Typography - Week 2

21.01.2016 (Week 2)
Go Yin Nee (300 491 531)
Typography
Task 2 - Type design

Lecture: Type Design
We started the class by discussing and sharing our first task. Each of us shared our final outcome and explained the rationale behind our new alphabet. After that, Mr.Vinod started off a formal lecture by explaining the importance of typography and its definition. The definition as explained during the slide presentation described typography as the art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable and appealing. Furthermore, Mr.Vinod explained what we going to do in our second task. We are encourage to watch the videos that displayed on "yourbrief" before we start the second task.

Task 2 (15%): Type Design
You are to design a number of alphabets and punctuations, as determined by the teacher. You will begin by sketching and exploring a minimum of 3 options.

The sketches of the alphabets are to be submitted on A4 graph paper for selection. As always, you will understand, analyse and reflect on the knowledge acquired during the allotted weeks for the task in your ePortfolio.

Starting with the letter “o” design a string of alphabets of similar characteristics. The subsequent letters must spell your name and therefore the characteristics of the letters must represent your personality.

Read or view the teaching material below to understand:

How to design your own typeface
So you want to create a font
The Ultimate Guide on How to Create a Font

There are many more resources out there you may read, please do if you have the time.

The videos below should be viewed at a later stage of the task, when students are more knowledgeable and ready to digitize their letters.

Marking criteria: You will be judged on your creativity; the aesthetics of your letter and how consistent are they with regard to their character or personality – do they look like a family of characters. You will be judged on whether you have made the appropriate research and analysis of other typefaces, whether you have demonstrated critical thinking and exploration. This evidence must be visible in your postings in the eportfolio and your in-class process work. 

Duration: 2 weeks
Deadline: week 3

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Type expression (20%)Task 1: Identify 6 words that describe you. You will then express typographically the meaning of these words without the aid of a visual. You are only allowed to manipulate the type to express the inherent meaning of the chosen words.

Draw two 7cm squares on an A4 graph paper using a pencil. Ensure the boxes are centered vertically and horizontally in the A4 paper. Do the same for two other sheets of paper to obtain 6 squares in total.

Draw and express you respective words. Upon approval digitize your artworks using Adobe Illustrator and print them out. Update your eportfolio throughout the task and ensure every aspect of the process is documented methodically.

Marking criteria: Your work will be judged on whether you have been able to capture the meaning or action of the chosen words through your designs. The designed words in the type expression task must showcase sensitivity in balance, proportion and composition. It must reflect the inherent meanings of the words. You will be judged on whether you have demonstrated critical thinking and exploration. This evidence must be visible in your postings in the eportfolio and your in-class process work. 

Type design

First of all, I starting by using Google to search for the definition of type designing (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_design) It said that type designing is the art and process of designing typeface. So i searched again the definition of typeface (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typeface). It defined as a set of one or more fonts each composed of glyph that share common design features. This is the example of typeface.

Furthermore, by the research on (http://turnarounddesign.com/what-does-typography-say-about-your-brand/). It said that through designing of words can actually say about your brand. These are the example of branding design.

For example, the words designing of Walt Disney also known as Waltograph, are lovely, fancy and playful. With this design, it attracted a lot of children especially girls. 

As a Disney fan, I have always fascinated with the Walt Disney font. Therefore I take it as my reference. These are the sketches before proceeding to final outcome. 

Second submission

I was trying to make my fonts look simple and ordinary as my personality. Yet, I always seeking for attention from others. As the fonts, there is strokes on it, it reflects my personality as a shy person that seeking for attention. 

Feedback
You are suppose to write a new post for the third week. When you take pictures of your process work, take them under good lighting and NO shadows. Also, take them flat not from an angle.

Reflection

Experience: I was barely understood what actually the second task needed. I experienced the difficulty of understanding the questions given. Yet, I try to do a lot of research based on typeface and type design before proceeding to my work. Also, I experienced the difficulty in designing based on my own personalities as I do not know how to express it by font.

Observation: I observed that I have the difficulty on designing fonts based on my personality. I have no idea in my mind at first, but those images guided me a little bit.

Findings: I found that I have to improve on my design of the font. I need to do more brainstorming to avoid brain stuck. 

