Advanced Typography: Task 1 Exercises
Advanced Typography
Advanced Typography - Task 1: Exercises 1 & 2 - Typographic Systems and Type & Play
september 25, 2024
25/9/2024 -16/10/2024 (Week 1 - Week 4)
FANG YAOYUE / 0372006
Advanced Typography / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor's University
Task 1: Exercises 1 & 2 - Typographic Systems and Type & Play
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Lectures
2. Instructions
3. Task 1: Exercise 1 - Typographic Systems
4. Task 1: Exercise 2 - Type & Play
5. Feedback
6. Reflections
7. Further Reading
WEEK 1 (22/4/2024) - LECTURE 1
Advanced Typography: Typographic Systems
Student designers often initially find the grid system awkward, but understanding its organization process allows them to realize its creative potential in terms of permutations and combined uses. Typographic systems allow designers to break free from rigid grid systems and use more fluid means to create typographic messages.
Shape grammar is a set of shape rules that apply in a step-by-step way to generate a set, or language, of designs.
• Axial System: All elements are organised to the left or right of a single axis.
• Radial System: All elements are extended from a point of focus.
• Dilatational System: All elements expand from a central point in a circular fashion.
• Random System: Elements appear to have no specific pattern or relationship.
• Grid System: A system of vertical and horizontal divisions.
• Transitional System: An informal system of layered banding.
• Modular System: A series of non-objective elements that are constructed as a standardised unit.
• Bilateral System: All text is arranged symmetrically on a single axis.
WEEK 2 (29/4/2024) - LECTURE 2
Advanced Typography: Typographic Composition
1. Principles of Design Composition: Emphasis, isolation, repetition, balance (symmetry/asymmetry), alignment, perspective, rhythm, contrast.
2. The Rule of Thirds: A composition guide for photographers. The points of interest are positioned inside the allotted space using the intersecting lines as a guide.
3. Environmental Grid: Based on an investigation of an existing structure or a combination of multiple structures.
4. Form and Movement: Based on the exploration of an existing Grid System. There is movement when a form is positioned over many pages. The forms could be text, colour, or graphics.
Instructions
Task 1:
Exercise 1_Typographic System
Exercise 2_Type & Play
Task 1
23/09/2024 – 06/10/2023 (Week 01 — Week 02)
Exercise 1 - Typographic System
We have been assigned the task of creating a total of eight posters according to the typographic systems taught in Lecture 1.
To take note:
- make sure the hierarchy is there
- the designs should be easy to read
- choose colors wisely and do not choose more than 2 colors
- take note of the leading, tracking, and font size should be 8-12pt
- the elements should be inside the margin
The new semester begins, this is a new assignment, before which I need to draw some sketches to ensure that my future work can proceed smoothly, a simple sketch can make my thinking clearer.
Exercise 1—Typographic System
I decided to choose this text to complete my exercise
The Design School,
Taylor’s University
All Ripped Up: Punk Influences on Design
Open Public Lectures:
June 24, 2021
Lew Pik Svonn, 9AM-10AM
Ezrena Mohd., 10AM-11AM
Suzy Sulaiman, 11AM-12PM
June 25, 2021
Lim Whay Yin, 9AM-10AM
Fahmi Reza, 10AM-11AM
Manish Acharia, 11AM-12PM
Lecture Theatre 12
Work Progress in InDesign
Fig 1.1.1 Axial System, 30/9/2024
Fig 1.1.2 Axial System, 30/9/2024
Fig 1.1.3 Radial System, 30/9/2024
Fig 1.1.4 Radial System, 30/9/2024
Fig 1.1.5Dilatational System, 30/9/2024
Fig 1.1.6Dilatational System, 30/9/2024
Fig 1.1.7 Random System, 30/9/2024
Fig 1.1.8 Random System, 30/9/2024
Fig 1.1.9 Grid System, 30/9/2024
Fig 1.1.10 Grid System, 30/9/2024
Fig 1.1.11 Modular System, 30/9/2024
Fig 1.1.12 Modular System, 30/9/2024
Fig 1.1.13 Transitional System, 30/9/2024
Fig 1.1.14 Transitional System, 30/9/2024
Fig 1.1.15 Bilateral System, 30/9/2024
Fig 1.1.16 Bilateral System, 30/9/2024
First AttemptThese are my first attempts at 8 typographic system layouts. I think there was still room for improvement.
Fig 1.1.17 Eight systems summary,(JPG) 30/9/2024
In class, the teacher suggested many things that could be improved. For example, the blue background was not clearly displayed in black font, so I thought it could be changed to white font, and Mr.Vinod also recognized my idea. In addition, the teacher thought my Dilational and Transitional ideas were very interesting and gave me enough encouragement. Thank you very much, Mr.Vinod.I'm going to show you my final version.
Final Submission: Exercise 1_Typographic System
Fig 1.1.18 Final Axial System (JPEG) (6/10/2024)
Fig 1.1.19 Final Radial System (JPEG) (6/10/2024)
Fig 1.1.20 Final Dilatational System (JPEG) (6/10/2024)
Fig 1.1.21 Final Random System (JPEG) (6/10/2024)
Fig 1.1.22 Final Grid System (JPEG) (6/10/2024)
Fig 1.1.23 Final Transitional System (JPEG) (6/10/2024)
Fig 1.1.24 Final Modular System (JPEG) (6/10/2024)
Fig 1.1.25 Final Bilateral System (JPEG) (6/10/2024)
Final Submission_Exercise 1_Typographic System (PDF) (6/10/2024)
Final Submission_Exercise 1_Typographic System with Grid (PDF) (6/10/2024)
Exercise 2_Type & Play
We are instructed to an image of a man-made object or structures or something from nature. Best to choice a subject that is repetitive and not contain many different elements. We are recommended best to trace the selected image.
