28.03.2022 - 18.03.2022 (Week 5 - Week 9)
Angelyn Valencia /
0349573
Advanced Typography / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative
Media
Task 2: Key Artwork & Collateral
LECTURES
Lecture 3 - Advanced Typography : Context & Creativity
Handwriting
Handwriting is important in the study of typography because it is the first mechanically produced letterforms were designed to directly imitate handwriting. It would become the basis or standard for form, spacing and conventions mechanical type would try and mimic.
The shape and line of hand drawn letterforms are influenced by the tools and materials used to make them.
It is the earliest system of actual writing and it was used in a number of languages between 34C. B. E through the 1st century C.E.
It is the Egyptian writing system that is fused with the art of relief carving. This system was a mixture of both rebus and the phonetic characters-the first linked to a future alphabetic system.
Hieroglyphic images have the potential to be used in three different ways:
As ideograms
To represent the things they actually depict.
As determinatives
To show that the signs preceding are meant as phonograms.
To indicate the general idea of the word.
As phonograms
To represent sounds that "spell out" individual words.
Built on the Egyptian logo-consonantal system.
Phoenicians developed a phonetic alphabet consisting of 22 letters.
This system was adopted by the Greeks who added the necessary vowels.
The words may have been in rows but the direction of reading was not yet fixed and often read in read in a format known as boustrophedon or "as the ox plows".
These letters were drawn freehand not constructed with compasses and rule; had no serifs-neither the informal entry and exit strikes left by a relaxed and fluent writer.
In time, the strokes of these letters grew thicker.
The new forms, used for inscriptions throughout the Greek empire, served as models for formal lettering in imperial Rome
The Roman inscriptional letters were written with a flat brush, held at an angle like a broad nib pen and then carved into the stone mallet and chisel.
By the 4th century Roman letters were becoming more rounded, the curved form allowed for less strokes and could be written faster.
English Half Uncials (8th C.)
Evolved into a more slanted and condensed form.
While English and Irish uncials evolved, writing on the European continent developed considerably and needed a reformer.
Handwriting
Handwriting is important in the study of typography because it is the first mechanically produced letterforms were designed to directly imitate handwriting. It would become the basis or standard for form, spacing and conventions mechanical type would try and mimic.
The shape and line of hand drawn letterforms are influenced by the tools and materials used to make them.
Figure 1.1 Evolution of the Latin Alphabet
Cuneiform (c. 3000 B. C. E)It is the earliest system of actual writing and it was used in a number of languages between 34C. B. E through the 1st century C.E.
Figure 1.2 Cuneiform
Hieroglyphics (2613-2160 B. C. E)It is the Egyptian writing system that is fused with the art of relief carving. This system was a mixture of both rebus and the phonetic characters-the first linked to a future alphabetic system.
Hieroglyphic images have the potential to be used in three different ways:
As ideograms
To represent the things they actually depict.
As determinatives
To show that the signs preceding are meant as phonograms.
To indicate the general idea of the word.
As phonograms
To represent sounds that "spell out" individual words.
Figure 1.3 Ancient Egypt Hieroglyphics Chart
Early Greek (5th C. B. E)Built on the Egyptian logo-consonantal system.
Phoenicians developed a phonetic alphabet consisting of 22 letters.
This system was adopted by the Greeks who added the necessary vowels.
The words may have been in rows but the direction of reading was not yet fixed and often read in read in a format known as boustrophedon or "as the ox plows".
These letters were drawn freehand not constructed with compasses and rule; had no serifs-neither the informal entry and exit strikes left by a relaxed and fluent writer.
In time, the strokes of these letters grew thicker.
The new forms, used for inscriptions throughout the Greek empire, served as models for formal lettering in imperial Rome
The Roman inscriptional letters were written with a flat brush, held at an angle like a broad nib pen and then carved into the stone mallet and chisel.
Figure 1.4 Early Greek Letters
Roman UncialsBy the 4th century Roman letters were becoming more rounded, the curved form allowed for less strokes and could be written faster.
