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Advanced Typography /Task 3: Type Exploration and Application

Start from 16.10.2023

18.10.2023 -29.11.2023 /Week 8- Week 14
Kong Cai Yi / 0363862 
Advanced Typography / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media 
Task 3: Type Exploration and Application



 INDEX
1. Lectures: All lectures 1 to 5 completed in Task 1/ Exercise 1 &2

2. Task 3: Type Exploration and Application
INSTRUCTIONS
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Task 3/ Type Exploration and Application

For Task 3, we get to dictate our own project. 
  • Create a font that is intended to solve a larger problem or meant to be part of a solution in the area of your interest be it graphic design, animation, new media or entertainment design or any other related area not necessarily reflecting your specialisation.
or
  • Explore the use of an existing letterform in an area of interest, understand its existing relationship, identify areas that could be improved upon, explore possible solutions or combinations that may add value to the existing letterform / lettering.     
or

  • Experiment. For your idea to qualify as an experiment it must be novel and unique — working with material that might be 3-dimensional, digitally augmented, edible, unusual, typographic music video or fine art. End result: defined by student.

The end outcome could be a designed font and its application in the form or format that it is intending to provide a solution to, or a designed font that adds value to an existing use, or an experimentative output that results in something novel and unique. The work can manifest into any kind of format related to the issue being solved or explored or experimented: animation, 3d, print, ambient, projection, movie title or game title, music video, use of different material etc.


TYPE EXPLORATION

TASK 3 PROPOSAL
I decided to move on idea 1, which is Create a instagram story font that suitable for specific theme such as online fashion shop. Text customization options, allowing users to select fonts that suit their themes or brand better.

Fig 1.1 Task 3 proposal-PDF (18.10.2023-Week 8)


I have selected idea #1 as my final task. During class, I presented my sketched letters 'H,' 'A,' 'N,' and 'O' to Mr. Vinod for review. After examining these letters, he approved them and encouraged me to proceed with designing the remaining characters.

Fig 1.2 Letters to review (25.10.2023-Week 9)


Progression (Uppercase)
First Attempting:
Fig 1.3 First attempting-uppercase (30.10.2023-Week 10)

SHOWCASE
Fig 1.4 First attempting showcase (1.11.2023-Week 10)

Second Attempting:
After the feedback was given by Mr.vinod, I do some adjustment for letter"B","D","E","F",I","J","K","L","M","P","R","T". Which is applied the same characteristic to each letter stroke.
Fig 1.5 Second attempting-uppercase (2.11.2023-Week 10)


Third Attempting:
After the feedback was given by Mr.vinod, I do some adjustment for letter"G","O","B","C",D","P","Q","R","S". Which is change the thin axis to straight position.
Fig 1.6 Third attempting-uppercase (8.11.2023-Week 11)

Fig 1.7 Comparison (8.11.2023-Week 11)
SHOWCASE


Fig 1.8 Third attempting showcase (8.11.2023-Week 11)



Progression (Lowercase)
First Attempting:

Fig 2.1 First attempting-lowercase (6.11.2023-Week 11)
SHOWCASE
Fig 2.2 First attempting showcase (6.11.2023-Week 11)

Second Attempting:
After the feedback was given by Mr.Vinod, I do some adjustment for letter"a","b","c","d",e","f","g","h","m","n","o","q","r","s","u" Which is change the thin axis to straight position.
Fig 2.3 Second attempting-lowercase (10.11.2023-Week 11)

SHOWCASE
Fig 2.4 Second attempting showcase (10.11.2023-Week 11)


Progression (Numerals)
First Attempting:
Fig 3.1 First attempting-numbers (8.11.2023-Week 11)
Fig 3.2 First attempting-punctuations (8.11.2023-Week 11)

SHOWCASE

Fig 3.3 First attempting showcase (8.11.2023-Week 11)

Second Attempting:
I did some adjustment on number "2","3","5","9".
Fig 3.4 Second attempting-numerals (10.11.2023-Week 11)

SHOWCASE
Fig 3.4 Second attempting-showcase (10.11.2023-Week 11)


UPPERCASE + LOWERCASE SHOWCASE:
Fig 4.1 Combined two Uppercase and Lowercase (15.11.2023-Week 12)

