Advanced Typography / Task 3: Type Exploration & Application

?/0?/2024 - ?/?/2024 (Week 0 - Week ?)
Nadhrah Binti Abdul Razak / 0359620
Typography / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Task 3: Type Exploration & Application

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A. LECTURES

Perception in typography involves how readers visually navigate and interpret content through contrast, form, and organization. This content can be textual, visual, graphical, or color-based. The goal of this lecture is to explore how contrast functions and the various forms it takes in typography.

fig 1.1a

There are various typographic techniques for producing contrast; Rudi Ruegg created the image above.

But Carl Dair goes one step further, using direction and texture "to make design work and meaning pop out - clearly and unambiguously, and with flair," through the use of typographic contrast. He offers seven categories of contrast, including

1. Dimensions

2. Mass

3. Form Contrast;
4. Structure Contrast

5. Texture Contrast

6. Color Contrast

7. Directional Contrast

fig 1.2a

A point that draws the reader's attention is provided by a contrast size. For instance, it goes without saying that you will see the larger letter before the smaller one if you have both. The most popular application of size is to make a heading or title stand out as being larger than the body of text.

fig 1.3a

Weight is the ability of bold type to stand out among lighter variations of the same style. In addition to utilizing bold, applying rules, spots, and squares creates a "heavy area" that serves as a strong visual focal point or emphasis, so it's not just about using different weight classes.

fig 1.4a

The difference between a capital letter and its lowercase equivalent is known as contrast of form. Another way to put it is the difference between a roman letter and its italic variant. Expanded and condensed versions of typeface are also included in this category.

fig 1.5a

Structure means the different letterforms of different kinds of typefaces. For example, a monoline sans serif and a traditional serif, or an italic and a blackletter.

fig 1.6a

The contrast of texture is achieved by combining the contrasts of form, size, weight, and structure and applying them to a text block on a page. Texture describes how type lines appear together both up close and from a distance. This is dependent on the arrangement of the letterforms as well as the letterforms themselves. 

fig 1.7a

The opposition between vertical and horizontal, as well as the angles in between, is known as contrast of direction. A single word turned upside down can drastically alter a layout. Text blocks can also be oriented vertically or horizontally. Another way to create contrast is to combine tall columns of small lines with wide blocks of long lines.

fig 1.8a

It is implied by the usage of color that a second color is frequently less sympathetic than black on white. Consequently, it's critical to choose which aspect should be highlighted and to pay close attention to the color's tonal values.

fig 1.9a

Form refers to the overall look and feel of the elements that make up the typographic composition. It is the part that plays a role in visual impact and first impressions. A good form in typography tens to be visually intriguing to the eye; it leads the eye from point to point, it entertains the mind is the most often memorable.

It originates from the Greek words "Typos" (form) and "Graphis" (writing). Typography means to write in accordance with form. It can be seen as having two functions:

1. To represent a concept

2. To do so in a visual form

Typography presented as a form conveys the distinctive qualities and abstract presentation of letterforms. 

Group/Organization

The German word "gestalt" refers to how something has been "placed" or "put together". The goal of gestalt psychology is to comprehend the principles underlying the development and maintenance of meaningful perceptions. 

Many "laws" that forecast how perceptual grouping would happen in certain situations were developed by gestalt psychologists, particularly Max Wertheimer (Wertheimer, 1923/1938). In the scientific realm, laws are essentially accurate predictions. These laws are perhaps best categorized as principles.

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B. INSTRUCTIONS

Type Exploration

When conducting my research, I wanted my fonts to be dedicated to people with dyslexia. By having this thought, I started exploring different types of existing fonts for dyslexic people.

Fig 1.1b

Fig 1.2b

Fig 1.3b

Process
After conducting my research, I began to sketch my letterforms on Procreate. As most research showed that heavier base increases its readability, I kept that in mind while sketching.

