Typography: Task 1 - Exercises

4.4.2023 - 9.5.2023 (Week 1 - Week 6)
Vanessa Kei Kurniadi / 0360525 / Bachelor or Design in Creative Media
Typography
Task 1 (Exercise)

LIST

• Week 1: Typo_0_Intro
• Week 2: Typo_1_Development
• Week 3: Typo_3_Text_Part1
• Week 4: Typo_4_Text_Part2
• Week 5: Typo_2_Basic
• Week 6: Understanding
• Screen and Print

Exercise: Type Expression

• Sketches
• Digitalisation
• Animating

Exercise 2: Text Formatting

Feedback

Reflection

Further Reading

LECTURES SUMMARY

Week 1
On our first week of class, we got a briefing from Mr Vinods on what we're gonna expect in the next 14 weeks. We were asked to join the Facebook group and were explained how and which tabs to find what we need.  We were also given some time to set up our e-portfolio. We can make a new gmail, but to those who had made their blog before, then they can use the same gmail.

Mr Vinod told us the key to pass the Typography Class:

• Attend class on time, max 2 times of absence
• Do the assignments as instructed and submit them on time

We were given assignments for next week: make 3 sketches for each of a minimum of 4 words that were chosen during class.

Typo_0_Intro

• Typography is the creation of typefaces/type families.
• Typography as a subject in the module is a fundamental aspect in any design studies discipline.
• Typography has evolved over 500 years: calligraphy → lettering → typography.
• Paul Rand: "Typography is an art, and good typography is art." "To understand what is good or bad or suitable in typography takes time, trial, and error."

Fig 0.1.1 Examples of typography around us

• Definition of Typography:
• oxfordictionaries.com : the style and appearances of printed matter.
• wikipedia.com              : the art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable, and appealing when displayed.
• Terminology:
• Fonts        : the individual font or weight within a typeface (bold, italic, etc)
• Typeface  : the entire family of fonts/weights that share similar characteristics/styles. (Georgia, Arial, Times New Roman, etc)

Fig 0.1.2 Left: Fonts examples, Right: Typeface examples

Week 2 

In our second week, Mr Vinods showed us his journey in typography. He was a photographer when he was studying in India. But then he started to do some Typography and made some letterforms that got published or even sold. He also made some books, which of them can be bought at the campus.

Mr Vinods also gave us feedback on our sketches. It turned out most of us had made them wrong:

• We're not to use too many graphic elements or distorting the letters. Keep it minimalistic.
• We're not supposed to use the fonts as a sketch yet. the purpose of the sketch is for us to have the freedom to sketch by hand and explore with them.

For our assignment for next week, we were to start making the digitalization of the words.

Typo_1_Development

- Early Letterform Development: Phoenician to Roman

• were done by scratching into wet clay with the sharpened stick or carving into stone with a chisel
• the letterforms were affected by the tools and materials used

Fig 0.2.1. 4th century B.C.E. – Phoenicians votive stele Carthage, Tunisia. 

The Phoenicians, like other Semitic people, wrote from left to right. But The Greeks developed a style of writing called "boustrophedon" (how the ox ploughs). The line of text read alternately from left to right then right to left. As they change the direction of reading, the orientation of the letterform also changes.

Fig 0.2.2 "boustrophedon" explanation/example

Greek, like the Phoenicians, did not use letter space or punctuation. However, later on, the Greeks would move to strictly left-to-right writing.

Etruscan (and then Roman) carvers painted on the marbles before carving them to avoid mistakes. Their characteristic is the change in weight from vertical to horizontal strokes, a broadening stroke at start and finish.

Fig 0.2.3 Etruscan/Roman letterform

- Hand Script from 3rd - 10th century C.E

• Square Capitals:
• can be found in Roman monuments
• have serifs added to the finish to the main strokes
• variety of strokes achieved by holding the pen at an angle approximately 60° of the perpendicular

Fig 0.2.4 Square Capitals

• Rustic Capitals:
• a compressed version of square capitals
• allowed twice as many words in the parchment and less time to write
• variety of strokes achieved by holding the pen at an angle approximately 30° of the perpendicular
• slightly harder to read due to their compressed nature

Fig 0.2.5 Rustic Capitals

• Lowercase Letterforms:
• since both square and rustic capitals are typically intended for documents and took more time to write, everyday transactions were written in cursive and simplified form for the purpose of speed, thus the origin of lowercase letterforms.

