Advanced Typography - Task 3: Type Exploration and Application
Advanced Typography - Task 3: Type Exploration & Application
26/9/2022 - 23/10/2022 (Week 9 - Week 13)
Afif Shukri / 0354429
Advanced Typography / Bachelor of (Design) in Creative Media / GCD60104
Task 3: Type Exploration and Application
LECTURES
Lectures from 1 - 5 is completed in Task 1
INSTRUCTIONS
TASKS
For Task 3, We were asked to create either:
A font that is intended to solve a larger problem or 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.
or
Explore the use of typeface in my area of interest, understand it's existing relationship that could be improved upon exploring possible solutions or combinations that may add value to the existing typeface.
or
Experiment an idea that must be novel and unique.
Idea
First and foremost, we had to brainstorm ideas and determine the theme for our design. I came up an album cover.
Fig 1.1 - Album Cover Idea
Sketches
Before I started with sketching. I took inspiration from this typeface. I noticed the letters have the same width and height and it's just that the sharp bit tends to dip below the baseline
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| Fig 1.2 - Inspiration |
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| Fig 1.3 - Rough sketches on paper |
These sketches I did some letters for uppercase and lowercase. I plan to create the sharp edges have the same width during the digitalisation process.
Digitalisation
At first, I created my typeface with the help of an existing font. After receiving feedback from Mr Vinod. Using an existing typeface to help create your font is not allowed. Although, only some letters I created was with a help of an existing typeface. I still feel the need to come up with an original design. Therefore, I created another draft.
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| Fig 1.4 - Design Draft 1 |
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| Fig 1.5 - Design Draft 2 |
When crafting the typeface, at first I was using an existing font for some of my letters. From there, I added some shapes and used the pen tool to create some freehand designs.
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| Fig 1.6 - Shapes used to create the letterforms. |
For the digitalisation process. These are the only shapes I used and some free hand drawing using the pen tool. They are all made up from a rectangle shape. From there I used direct selection tool to help me slant the shapes and make the edges sharp.
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| Fig 1.7 - Creating of Letter A |
Here is a little process of how I did the letter A. It was quite simple and straight forward. All I had to do was used the rectangle shape and create a A letter using the rectangles. From there, i could just select all the shape and use the Pathfinder Unite or the Shape Builder Tool. As seen on Figure 1.5 was the before and Figure 1.6 was after.
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| Fig 1.8 - After Unite / Shape Builder Tool |
After the letter A is done. In figure 1.7 I used another rectangle shape to create a slanted / sharp edge on the right hand side of the letter. Same technique but for this one United Path Finder tool wasn't available therefore I just used the Shape Builder Tool.
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| Fig 1.9 - Creating a slanted / sharp edge for Letter A |
Moving onto the lower case letter. It was quite easy because I've already got the hang of doing the task. The process was the same as Letter A for the uppercase letter. For reference, It's in Figure 1.6.
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| Fig 2.1 - After uniting all the shapes to create a B |
After Uniting all the shapes together to form a lowercase B. I needed to make the edges sharp / pointy. As a result i just selected one of the anchor point of the letter B and moved it to the left side as shown in Figure 1.9
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| Fig 2.2 - Process of making the edges sharp / pointy |
Again, after using the shape builder tool. I am able to get the B shape which then again, I used the anchor point and dragged it to one point to make the edges sharp.
Feedback from week 11 was given that I am not able to modify existing fonts. This has lead me to redo some of the letters.
Final Chosen Font:
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| Fig 2.3 - Final Chosen Font |
Font Generation
Once I have done with creating the letters with Illustrator. I then have to generate the font with FontLab. I copy pasted each letters to Font Lab.
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| Fig 2.4 - All Uppercase, Lowercase, Numbers & Punctuations |
After I have done transferring all the letters to Font Lab. I began adjusting and finalising all the letters to be in place.
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| Fig 2.5 - Documentation of my Font Generation |
Making sure the spaces in between the letters are well adjusted. With kerning and spacing I have made some amendments to make sure the text is not super crowded.
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| Fig 2.6 - Working on kerning for Uppercase letters |
Reference:
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| Fig 2.7 - Reference of Album Merchandise |
This is an Inspiration I took from Google. It's an album released along side its merchandise. I thought of doing something similar.
Application
As per discussed in my idea, the final application would be on Album Cover. What i thought of doing a merchandise sale of celebrating the album. For example:
Mug, T-Shirt and Caps.
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| Fig 2.8 - Cap Mock Up 1 |
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| Fig 2.9 - Casing Mock Up Design 1 |
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For the main colors, It obvious that the album that I chose was called Purple Reign, hence the main colors I thought of was shades of Purples and any other colors that could compliment well.
Final Submission of Task 3: Type Exploration
JPG
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| Fig 3.1 - Completed "Edgy" Typeface in JPG |
PDF
Fig 3.2 - Completed "Edgy" Typeface in PDF
Link to download font: Edgy
Final Application
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| Fig 3.3 - Cap Mock Up 1 |
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| Fig 3.4 - Cap Mock Up 2 |
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| Fig 3.5 - Casing Mock Up Design 1 |
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FEEDBACK
Week 11
General feedback:
The use of existing typeface is not allowed.
The use of existing typeface is not allowed.
Specific feedback:
Need to document my process on how I did my letterform. Needed to redo some of my letters to craft from the ground up.
Week 12
General feedback:
Do not use existing typeface to do the work. Even when you are completely changing the typeface it is still not allowed.
Specific feedback:
Make sure to document the process of designing my letterforms one by one.
REFLECTION
Experience
The experience of doing this task 3 was quite alright. This is due to having prior experience of creating a typeface in semester when I was doing the typography module. However, I did find using fontlab a bit challenging due to having to use it only once in the previous semester. Apart from that I was coping alright.
Observation
I had to make sure that all the thickness of the letterforms are the same. Moreover, having the sharpness and consistently having it the same throughout all the letterforms were a bit challenging. Lastly, some letters were really challenging to do especially the letter G
Findings
I had to make the spacings between the letters more spacier due to the nature of the sharpness being a bit long. This really challenge me due to me not remembering the most of the process in FontLab.
FURTHER READING
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| Fig 3.8 - The Vignelli Canon |
In the introduction, the author stated that:
- Creativity needs the support of knowledge to be able to perform at its best.
This helped me understand that without any proper knowledge on designing, even with a creative mind, It will not have the proper formula to achieve the desired result.
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| Fig 3.9 - Reference from Introduction section of the book |
Moreover, the author also mentioned that in designing a book, brochure or any other kinds of printed matter, the choice of paper size involves quite a complexity of issues.
- Conform to previous related publications.
- Break a new ground.
- The size itself becomes the carrier of a
message even before anything is printed on it.
The choice of a size is a very important decision.
It involves costs and is part of the overall economy
of the production process.
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| Fig 4.0 - Reference for printed kinds |
" One of the most important elements in typography is scale and size relationship. Naturally there are many ways of understanding and expressing typography. "
- The importance of choosing the right typeface for a design.
- Vital to express information in the most objective way.
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| Fig 4.1 - Typefaces reference |
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