Figure 1.5 Roman Uncials
English Half Uncials (8th C.)
Evolved into a more slanted and condensed form.
While English and Irish uncials evolved, writing on the European continent developed considerably and needed a reformer.
Figure 1.6 English Half Uncials
Emperor Charlemagne (8 C. CE)
Figure 1.7 Emperor Charlemagne
After the fall of the Roman Empire, the end of a central advanced
culture resulted in general illiteracy and a breakdown of handwriting
into diverse regional styles.
For 300 years the knowledge of writing was kept alive mainly in the remote outposts of religious cloisters and retreats.
Carolingian Minuscule
A court school was established under the direction of Alcuin of York.
During Charlemagne's patronage book production increased and language was standardized--pronunciation and spelling as well as writing conventions--capitals at the start of a sentence, spaces between words and punctuation.
The Carolingian Minuscule was used for all legal and literacy works to unify communication between the various regions of the expanding European empire.
It was as important a development as the standard Roman capital--for it was this style that became the pattern for the Humanistic writing of the fifteenth century.
For 300 years the knowledge of writing was kept alive mainly in the remote outposts of religious cloisters and retreats.
Figure 1.8 Emperor Charlemagne's Writing Era
Carolingian Minuscule
A court school was established under the direction of Alcuin of York.
During Charlemagne's patronage book production increased and language was standardized--pronunciation and spelling as well as writing conventions--capitals at the start of a sentence, spaces between words and punctuation.
The Carolingian Minuscule was used for all legal and literacy works to unify communication between the various regions of the expanding European empire.
It was as important a development as the standard Roman capital--for it was this style that became the pattern for the Humanistic writing of the fifteenth century.
Black Letter (12-15 C. CE)
Gothic was the culminating artistic expression of the middle ages, occurring roughly from 1200-1500. This term for Gothic originated with the Italians who used it to refer to rude or barbaric cultures north of the Italian Alps.
Blackletter is characterized by tight spacing and condensed lettering. Evenly spaced verticals dominated the letterform.
Figure 1.9 Black Letter
The Italian RenaissanceThe renaissance embrace of ancient Greek and Roman culture spurred a creative wave through Italian art, architecture, literature and letterform design.
The renaissance analysis of form that was being applied to art and architecture was directed toward letterform -- resulting in a more perfect or rationalized letter.
Figure 1.10 The Italian Renaissance
Movable Type (11 C. - 14 C.)Printing (woodblock) had already been practiced in China, Korea, and Japan (Dharani Sutra, AD 750)
Earliest known printed book (AD 868) is the Diamond Sutra: 16' scroll with the world's first printed illustration.
China had attempted use movable type for printing but was unsuccessful due in part to the number of characters and clay)
In late 14 C. several decades before the earliest printing in Europe, the Koreans establish a foundry to cast movable type in bronze-allowed the dismantling and resetting of text.
With the creation of their new script Han'gul, the Koreans would succeed where the Chinese failed.
To conclude, the introduction of moveable type was introduced in 1000-1100 CE. This innovation was pioneered in China but achieved in Korea (Diamond Sutra).
In the late 1300-1399 CE, several decades before the earliest printing in Europe (Guttenberg's bible 1439), the Koreans establish a foundry to cast movable type in bronze.
Figure 1.11 Movable Type
Why do we talk about Greek influence on Rome, but not Egyptian or Near
Eastern influence on Greece?Because in the 19th century and the rise of the modern British Empire, it became out of style to credit Africa or Africans with anything of value, and therefore Greece and Rome were elevated over much older, much more influential civilizations, specifically Ancient Egypt, but also less extensive or old civilizations like Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, China, etc.
An example of this insidiousness is how the European academic process worked to create the discipline of "Indology". Max Mueller who was central to this, never actually visited India. By viewing historical evidence through colonial lenses they ignorantly postulated ideas that were self-serving, i.e. Aryan theory.
