Advanced Typography

August 26, 2019

Advanced Typography - Exercises

26/8/2019 - 16/9/2019 (Week 1 - Week 4)
Vun Wan Min (0334263)
Advanced Typography
Exercises

LECTURE NOTES

Lecture 1

26/8/2019 (Week 1)

The start of the second semester, we were welcome back by Mr Vinod and Mr Shamsul. They gave a brief introduction of the upcoming exercises and projects that we will be doing. To start the lecture, Mr Vinod decided to let us give the lecture instead for today. We were separated into 4 groups to present the typographic system. There are 8 typographic systems, that is Axial, Radial, Dilatational, Random, Grid, Modular, Transitional and Bilateral.

Our group were going to present the Dilatational and Random Systems, here are the compiled slides with the other groups.

PDF version of the slides:

- The Dilatational system is the texts are set in a circular paths. The system include Full Cirlcle, Non - objective and Axis.
-The Random system does not have an arrangement to follow. The traits of the random system is cropped, angled, overlapped, texture and not align.
- The elements of the axial system can be organized from the left or from the right of a axis. The arrangements of the axial system consist of a straight line axis, diagonal axis, zig zag axis.
- The radial system element is to extend from a central point such as the ray of the sun. It consists of Circled, Spiral and Right Angle.
- A grid is a structure for the arrangement of text and image on a page or screen. The element include Tone, Shape Format, Horizontal Vertical, Non-objective structure and transparent structure.
- The modular system is using shapes to hold and contain text. The system has Circle modules, Square modules, Rectangle module, and transparency in modular system.

Lecture 2
2/9/2019 (Week 2)

No lecture was conducted.
Mr Vinod and Mr Shamsul were giving feedback on our work.

Lecture 3
9/9/2019 (Week 3)

No lecture was conducted.
Mr Vinod and Mr Shamsul were giving feedback on our work.

Lecture 4
16/9/2019 (Week 4)

No lecture was conducted.
Mr Vinod and Mr Shamsul gave us some time to refine on our exercises.

Lecture 5
23/9/2019 (Week 5)

Link of the slides:
Week 5 Lecture Note (Group 3)

Slides PDF:

Contrast:
1. Size - Provides a point to draw readers attention.
2. Weight - The boldness of the type.
3. Form - The distinction between a capital letter and its lowercase equivalent.
4. Structure - The letterform with different kinds of styles such as regular, italic, and blackletter.
5. Colour - To emphasize with different colour.
6. Direction - Turning a word on its side can have a dramatic effect on a layout.

Form - It refers to the work’s style, techniques and media used, and how the elements of design are
implemented. The

Gestalt Psychology:
It refers to the grouping priciples of the Gestalt and how we read it.

1. Proximity
2. Similarity
3. Closure
4. Continuation
5. Common region
6. Pragnanz

Layout:
1. Spacing
2. Grid
3. Balance
4. Bullets and Numbers
5. Figure, Table and Illustrations

Create a visual hierarchy consist of size, typographic - typeface weight and pairing, colour and tint, space and texture - negative space, composition and leading lines.
Leading lines has 3 types, which is diagonal line, s-shaped and z-shaped.

INSTRUCTIONS

EXERCISES

Week 1

Exercise 1 (Typographic System)
Our first exercise is to study the 8 typographic systems and apply them in the following content, each 2 designs:

The Design School,
Taylor's University

All ripped up: Punk Influences on Design
or
The ABCs of: The Bauhaus and Design Theory

Open Public Lecture:
November 24, 2019
Lew Pik Svonn, 9AM-10AM
Ezrena Mohd., 10AM-11AM
Suzy Sulaiman, 11AM-12PM

November 25, 2019
Muthu Neduraman, 9AM-10AM
Fahmi Reza, 10AM-11AM
Fahmi Fadzil, 11AM-12PM

Lecture Theatre 12

I made a thumbnail using Adobe Illustrator.

Fig 1.1: Thumbnail

I then digitize my design in Adobe InDesign and made some changes.

Fig. 1.2: Axial

Fig. 1.3:Radial

Fig. 1.4: Dilatational

Fig. 1.5: Random

Fig. 1.6: Grid

Fig. 1.7: Modular

Fig. 1.8: Transitional

Fig. 1.9: Bilateral

Week 2

Fig. 2.1: Axial (Final)

Fig. 2.2: Radial (Final)

Fig. 2.3: Dilatational (Final)

Fig. 2.4: Random (Final)

Fig. 2.5: Grid (Final)

Fig. 2.6: Modular (Final)

Fig. 2.7: Transitional (Final)

Fig. 2.8: Bilateral (Final)

Exercise 1 (PDF version):

Exercise 2 (Type and Play)
Our second exercise is to choose either a nature or man - made object of an image. Then we have to outline the image that we chosen to analyze the shapes and find letterfroms in it. The goal to create letterforms from the objects by refining them and still retain their characteristics.
I have chosen a wisteria flower with a close up of part of it's flower from the Internet.

Fig. 3.1: Original Photo (Witeria)

Fig. 3.2: Outline Wisteria

Fig. 3.3: Letter "A"

Fig. 3.4: Letter "A"

Fig. 3.5: Letter "E"

Fig. 3.6: Letter "E"

Fig. 3.7: Letter "J"

Fig. 3.8: Letter "J"

Fig. 3.9: Letter "L"

Fig. 3.10: Letter "L"

Fig. 3.11: Letter "T"

Fig. 3.12: Letter "T"

I compare it to a san-serif and serif typeface. The typefaces were Adobe Caslon Pro and Univers LT Std.

