Maisarah binti Mohd Sufian | 0358458
Typography | Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Task 3: Type Design & Communication
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LECTURES
Week 8 - Independent Learning Week
Previously, Mr Vinod briefed us on our task 3 which we must work and do research on during Independent Learning Week.
Week 9
Mr Vinod gave us more pointers on what details to focus and pay attention to when sketching and writing letters such as taking note of the x-height space and baseline. For example, the ascenders should extend above the x-height and the descenders should extend below the baseline (e.g. f and y). He showed us the steps to digitise the approved sketches in Adobe Illustrator.
Week 10
Mr Vinod briefed us on how to use FontLab 7, and asked us to prepare for future lessons.
Week 11
I continued to work on adjusting my letterforms in AI, asking Ms Hsin for feedback.
Week 12
This week we continued to import our letterforms into FontLab 7, Mr Vinod showed us how to properly adjust the sidebearings. After that we worked on the poster.
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TASK 3 - Type Design & Communication
Instructions
Fig. 1.1 Module Information.
We are required to study the anatomy of existing typefaces to create a new typeface for the letters o l e d s c h t i g , . ! #. It is necessary to follow the rules of letter anatomy to ensure the uniformity, consistency and legibility of our typeforms.
1. Research & Sketch
We are first required to dissect the letter H o g b from one of the 10 given typefaces that we will use as reference when creating our typeface. I chose ITC Garamond Bold because I liked the appearance of the serifs as it is more fluid and natural.
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| Fig. 1.2 Dissecting letterforms from ITC Garamond Bold. (14/11/23) |
I studied both the horizontal and vertical differences of each letterform as well.
It can be seen that letterforms are never completely centered or symmetrical, and the reason for that is to maintain consistency when paired with each other, giving a symmetrical illusion. For example, the bowl of the letter o is slightly slanted, and the crossbar for the letter H is slightly above the midline. This way it was clear that letterforms are not always mathematically proportional, but some asymmetry is necessary to make the letters appear uniform and I kept that in mind when refining my letterforms.
The main sketches I present were these:
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| Fig. 1.3 Sketches using 0.3 calligraphy pen. (21/11/23) |
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| Fig. 1.4 Sketches using 0.6 permanent marker. (21/11/23) |
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| Fig. 1.5 Sketches made with brush pen. (21/11/23) |
Extra sketches I made to explore:
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| Fig. 1.6 Exploring different types of letterforms with 0.3 pen. (21/11/23) |
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| Fig. 1.7 Other random brainstorm sketches. (21/11/23) |
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| Fig. 1.8 Sketch variations. (21/11/23) |
2. Digitisation
I started by making shapes of the base letterforms in ai.
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| Fig. 2.1 Inserting the sketch into AI and tracing it. (28/11/23) |
I went in with the warp tool and started making the first waves.
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| Fig. 2.2 Adding waves using the warp tool. (28/11/23) |
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| Fig. 2.3 Refining and adjusting the waves. (28/11/23) |
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| Fig. 2.4 Adding consistency, before (top) and after (bottom). (05/12/23) |
I made a few extra letters, that is a b r f u so I had all the necessary letters for my Self-Titled project. I then had my final letterforms.
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| Fig. 2.5 Final typeface. (05/12/23) |
3. Fontlab
I imported all of my letterforms to Fontlab 7.
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| Fig. 3.1 Importing shapes from AI to Fontlab. (11/12/23) |
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| Fig. 3.2 Full list of letters. (11/12/23) |
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| Fig. 3.3 Adjusting the side bearing and kerning of letters. (11/12/23) |
After being satisfied with the sidebearings and dimensions of my font, I exported it and began working on the poster.
4. Poster & Final
Font download: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jqzntAw9WtMpvzLNJa156bVcl3xVv1ik/view?usp=drive_link
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| Fig. 4.1 Fontlab screengrab. (18/12/23) |
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| Fig. 4.2 Final type construction in AI (JPEG) (18/12/23) |
Fig. 4.3 Final construction in AI (PDF) (18/12/23)
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| Fig. 4.4 Final Task 3 Poster (JPEG) (18/12/23) |
Fig. 4.5 Final Task 3 Poster (PDF) (18/12/23)
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FEEDBACK
Week 13:
General feedback: When showcasing typeface, it's reccommended to not use visual effects and additional graphics as it takes away from the craftmanship of the original type. We also need to include all the letterforms we made in the phrase we choose.
Week 12
Specific feedback: As Mr Vinod passed by me and saw my poster, he told me to make the text size bigger as space is the biggest enemy.
Week 11
Specific feedback: Ms Hsin said shortening the stems was a good decision, as my letterforms look a lot more balanced now. She said due to the nature of my typeface, it is more suitable to maintain the irregularity of it. The stems of of letters are quite similar to each other, so she advised me to try and apply the same structure to my x-height letters, referencing the o (bowel, and stroke width that it bottom left heavy). My punctuations can be improved, with the dots being slightly bigger as they are less prominent, and my # to be more balanced by diminishing the narowness of the middle strokes. I could also add a tail to my t, as it is looking a bit more narrow compared to the other letterforms. After that Ms Hsin showed me how the right handside of my g is a bit heavy, and I should make it similar to the stems of the other letterforms. The horizontal stroke of my t can also be lengthened, as well as the size of my punctuation dots.
Week 10
General feedback: Label baseline and grid lines.
Week 9
General feedback: We should pay close attention to the correct letter anatomy of our sketched letters, such as strokes that extend past the x-height or baseline. Before sketching, we should draw guides (the baseline, x-height, ascender space, descender space etc.).
Specific feedback: I preferred sketches 1, 2 and 12, but Ms Hsin was drawn to an unlabled experimental type I did derived from 2. So, I sketched out the lowercase of 2 and 12 and tried to make uppercase and lowercase derivatives of 2, incorporating the wiggly elements. Mr Vinod urged me to digitise the wiggly sketch as it was more interesting. They also pointed out that my lowercase t should be slightly shorter than the ascender height.
Week 8
Independent Learning Week.
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REFLECTION
Experience
This is one of my favourite tasks, as it was interesting and I have always wanted to try creating my own typeface. There are a few things I would change about my final font, but I feel I did as well as I could within the given timeframe. Overall, I enjoyed my time in lectures more than the previous lessons, and felt like I was utilising my time better.
Observation
I learned many new things about letterforms, and took note of the small details I never noticed before. I did not realize creating type required meticulous numerical adjustments, I have more respect for type designers now and admire their work greatly. I also felt like I had more creative freedom with this task, despite still having rules to stick to.
Findings
I now have a deeper understanding of typography, including letterforms, spacing, and proportions. There are various intricacies of font design and how different elements contribute to readability and aesthetics. I've deepened my understanding of typographic principles, such as kerning, tracking, and leading, and how these factors contribute to the overall readability and aesthetics of text.
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FURTHER READING
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| Fig. 5.1 Typography Basics, 2003. |
Throughout this task I consistently read this book on a weekly basis, so that I could understand the many different types of fonts and use them as reference when creating my typeface. I was able to envision how my typeface would look with other variants, such as types with different stroke widths or angles. It helped with working on the kerning and leading of my letterforms, especially when an underline is added.
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