And the same is true for: Classicism, Egyptology, Africanism, Indology, and Orientalism
Evolution of Middle Eastern Alphabets
The script has been possibly influenced by the Egyptian Hieroglyphics and Hieratic Scripts
Figure 1.12 Evolution of Middle Eastern Alphabets
Evolution of the Chinese scriptFrom the Oracle bone to Seal Script to Clerical Script, Traditional and Simplified scripts.
Figure 1.13 Evolution of the Chinese script
Figure 1.14 The Oldest Writing Found in the Indian
Subcontinent
Figure 1.15 The Earliest Writing System Developed in India, The Brahmi
Script (450-350 BCE)
The oldest writing systems present in Southeast Asia were Indian
scripts. The most important would be Pallava (or Pallawa in Malay), a
South Indian script originally used for writing Sanskrit and Tamil.
Figure 1.16 Kedukan Bukit Inscription from Sumatra, written in Old
Malay
Figure 1.17 Pra-nagari Script used in India for writing
Sanskrit
Figure 1.18 Incung
This is Incung from Kerinci. If you have family from Kampung Kerinci,
this is your original writing system, not Jawi.
Figure 1.19 Rejang Script from South Sumatra
Figure 1.20 The Batak Script
Figure 1.21 The Bugis Script
Figure 1.22 The Javanese Script
Figure 1.23 Jawi, the Arabic-based Alphabet
Programmers and Type Design
More vernacular scripts are being produced by software giants (Google): in their employment a great many Asian programmers and designers. More and more vernacular and “multi-script” typefaces —a term coined by Muthu Nedumaran—are being produced to cater to situations where the written matter is communicated in the vernacular script or vernacular and Latin scripts.
Figure 1.24 Baloo by Ek Type
Local Movements and Individuals
In South East Asia, the movement has not organized and coordinated itself well enough. But with increasing awareness and examples from larger neighbors like India with their large talent pool and resource, the knowledge behind methods used and approaches taken are more accessible geographically speaking.
Creativity and inspiration should begin by observing our surroundings and exploration of our collective histories.
Lecture 4 - Advanced Typography : Designing Type
Why design another typeface?
Xavier Dupré (2007) in the introduction of his typeface Malaga suggested two reasons for designing a typeface:
Type design carries a social responsibility so one must continue to improve its legibility.
Type design is a form of artistic expression.Frutiger
Adrian Frutiger is a renowned twentieth-century Swiss graphic designer. His valued contribution to typography includes the typefaces; Univers and Frutiger.
Frutiger is a sans serif typeface designed by the Swiss type designer Adrian Frutiger in 1968 specifically for the newly built Charles de Gaulle International Airport in France.
Purpose: “The goal of this new typeface was to create a clean, distinctive and legible typeface that is easy to see from both close-up and far away. Extremely functional.”
Considerations/Limitations: letterforms needed to be recognized even in poor light conditions or when the reader was moving quickly past the sign. He tested with unfocused letters to see which letterforms could still be identified.
Figure 1.25 Univers by Adobe Illustrator, InDesign (2015)
Figure 1.26 Airport Signage using Frutiger
Verdana
Matthew Carter is the son of Harry Carter, Royal Designer for Industry, contemporary British type designer and ultimate craftsman. Carter trained as a punchcutter at Enschedé by Paul Rädisch, responsible for Crosfield’s typographic program in the early 1960s, Mergenthaler Linotype’s house designer 1965–1981.
Many of Carter's fonts were created to address specific technical challenges, for example those posed by early computers.
Purpose: the font was tuned to be extremely legible even at very small sizes on the screen due in part to the popularity of the internet and electronic devices.
Considerations/limitations: The Verdana fonts exhibit characteristics derived from the pixel rather than the pen, the brush or the chisel. Commonly confused characters, such as the lowercase i j l.
Figure 1.27 Georgia and Verdana
Bell CentennialIn 1976, AT&T commissioned the design of a new typeface whose sole purpose would be for use in their telephone directories. The design had to solve multiple technical and visual problems related with the existing phonebook typeface, Bell Gothic. The solution, named in honour of the company's 100th anniversary, was Bell Centennial.