Fontlab Progress:
Uppercase

Fig 4.2 Converting letter from AI to fontlab (15.11.2023-Week 12)
Fig 4.3 Adjusting side-bearing according to the chart(15.11.2023-Week 12)

Fig 4.4 After adjusted(15.11.2023-Week 12)

Lowercase
Fig 4.5 Adjusting side-bearing according to the chart(15.11.2023-Week 12)
Fig 4.6 After adjusted(15.11.2023-Week 12)

Fig 4.7 Side-bearing references(15.11.2023-Week 12)

Numerals
Fig 4.8 Adjusting side-bearing according to the chart(15.11.2023-Week 12)

Fig 4.9 After adjusted(15.11.2023-Week 12)

FINAL TYPE EXPLORATION
Fig 4.10 Final Font-Noble (15.11.2023-Week 12)

In Font Book
Fig 4.11 Final Font-Noble (15.11.2023-Week 12)

FONT PREVIEW:

TYPE PRESENTATION:
As my purpose of creating NOBLE font is for adding a new instagram story font that suitable for online fashion shop. So I use words like"FASHION", "STYLE" ,"DRESS" or some fashion related quotes to present my font. 

Fig 5.1 Font Presentation progress(22.11.2023-Week 13)
Fig 5.2 Font Presentation #1 (22.11.2023-Week 13)

Fig 5.3 Font Presentation #2 (22.11.2023-Week 13)

Fig 5.4 Font Presentation #3 (22.11.2023-Week 13)

Fig 5.5 Font Presentation #4 (22.11.2023-Week 13)

Fig 5.6 Font Presentation #5 (22.11.2023-Week 13)

Fig 5.7 Font Presentation #6 (22.11.2023-Week 13)

Fig 5.2 Font Presentation (22.11.2023-Week 13)


TYPE APPLICATION：
#1 Instagram Story

Fig 5.3 Type Application-instagram story (22.11.2023-Week 13)

Fig 5.4 Type Application-instagram story (22.11.2023-Week 13)


#2 Fashion Magazine
Fig 5.5 Type Application-Fashion Magazine (22.11.2023-Week 13)

Fig 5.6 Type Application-Fashion Magazine (26.11.2023-Week 14)

Fig 5.7 Type Application-Fashion Magazine (26.11.2023-Week 14)

Fig 5.8 Type Application-Fashion Magazine (26.11.2023-Week 14)

Fig 5.9 Type Application-Fashion Magazine (26.11.2023-Week 14)

Fig 5.10 Type Application-Fashion Magazine (26.11.2023-Week 14)

#3  Shoulder Bag




Fig 5.11 Type Application-shoulder bag (26.11.2023-Week 14)

#4 Hoodie

Fig 5.12 Type Application-Hoodie (26.11.2023-Week 14)

Fig 5.13 Type Application-Hoodie (26.11.2023-Week 14)

Fig 5.14 Type Application-Hoodie (26.11.2023-Week 14)

Fig 5.15 Type Application-Hoodie (26.11.2023-Week 14)

Fig 5.16 Type Application-Hoodie (26.11.2023-Week 14)

Fig 5.17 Type Application-Hoodie (26.11.2023-Week 14)



Final Task 3: Type Exploration Application

Fig 6.1 Final Type Exploration-Noble (15.11.2023-Week 12)

Font Preview:
Font Presentation (Noble)：
Fig 6.2 Font Presentation #1 (22.11.2023-Week 13)

Fig 6.3 Font Presentation #2 (22.11.2023-Week 13)

Fig 6.4 Font Presentation #3 (22.11.2023-Week 13)

Fig 6.5 Font Presentation #4 (22.11.2023-Week 13)

Fig 6.6 Font Presentation #5 (22.11.2023-Week 13)

Fig 6.7 Font Presentation #6 (22.11.2023-Week 13)

Fig 6.8 Font Presentation (22.11.2023-Week 13)

Font Application:

#1 Instagram Story

Fig 6.9 Type Application-instagram story (22.11.2023-Week 13)


#2 Fashion Magazine




Fig 6.10 Type Application-Fashion Magazine (26.11.2023-Week 14)

#3  Shoulder Bag

Fig 6.11 Type Application-shoulder bag (26.11.2023-Week 14)

#4 Hoodie


Fig 6.12 Type Application-Hoodie (26.11.2023-Week 14)

FEEDBACK
Week 9 
General Feedback:We should be aware that the issues with some posters often lie in their overall design, rather than solely in the choice of fonts.
Specific Feedback: My idea of adding instagram story font seems working, I should presented my sketched letters 'H,' 'A,' 'N,' and 'O' to Mr. Vinod for review in class before I proceed it.