Typography - Week 1

14.01.16 (Week 1)
Go Yin Nee (300 491 531)
Typography

Lecture: Introduction

This is an informal lecture which Mr. Vinod started off by asking us to join the typography Facebook group he has created. After that, we logged on to a website yourbrief.wordpress.com and also created our own blog. It is interesting as this is my first time to submit our task through a blog and not in the form of hard copy. Also, Mr.Vinod introduced the background of Typography and explained what we going to do in our first task. In addition, we are encouraged to do research ourselves in order to understand more.

Instructions

Type Creation
Task 1 (5%): No. 27

Your first task is to understand the written letter, its origins and evolution over time. You will complete viewing the following youtube video, understand, analyse and reflect on the knowledge in your ePortfolio under the reflection tittle. Please view the sample eportfolio to understand how to write your eportfolio (and reflection).

After viewing the video and other videos of your own finding (please document the other videos you watched in your eportfolio under the lecture title) design the 27th alphabet. You will present this new letter to the class and describe your thinking or reasoning for its introduction.

Please draw the final 27th letter on an A4 graph paper using black marker or ink. Ensure that the letter is centered within the A4 graph paper and does not exceed 7cm in height or width. Please document the entire process; research, explorations, trial and errors, thoughts and epiphanies in your eportfolio.

Marking criteria: 
You will be judged on your creativity: the rationale (in writing 250 words) behind the 27th letter and the argument for its consideration. The aesthetic appeal of the shape of the letter and the process work behind the outcome. It’s visual and logical relevance when compared to the other 26 letters.

Duration
1 week

Deadline
Week 2

Reflection - on videos 

Experience: I obtained the knowledge of craftsmanship in earlier time; like how they create paper, pen, ink and printing. Also, I got attracted by their beautiful handwriting and their font of words; I believed that writing can be a form of art. Furthermore, I gained knowledge about history of writing, firstly they draw picture to represent their feeling and thought, and after that the letters are formed.

Observation: I observed that I understand more about typography after watching the videos of The Story of Writing. Nevertheless, I noticed that typography requires creativity and good drawing skills which are in fact, my weaknesses. Also, I can see how the technology get advancing from time to time as we can see in the printing technique.

Findings: I found that handwriting is an art for people in earlier time. They write words in different size and patterns to make the words appeal nicely in the books. Also, I found that books are precious during the past as it is not easy to produce a paper and people even lock books in the shelf.    

27th alphabet 

At first, I find it very difficult to design a new alphabet as I have no creativity and I am poor in drawing. Therefore, I searched for a lot of examples from internet as reference

I found that combinations of two alphabets are easier to draw yet creative. Therefore I try to use words to combine as an alphabet. These are my sketches before proceeding to the final outcome

I tried some of the simple words which you can see it everywhere. At the end, I used “H” and “I” to form a new alphabet which inspired by the word “Hi”. This is a very common word around the world and therefore I try to use this word to form an alphabet, pronounce as “Hai”. Also, it can be used on words like “High”, “Hike” or “Hide”. My 27th alphabet shown below.

Reflection

Experience: It was a very challenging task for me as I am lack of creativity to design a new thing. By far I have never created something new. When creating this 27^th new alphabet, I experienced the difficulty of drawing out the same shape and size again with the same alphabet. Every new alphabet I drew was slightly different.

Observation: I observed that I have the difficulty of drawing and creating new things. I have no idea in my mind at first, but those images I found guided me. I keep my mind simple and think of the words that I used to say or type. So, “Hi” is my final decision after all.

Finding: I found that my drawing skill and creativity need to be improved as I spent quite sometimes to design the 27^th alphabet. Also, it was not easy to draw an alphabet in a beautiful way even though I have learnt 26 alphabets since young.   

SECOND SUBMISSION

Feedback

The rationale underpinning the new letter seems alright. But the form needs a little more refinement. Please view the sample eportfolio as you have not followed the format as directed in class.

Experience: I obtained the knowledge from other classmates as their rationale under their new alphabet are much more logical and interesting. I learned more about alphabet from this task and the feedback are helping me a lot.

Observation: I observed that design an alphabet needs to be as simple as it can be because we all want to make own life much more easier. Also, the pronunciation of your alphabet can pronounce in any way you like without rationale.

Findings: I realize that I need to improve my ideas to be more creative. Also, I need to do more research in order to design a better alphabet with rational reasons. Besides, feedback from Mr.Vinod and my classmates are helping me to improve.