TASK 1:EXERCISES
TYPOGRAPHY TASK 1
30/8/2023 -30/9/2023 / WEEK 1 - WEEK
5
DAVIES ANNIKA ANGELA / 0362108
BACHELORS OF DESIGN
(HONOURS) IN CREATIVE MEDIA
LECTURES
WEEK 1: Class summary
- We were introduced to teams being the main platform we will be using for the semester
- Mr. Vinod gave a briefing on task 1 and encouraged us to keep our feet on the gas from the beginning of this module until the very end
- Mr. Vinod emphasised on the importance of completing each and every task in order to pass the module
- He also encouraged us to start thinking about our final project of creating our own font
- we then watched a video on Typographic systems then attempted the axial system in class
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fig 1.1 first attempt at axial system 30/8/2023
I first drew an axis . I did not want it to be in a single straight line so
that my layout can be more dynamic I also made some of the letters lager
than others to add a punk feel to the letters after Mr. Vinod showed us some
of his own work. Mr. Vinod then gave feed back about some the work and gave
us insight on details that can add to our work such as the difference
between en dash , hyphen and em dash and how using lowercase numerals can
add to the appearance of text
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fig 1.2 difference between hyphen, en dash and em dash 30/8/2023
LECTURE 1 : TYPOGRAPHIC SYSTEMS
- All design is based on a structural system , according to Elam they are 8 major variations
- Axial
- Radial
- Dilatational
- random
- Grid
- Modular
- Transitional
- Bilateral
hierarchy, order of reading, legibility and contrast also come into play
shape grammar is a set of shape rules that apply in a step by step way to
generate a set or language of designs
Axial system
- all elements are organised to the left or right of a single axis.
- Axis does not necessarily mean the single line is straight
Radial system
Dilatational system
- All elements are extended from a point of focus
Dilatational system
- All elements expand from a central point in circular fashion
Random system
- Elements appear to have no specific pattern or relationship.
Grid system
- A system of vertical and horizontal divisions.
Transitional System
- An informal system of layered banding.
Modular system
- A series of non-objective elements that are constructed in as a standardised units.
Bilateral system
- All text is arranged symmetrically on a single axis
In conclusion an understanding of these systems allows designers to break
free from the typical horizontal and vertical grid system of letter press
(Elam 2007) and allows designers to use more fluid means to create
typographic messages.
Mr Vinod advised us to watch his two tutorials InDesign formatting and a
further elaboration on Modular systems as students find it difficult to
understand in the beginning.
Tutorial 1 : InDesign formatting
WEEK 2: Class summary
- receiving feedback from typographic system layout briefing of type play briefing of honour competition.
- People hire winners!!!use your own image do not find images online
- start thinking about it when you have downtime.
- Selecting image for finding type exercise
Principles of design, including emphasis, isolation, repetition, symmetry,
asymmetry, alignment, and perspective, underpin typographic composition.
•Emphasis and symmetry are easily translatable into typographic layout.
•Notions like repetition and perspective can be more challenging when it
comes to typographical composition.
Rule of thirds
•The rule of thirds is a photographic guide to composition, suggesting
that a frame can be divided into three columns and three rows, with
intersecting lines used as guides for placing important information.
•The rule of thirds is not commonly used in typography, but it can still
be used to make decisions on placement of information within a larger grid
or system of arrangement.
Evolution of the Swiss Modernist Style in Typography
- Swiss modernist style, pioneered by Joseph Miller Brockman, further strengthened the design.
- Introduction of elements of excitement and engagement within a rigid structure, giving it voice and expression.
- Examples of the system showcase the hierarchy of information and its placement in a grid structure.
- The grid system allows for manipulation of space between body text and visuals in a modular way.
- Despite its perceived rigidity, the grid system remains popular due to its versatility and potential for infinite adaptations.
- The modernist era valued ordered typography, but the post-modernist era challenged this notion.
- Chaos, randomness, and asymmetry were explored in topographical systems.
- Legibility and readability took a back seat in favor of creativity.
- David Carson, Polish Air Jordan brand book, and others combined order and chaos in their designs.
- Planning and intuition played a role in the arrangement of information on the page.
- Punk and anti-establishment thoughts influenced the rebellion against clean-cut layouts.
- Radial dilation and random asymmetrical alignment became popular in design.
- Balancing excitement and understanding is important in visually impactful designs. Subject: Environmental Grid in Design
- The environmental grid is a system used to create organization and structure.