Fig 0.2.6 Roman Cursive

• Uncials
• incorporated some aspects of the Roman cursive hand, especially in the shape of A,D,E,H,M,U, and Q
• The broad forms made them easier to read than the rustic capitals.
• 'uncia' is the latin of a twelfth of something, thus some have mistaken them as referring to letters that are 1 inch (1/12 foot) high, though it might be more accurate to think of uncials as simply a small letterform.

Fig 0.2.7 Uncials

• Half-Uncials
• a further formalisation of the cursive hand
• marking the beginning of lowercase letterforms, replete with ascenders and descenders

Fig 0.2.8 Half Uncials

• Caloline Miniscule
• Charlemagne, the first unifier of Europe since the Romans, entrusted Alcuin of York, Abbot of St. Martin of Tours to standardise all ecclesiastical texts.
• The monks rewrote the text using both majuscules (uppercase), miniscules (lowercase), capitalisation, and punctuation which set the standard of calligraphy for a century.

Fig 0.2.9 Caloline Miniscules

-Blackletter to Gutenberg's Type

• With the dissolutions of Charlemagne's empire, came regional variations upon Alcuin's script:
• Northern Europe → "Blackletter" or "Textura", a condense strongly vertical letterform.
• Southern Europe → "Rotunda" a rounder more open hand
• The humanistic script in Italy is based on Alcuin's miniscule

Fig 0.2.10 Blackletter/Textura

• Gutenberg's skills include engineering, metal smithing, and chemistry. He marshalled them all to build pages that accurately mimicked the work of the scribe's hand - Blackletter of Northern Europe
• His mold required a different brass matrix, or negative impression, for each letterform.

Fig 0.2.11 Gutenberg's type mold mimicked the work of the scribe's hand

-Humanist Script to Roman Type

• 1460 → Lucrus Lactantius, Venice
• 1472 → Cardinal Johannes Bessarion, Conrad  Swenheym and Arnold Pannartz, Subiaco Press, Rome
• 1472 → Quintillian, Nicholas Jenson, Venice

-Venetian Type of 1500

• 1499 → Colona, type by Francesco Griffo
• 1515 → Lucretius, type by Francesco Griffo

-The Golden Age of French Printing

• 1531 → IllustrissimaeGalliaru reginae Helianorae, printed by Robert Estinne, Paris. Type-cast by Claude Garamond

-Dutch Printing, c.1600

• 1572 → Polyglot Bible (Preface). Printed by Christophe Plantin, Antwerp

-English Type from the 18th Century

• 1734 → William Caslon, type specimen sheet, London

-Baskerville's Innovation

• 1762 → William Congreve, typeset and printed by John Baskerville, Birmingham
• 1818 → Giambattista Bodoni, Manuale Tipografico, Parma

-19th Century types → The first square serifs → Early 20th century sans serif (1923 Bauhaus, Moholy-Nagy, 1959 Muller Brockman),...

-Text Type Classification

• Typeforms have developed in response to prevailing technology, commercial needs, and aesthetic trends. Certain models have endured well past the cultures that spawned them.
• The following Typeform classifications here, are based on one devised by Alexander Lawson only covers the main form of text type:

• 1450 Blackletter
• The earliest printing type.
• Were based on the hand-copying styles that were used in books in Northern Europe.
• Ex. Cloister Black, Goudy Text

Fig 0.2.12 Blackletter Classification

• 1475 Oldstyle
• Based on the lowercase forms used by Italian humanist scholars for book copying and the uppercase letterforms found inscribed in Roman ruins.
• The forms evolved away from their calligraphic origins over 200 years as they migrated across Europe from Italy to England.
• Ex. Bembo, Caslon, Dante, Garamond, Jenson, Janson, Palatino

Fig 0.2.13 Oldstyle Classification

• 1500 Italics
• Echoing cotemporary handwriting
• Were condensed and close set, allowing more words per page.
• Although were originally considered their own class of type, they were soon cast to complement Roman forms.