Fig, 2.1b

Fig 2.2b

Digitising on Adobe Illustrator

Uppercase letterforms
After sketching, I proceeded to digitise my uppercase letterforms

fig 3.1b, uppercase digitisation

fig 3.2b, uppercase digitisation

As I was digitising my letters V, X, Y, Z i was not satisfied with it so I had a few trial and errors until finally finalising it

fig 3.3b, attempt 1 'X'

fig 3.4b, attempt 2 'X'

fig 3.5b, attempt 1 'V'

fig 3.6b, attempt 2 'V'

fig 3.7b, attempt 1 'Y'

fig 3.8b, attempt 2 'Y'

fig 3.9b, attempt 1 'Z'

fig 3.10b, attempt 2 'Z'

Lowercase letterforms 

fig 3.11b

fig 3.12b

Symbols, punctuations & numbers

fig 3.13b

Finalised digitisation

fig 3.14b, Final

Fontlab 8 

After I was done digitising, I started exporting the fonts from Illustrator to Fontlab 8 one by one. But before that, I measured my x height, capline, ascender as well as descender line. Then putting the infos in Fontlab 8.

Fig 4.1b

Measurements:
X height: 500 pt
Capline: 695 pt
Ascender line: 734 pt
Descender line: -232 pt

Fig 4.2b

Fig 4.3b

Font Presentations

Process

fig 5.1b

For my first font presentation, I decided to go with the catchphrase 'can you read this?' to correlate it to my dyslexia font as people with dyslexia have trouble reading. for the corners, i decided to use the Asterick that I designed.

fig 5.2b 

As for my second presentation, I wanted it to look like the Dyxie font is being viewed on a website. Hence, I created a website template using the shape tool to help me form it.

fig 5.3b

After that, I continued by inputting the font as a short essay about dyslexia. Then, I used the shape tool to create the star element as well as used the hyphen that I designed to make the presentation look a bit more attractive.

fig 5.4b

The third presentation contains the letterforms/numbers/symbols/punctuations that the font Dyxie has to offer. I decided to alternate between two colors to make it look more bright and refreshing.

fig 5.5b

For my last presentation, I wanted it to have a colorful background. Therefore, I used 3 colors as the background while using the rectangle shape tool to create a stripe pattern. With the sentence being 'I want to go to the beach' to showcase more of the Dyxie font.

Final

Fig 6.1b

Fig 6.2b

Fig 6.3b

Fig 6.4b

Fig 6.5b

Font Applications

Fig 8.1b

Fig 8.2b

Fig 8.3b

Fig 8.4b

Fig 8.5b

Downloadable font link!

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C. FEEDBACKS

Week 10
General Feedback: Only use clean strokes when designing letterforms
Specific Feedback: Update e-portfolio as it is incomplete for task 1 & task 2

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D. REFLECTION

Experience
My experience designing fonts has given me a profound appreciation for precision and attentiveness. This project has given me a platform to unleash and develop my creative ability in addition to deepening my grasp of the past history and development of fonts. Through my work in the complex process of font design, I have acquired knowledge about the rich history of typeface production as well as the important value of paying close attention to detail. I never would have thought that this journey would enable me to explore and push the limits of my imagination.

Observations
Creating fonts has inspired me to examine the construction of letters more closely. It's intriguing because you pay attention to the little things and realize that letter shapes can convey different meaning. 

Findings
After doing a lot of research, I discovered that readability and clarity are crucial. As well as clearly defined letter forms, and heavier bottoms on letters to make them more difficult to flip or mirror. I found that simplistic designs and sans-serif fonts with straight lines work really well. Through this approach, I gained a deeper understanding of accessible design and produced a font that greatly improves dyslexic readers' comfort and fluency.

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E. FURTHER READING

Typography Referenced by Allan Haley

- The book provides a thorough introduction to typography, going over its fundamentals, history, and real-world uses. It stresses about the use of typography in design and communication.

- the development of typography from starting point with the Gutenberg press and movable type.

- Important historical figures in typography include Giambattista Bodoni, William Caslon, and Johann Gutenberg.