Figure 1.28 Comparison between Font and Printed
Underground Sans/ Johnston SansEdward Johnston is the creator of the hugely influential London “Underground” typeface, which would later come to be knows as “Johnston Sans” (1916).
Purpose: London's Underground railway ordered a new typeface for its posters and signage from the calligrapher Edward Johnston. He handed over details and examples of letter shapes that would set the tone for printed text until the present day.
Consideration/limitation: "Johnston's remit was to unite the London Underground Group, the different companies all using the same rails and tunnels," "All the advertising, all the signage was all completely different - there was this cacophony of letters. Johnston applied the proportions of Roman capital letters to his typeface, so it was rooted in history, rooted in traditional calligraphy. But it has an elegance and a simplicity that absolutely fitted the modern age."
Figure 1.29 Johnston Sans
General Process of Type Design
Research
Understanding type history, type anatomy and type conventions. We should
also know terminologies, side-bearing, metrics, hinting
It is important to determine the type’s purpose or what it would be used for, what different applications it will be used in such as whether the typeface is for school busses or airport signages, etc.
We should also examine existing fonts that are presently being used for inspiration/ideas/reference/context/usage pattern/etc.
It is important to determine the type’s purpose or what it would be used for, what different applications it will be used in such as whether the typeface is for school busses or airport signages, etc.
We should also examine existing fonts that are presently being used for inspiration/ideas/reference/context/usage pattern/etc.
Sketching
Sketching the typeface using the traditional toolset (brushes/ pens, ink
and paper) then scan them for the purpose of digitization.
Some sketching the typeface using digital toolsets, such as Wacom directly into a font design software (much quicker, persistent, and consistent) but this can sometimes impede the natural movement of hand strokes.
Both methods have their positives and negatives.
Some sketching the typeface using digital toolsets, such as Wacom directly into a font design software (much quicker, persistent, and consistent) but this can sometimes impede the natural movement of hand strokes.
Both methods have their positives and negatives.
Digitization
There is professional software that are used in the digitization of typefaces, amongst the leading software are: FontLab and Glyphs App.
Attention should not only be given to the whole form at this stage but also to the counter form. The readability of the typeface is heavily dependent on it.
Testing
Testing is an important component in the design thinking process. The
results of the testing is part of the process of refining and correcting
aspects of the typeface. Prototyping is also part of the testing process
and leads to important feedback
Depending on the typeface category (display type/text type) the readability and legibility of the typeface become an important consideration. However, it is not as crucial if the typeface is a display type, where the expression of the form takes a little more precedence.
Depending on the typeface category (display type/text type) the readability and legibility of the typeface become an important consideration. However, it is not as crucial if the typeface is a display type, where the expression of the form takes a little more precedence.
Deploy
Even after deploying a completed typeface there are always teething
problems that did not come to the fore during the prototyping and
testing phases. Thus, the task of revision doesn’t end upon deployment.
Typeface Construction
Roman Capital: The grid consists of a square and inside it is a circle that just touches the lines of the square in four places. Within the square, there is also a rectangle. This rectangle is three-quarters the size of the square and is positioned in the center of the square.]
Thus, using grids (with circular forms) can facilitate the construction of a letterforms and is a possible method to build/create/design your letterform.
Many different forms and constructions must be taken into account when designing a new type. An important visual correction is the extrusion of curved (and protruding) forms past the baseline and cap line.
A visual correction is also needed for the distance between letters. It is not possible to simply place letters next to each other with equal spacing between them. The letters must be altered to a uniform ‘visual’ white space. This means that the white space between the letters should appear the same. This is called ‘fitting’ the type.
Intrinsic and Extrinsic Type Motivation
Intrinsic
The designer has an inexplicable need driven by the interest to design a typeface, and seeks out a form that comes close to fulfilling a desire. It is also possible that the designer identifies a gap/problem and thus endeavors to solve it through the design of the typeface.
Extrinsic
The designer has been commissioned or the student-designer has a task to complete that involves designing a typeface.
