Advanced Typography - Exercise

13/04/2020 - 18/07/2020
Tabita Febrilia Dinata (0340357)
Advanced Typography
Exercises

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LECTURE

LECTURE 1: INTRODUCTION
06/04/2020 & 13/04/2020 (Week 0 & Week 1)

Mr.Vinod starts the class with the brief of this module, I started early on 6th April because Mr.Vinod emailed us all and offer us a head start class, I decided to join. We start this semester by learning about the typographic system. There are 8 types of Typographic System.

Fig 1.1: Typographic System
source: Typographic Systems Book by Kimberly Elam

1. Axial -> Text align to one or more axis
2. Radial -> Text design from a central point of focus
3. Dilatational -> Text design along with a circular path
4. Random -> Chaos looking design but we can see the hierarchy there
5. Transitional -> Transitional looking text
6. Bilateral -> Text that symmetrical with an axis
7. Grid System -> Design with a vertical or horizontal division
8. Modular System -> Design with a shape balance


LECTURE 2: TYPOGRAPHIC COMPOSITION
22/04/2020 (Week 2)

LECTURE 3: TYPOGRAPHIC PERCEPTION AND ORGANIZATION
29/04/2020 (Week 3)

This week, our friends presented about typographic perception (Group 3). And here's the slide.


LECTURE 4: CONTEXT & CREATIVITY
5/04/2020 (Week 4)

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INSTRUCTION

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EXERCISES

Typographic System (Week 0 - Week 1)

After Mr.Vinod brief about Advanced Typography, he told me to try making axial typographic system, but first, I must read the books first about typographic systems and here are my first try.

Fig 1.1: Research & example

Fig 1.2: Axial 1

Fig 1.3: Axial 2

After I got the feedback from Mr.Vinod, I realize that it was a mess, so I try it again.

Fig 1.4: Axial 3

Fig 1.5: Axial 3.

Then we have to try the other Typographic systems too, then I try for other systems.


Axial

Fig 1.6: Axial SS

Fig 1.7: Axial 

Radial

Fig 1.8: Radial SS

Fig 1.9: Radial

Transitional

Fig 1.10: Transitional SS

Fig 1.11: Transitional

Random

Fig 1.12: Random SS

Fig 1.13: Random

Grid

Fig 1.14: Grid SS

Fig 1.15: Grid

Modular

Fig 1.16: Modular ss

Fig 1.17: Modular 

Bilateral

Fig 1.18: Bilateral SS

Fig 1.19: Bilateral

Dilatational

Fig 1.20: Dilatational SS

Fig 1.21: Dilatational

After getting feedback from Mr.Vinod and Mr.Sham, my work still rejected because of my understanding of the topic, so I read again and try to understand and look more for a good example and look for other's layout. Then I try it again, I rework almost everything  (Radial, dilatational, transitional, random & grid) and the other I just fix it.

Fig 1.22: Indesign look

Fig 1.23: Radial Rework (JPEG)

Fig 1.24: Dilatational Rework (JPEG)

Fig 1.25: Transitional Rework (JPEG)

Fig 1.26: Random Rework (JPEG)

Fig 1.27: Grid Rework (JPEG)

Fig 1.28: Final Work (PDF)

Type & Play

Part 1

So for this assignment, we were required to make a typeface from an object like glass, buildings and others.  And from that, we dissect a few letters from that object and from a cruel ugly letter we refine it into a better.  And I choose object that exists in my house.

Fig 2.1: Objects

The reason why I choose 3 objects is that I want to try, and I'm a little bit confused how is this done actually. And I found a few letters there.

Fig 2.2: Ugly Version

This is so ugly, but this is what I found from that object. Then I try to make a cleaner version.

Fig 2.3: 3 version

So from this 3 version, I choose the 2nd one to try with, and see will it work.

Fig 2.4: Original vs Refined

I'm not sure what the feedback is because I had a really bad connection when it's my turn to get feedback. So I just refined it more.

Fig 2.5: Final

Fig 2.6: Final

Then I try for another attempt with another picture.

Fig 2.7: Pattern

Fig 2.8: Found letter Y, I, L, T, E

Fig 2.9: Process

Fig 2.10: Final Refined

But after I got feedback, Mr.Vinod told me just to continue with the first one (Fig 2.6), but need to be refined more because there's still a lot of problem going on in my typeface.

Fig 2.11: Process 2

Fig 2.12: Final 

Fig 2.13: Final PDF

Type & Image

Part 2

In this assignment, we were required to combine a letter/word/sentences to an image (man-made, structure, object, etc). The text must support the image and forming a symbiotic relationship. And these are the requirement:

1. Use & choose the typeface that we're going to use from the 10 typefaces

2. A4 size

3. Choose 1 word to emphasized

So, after thinking of the idea, I have a few ideas in my mind, ' fire up that spirit', 'space','chaos', 'faded','tear drops'. But I end up choose about the fire.

Fig 3.1: Fire image from Google

I decided to make 'Fire it up'. And I choose Futura std as my typeface. Here is the process.

Fig 3.2: Process 1

After I've tried with this word, I change it into 'Burn it up'.