Week 10
General Feedback: Each stroke of letter should remain same characteristic and size.
Specific Feedback: Mr.Vinod suggest the middle of my letter "I" should be more thick and add the pattern into other letter.

Week 11
General Feedback: My letter idea is great, but need to modify till more mature. Especially the letter have circle shape of thin axis part is not consistent.
Specific Feedback: Take reference from OPTIMA, ASUAL and REFORMA and try to let my thin axis part to be straight, it is easier to make it more consistent.

Week 12
General Feedback: All Good! Can proceed to font lab side-bearing.
Specific Feedback:  Make sure each letter's side-bearing size refer to the the"Task 3-resources" that are given.

Week 13
General Feedback: For font presentation, refer to the sample that was given in teams.
Specific Feedback:  My instagram story should put result/showcase for the new font that I typed before posting.

Week 14
General Feedback: If cannot preview font in google drive, try to add preview & type your font on Blogger.
Specific Feedback: For my application, no need to add shoulder bag and hoodie at least it is prefect and beautiful enough. 

REFLECTIONS
Experience
The entire process of Task 3 was actually quite smooth and enjoyable for me. Unlike the previous tasks, I didn't feel as lost this time, and I felt more confident, having grasped Mr.Vinod's requirements. In the initial type exploration, I followed my intuition and thought that focusing on what I feel like is pretty good. However, I later realized that there was a lack of consistency in the features.I then considered that creating uppercase might be easier than lowercase. Lowercase often have more circular components, while uppercase appear more straight and formal. Following Mr.Vinod's advice to maintain a consistent feature for each letter (keeping the details of each circular part vertical), the entire typeface started to feel more mature and moved beyond the developmental stage.During the export to fontlab stage, I spent a considerable amount of time adjusting the letter spacing. Fortunately, Mr.Vinod provided a font list for bearing, which was immensely helpful. 

When it came to the font presentation, I felt a bit perplexed initially, not knowing how to showcase it effectively. However, after consulting with the teacher and deciding on a poster-style presentation, I felt much more confident.As for the application part, I incorporated elements related to fashion, such as bags, hoodies, fashion magazines, and the font I used for Instagram stories.

Observations
Creating a font involves handling numerous details, and we only tackled uppercase and lowercase letters. I have great respect for font creators who delve into even more intricacies. Ensuring the uniformity of each letter requires a significant amount of time and patience to achieve, making it a challenging task that I am grateful to have overcome.I've observed the vast variety of fonts worldwide, and it's intriguing to learn how to craft a unique font that can resonate with the public. Many of my peers have produced beautiful and distinctive fonts, and I am delighted to engage in discussions and learning experiences with them. Font creation is an art, and it's satisfying to explore this journey together.In terms of font presentation, I took inspiration from examples provided by Mr.Vinod gaining insights into the expected format. I also extracted some of their ideas and elements, incorporating them into my own work.

Findings
This entire task has been incredibly beneficial for me, providing insights into how to create a well-crafted font, maintain its consistency, and effectively present it so that its intended meaning and purpose are immediately apparent. I have truly enjoyed the entire learning process because it has been a continuous journey of improvement, helping me understand my strengths and weaknesses.Throughout this learning experience, I have gained valuable knowledge on how to apply a font in various applications, transforming it into a versatile design suitable for different contexts. I am grateful for the Mr.Vinod's feedback and suggestions at every step, which have accelerated my progress and pushed me to refine my work to the best of my ability.

FURTHER READING

Fig 7.1 Typography Referenced 

TYPE HISTORY AND TIMELINE
By Allan Haley with Kathryn Henderson

The history of type dates back to the ancient Greeks. Here’s a look at that timeline, from its start through 2010.