Designing a typeface is a labour of love. Only the brave and foolish walk this path for the reward pale in comparison to the work.
Roman Capital: The grid consists of a square and inside it is a circle that just touches the lines of the square in four places. Within the square, there is also a rectangle. This rectangle is three-quarters the size of the square and is positioned in the center of the square.]
Thus, using grids (with circular forms) can facilitate the construction of a letterforms and is a possible method to build/create/design your letterform.
Figure 1.30 Construction grid for the Roman Capital using 8 x 8 cells
Construction and Considerations
Figure 1.31 Classification according to form and construction
Many different forms and constructions must be taken into account when designing a new type. An important visual correction is the extrusion of curved (and protruding) forms past the baseline and cap line.
A visual correction is also needed for the distance between letters. It is not possible to simply place letters next to each other with equal spacing between them. The letters must be altered to a uniform ‘visual’ white space. This means that the white space between the letters should appear the same. This is called ‘fitting’ the type.
Intrinsic and Extrinsic Type Motivation
Intrinsic
The designer has an inexplicable need driven by the interest to design a typeface, and seeks out a form that comes close to fulfilling a desire. It is also possible that the designer identifies a gap/problem and thus endeavors to solve it through the design of the typeface.
Extrinsic
The designer has been commissioned or the student-designer has a task to complete that involves designing a typeface.
Designing a typeface is a labour of love. Only the brave and foolish walk this path for the reward pale in comparison to the work.
INSTRUCTION
TASK
Visual Research
Figure x.x Visual Research
I looked for some ideas through interest and found some that I thought would
fit with the professions I had in mind, which is a fashion designer/clothing
brand.
figure 2.1 Key artwork attempts
So I made three possible key artworks originally. They're all to match the
profession I picked. Eventually, I figured that the last one fits the most and
looks the most original. So I decided to use the third one and made another
version of it, which can be seen in figure x.x.
figure 2.1 Poster attempt before feedback
I thought making a fashion show poster of a new collection would be cool for
this particular task so I did. I named it white on white collection. I figured
using only monochromatic colors would fit the theme well as well as adding
more elegance to it.
figure 2.1 Final Poster attempt
Animation Process
Figure x.x Animation Process in AE
For the animation it was pretty straightforward. I wanted to make it all
look elegant and simple. I edited using Adobe After Effects, and played
around with positions, scale, rotations, and transitions.
Figure x.x First attempt in animation
This was my first attempt in the animation. I didn't use any transitions for
the writings. I only animated the scale, positioning, as well as the
rotation. I took the logo and put gaussian blur on it, scale it up and use
it as a background.
Figure x.x Final attempt in animation
Final Submission
Task 2A: Key Artwork
Figure x.x Final Key Artwork in JPEG (31/05/22)
Figure x.x Final Key Artwork Second Version in JPEG (31/05/22)
Task 2B: Collateral
figure 2.1 Final Poster in JPEG (31/05/22)
figure x.x Final Animation in GIF (31/05/22)
figure 2.1 Final Collateral in JPEG (31/05/22)
Fig x.x Final Submission in PDF (31/05/22)
FEEDBACK
The key artwork should be the spotlight on the poster.REFLECTION
Experience:
These tasks were a bit challenging for me. It was challenging at first because I couldn't think of anything, the type of key artwork I wanted to make. But eventually after some visual research and explorations, I ended up with a few ideas. I experimented a lot throughout the first exercise to create the key artwork that fits the best with the profession I wanted to showcase/represent. I took a big risk in task 2b because I wanted it to be simplistic and elegant. I was scared I would make it too simple and end up looking like I didn't put enough effort to it. I also experimented a lot with compositions and layouts, and what would fit best with the key artwork. Overall, I kinda enjoyed doing task 2a, yet I was struggling through task 2b as I said before.
Observation:
I see that detailed observation is very important when making a key artwork.
Findings:
I find that making a key artwork and making the poster to fit the profession we were aiming for is definitely a lot more complicated than it looks because there's a lot of thought process and unseen effort behind it.
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