- Structures in the environment, such as architecture or paintings, form the basis of the grid.
- Crucial lines, both straight and curved, are extracted from the structure.
- The designer organizes information around the superstructure, including non-objective elements.
- This creates a unique and exciting mixture of extra and visual stimuli.
- The approach is post-modernist, combining gut and intuition with structure and context.
-
The forms in the designs are influenced by key features of the
environment
LECTURE 3:
The Role of Handwriting in the Evolution of Typography
•Handwriting was the foundation for mechanically produced letter forms
and was influenced by the tools and materials used.
•The lecture discusses the evolution of the Latin alphabet, from its
earliest forms to the Roman alphabet.
•The cuneiform writing system, used 3000 years before Common Era, is
mentioned as an early example of written language. Subject: The
Evolution of Writing Systems
•Writing systems developed using pictures, symbols, and sounds to
represent ideas and words.
•The Egyptian hieroglyphs were a mix of rebus and phonetic characters,
while the Phoenician system was mainly phonetic.
•The Greeks added vowels and organized their writing into horizontal
lines, but the direction of reading was not fixed. Subject: The
Influence of Writing Styles on the Development of Greek and Roman
Letters
•Greek and Roman letters evolved based on the way they were written.
•Early Greek letters were drawn freehand and later developed
formalized strokes.
•Roman letters became rounded for faster writing, and English and
Irish lettering became slanted and condensed. Subject: The Influence
of Emperor Charlemagne on European Handwriting
•Emperor Charlemagne established a court school that standardized
language, spelling, and writing conventions.
•The Carolinian minuscule script, developed during Charlemagne's
reign, became the basis for humanistic writing and lowercase Roman
type. Subject: The Pioneering Achievement of Movable-Type Printing in
Korea
•Movable-type printing was pioneered in China and achieved in Korea
before Europe.
•The Korean foundry for casting movable type played a crucial role in
printing technology. Subject: The Overlooked Contributions of
Non-Western Civilizations: A Closer Look
•The Korean and Egyptian contributions to civilization are often
overlooked by the Western world.
LECTURE 4:DESIGNING TYPE
Exploring and Learning:
Deep Research: Start by learning about the history of fonts,
how they're built, and the rules that govern them.
Purpose and Use: Decide what your font will be used for and where.
Think about different places it might show up, like on signs or in
books.
Getting Ideas from Others: Look at existing fonts to get inspired and
see how they're used.
Getting Creative:
Sketching Ideas: Start drawing your font on paper or a
computer, whichever you prefer.
Turning Ideas into Digital Fonts:
Digitalisation: To make your font digital, you'll need special
computer programs like FontLab or Glyphs App. Some people also use
Adobe Illustrator, but some experts don't like that.
Checking and Changing:
Testing Your Font: Try out your font and see how it works. Fix
any problems you find.
Prototypes and Feedback: Make sample versions of your font and get
feedback from others to make it better.
Easy to Read or Beautiful Design: Think about whether your font is
easy to read or if it's more about looking cool. It depends on if it's
going to be used for big headlines or small text.
Putting It Out There and Making It Better:
Refinement: Even when your font is out in the world, there
might be little issues you didn't see before.
Always Improving: Keep working on your font to make it even better.
Test it often to catch any small problems
LECTURE 5:
Perception & Organization Lecture (Week 5):
- Perception in typography involves visual navigation and interpretation through contrast, form, and organization.
- Form's role in visual impact and first impressions discussed.
- Introduction to Gestalt theory principles: Whole greater than parts, Law of Similarity, Law of Proximity, Law of Closure, Law of (Good) Continuation.
- Mr. Vinod emphasized the social responsibility of designers in organizing information for effective communication and knowledge transfer.
INSTRUCTIONS
TASK 1: EXERCISE 1 - TYPOGRAPHIC SYSTEMS
- We are to arrange information using the 8 different typographic systems (axial, radial, dilatational, random, grid, modular, transitional, and bilateral)
- Dimensions: 200 × 200 mm; colours: black and one other colour
- few graphical elements
PROCESS
Research on selected topic
Research on topic : All ripped up : Punk influences on design
I decided to read the artcile that was linked in the module booklet by Maya
Lekach and derived some stuff that I found interesting that I could
implement in my work,
- The youth in the 70s became dissatisfied with mainstream media and started a punk uprising.