Fig 7.2 Greek lapidary letters (29.11.2023-Week 14)

Fig 7.3 Roman monumental capitals (29.11.2023-Week 14)


Fifth Century BCE
Greek lapidary letters, letters carved into hard surfaces, were one of the first formal uses of Western letterforms. The Greeks adopted the Phoenician alphabet for their own needs, and as a result, changed several letters and created the foundation for Western writing.

Second Century BCE
Roman lapidary letters exemplified transitional letterforms from ancient Greek to the more modern Roman shapes and proportions.

First Century BCE
Roman monumental capitals are the foundation for Western type design, as well as the ancestor of all serif typefaces

Fourth and Fifth Centuries CE
This time period saw square capitals, formal hand-written letters that evolved from Roman monumental capitals.

Eighth through Eleventh Centuries
Thanks to Charlemagne, Carolingian minuscule became the basis for the standard lowercase (332) alphabet.


TYPE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
The Past as Inspiration
  • Typeface design is personal and social at the same time. It sits at the intersection of a designer’s desire for identity and originality, the demands of the moment, and the conventions shared by the intended audience. 
  • The designer also needs to take into account the constraints of the type-making and typesetting technology, the characteris- tics of the rendering process (whether printing or illuminating), and the past responses to similar conditions by countless designers. 
  • A good visual history of past designs is an essential element of every designer’s toolkit.
Fig 7.4 A page from a 1958 Fonderie Olive specimen showing François Ganeau’s Vendome Romain (29.11.2023-Week 14)

Letters, Lines, and Paragraphs
  • Although we can look at typefaces within the framework of classification systems, it is better to examine them in the context in which we see them on the page, so to speak. 
  • Traditional systems categorize typefaces by features such as angle of contrast (230), rate of modulation, and shape of serifs. 
Tools and Concepts
  • Typeforms are inextricably linked to writing. Not calligraphy, the craft of exploring expression with hand- rendered forms, but writing in the widest possible sense, from graffiti to a hasty “back in five minutes” sign to the most elaborate piece of public lettering. 
  • These forms determine the fundamental relationships between strokes and empty space at the heart of typeface design. 
  • On top of these, the designer adds a layer of interpretation and elaboration, making unknown combinations of typeforms with consistent texture and adding stylistic cues.
Fig 7.5 A card template cut by Jim Rimmer (29.11.2023-Week 14)

From a Letter to a Typeface
  • It is not too difficult to design one letter or even a few. But to design a full alphabet, a designer must balance complementary and contrasting features across a large character set. 
  • Making sure that range of shapes combines to form a unified whole is the first step toward a new typeface. 
  • This underlying homogeneity distinguishes typefaces from lettering and allows integration of unique features that impart personality and style while maintaining readability (330). 
Fig 7.6 stages in the early develop- ment of Neel Kshetrimayum’s Frijky. (29.11.2023-Week 14)

Design by Team
  • There has been a gradual return to typeface design as a team enterprise, drawing on the expertise of a group rather than an individual. 
  • This concept is not new: Typeface design in the hot-metal and phototype eras was very much a team product. 
  • But just as the digital, platform-independent formats enabled designers to function outside of a heavy engineering world as sole traders, so it enabled the explosion of character sets and families to unprecedented levels. 
  • The necessary skills and the sheer volume of work required for text and branding typefaces have driven a growth of mid-size foundries where people with complementary skills collaborate on a single product. 

Fig 7.7 Miguel Sousa’s text generator (29.11.2023-Week 14)

Fig 7.7 Trials during the development of Mitja Miklavčič’s Tisa (29.11.2023-Week 14)

Rendering Environment

In comparison with the original outlines (left) the laser printer introduced inconsisten- cies of width in the vertical strokes, as well as in serifs and terminals. Although the resolution of laser printers is generally higher, this level of detail is comparable to many print-on-demand services.
Fig 7.8 Three letters from 9-point Minion Pro, printed on a 600 dpi laser printer, photographed under a microscope.  (29.11.2023-Week 14)
  • Testing the Design
The process of typeface design is, in essence, a reductive refinement of details. First ideas are just sketches that offer starting points followed by a clear methodology of structured changes, reviews, testing—and rep- etition of the whole process. The designer’s attention progresses in ever-decreasing scales of focus:
  1. First, paragraph-level values on the overall density of a design
  2. Next, fundamental interplay of space and main strokes
  3. Third, elements within a typeface that ensure consistency and homogeneity
  4. Finally, elements that impart individuality and character
Emilie Rigaud’s Coline combines a relatively restrained regularand bold, with an informal upright style, an upright italic with an associated light version, and an extra bold that pushes the style to its extreme.