Fig. 3.13: Comparing Typeface

Fig. 3.14: Letter "A" (First Attempt)

Fig. 3.15: Letter "E" (First Attempt)

Fig. 3.16: Letter "J" (First Attempt)

Fig. 3.17: Letter "L" (First Attempt)

Fig. 3.18: Letter "T" (First Attempt)

Fig. 3.19: Before and After (First Attempt)

Week 3

Fig. 4.1: Comparison of letters (Adobe Caslon Pro)

I compare my letters to the typeface and think for ideas.

Fig. 4.2: Sketch of the letter "T" and "J"

Since I could not immediately use the pen tool to get the shape I wanted, I sketched them out.

Fig. 4.3: Process 1

I started to trace the letter "A" and re-shaped it while maintaining the characteristic of a petal. I then tried to follow the shape of a petal using the white spaces with the other letters.

Fig. 4.4: Process 2

Fig. 4.5: Before and After (Final Attempt, not finalize)

Fig. 4.6: Letter "A" (Final Attempt)

Fig. 4.7: Letter "E" (Final Attempt)

Fig. 4.8: Letter "J" (Final Attempt)

Fig. 4.9: Letter "L" (Final Attempt)

Fig. 4.10: Letter "T" (Final Attempt)

Week 5

Fig. 5.1: Changes

Fig. 5.2: Before and After (Finalize)

I made the letter "J" almost as wide as the letter "A".

Fig. 5.3: Letter "A" (Finalize)

Fig. 5.4: Letter "E" (Finalize)

Fig. 5.5: Letter "J" (Finalize)

Fig. 5.6: Letter "L" (Finalize)

Fig. 5.7: Letter "T" (Finalize)

PFD version (Exercise 2):

Exercise 3

I found some images from Pinterest.

Fig. 6.1: Picture 1

Fig. 6.2: Picture 2 (@yuumeiart)

This image is from an artist called Yuumei. She is a talented and one of my favourite artist. She has many amazing artworks that are creative and inspiring. She have a web comic and she is also the inventor and designer of the popular Axent Wear Cat Ear headphones.

This is her website: https://www.yuumeiart.com/

Week 4:

Fig. 7.1: Picture 2 (Extended) (@ yuumeiart)

I chose this image and since the picture was too long and narrow, I extended the narrow part using Adobe Photoshop.

Fig. 7.2: Process 1

I first put the text in place.

Fig. 7.3: Process 2

Then I use the Wrap text to make the text move like the cloud.

Fig. 7.4: Process 3

I also played around with the blending mode to optimize the text.

Fig. 7.5: The Sky's The Limit (First Attempt) (@yuumeiart)

Week 5

Fig. 8.1: Liquefy

Fig. 8.2: Colour Change

Fig. 8.3: Distort (ZigZag)

Fig. 8.4: The Sky's The Limit (ZigZag)

Fig. 9: The Sky's The Limit (Final)

PDF Version (Exercise 3):

FEEDBACK

Week 2:
General Feedback:
Mr Vinod told us to make a 0.5 point size boarder around the layout so that it won't blend into the background
Specific Feedback:
Mr Vinod and Mr Shamsul approved most of my designs. I need to work more on the bilateral design, the letter spacing and adjust some things on the other designs. I should also reduce the use of non-objective elements

Week 3:
General Feedback:
When deconstructing the picture and abstracting letters from it, try to maintain the characteristics of it.
Specific Feedback:
Mr Vinod and Mr Shamsul said that my letter "T", "A", "J" and "L" is closely resembles the feel of a petal but the closest of the resemblance is the letter "T". The letter "E" is not much resembles to the petal, so I have to keep refining them.

Week 4:
No class.

Week 5:
Specific Feedback:
Exercise 2: Mr Vinod said that I done a good job on the letters and want me to make the letter "J" bigger while maintining the characteristic and also arranged the letters into a neat line.

Exercise 3: Mr Vinod said that the imprortance of the text in the image is not noticeable and told me to add the distortion of water.

REFLECTION

Experience

Week 1: Giving a presentation was not what I expected on the first day of class.
Week 2: I felt really happy when some of my designs were praise.
Week 3: I felt anxious when I am feeling pressured.
Week 4: To use the illustration of one of my favourite artist makes me feel happy.
Week 5: Changing the colour of the typeface to match with the background is hard.

Observation
Week 1: I observe that unexpected situation can make some people became very nervous.
Week 2: I observe that I have improve in understanding typography a bit.
Week 3: It that petals are curvy.
Week 4: Extending the illustration is not easy.
Week 5: I observe that water ripples are zig-zag.

Findings:
Week 1: I found that I was one of them.
Week 2: I found that I have a lot to learn about placement.
Week 3: I found that maintaining the characteristic of things and make it into letters is challenging.
Week 4: I found that bending the typeface into what you want is not easy.
Week 5: Making zig-zag effect into the typeface is fun.

These exercises were quite challenging as it requires me to think and observe carefully. The typographic system helps me to understand more about making a poster appealing while the other exercise help me to keep the characteristic it but the exercises were fun to make. The zig-zag effect is hard to manipulate the typeface but fun to play around with it.

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