Task 2

25/4/2023 - 9/5/2023 / Week 4 - Week 6
Tee Jia Ern / 0348512
Advanced Typo / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media
Task 2

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LECTURES

Week 5: Perception and Organisation

Perception in typography deals with the visual navigation and interpretation of the reader via contrast, form and organisation.

Contrast

- Carl Dair adds two principle which are texture and direction.

- He proposed there are 7 types of contrast.

- The reader's attention is directed to a point by the contrast in size.

Weight

Explains how a bold font can be made to stand out among lighter fonts in the same style. 

Texture

By combining and applying the contrasts of shape, size, weight, and structure to a text block on a page, it produces contrast of texture. 

Colour

It is suggested by the usage of colour that black and white are often more valuable than second colours. 

Form

Alludes to the general appearance and texture of the components that comprise the typographic composition.

Fig 1.1: Carl Dair's Seven Typographical Contrast

Organisation

- Gestalt is a German word that describes the arrangement or assembly of an object. 

- Max Wertheimer created a number of principles that forecast when perceptual grouping will happen in different situations. 

The Law of Similarity 

Explains that components that have similarities with one another are often viewed as a single unit. 

The Law of Proximity

State components that are near to one another are often viewed as a single unit.  

The Law of Closure

The propensity of the mind to perceive whole figures in fragmentary pictures. 

Law of Continuation

Even when two or more things intersect, humans typically view each one as a distinct, uninterrupted item. 

Fig 1.2: Gestalt Principles

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INSTRUCTIONS

Task 2: Key Artwork

I first created a mind map about myself. I decided to go with the dreamer concept. 

Fig 2.1: Mind Map, Week 5 (20/5/2024)

This is the sketch. I wanted to explore letterforms before I decided on a key element. I like the minimalistic look with a twist. 

Fig 2.2: Sketches, Week 5 (20/5/2024)

I wanted to make a minimalistic font. But this is too simple. 

Fig 2.3: Artwork Mockup, Week 5 (20/5/2024)

This is the initial key artwork I made. I wanted the font to be dreamy and ethereal. So I combined stars with the letterform. I was given feedback that this is too boxy. And to combine stars to the letterform. The decorative element is inhibiting readability. 

Fig 2.4: Key Artwork, Week 5 (20/5/2024)

Here are some variations I came up with. I decided I will go with the second one as it fits the theme more. 

Fig 2.5: Key Artwork Revised, Week 5 (20/5/2024)

Fig 2.5: Key Artwork Revised 2, Week 5 (20/5/2024)

I was given feedback to adjust the J and R to fill in the empty space. I also adjusted the space between I and A. 

Fig 2.6: Key Artwork Revised 3, Week 5 (20/5/2024)

I used Baskerville font as the base. I then remove some parts of the letterforms. Then I added stars to the letters. 

Fig 2.7: Key Artwork Evolution, Week 5 (20/5/2024)

For the colour palette I decided to have yellow for stars and dark blue for the night sky. 

Fig 2.8: Colour Palette, Week 5 (20/5/2024)

We were tasked to take a black and white portrait and add some element of our design. I added the star in the middle of the portrait to keep it simple. 

Fig 2.9: Portrait Before, Week 5 (20/5/2024)

Fig 2.10: Portrait, Week 5 (20/5/2024)

Final Submission

Fig 2.8: Key Artwork Revised 3, Week 6 (27/5/2024)

Fig 2.9: Key Artwork Black and White, Week 6 (27/5/2024)

Fig 2.10: Colour Palette, Week 6 (27/5/2024)

Fig 2.11: Key Artwork Colour, Week 6 (27/5/2024)

Fig 2.12: Key Artwork Colour 2, Week 6 (27/5/2024)

Fig 2.13: Image, Week 6 (27/5/2024)

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Task 2 (B) Collateral

I then find collaterals and expanded my artwork. 

Fig 3.1: Expansion Process, Week 6 (27/5/2024)

Fig 3.2: Expansion Pattern 1, Week 6 (27/5/2024)

Fig 3.3: Expansion Pattern 1 Recoloured, Week 6 (27/5/2024)

Fig 3.4: Expansion Pattern 2, Week 6 (27/5/2024)

Fig 3.5: Expansion Pattern 3, Week 6 (27/5/2024)

Fig 3.6: Mug Before, Week 6 (27/5/2024)

Fig 3.7: Tote Bag Before, Week 6 (27/5/2024)

Fig 3.8: Shirt Before, Week 6 (27/5/2024)

I then edit the collaterals in photoshop. I used the clipping mask to add my design onto the collateral. 

