Advanced Typography: Task 1 Exercises

23/9/2024-16/10/2024

FENG SHIWEN  /  0374595

Bachelor of Design in Creative Media  / Advanced Typography 

Taylor's University

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CONTENTS

LECTURES
INSTRUCTION
EXERCISE
FEEDBACK
REFLECTIONS 

FUTHER READING

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LECTURES

WEEK 1

Typographic Systems

"All design is based on a structural system" and according to Elam,2007, there are eight major variations with an infinite number of permutations. These eight major variations are as follows:

Axial  Radial  Dilational  Random  Grid  Modular  Transitional  Bilateral

"Typographical organization is complex because the elements are dependent on communication in order to function. Additional criteria such as hierarchy, order of reading, legibility, and contrast also come into play.

The typographic systems are akin to what architects term shapegrammars. The typographic systems are similar that the systems has a set of rules that is unique and provides a sense of purpose that focuses and directs the decision making." (Elam,2007)

While some may feel this imposition takes away intuition from a teaching point of view it provides a solid framework that allows learners to be guided in their exploration while their intuition develops and matures.

Axial System: all elements are organised to the left or right of a single axis.The examples here are courtesy have been sourced from type365.

Fig 1.1 Axial System

Radial System: All elements are extended from a point of focus.The examples here are courtesy have been sourced from type365.

Fig 1.2 Radial System

Dilatational System: All elements expand from a central point in a circular fashionThe examples here are courtesy have been sourced from type365.

Fig 1.3 Dilatational System

Random System: Elements appear to have no specific pattern or relationship.

Fig 1.4 Random System

Grid System: A system ofvertical and horizontal divisions.

Fig 1.5 Grid System

Transitional System: An informal system of layered banding.The examples here are courtesy have been sourced from type365.

Fig 1.6 Transitional System

Modular System: A series of non-objective elements that are constructed in as a standardised units.

Fig 1.7 Modular System

Bilateral System: All text is arranged symmetrically on a single axis

Fig 1.8 Bilateral System

WEEK2

The Rule of Thirds

The Rule of Thirds is a photographic guide to composition, it basically suggest that a frame (space) can be divided into 3 columns and 3 rows. The intersecting lines are are used as guide to place the points of interest, within the given space.

Fig 1.9 The Rule of Third

The Grid System may seem to be old or rigid, the versatility of the system and its (to some degree) modular nature tends to allow an infinite number of adaptations. This is why it continues to remain popular.

Fig 1.10 Grid System

There was born the post-modernist era in Typographical systems where chaos, randomness and asymmetry were explored. Legibility and readability were relegated to the back seat however the bests examples seem to combine the two seamlessly. the asymmetry, random, repetition, dilatational and radial systems began to take root in the lexicon of designer.

Fig 1.11 the post-modernist era

Other Models / Systems

Environmental GridA system, that based on the exploration of an existing structure or numerous structure combined. An extraction of crucial lines, both curved and straight are formed. The designer will organize the information around the structure, which includes non objective element to create an exciting mixture of texture and visual.

Fig 1.12 Environmental GridA system

Form and movement, exploring the grid system to create something special, the application of grid systems makes it interesting so when the pages in a book is turning it is as if its a slowed down animation. The placements of a form will create movements.

Fig 1.13 Form and movement

WEEK3

Context and Creativity

Handwriting✐

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. Sharpened bones, charcoal sticks, plant stems, brushes, feather and steel pens all contributed to the unique characteristics of the letterform.

Additional factors included the material upon which the forms were written: clay, papyrus. palm leaf. animal skins (vellum and parchment) and paper.

Fig 1.14 Handwriting

• Cuneiform

C.3000 B.O.E.

Cuneiform, the earliest system of actual writing, was used in a number of languages between the 34C. B C.E. through the 1st century C.E.Its distinctive wedge form was the result of pressing the blunt end of a reed stylus into wet clay tablets.

Fig 1.15 Cuneiform

• Hieroglyphics

2613-2160 B.C.E.
The Egyptian writing system is fused with the art of relief carving. The system was a mixture of both rebus and
phonetic characters--the first link to a future alphabetic
system. Hieroglyphic images have the potential to be used in three different ways:
1. As ideograms, to represent the things they actually depict.
2. As determinatives to show that the signs preceding are meant as phonograms and to indicate the general idea of the word.

3. As phonograms to represent sounds that "spell out" individual words.

Fig 1.16 Hieroglyphics

• Early Greek /5th C.B.C.E

Built on the Egyptian logo- consonantal system. the Phoenicians developed a
phonetic alphabet consisting of 22 letters.
The Phoenicians system then was adopted by the Greeks who added the necessary vowels.

• Roman Uncials

By the 4th century Roman letters were ecomne nore rounded, the curved form allowed for less strokes and could be written faster.