Mr Vinod said that revolution of the extarcted letterform need to dissemble from the reference. The reference is an aim but not the destination. We need to extract out the characteristic from the reference and retain the core characteristic of letters. We need to extarct minimum of 5 letters.
More reference work for this exercise: Finding Type: A Novel Typographic Exercise
Letterform extraction
Fig 2.1 The image found on Pinterest (3/10/2024)
Fig 2.2 Letter extraction 1 (3/10/2024)
Fig 2.3 Letter extraction 2 (3/10/2024)
Fig 2.4 Extracted letterform adjustment (3/10/2024)
From the many letters, I extracted five words "earth", which just formed the word "earth". The earth cannot be separated from plants and is associated with the picture of green leaves I chose. I extracted these five words, which have evolved and transformed into their present form through continuous evolution.
Then I chose the font univers LT std, because I think the leaf growth is regular, and the design is very regular like this font.
Fig 2.5 Extracted letterform adjustment (12/10/2024)
Fig 2.6 Final Letterform (12/10/2024)
Poster design
We need to design a movie poster (1024 x 1024) using the letters. Same or similiar photo for the letter extraction need to be used.
This is the image I used for the poster:
Fig 2.7 image (12/10/2024)
I chose this poster with blue as the main body, and adjusted it to reduce the contrast, because this way my font color will be obvious.
Fig 2.8 image adjust (12/10/2024)
Fig 2.9 Logos (12/10/2024)
Then I added the little details that movie posters should have, like Imax.
Fig 2.12 Logos (13/10/2024)
Fig 2.10 Movie Credit (12/10/2024)
Fig 2.11 Poster_Task 1.2: Type & Play (12/10/2024)
I showed my poster design to the teacher in class, and the teacher raised two questions: the first one was that the size was wrong, it should be square, and the second one was that the picture was not good, so I hoped that I could change it, so I used the original picture again, which I thought was more appropriate.
Fig 2.13 Logos (13/10/2024)
Fig 2.14 Movie Credit (13/10/2024)
Fig 2.15 Final Poster_Task 1.2: Type & Play (13/10/2024)
Fig 2.16 & Play Progression (PDF) (13/10/2024)
FEEDBACK
Week 4
General Feedback: In the end, I chose green leaves for the background, and the fonts were black and white. Black fonts were used for the light background, and white fonts were used for the dark background, which could make the poster more clear. I improved the poster after listening to Mr.Vinod's words, which made the poster more abundant.
Specific Feedback: I showed my poster design to the teacher in class, and the teacher raised two questions: the first one was that the size was wrong, it should be square, and the second one was that the picture was not good, so I hoped that I could change it, so I used the original picture again, which I thought was more appropriate.
Week 3
Specific Feedback: I added the vein of leaves to enrich the font design. Next, I will turn the font I designed into a complete movie poster.Not only did I add the vein of the leaf, but I also took the leaf from a complete form to a shredded form, and reassembled it to make it more interesting, which I think is legitimately interesting.
General Feedback: In class, the teacher thought that there was no problem with the design, but in order to do better, some elements of leaves should be added, such as the vein of leaves.
Week 2
General Feedback: In class, the teacher commented on my homework and gave me great encouragement. He thought I did a lot of homework very interesting, but there were two fonts with blue font and black background that were not clear, which needed to be improved.
Specific feedback:In class, I modified the previous eight systems according to the teacher's opinions. I listened to Mr.Vinod's opinions and corrected them in class. After class, I still needed to do a brand new homework, which I found very interesting.
Week 1
General feedback: This week is the first class of this semester. In class, the teacher explained the course planning of this semester and the homework of this week. We will integrate the eight systematic learning understandings into the homework. Specific feedback:I obviously felt the intensity of this class is greater than that of last semester, but I think as long as I study hard, there will be no problem. I have already planned how to make the homework in class.
REFLECTIONS
Experience
After four weeks of study, I think it is more difficult than going to school, but I think it is very interesting. I have learned a lot from the eight systems, I think it is very interesting, each system has its own characteristics, and the teacher also gave me guidance on my homework in class, which also makes me make remarkable progress. After the extraction of fonts, I think it is also very good, the process of finding 26 letters in a natural world, very decompression, and then the extracted font design into a favorite movie poster.
Observation
In the process of learning, I observed that the background should be clearly distinguished from the font so that it can be read clearly. For example, if a dark background is used, a light font should be used. If a light background is used, a dark background should be used. The most classic is black and white, eight systems I think can not exceed three main colors, otherwise it will appear very messy, very useless rules.
Findings
I also found a lot of shortcomings, for example, my font and background sometimes mixed together can not see clearly, I once used black characters blue background, on the computer is still very clear, but on the big screen play can not see clearly, I immediately corrected. I also learned a lot of new, no matter do any homework to draw a sketch, find inspiration in life, the best inspiration comes from life.
FURTHER READING
Grid System in Typography (1981)
Author: Josef Müller-Brockmann
I love about all the drawing books out now is there is something for everyone. I see things in terms of lines and mathematical equations and this book fit so well into how I draw. It was a bit hard to get used to English being on one page and German on the next, but overtime, that became easier to deal with. I almost wish they had put one of them first and then the next in the second half of the book. It might have made it easier to get through the first time.
If you like to draw with mathematical brain or you simply like things to line up, (graphic designers this really is a good book to have in your arsenal) I would suggest getting a copy. It's heavy - it's hardback after all - but it's going to last a good long time.
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