Fig 7.9 Emilie Rigaud’s Coline (29.11.2023-Week 14)

Space Matters
  • Punchcutters and letter cutters know firsthand that the most important element in a typeface is the space between letters. 
  • Readers are terrible at identifying specific widths along a line of text but extremely adept at picking out inconsistencies. 
  • Within the space of a few words, a designer can establish the typeface’s basic rhythm; with small variations of basic dimensions and spacing a typeface can appear normal or impart the impression of a wider or narrower variant. 
  • This basic pattern greatly affects readability (330) of the typeface, even more so than the details of the dark shapes themselves.
Fig 7.10 Encyclopedie of 1754 shows (29.11.2023-Week 14)

Familiar Shapes, New Interpretations
  • A typeface is a product of the applied arts: It embodies functionality and usability and has intrinsic value through its utilization. 
  • On the most basic level, it allows encoding of textual meaning, but on a higher level it allows expression of values such as association, style, identity, differentiation, and beauty. 
  • This is the least tangible aspect of a typeface, but the one that most motivates designers.
Fig 7.11 Tom Grace’s Givry (29.11.2023-Week 14)


Typeface designers have proven extremely resourceful in their search for new typographic forms. Four areas seem to encompass these efforts.
  1. Designers enter a dialog with typographic history. There are still many underexplored sources of inspiration in old type specimens and in the challenge of updating older styles to contemporary needs (for example, the recent spate of Modern typefaces).
  2.  New technology is informing typographic design and opens up possibilities. The profusion of typefaces exploring glyph substitution is the most visible example.
  3.  Questioning of genres and the design process waters down the distinctions of historical classi- fications and introduces hybrid forms into the mainstream.
  4. The challenge of developing new typefaces for non-Latin scripts can serve a widening set of typographic conditions (for example, typefaces for multiple levels of emphasis in scripts that had, until recently, only a few typefaces at their disposal).
Fig 7.12 Octavio Pardo-Virto’s Sutturah (29.11.2023-Week 14) 

TYPE CLASSSIFICATION AND IDENTIFICATION

Most typefaces fall into one of three basic groups: those with serifs (little feet and tails), those without serifs, and scripts (designed to look like cursive handwriting). Many more definitive classification systems have been developed, some with more than 100 different categories. 

Fig 7.13 Different Typeface (29.11.2023-Week 14) 

Serif Old Style
  • These are the first Roman types, faces originally created between the late- fifteenth century (9) and
  • mid- eighteenth century (10) or patterned after typefaces originally designed during this period.
  • he axis of curved strokes normally inclines to the left in these designs, so that weight stress falls at approximately eight o’clock and two o’clock. 
  • The contrast (230) in character stroke weight is not dramatic, and hairlines tend to be on the heavy side. Some versions, such as the earlier Venetian Old Style designs, are distinguished by the diagonal cross stroke of the lowercase (332) e. 
  • Serifs are almost always bracketed in Old Style designs and head serifs are often angled.
Fig 7.14 Serif Old Style (29.11.2023-Week 14) 

Serif Transitional
  • The English printer and typographer John Baskerville (70) established the style for these typefaces in the middle of the eighteenth century (10). 
  • His work with calendared paper and improved printing methods (both of which he developed) allowed for the reproduction of much finer character strokes and the maintenance of subtler character shapes.
  • While the axis of curve strokes can be inclined in Transitional designs, they generally have a vertical stress. Weight contrast (230) is more pronounced than in Old Style (54) designs. 
  • Serifs are still bracketed and head serifs are oblique. 
  • These typefaces represent the transition between Old Style and Neoclassical (56) designs, and incorporate some characteristics of each.
Fig 7.15 Serif Transitional (29.11.2023-Week 14) 




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