Fig 3.3: Process 2

Fig 3.4: Process 3 (I shape the word
burn like it's burning)

Fig 3.5: Process 4 (I add fire more)

Here are the results.

Fig 3.6: First attempt

Fig 3.7: Second attempt

Fig 3.8: Third attempt

And I try for another word.

Fig 3.9: Process

Fig 3.10: 4th attempt

After I got the feedback, Mr.Vinod and Mr.Sham like the first one.

Fig 3.11: Final

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FEEDBACK

Week 0 
General Feedback: We must be careful about text leading, try to make it looks good & don't forget the hierarchy, point size should be 8-12pt.
Specific Feedback: Body text should start with 8-12pt, and I should learn more about leading, because in my design I still have a leading issue and paragraph spacing, and also try to start with 1 typeface first. And also bouncing up text is still there. 

Week 1
General Feedback: Don't use multiple typefaces in one layout, try to use 1 type first.
Specific Feedback: I need to focus more on this task, problem on understanding about the assignment, Mr.Vinod & Mr.Sham still don't like my work, it's still ok and must work on it more to make it better. 

Week 2
General Feedback: Letter dissection should be done intricately. 
Specific Feedback: Work more, on the thickness and my work can be more refined.



Week 3
General Feedback: This task, everyone should play with the image, give the text movement and the text.
Specific Feedback: Good job, can refine more, do the thing I do to letter B to letter N.

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REFLECTION

EXPERIENCE:
Week 0: When I received Mr.Vinod's email, I'm not ready to start this semester actually. But when I read it, and Mr.Vinod offer us all a head start class, I start to think and considered to do a head start class. When it starts, I forget that we have to use Malaysian time, so I forgot about this and I'm late to attempt the very first class but also because Mr.Vinod didn't see my message so I have a personal lecture with Mr.Vinod. After I got the brief, I was assigned to do the first type of typographic system to do axial, and I just do what I heard from the lecture without understanding and it turns out bad and I realize that when I got the feedback from Mr.Vinod.
Week 1: The next week, we do all the Typographic systems, so I do it and do some research, but I'm still confused about the lesson when I do all my typographic systems I thought it's okay and what I've done is correct, but when I got the feedback it turns out wrong, so I need to do more research and reading, then I do it and understand more.
Week 2: This week still about typographic and I began to understand and do better maybe.
Week 3: This week we do type&play after heard the brief for this exercise, I immediately gave up because it's hard to create a typeface. The process of doing it I'm stressed out because I don't know what image to use and I have no idea at all. I try to think, search on google, see our seniors work but still no inspiration. Then I just try to see things around me and try to focus on doing this assignment, because this lately I have an issue on focusing to do things.
Week 4: Type&Image for this week is quite interesting although at first, I have trouble getting an idea after I got the inspiration I do it and I try to do what I can, and I'm not confident with my work.


OBSERVATION:
Week 0: When I saw the names in the head start group, I'm not surprised by the names because I know these people have a really good work and they're diligent, and I started to wonder why am I here.
Week 1: Feedback session shrink down my confidence because I see most of the class doing a good job, some of them doing a really great job.
Week 2: I learn a lot from the other student when Mr.Vinod tell me and the rest of the class to see some mentioned students name's work.
Week 3: When I see everybody's work, I shocked and I'm afraid that my work is wrong because everybody's doing a good job overall but I can handle it.
Week 4: I observed that everyone's work is good but why like all the feedback is bad, I'm confused actually because I personally not sure about my work but Mr.Vinod & Mr.Sham likes it.


FINDINGS:
Week 0: I found that typography has its own rules and there's a lot to learn about typography, and there's a lot of types.
Week 1: I realize that if we don't understand about the point of the task, we must understand it if we don't our work will be not maximal and bad.
Week 2: I found that reading books, research is important to understand the topic so that we can apply it to our assignment well.
Week 3: I learn that everything in this world, objects, man-made, etc can be typefaces when we see it from other perspectives, and we can create something creative from it, it's all about our mind and creativity.
Week 4: We can play everything and create a good design, good design comes from an imaginative mind and creativity when we combined it, it can be something great.

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FURTHER READING

Week 1

Fig 1.1: Typographic Systems by Kimberly Elam

In this book, I learn a lot about typographic systems. There are 8 types of typographic systems, and they are axial, radial, dilatational, random, transitional, bilateral, grid and modular system.

Week 2

Fig 1.2: Typography Essentials by Ina Saltz

I read the first chapter about 'Letter'. The spaces inside and around the shape of a letter, called counter spaces, are often overlooked as design elements. I found that the beauty of counter spaces, sometimes called ' negative ' spaces and using them well is like discovering buried treasure. So if we want to be good this counter space, we need to practice more.

Week 3

Fig 1.3: Typography Referenced

In this book, I read about the typographic principles by Jason Tselentis. Designing type is as much a science as an art. And the most important thing is the contrast, size, tone, placement, and colour all factor into how elements placed in the format look. Being visually literate allows the designer to give words and images shape, bringing it all together as a composition.