figure 3.38 Working Progression 3 of Font Application #03 Album Cover - Week 13 (15/07/2024)

Figure 3.39 Font Application #02 Album Cover - Week 13 (15/07/2024)

3.6.3 Font Apllication #3 Bank Card

While agonizing over what to do for the third font application, I accidentally caught a glimpse of my bank card. Later on, I search on Google, found out that there was a thing called "Special Edition/Limited Edition/ Collaborate Edition" of Bank Card. This was quiet new and interesting for me, so I decided to do a bank card with a unique backgound and font (using my font).

Figure 3.40 Several Special Edition Bank Card search from Google - Week 13 (15/07/2024)

Same as above, I went to Pinterest and Mock Up website to look for examples and photo material.

🔎 Pinterest: 1. Click Here 2. Click Here
(I tried to find some special colours like purple and pink for the background because it's rare to see a bank card in this color, it fits with the saying "unique font with unique color")

Figure 3.41 Working Progression 01 of Font Application #03 Bank Card - Week 13 (15/07/2024)

I have changed the font to my own font.

*Before adding background: Black Edition

Figure 3.42 Black Edition of Font Application #03 - Week 13 (15/07/2024)

After that, I tried to changed the background to make the card more unique and special.

Figure 3.43 Working Progression 02 of Font Application #03 Bank Card - Week 13 (15/07/2024)

Figure 3.44 Font Application #03 Bank Card - Week 13 (15/07/2024)

3.7 Final Submission

3.7.1 Download the Font

📌 Dowload the Font here: Click HERE

📌 Google Drive for Task 03: Click HERE

3.7.2 Font Presentation (JPEG)

Figure 3.45 Final Submission of Font Presentation 1 (Cover Page) - Week 13 (15/07/2024)

Figure 3.46 Final Submission of Font Presentation 2 (Uppercase and Lowercase) - Week 13 (15/07/2024)

Figure 3.47 Final Submission of Font Presentation 3 (Number and Punctuation) - Week 13 (15/07/2024)

Figure 3.48 Final Submission of Font Presentation 4 (Pixel Style Game Poster) - Week 13 (15/07/2024)

Figure 3.49 Final Submission of Font Presentation 5 (Pixel Style Album Cover) - Week 13 (15/07/2024)

3.7.3 Font Presentation (PDF)

3.7.4 Font Application (JPEG)

3.7.4.1 Final Submission Font Application#1 Game Poster

Figure 3.50 Final Submission Font Application#1 Game Poster - Week 13 (15/07/2024)

3.7.4.2 Final Submission Font Application#2 Album Cover

Figure 3.51 Final Submission Font Application#2 Album Cover - Week 13 (15/07/2024)

3.7.4.3 Final Submission Font Application#3 Bank Card

Figure 3.52 Final Submission Font Application#3 Bank Card - Week 13 (15/07/2024)

3.7.5 Font Application (PDF)

3.8 Font Tester

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4. FEEDBACK

Week 08

* Independant Learning Week *

Week 09

General Feedback:

Must have a grid (Baseline, ascenderline, etc.) when creating the font. So that the font will look consistent.

Cannot use an existing font and tainted it.

Week 10

General Feedback:

Use grids and guides for ascender, descecnder, and x-height to assist in designing a letterform.

Specific Feedback:

Tried make the font more wider, that can make the font more stand out.

Week 11

Specific Feedback:

Width of the letters should be the same.

Week 12

General Feedback:

Font Presentation and Font Application should not exceed 1024pt x 1024pt.

Week 13

Specific Feedback:

Font Presentation should related to the presentation slides shows before.

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5. REFLECTION

5.1 Experience

Honestly, constructing font was a very hard assignment for me. I struggled with what font should I make at the beginning and what font application and should I apply my font to at the end. But, once I found the direction I waned to take, it was a simple process, I wish I had a correct direction.