• English Half Uncials,8th C

In England the uncial evolved into a more slanted and condensed form While English and lrish uncials evolved, writing on the European continent devolved considerably and needed a reformer. Luckily it came in the Carolingian Handwriting Reform.

• Carolingian Minuscule

The Carolingian minuscule, was used for all legal and literary works to unify communication between the various regions of the expanding European empire.
The Carolingian minuscule was as important a development as the standard Roman capital for of it was this style that became the pattern for the Humanistic writing of the fifteenth century; this latter, in turn was the basis of our lower-case roman type.

• Blackletter,12-15 C.CE

The term Gothic originated with the Italians who used it to refer to rude or barbaric cultures north of the Italian Alps. A dense, vertical script reflecting Gothic aesthetics.

• Movable Type Printing

Movable type printing began in East Asia, with China, Korea, and Japan practicing block printing by the 8th century. The earliest known printed book is the Diamond Sutra (868 CE). While China attempted movable type, it was hindered by the complexity of its characters. In the late 14th century, Korea successfully developed bronze movable type, aided by their creation of the simpler Hangul script. This advancement came several decades before Gutenberg’s printing in Europe (1439). Though pioneered by China, movable type was perfected in Korea.

Fig 1.17 Movable Type Printing

Evolution of Middle Easter Alphabets: it is also important to note that while the Phoenician letter marks a turning point in written language-use of sound represented in letters--the script itself has been possibly influenced by the Egyptian Hieroglyphics and Hieratic Scripts.

Fig 1.18 Middle Easter Alphabets

The Evolution of the Chinese script: From the Oracle bone to Seal Script to Clerical Script, Traditional and Simplifed scripts.

Fig 1.19 Chinese script

The oldest writing found in the 'indian' subcontinent the Indus Valley Civilization(IVC) script (3500-2000 BCE).is as yet undeciphered and seems to have been somewhat logo-syllabic in nature.

Fig 1.20 IVC script

The Brahmi script (450-350 BCE) is the earliest writing system developed in India after the indus script. it is one of the most influential writing systems; all modern Indian scripts and several hundred scripts found in Southeast and East Asia are derived from Brahmi.

Fig 1.21 Brahmi script

The oldest writing systems present in Southeast Asia were Indian scripts.There were a few, but the most important would be Pallava (or Pallawa in Malay),a South Indian script originally used for writing Sanskrit and Tamil.
Pallava was the basis for writing systems across Southeast Asia.But Pallava wasn't the only Indian script in use in the Malay Archipelago. Another was Pra-nagari, an early form of the Nagari script, used in India for writing Sanskrit.

Fig 1.22 Indian scripts

This is lndonesia's most important historical script: Kawi. Based on Nagari, but indigenous to Java.
It was the script used for contact with other kingdoms. Because it was so widespread, Kawi became the basis of other scripts in both lndonesia and the Philippines.This means that ancient kingdoms in of the Malay Peninsula would have been using both Indian scripts and Kawi to write old Malay language.

Fig 1.23 Kawi

Jawi, the Arabic-based alphabet.Jawi was introduced with Islam, but its spread was more gradual. In class-based Hindu societies, literacy was limited to the upper classes. Muslim traders, teaching Jawi for religious purposes, helped it spread among the middle and upper classes. However, it didn’t fully replace other scripts in all areas.

Fig 1.24 Jawi

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INSTRUCTION

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EXERCISE

1. Typographic Systems

Learn eight typographic systems and practice.Export final artworks as JPEG @300ppi; PDF with and without guides (turn on/off guides when saving PDF; turn off spreads when exporting). Compile all 8 systems together for presentation.

The Design School, 
 Taylor’s University
The ABCs of Bauhaus Design Theory 
Open Public Lectures: 
 June 24, 2021 
 Lew Pik Svonn, 9AM-10AM 
 Ezrena Mohd., 10AM-11AM 
 Suzy Sulaiman, 11AM-12PM 
 June 25, 2021 
 Lim Whay Yin, 9AM-10AM 
 Fahmi Reza, 10AM-11AM 
 Manish Acharia, 11AM-12PM 

Lecture Theatre 12 

Sketch：

Version 1 :

During the week2 session, Mr. Vinod gave feedback on revisions. (1) Blue is too light and needs to be changed to a more expressive color, (2) Random System should be more random, (3).Grid System needs more prominent features, (4) Modular System needs to add elements to the bottom right to harmonize the picture.