- Punk rock emerged as a subculture, influenced by 1950s rock 'n roll with increased volume and speed.
- Punk style in graphic design reflects aggressiveness, rawness, and contemporary urban aesthetics.
- DIY ethos emerged in punk design, using collage and repurposing commercial images for revolutionary purposes.
- Punk design broke free from typographic grids and standardized formatting.
- The album artwork for the Sex Pistols' "God Save the Queen" exemplified punk design with mish-mashed lettering and a ransom-note-like effect.
- Punk design borrowed from the language of anger and protest.
Fig 1.3 Sex pistols God save the queen poster design
The influence of Punk on designs
- The punk movement was influenced by Dadaists who believed in recycling old material and valued scissors and glue over paint and brushes.
- Punk designers aimed to benefit underrepresented groups, such as females and the working class.
- Stencils, associated with the underground through graffiti, were commonly used to avoid typesetters and represented flaw and urbanism.
- Punk design valued chaos and shock, disregarding traditional design practices.
- Punk elements like stenciling, graffiti style, and crude writing have become popular in design to evoke a punk edge.
- Punk rock symbolizes youth culture, counterculture, edge, and sass, capturing the essence of rebellion and non-conformity.
PROGRESSION OF WORK
AXIAL SYSTEM
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Fig 1.4 1st and 2nd attempt at axial system 3/9/2023 week 2
In the image above for the axial system for my design on the left I
decided to have a basic straight axis to use. I also wanted to add a pop
of colour in the background as well as having a box surrounding the "P" in
"PUNK" to bring out a collage feel as if the P was cutout from a book to
the title as I felt inspired by the Dadaist art. For the system on the
right I had a diagonal axis. I made sure not to have the angle at 45
degrees as Mr vinod advised against it as it would make the readabilty. I
played around with the size of some of the words in the title to bring
emphasis on what the poster is trying to express which is punk and design
The different sized words convey a sense of rebellion and nonconformity
which punk is essentially about.. I had "open public lectures" going
vertically down the axis to make the arrangement more interesting.
Fig 1.5 Refinement of axial system 10/9/2023
After some refinement I changed the colours of some of the words in the
title of the poster as well as changing the colour of the lines to black.
I decided to go with the poster on the right as I thought it was more
dynamic.
Fonts used
Axial system left - Futura Std (book & bold), ITC New Baskerville
Std
Axial system right - Futura Std (book & bold)
GRID SYSTEM
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Fig 1.6 1st attempts Grid system 3/9/2023 |
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| Fig 1.7 Refinement of Grid system 10/9/2023 |
I decided to change the square to a circle because I felt it was more
appealing to the eye. I preferred the design on the right because of the use
of colour and the circle which adds to the overall composition.
Grid system left - Futura Std (book & bold), ITC New Baskerville
Std
Grid system right - Futura Std (book & bold), ITC New
Baskerville Std
RADIAL SYSTEM
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Fig 1.8 1st and 2nd attempt at Radial system 3/9/2023
For the radial system I had misunderstood the concept at first as shown
for how I placed the title in the poster on the left Mr Vinod explained on
how for radial it stems from a focal point. I did some further reading and
fixed the title. In the poster on the left I had the idea to use several
circles to display the information. I felt that after I executed the idea
I did not like the outcome much. In the poster on the right I used the
"Circle and composition" aspect again to add emphasis on the open public
lectures. I liked the way the circle looked like a CD which relates to the
musical aspect of Punk. I decided to go with the poster design on the
right because of the simplicity and how the reader can have a good flow
when reading the information and easily understand the poster .
|
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Fig 1.9 Refinement of Radial system 3/9/2023 |
Fonts used
For this system I found it a bit difficult to arrange the text well. For
the poster design on the left I decided to have the speakers for the
lectures on separate circles to distinguish the information. For the
poster design on the right I had some of the information being somewhat
parallel to each other to make it more visually appealing. I wanted to use
other fonts besides Futura std and ITC New Baskerville Std, so I picked
Adobe Caslon Pro. I liked the amount of white space in the poster design
on the right so I went for that one as my Final Dilatational system
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Radial system left - Futura Std (book & bold)
Radial system right - Futura Std (book & bold)
DILATATIONAL SYSTEM
Fig 2.0 1st and 2nd attempt at Dilatational system 4/9/2023
Fonts used
Dilatational system left - Futura Std (book & bold)
Dilatational system right - Futura Std (book &
bold)
TRANSITIONAL SYSTEM
Fig 2.1 1st and 2nd attempt transitional system 4/9/2023
In this system I had the information arranged horizontally then I
incorporated the collage element with the "P" again. I did a basic
transitional system and experimented with the colour of the background.. I
then attempted the system by using some wavy lines that I made using the
pen tool.