Fig 3.9: Photoshop, Week 6 (27/5/2024)

I created 2 more artworks to fill in the Instagram feed. 

Fig 3.10: Artwork 1, Week 6 (27/5/2024)

Fig 3.11: Artwork 2, Week 6 (27/5/2024)

Fig 3.12: Adobe Illustrator, Week 6 (27/5/2024)

Final Submission

Fig 3.13: Mug, Week 6 (27/5/2024)

Fig 3.14: Tote Bag, Week 6 (27/5/2024)

Fig 3.15: Shirt, Week 6 (27/5/2024)

Fig 3.16: Week 6 (27/5/2024)

https://www.instagram.com/teejiaern?igsh=NWNjaXJyOG05Y3lo

Fig 3.17: Week 6 (27/5/2024)

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FEEDBACK

Week 5: Key Artwork

General Feedback: White space saves the art work. 

Specific Feedback: Can use stars as part of the letterform. The shape language should reflect the personality concept.

Week 6: Key Artwork 2

General Feedback: Letterforms should have meaning.

Specific Feedback: The distance between letterforms aids readability.

Week 7: Key Artwork 3

General Feedback: Try to prevent using trends as it lacks originality. 

Specific Feedback: Using the same element too much can make the letterforms less impactful.  

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REFLECTION

Experience: Feedback is important because the work can be improved on. I understand the process of creating letterforms. It is important that letterforms have meaning behind the design. 

Observations: I gained knowledge of the creative process and brainstorming. Making decisions is essential to the design process, and critical thinking makes this possible. 

Findings: Feedback is essential since work may always be improved. 

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FURTHER READING

Week 5
A Type Primer 2nd Ed by John Kane 
Measuring Type
Because lead was inserted between lines of type, the space between them is referred to as leading. Currently, we use a 0.35mm point. Pica consists of twelve points. Units are used to specify set widths. 

Form and Counterform
The space between letters makes up the counterform when they are united to form words.

Fig 4.1: Form and Counterform

Contrast

Letterforms that contrast include those that are bold and light, stretched and condensed, organic and machined, roman and italic, and more. 

Reinforcing Meaning

Typeface, size, weight, and placement decisions can enhance the concepts' representation and give letterforms significance. 

Fig 4.2: Reinforcing Meaning

Week 6
Typography Design Form Communication
The parts of letterforms
On the baseline, every character is optically aligned. Lowercase characters' body heights align optically at the x-height, and capital characters' tops align optically along the capline. The typeface designer performs optical changes to attain exact alignments.

Proportions of the letterform
Ratio of strokes to heights. Roman letters have a stroke width to capital height ratio similar to what is found on words. The height of the letter is ten times the stroke width when superimposed over a grid.

Contrast in stroke weight. The optical characteristics of letterforms can be changed by altering the contrast between thick and thin strokes.

Expanded and condensed styles. A typographic font's design characteristics drastically shift when the widths of the letterforms can be made smaller or larger.

X-height and proportion. The x-height's proportionate link to capital, ascender, and descender heights has a big impact on typography's visual characteristics. 

Fig 4.3: Ratio of strokes to heights

Fig 4.4: Contrast in stroke weight

Week 7
Typographic Basics
Character and Word Spacing
Character spacing in larger type sizes must be altered, and paragraphs must be rewritten to remove "widows" and "orphans."

Kerning: Kerning, the spacing between characters, gives the text a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. While most page-layout programmes apply kerning automatically and most word processors do not offer kerning modifications, some letter pairings may need to be adjusted manually. 

Tracking: Tracking is the process of modifying word spacing. Though it pertains to the adjusting of a specific set of characters, words, and spaces, it is comparable to kerning. Its primary goal is to fit text into a specified area without changing the font's size or line spacing. Positive tracking moves the words farther apart, while negative tracking moves the words closer together.

Week 8
Typography Referenced
The Past as Inspiration
At the same time, font design is social and personal. It lies at the nexus between the intended audience's customs, the demands of the moment, and a designer's drive for individuality and originality. 

Text typefaces were frequently created with distinct historical form references differ in display types. They had a lengthy shelf life as well. The few outliers, often sans-serif families like Futura or Univers, catered to certain markets. It wasn't until 1970 that tales with a broader perspective that took into account the entire spectrum of print manufacture, ranging from lectern bibles to broadside posters, tiny trinkets to newspapers.

Fig 4.5: The Past as Inspiration