Typography / Task 3: Type Design & Communication

2023/11/12

TAO YUZE/0366967

Typography / Bachelor fo Design (Honours) in Creative Media

LECTURES

This new task will open a new chapter in font design, and at the beginning, the mentor will let us explore the structure of the font.I chose future.std as the font for my exploration.

future.std 2023/11/12

In the process of exploring, I found that many parts of the font are not as symmetrical as they seem, and the straight parts of the font are not the same width. Designers use a lot of subtle variations to make the visuals more unified, and as the instructor said, perfect symmetry doesn't necessarily achieve visual balance

On request, I used grid paper and three different markers from 3.0 to handwrite the font to explore the impact of different thickness markers on the font

From top to bottom, they are Broad Edge Nib, Rounded Nib, and Pointed Nib

handwriting 2023/11/12

handwriting 2023/11/12

handwriting 2023/11/12

handwriting 2023/11/12

handwriting 2023/11/12

I have always been bad at handwriting due to my index knuckle deformity, but I tried many times to improve my handwriting and eventually I got a relatively better solution.In the process of handwriting, I found that the different shapes of the nibs affect the end of the stroke and the thickness of the curvature part of the font

TASK 3 / Type Design & Communication

"You will endeavour to create a typeface that has the hallmarks of a good typeface; subtlety, character, presence, legibility and readability. Below are the letters you will design(o l e d s n c h t i g , . ! #). Upon completion of the font, you will create a basic A4 size poster displaying your font.

research

research 2023/11/27

Before I started working on my font, I borrowed from many different designs on the internet,.Luckily I had thought about this problem in my mind and I quickly decided what I was going to do,The font design I conceived should be smooth and have a visual feeling like the wind.

I chose Adobe Song Dynasty and Bambo std as my blueprints. During the design process, I tried to use the same O as the rounded corner blueprint. I think rounded letters should have smooth curves, while square letters should have recognizable cuts. horn. I take the west wind as the core of my design. The west wind is from right to left on the map and has a unified direction. At the same time, the wind itself is smooth 

sketch 2023/11/27

final 2023/11/27

I duplicated a circle twice and merged them to get my O, and for the I I chose a chamfer with a different angle and a different width from top to bottom, I thought each letter would be smooth and hard at the same time.

ascender 110.   

em square 145

caps 100

xcape 65

baselines 0

Decender -35

Converted fontlab units：

690

448

759

241

westwind 2023/12/12

westwind 2023/12/12

Link to download：https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L4akA5Jo2DihSC5X1u3e28Nu9N9v_gpu/view?usp=sharing

westwind 2023/12/13

font poster 2023/12/15

poster_2 2023/12/19

                                                               westwind 2023/12/13

                                                       

Feedback

Week 8:

General Feedback: Optimize the look and feel of handwriting Specific Feedback:Don't use too much force when writing. Excessive force will affect the smoothness of writing and will wear out the paper.

Week 9:

General Feedback: All the sketches for the word designs should be numbered to avoid confusion with others when seeking feedback from the lecturer. Specific Feedback: I should maintain consistency in designing my own letters and pay attention to the width and height of each letter to ensure they have similar dimensions.

Week 10:

General Feedback: The digitized letters should have added baseline, cap height /x-height to guide the letters, preventing them from being misaligned, appearing untidy, or messy. Specific Feedback: I should ensure that my digitized letters, such as "O," "C," and "G," have almost the same width. These three letters share a similar shape, and the curve of the letter "G" can be copied and pasted from the letter "C" to maintain design consistency.

Week 11: General Feedback: Continue to optimize font design Specific Feedback:I need consistency in the style of the lines and visibility of feature shapes

week12 General feedback: End of Task3 Electronic Portfolio, Final Feedback and Submission Specific feedback：Added font poster with inverted colors

Further reading

"The Elements of Typographic Style" by Robert Bringhurst

Chapter 4: Harmony

In the fourth chapter, "Harmony," Bringhurst expands on the idea of creating harmonious typographic compositions. He explores how different typefaces can work together to form cohesive designs. The chapter delves into the nuances of typeface selection, discussing how contrasting or complementary fonts contribute to the overall harmony of a layout. Readers gain insights into achieving unity and balance through the thoughtful combination of typefaces, enhancing their ability to create visually compelling and harmonious typographic designs.

Chapter 5: Contrast and Conflict

Building on the concept of harmony, the fifth chapter, "Contrast and Conflict," explores the dynamic interplay between different typographic elements. Bringhurst discusses the strategic use of contrast in type size, weight, and style to create emphasis and hierarchy. The chapter also addresses potential conflicts that may arise in typographic design and offers guidance on resolving them. Through practical examples and theoretical discussions, readers learn how to leverage contrast effectively to enhance the legibility and visual impact of their typographic compositions.

Chapter 6: The Whole Page

Chapter 6, titled "The Whole Page," takes a holistic approach to typographic design by examining the page as a complete visual entity. Bringhurst discusses the layout of text on a page, considering factors such as margins, columns, and grids. This chapter provides practical advice on achieving balance and unity in multi-page documents, emphasizing the importance of a cohesive design language. Readers learn how to apply the principles discussed in earlier chapters to create aesthetically pleasing and well-organized typographic layouts that serve the overall communicative purpose of the text.

As "The Elements of Typographic Style" progresses through these chapters, readers deepen their understanding of typography as a comprehensive and intentional design practice. Bringhurst's expertise and thoughtful exploration guide readers through the complexities of type, fostering a holistic approach to typographic design that goes beyond individual characters to consider the overall visual impact of the page.

reflection

Experiences:

Throughout Week 8, I focused on optimizing the aesthetics of my handwriting. One notable feedback I received emphasized the importance of controlling the pressure exerted while writing. I realized that using too much force not only affects the smoothness of the writing but also wears out the paper faster. This insight prompted me to adopt a more controlled and deliberate approach to maintain the quality of the writing surface.

Moving on to Week 9, I took note of the advice to number all sketches for word designs. This proved to be a valuable organizational strategy, preventing confusion and streamlining the feedback process. Consistency in designing my own letters became a focal point, particularly paying attention to the width and height of each letter. This emphasis on uniform dimensions helped create a more cohesive and visually pleasing set of letters.

In Week 10, digitizing the letters became a focus, and the feedback highlighted the importance of including baselines, cap height, and x-height. Integrating these guidelines became a crucial step to ensure that the letters align correctly and maintain a neat appearance. The specific feedback about the width of certain letters, such as "O," "C," and "G," prompted me to carefully adjust and align these characters to enhance design consistency.

As I progressed to Week 11, the overarching goal remained the optimization of font design. The feedback emphasized the need for continued consistency in the style of lines and the visibility of feature shapes. This observation guided my efforts to refine and standardize the design elements, ensuring a cohesive and harmonious appearance across the entire font.

Observations:

One consistent observation across these weeks was the iterative nature of the design process. Each week's feedback built upon the previous week's insights, guiding me toward refining and enhancing specific aspects of my typography project. The importance of precision and consistency emerged as recurring themes, influencing my approach to both handwriting and digital design.

Findings:

The iterative feedback process proved invaluable in honing my typography skills. The emphasis on controlled pressure in handwriting, numerical organization of sketches, attention to letter dimensions, and alignment guidelines during digitization collectively contributed to an improved overall design. Additionally, the focus on consistency in style and visibility of features underscored the significance of maintaining a cohesive and well-balanced font throughout the project. These findings highlighted the multifaceted nature of typography design, where attention to detail, organization, and consistency are paramount for success.