Fig 2.2 2nd and 3rd attempt at transitional system 11/9/2023
For the 3rd attempt I did not think I arranged the information well and
the distribution of white space was too little so I did some refinement
and I picked attempt 4 as my final transitional poster.
Fig 2.3 Refinement of attempt #3 transitional 11/9/2023
Fonts used
Transitional #1 and #2 - Futura Std (book & bold)
Transitional #3 - ITC New Baskerville Std (bold & Regular)
RANDOM SYSTEM
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Fig 2.4 1st and 2nd attempt at random system 5/9/2023
In these attempts I used many of the typefaces to add to the random aspect
of the layout . For the title I wanted a collage look so some letters are
of different fonts as well as different colours and backgrounds. For the
1st attempt I wanted the title to be distinguishable and I made some of
the text have different opacities ad well as backgrounds. In the second
attempt I decided to add more chaos and essentially this added to
the edginess, sassiness and rebellion essentially what Punk is
about. I liked how it looked like the text is dropping from the top of the
page to the bottom giving a somewhat transitional look as well because of
this I used attempt #2 as my final random system.
BILATERAL SYSTEM
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Fig 2.5 1st and 2nd attempt as Bilateral System 5/9/2023
I went for a very simple design and I placed the information on the right
hand side for the attempt #1 and then on the left hand side for attempt #2
which provides asymmetry to the composition had different values for the
amount of space between each category of information this provides a more
interesting look.
Fonts used
Bilateral #1 - Adobe Caslon Pro (Bold & Regular)
Bilateral #2 - Adobe Caslon Pro (Bold & Regular)
MODULAR SYSTEM
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Fig 2.6 1st and 2nd attempt modular system 6/9/2023
In attempt #1 I repeated what I did in the axial system where "RIPPED" was
in two different colours. I made the font size the same for the title to
show connectivity. For attempt #2 I wanted the title to be dynamic and
interesting by using different sizes and two different fonts. I also
included a triangle element to make the composition dynamic.
Fonts used
Modular #1 -ITC New Baskerville Std Roman
Modular #2 - ITC New Baskerville Std Roman , Univers Ltd 45
light
FINAL JPEGS AND PDFS
Fig 2.7 Final Grid system JPEG 16/9/2023
Fig 2.8 Final Radial system JPEG 16/9/2023
Fig 2.9 Final dilatational system JPEG 16/9/2023
Fig 3.0 Final transitional system JPEG 16/9/2023
Fig 3.1 Final Random system JPEG 16/9/2023
Fig 3.2 Final Bilateral system JPEG 16/9/2023
Fig 3.3 Final Modular system JPEG 16/9/2023
Fig 3.4 Final axial system JPEG 16/9/2023
FINAL PDFs
FINAL PDF WITH GUIDES AND GRIDS
TASK 1: EXERCISE 2: FINDING TYPE
make sure to extract letterforms from an image. The image must show
consistent character
understand the structure of the original object helps profoundly
finding type: A typographic exercise for further reading on kreatif beats - use this article wisely!!!!!
when you read a word you read the form and its counter form (ff can you read me) This task can translate to the final task build 3 letters one day .
during refinement process you can pick one letter you like the refinement of and mimic it
understand the structure of the original object helps profoundly
finding type: A typographic exercise for further reading on kreatif beats - use this article wisely!!!!!
when you read a word you read the form and its counter form (ff can you read me) This task can translate to the final task build 3 letters one day .
during refinement process you can pick one letter you like the refinement of and mimic it
Steps to take in this task (as shown in kreatifbeats article)
- Finding an image.
- Deconstructing an image.
- Identifying letterforms.
- Extracting letterforms.
- Identify a reference.
-
Refining letterforms.
Introduce consistency in height, width and contrast.
Deliberate on retaining or removing characteristics.
Decide what areas require simplification
Finding an image
While I was in class I stumbled across my aunts status and she was
selling fabric that is used for making African attire and One of the
patterns on her status stood out to me due to the geometric nature of
the repeated shape.