Fig 0.2.14 Italic Classification

• 1550 Script
• Originally an attempt to replicate calligraphic forms.
• Forms now range from the formal and traditional to the casual and contemporary.
• Ex: Kuenstler Srcipt, Mistral, Snell Roundhand

Fig 0.2.15 Script Classification

• 1750 Transitional
• A refinement of old-style forms.
• Was achieved in part because of advances in casting and printing.
• Thick-to-thin relationships were exaggerated, and brackets were lightened. 
  
• Ex. Baskerville, Bulmer, Century, Times New Roman

Fig 0.2.16 Transitional Classification

• 1775 Modern
• Represents further rationalisation of old-style letterforms.
• Serifs were unbracketed, and the contrast between thick and thin strokes was extreme.
• Ex. Bell, Bodoni, Caledonia, Didot, Walbaum

Fig 0.2.17 Modern Classification

• 1825 Square Serif/Slab Serif
• Originally heavily bracketed serif, with little variation between thick and thin strokes.
• Those faces responded to the newly developed needs of advertising for heavy type in commercial printing.
• As they evolved, the brackets were dropped
• Clarendon, Memphis, Rockwell, Serifa

Fig 0.2.18 Square Serif/ Slab Serif Classification

• 1990 Sans Serif
• These typefaces eliminated the serifs altogether.
• It was first introduced by William Casln IV in 1816, it didn't become popular until the beginning of the 20th century.
• Variation tended toward either humanist forms (Gill Sans) or rigidly geometric (Futura)
• Strokes were flared to suggest the calligraphic origins of the form (Optima). Sans Serif is also referred to as grotesque (from the German word grotesque) and Gothic.
• Ex: Akzidenz Grotesk, Grotesk, Gill Sans, Franklin Gothic, Frutiger, Futura, Helvetica, Meta, News Gothic, Optima, Syntax, Trade Gothic, Univers

Fig 0.2.19 Sans Serif Classification

• 1990 Serif/Sans Serif
• A recent development
• Enlarges the notion of a family of typefaces to include both serif and sans serif alphabets (and often stages between the 2)
• Ex: Rotis, Scala, Stone

Fig 0.2.20 Serif/Sans Serif Classification

Week 3

The third week was done online, due to a lot of students going back to their hometown/home country to celebrate Eid. During the online class, Mr Vinods gave his feedback on our blogs and digitalised words. His feedbacks for my words are:

• There is no need for capital letters for the words.
• Change the word "fire" font and play with the ligature to make it look better.
• For the word "water" also remove the capital letter, and instead of using additional brushes just play with the ligature to put them next to each other.

For next week, Mr Vinods wants us to keep adding our progress into our e-portfolio, and to watch and attempt the animating process.

Typo_3_Text_Part1

Tracking: Kerning and Letterspacing

• Kerning: Automatic adjustment between letters

Fig 0.3.1 The effect of kerning

• Letterspacing : Adding space between the letter

Fig 0.3.2 The effect of the letterspacing

• Tracking: Both adding and removing space between letters or words

Fig 0.3.3 The effect of tracking

Formatting Text

• Flush Left
• Most closely mirrors the asymmetrical experience of hand-writing
• Each line starts at the same line/point but ends wherever the last word on the line ends
• Spaces between words are consistent throughout the text, allowing the type to create an even grey valve

Fig 0.3.4 Flush Left

• Centered
• Imposes symmetry upon the text, assigning equal valves and weights to both ends of any line.
• Transforms fields into text into shapes, thereby adding a pictorial quality to material tat is non pictorial by nature.
• Because it creates such a strong shape on the page, it's important to amend line breaks so the text doesn't appear to jagged.

