Typography - Task 3: Type Design and Communication

18/11/2024 - 20/12/2024 (Week 9 - Week 13 )

Lim Yeng San (0366316)

Typography / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylors University

Task 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Lectures

2. Instruction

3. Process Work

• Sketches
• Disection
• Digitization
• Fontlab
• Final Outcome

4. Feedback

5. Reflection

6. Further Reading

1. LECTURES

Refer to Task 1 and Task 2 posts.

 

2. INSTRUCTIONS

Fig 2.1: The module information for Typography

3. PROCESS WORK

a) Sketches

I started sketching multiple font designs for the letters h, o, g and b in both uppercase and lowercase to be written with the chisel tip, bullet tip and brush pen.

Fig 3.1: The early sketches

Fig 3.2: The early sketches with ink

After consulting Mr. Max, the second design was chosen. I then went on to design the fonts for the letters o, l, e, d, s, n, c, h, t, i, g and the symbols , . ! and #.

Fig 3.3: The design for the second set of letters

Most of the letters were approved to be digitized but the letters e and t and the comma (,) and period (.) had to be redesigned.

Fig 3.4: The shortlisted designs

b) Disection

I took the lowercase letter m (Univers Lt Std 55 Roman) for the disection. I used horizontal and vertical lines as well as ellipses to trace the shape of the m.

Fig 3.5: The disection

After that, I selected all of the lines and switched to the shape builder tool to create a shape out of the traced lines.

Fig 3.6: The shape created by the shape builder tool

c) Digitization

I went on to digitize the design on Adobe Illustrator. For this font, I used simple right-angled triangles to make up the letters.

Fig 3.7: The right-angled triangles used

I made o first and used it as a base when making the other letters as they all had a very similar style. 

Fig 3.8: All of the letters created using the letter o as a guide

For letters with long strokes, I extended the triangle to be as tall as the x-height.

Fig 3.9: The letters with long strokes (l, d, h and t)

For the letter i and some of the punctuations, I made the triangle smaller into an equilateral triangle.

Fig 3.10: The letter i and punctuations with equilateral triangles

When I looked back at the sketches, I noticed I accidentally made the n and h different from the first design. I used the first designs as I felt they looked better.

Fig 3.11 and 3.12: The first design of the n compared to the final design

Fig 3.13, 3.14 and 3.15: The progression of the design of the h

For the hashtag, I initially made it as tall as the x-height with thinner strokes. It was too large and thin so I use the o as base again to edit it.

Fig 3.16: The early design of the hashtag in front of a square guide

Fig 3.17: The final design of the hashtag

Fig 3.18: The hashtag compared to the d and o

d) FontLab

When I was done with the designs, I brought them over to FontLab to be made into the font. I followed the video tutorial from Mr.Vinod for the font making process. I followed the kerning guide sent by Mr. Vinod to set the sidebearings.

Fig 3.19: The sidebearing guide for lowercase letters

Fig 3.20: The font in FontLab

I then exported the font and installed it to be used in the A4 poster. I decided to name it Triangles for the shapes I used to make it.

Fig 3.21: The A4 poster in progress

It took me a while to think of a phrase but I managed to think of one with a lot rhymes that used all of the letters. 

e) Final Outcome

Link to download font: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x-MfpZZPZMB58a8HXlqIF_2slIGw2zdn/view?usp=sharing

Fig 3.22: The screen grab of the sidebearings for Triangles

Fig 3.23: The final type construction for Triangles in Adobe Illustrator (JPEG)

Fig 3.24: The final type construction for Triangles in Adobe Illustrator (PDF)

Fig 3.25: A4 black and white poster (JPEG)

Fig 3.26: A4 black and white poster (PDF)

4. FEEDBACKS

Week 9

General feedback: We started sketching our font designs for the letters h, o, g and b.

Specific feedback: (none given for Task 3)

Week 10

General feedback: We continued sketching our font designs for the letters o, l, e, d, s, n, c, h, t, i, g and the symbols , . ! #

Specific feedback: One lowercase font design was accepted

Week 11

General feedback: We digitized our font designs.

Specific feedback: The letters e, t, the comma (,) and the period (.) needed redesigns

Week 12

General feedback: We edited our font in Fontlab.

Specific feedback: The hashtag (#) has to be scaled down. 

Week 13

General feedback: We submitted our font designs

Specific feedback: The font was ready to be submitted

5. REFLECTION

Experience

I got to design my own stylized font and learned the ins and outs of font design. I was taught that consistency is the key for a great font where every letter has a sense of cohesion with each other.

Observations

I'm not great with keeping consistency in curvy lines but I'm much better at updating designs by working on them slowly

Findings

I find that I keep towards simple designs but found a way to complicate the design by repeating the same elements and changing their arrangements

6. FURTHER READING

Fig 6.1: Stop Stealing Sheep and Find Out How Type Works by Erik Spiekermann

Stop Stealing Sheep and Find Out How Type Works by Erik Spiekermann is a book that covers the broad teachings and understandings about type. Chapter 6, Types of type piqued my interest as it talked on how different typefaces are used to represent certain characteristics.

 

Fig 6.2 and 6.3: A comparison between an image that only uses one typeface and an image that uses different typefaces for each name

"For individual expression, as well as maximum legibility, we need to pull out all the stops."

- To better express different meanings, different typefaces should be used for each word

- Typographic ergonomics should be applied for different types of media and audiences