Fig 3.5 Chosen object - African fabric material 6/9/2023
Deconstructing an image.
Fig 3.6 Letterform extraction 10/9/2023
Fig 3.7 Extracted Letterforms 10/9/2023
Identify a reference.
Fig 3.8 Extracted letter forms with reference font 12/9/2023
I looked for a typeface that had an African look to it and I liked the this
one because of the use of the in-line.
Fig 3.9 evolution of letterforms 14/9/2023
Fig 4.0 evolution of letterforms showing guides to introduce consistency
and height to letterforms 14/9/2023
I was having trouble with the refinement stage as I was still stuck on the
original form of the extraction and Mr Vinod advised that I identity the
type of strokes that are in the geometric shape and work with that to create
my letterforms.
Fig 4.1 strokes to use to build letter forms 13/9/2023
Fig 4.2 how reference and extracted forms became the final forms
21/9/2023
FINAL LETTERFORMS
Fig 4.3 outline of letterforms 13/9/2023
Fig 4.4 final letterforms 13/9/2023
FINAL JPEG POSTER
Fig 4.5 final poster JPEG 20/9/2023
FINAL PDF POSTER
Fig final poster PDF JPEG 20/9/2023
HONOUR COMPETITION
Fig 4.7 honour competition
Fig 4.8 Design elaboration honour competion submission 5/9/2023
FEEDBACK
WEEK 1
make sure text is interconnected
avoidable to use two different serifs in the same layout you can use
serif and san serif
downsize numerals by 0.5pt
use en dash type not hyphen to indicate to - glyphs
em dash
condensed typeface for small type not advisable as it makes it
unreadable . use of italics may not be appropriate
axis of 45 degree angles reader has to tilt neck and may be too extra
lowercase numerals to avoid capital sized numbers
WEEK 2
Avoid dividing the page in half as it disturbs readability
for modular .if it exceeds the unit it becomes two units
Tone graphical elements as they tend to distract
with modular make sure your guides are within margin
WEEK 3
Make sure the font represents the reference image as a whole.
Make sure the font represents the reference image as a whole.
you are not held hostage to the reference image
this type of work given cannot be done in one night
specific feedback - make the width of each letter the same
continue working on it to provide a more consistent look
continue working on it to provide a more consistent look
create an interplay between an interplay between the letterforms and
images in the background
look for logos for movie studio
WEEK 4
Poster design - the hero is not the picture
the letters look fuzzy
key art work- make sure your for has meaning
specific feedback - work on the form of the wordmark
form follows function , function in this case is the meaning. have
meaning in your work or your work is hollow
wordmark needs stability and form
do research on forms
stability and balance is the most important part
REFLECTION
Experience
In the first exercise I actually found it fun learning about
good composition as well as ways to create visual interest and
impact. I would feel frustrated at times when my work did not
look that appealing but after doing some research and further
reading I felt more capable to create a good poster with well
done visual hierarchy, good balance of colour and dynamicity. In the second
exercise I had trouble figuring put how to make my letterforms
look more consistent but after the help of Mr Vinod I was able
to come up with consistent letterforms with character.
Observation
For the first exercise I noticed the importance of research and
further reading to understand each typographic system well as
well as looking for ways to not create mundane boring poster
designs. In the second exercise I learnt that typography is continuous
learning as the information I learnt in the previous semester
when making my own font was need in the second exercise.
Findings
Giving myself time to do the work over days helps me to
critically analyze my work and make improvements where I see
need be. Further reading is important in becoming a good
designer. Looking at previous students work can help with
inspiration and setting a standard for myself on how to do
extraordinary work.
FURTHER READING
Fig 4.6 Typographic Systems by Kimberly Elam
(2007)
Fig 4.7 Circle and composition
The circle is a powerful design tool that can guide the
viewer's eye, create tension, and emphasize important
elements in a composition. Its versatility makes it an
essential element in graphic design
Fig 4.8 Axial system
I found this interesting on how the two systems were used
to create a striking composition
Fig 4.9 Bilateral system
The unequal spaces to the left and right of the bilateral
composition increase interest.
Fig 5.0 Tone series
Tone is another technique that can significantly alter the
hierarchy of a message. The eye is naturally drawn to the
largest volume of black on a white background, or the
largest volume of white on a black background.I feel like
this would be a good element to incorporate in transitional
system
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