Version 2 :

Final Submission ：

Axial ystem

Radial System

Dilatational System

Random System

Grid System

Transitional System

Modular System

Bilateral System

Typographic System (PDF) 

Typographic System (PDF) with Grid

2.Finding Type (Type & Play)

1. View previous student eportfolio examples to see how documentation was carried out for Ex.2: Finding Type (Type & Play)
2. Document Ex.2: "Finding Type" process work in eportfolio
3. Final Submission should consist of:

• Image
• Extracted Letterforms on baseline (illustrator)
• Reference font
• Final letterforms on baseline
• Original extraction and final letterforms next to each other
• You must have 5 letterforms (minimum) extracted

Image & Extracted Letterforms :

Version 1 :

Version 2 :

In class, Mr. Vinod thinks that my font is generally good, but I need to modify the width of the letter "C" to ensure the consistency between the letters.

So I adjusted the width and shape of the letter "C" to make it look more harmonious.

Evolutionary process :

letterforms :

letterforms on baseline :

Final Poster ：

1.Complete Exercise 1 and 2; rework, refine, review, re-look, re-do whatever is needed in the two exercise and complete it before week 4's class. 

2. Size of poster is 1024px x 1024px (Export JPG 300ppi)

I tried to make posters with three layouts to reflect the characteristics of the font "Rock":

I sought Mr. Vinod's opinion in the class, and the first poster could be the final product, but the structure needed to be adjusted: the spacing between the letters was reduced, the letters were enlarged to highlight the theme of "ROCK", and then the second layout was used to complete the first poster

Final Version :

Final Version （PDF）:

Evolutionary process （PDF）：

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FEEDBACK

Week 1

General Feedback: In the first week of the course, Mr. vinod explained the class system to us, and watched videos to learn some preliminary knowledge of advanced typesetting. We were asked to create exercises based on eight typesetting systems

Week 2

Specific Feedback: (1) Blue is too light and needs to be changed to a more expressive color, (2) Random System should be more random, (3).Grid System needs more prominent features, (4) Modular System needs to add elements to the bottom right to harmonize the picture.

General Feedback: We began to do the second exercise, the teacher asked us to extract the shape of the text from some objects, and make an evolutionary process to extract at least 5 letterforms

Week 3

General Feedback: We completed the extraction, evolution and final effect of the font design this week. Next we are going to use fonts to make posters

Specific Feedback: Shorten the width of the letter "C" to make the font consistent. Others are OK

Week 4

General Feedback: We finished making task 1 in this lesson and began to learn to make the next task: Key Artwork & Collateral

Specific Feedback: The final poster selected the first edition, shortened the letter spacing and enlarged the letters, adjusted the layout, and placed the layout of the second edition on the first edition

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REFLECTIONS

Experiences

In the course of eight typesetting systems, I learned that the connection between elements and elements can form a variety of wonderful compositions. I can better examine my designs from the perspective of readers to see whether the layout is full and the layers are clear, etc., which will help me to make works with better visual effects in the future practice. As for exercise 2, the process of extracting words from pictures makes me more inspired and exercises my ability to extract the characteristics of any object.

Observations

After four weeks of learning, I have become proficient in Adobe Illustrator to make works, and my efficiency has improved a lot compared with last semester. However, there are still many aspects that InDesign cannot use. For example, when making radial typesetting system, I have tried for many times how to use the text in-line tool and in-line down horizontal typesetting, but the effect of radiation has not been achieved. I think I still need to spend more efforts to learn in InDesign.

Findings

In these two exercises, I found the importance of keeping the elements of the picture balanced. In the process of making typesetting, I should always consider the length and width of the letters or text, the placement of the text, and the spacing of the words, which is conducive to making the picture look coordinated and will not be too skewed.

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FUTHER READING

Historical Typeface Designers:

• Key figures such as Baskerville, Fournier, and Caslon are highlighted, each contributing significantly to typography during the 18th century.

• Baskerville developed a more refined and elegant font style, which was influential during the Industrial Revolution.

• Pierre Simon Fournier and Giambattista Bodoni were also prominent figures, with Bodoni’s design evolving from older styles and becoming iconic in modern typography.

Renaissance to 18th-Century Typefaces:

• Granjon and Garamond were pivotal figures in the 16th century, advancing the Roman typefaces that replaced Gothic styles.

• Caslon’s work during the 17th and 18th centuries set a national standard for British typography. His fonts became foundational for modern type design, while Baskerville further refined these approaches.

Early Printing and the Role of Johannes Gutenberg:

• Gutenberg’s invention of the movable type in the 15th century revolutionized printing, combining various existing designs into an efficient system. Nicolas Jenson further refined Roman typefaces, influencing later designs like Bembo and Garamond.

• Early examples of typefaces from this period include the Blackletter style in northern Germany and classical Roman monumental capitals.

Type History Timeline:

• The timeline covers the development of type from ancient Greek lapidary letters in the 5th century BCE to the formalization of Roman monumental capitals.

• The timeline continues through to the Carolingian minuscule script of the 8th-11th centuries, which laid the groundwork for modern lowercase letters.