5.2 Observation

Thorugh this assignment, I learned to be mindful of consistency in my font, escpecially using the ruler, shape and grid to contruct the font. Keeping the width the same made the font look more cohesive. This assignment is struggle TT.

5.3 Findings

Creating a font involves a lot of time and work, requires having a clear direction or topic in mind to uide the whole design process. However, due to the time constraints and other assignments from other module in this semester, I found it challenging to fully realize my vision for the font presentation and font application. I hope the result not that bad haha..

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6. FURTHER READING

Based on he list of books given, I have chosen "Typography, References: A Comprehensive Visual Guide to the Language, History, and Practice of Typography" by Allan Haley and etc.

Figure 5.1 Typography Referenced by Allan Haley and etc

"Typography, Referenced" is a comprehensive guide that delves into the art and science of typography, tracing its evolution from early writing systems to modern digital fonts. The book offers an in-depth exploration of type design, classification, and the work of notable type designers and foundries. It provides valuable insights into the principles of effective typographic layout, contemporary design applications, and the importance of typographic terminology. With a wealth of visual examples and practical advice, "Typography, Referenced" serves as an essential resource for anyone passionate about the nuances and impact of typography in the world of design.

Week 09

Type History and Timeline

The historical development of type is traced from early writing systems to digital fonts, with key milestones such as the invention of movable type highlighted. The chapter underscores how technological advancements have influenced type design, marking significant periods in the evolution of typography.

Type Deisgn and Development

This chapter delves into the process of creating a typeface, from initial sketches to the final design. It emphasizes the importance of balancing complementary and contrasting features in type design, and discusses the challenges and considerations in developing both text and display typefaces.

Week 10

Type Classification and Identification

Methods for classifying and identifying different typefaces are explored, detailing the characteristics and uses of various type categories. The chapter provides tips for recognizing and distinguishing typefaces based on specific features, aiding in the accurate identification of type styles.

Type Designers

Profiles of notable type designers are presented, showcasing their contributions and creative processes. The chapter offers insights into the philosophies of these designers and the impact of their work on the evolution of typography, highlighting the significance of individual contributions to the field.

Type Foundries

The role and history of type foundries in the production and distribution of type are examined, with an overview of significant foundries and their notable typefaces. The chapter discusses the influence of foundries on type design and usage trends, emphasizing their importance in the typographic landscape.

Week 11

Typefaces and Specimens

A detailed examination of various typefaces and their applications is provided, supported by visual examples of type specimens. The chapter analyzes the aesthetic and functional qualities of different typefaces, illustrating design principles through practical examples.

Typographic Principles

Core principles of typography, such as hierarchy, contrast, and unity, are discussed in this chapter. Techniques for creating effective and visually appealing typographic layouts are presented, along with the importance of maintaining readability and coherence in typographic design.

Week 12

Contemporary Usage: Designing wirh Type

Modern applications of typography in various design contexts are explored, with strategies for integrating type with other design elements. The chapter highlights trends and innovations in contemporary typographic design, providing a current perspective on the field.

Typography Terminology and Language

A comprehensive glossary of typography-related terms is provided, explaining key concepts and jargon used in the field. The chapter underscores the importance of understanding terminology for effective communication in design, making it a valuable reference for designers.

Week 13

Type Management

Best practices for managing and organizing type collections are discussed, along with tips for selecting and pairing typefaces in design projects. The chapter offers strategies for maintaining consistency and quality in typographic work, essential for professional practice.

Type-Specific Resources

The book concludes with a directory of schools, publications, organizations, and events related to typography. It offers resources for further learning and professional development, along with recommendations for type-specific films, documentaries, and online resources, providing a wealth of information for enthusiasts and professionals alike.

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QUICK LINK

Task 01: Advanced Typography - Task 01: Exercise 1 & 2

Task 02: Advanced Typography - Task 02: (A) Key Artwork & (B) Collateral

Task 03: Advanced Typography - Task 03: Type Exploration and Application

Final Compilation and Reflection