Fig 0.3.5 Centered

• Flush Right
• Places emphasis on the end of the line instead of it's start.
• Can be useful in situations like captions where the relation between the text and image might be ambiguous without it.

Fig 0.3.6 Flush Right

• Justified
• Imposes a symmetrical shape of text by expanding or reducing spaces between words, and sometimes between letters.
• Results can occasionally produce 'rivers' of white spaces running vertically through the text.
• Careful attention to line breaks and hyphenation is required to amend this problem whenever possible.

Fig 0.3.7 Justified

When setting the field of type, keep in mind the typographer's first job: clear, appropriate presentation of the author's message.

Quite simply, if you see the type before you see the words, change the type.

Texture

• Beyond learning about the characteristics of each typeface, it is important to understand how different typefaces feel as text.
• Different typefaces suit different messages. A good typographer has to know which typefaces best suits the message at hand.
• Type with relatively generous x-height or heavy strokes width produces a darker mass on the page than ones with smaller x-height and thinner lines. Sensitivity to these differences in color is fundamental for creating successful layouts.

Fig 0.3.8 Example of Texture

Leading and Line Length

The goal in setting text type is to allow for easy, prolonged reading. At the same time a field of type should occupy the page as much as a photograph does.

• Type Size:
• Text type should be large enough to be read easily at arms length
• Leading: 
• Text that is set too tight would encourage vertical eye movement, thus making it easy to lose where you were reading. 
• A text set to loose would create stripped patterns that distract the reader from the movement at hand.

Fig 0.3.9 Comparison in Leading

• Line Length:
• Shorter lines require less reading, and longer require more.
• A good rule of thumb is to keep the line length between 55-65 characters. Extremely long or short lines impair reading.
  

A type specimen book shows samples of typefaces in various different sizes.  It can provide an accurate reference for type, type size, type leading, type line length etc.

Fig 0.3.10 Type Specimen Book Example

Compositional requirement: Text should create a field that can occupy a page or a screen. Think of your ideal text as having a middle gray value (on the left, in the diagram on the next slide), not a series of stripes (as seen of the one on the right).

Fig 0.3.11 Comparison in text composition

It is often useful to enlarge type to 400% on the screen to get a clear sense of the relationship between descenders on one line and ascenders on the line below.

Keep in mind that nothing replaces looking closely at an actual printout of your work. The best screen is still an electronic approximation of the printed page—unless you are designing for a screen, then judging type on screen is accurate.

Week 4 Typo_4_Text _Part2

There are several options for indicating paragraphs:

• Pilcrow (¶) → A holdover from medieval manuscripts seldom used today.

Fig 0.4.1 Pilcrow Example

• Line space (Leading) → The line spacing will also be the paragraph spacing to ensure cross-alignment across columns of text.

Fig 0.4.2 Line space/leading example

Fig 0.4.3 The difference between leading an line spacing

• Standard indentation → Typically the same size as line spacing or point size of your text.

Fig 0.4.4 Example of Standard indentation

• Extended Paragraph
• creates unusually wide columns of text
• there can be strong compositional or functional reasons for choosing it

Fig 0.4.5 Example of Extended Paragraph

Widows & Orphans

2 Unpardonable gaffes in traditional typesetting

• Widow: Short line of type left alone at the end of a column of text
• Orphan: Short line of the type left alone at the start of a new column

Fig 0.4.6 Example of Widows and Orphans

In justified text, both widows and orphans are considered serious gaffes. Flush right and ragged left text is somewhat more forgiving towards widows, but only a bit. Orphans remain unpardonable. 

Highlighting Text

• Different kind of emphasis requires a different kind of contrast.
• Can be done by making the text italic, bold, or changing the font color. The color can only be black, cyan, and magenta

Fig 0.4.7 Examples of Text Highlighting

When changing the font from serifs to sans serifs, you might wanna reduce the point size of the typeface by 0,5 pt. This is because sans serifs are bigger than serifs.

Fig 0.4.8 Comparison of serif and sans serif font

We can also reduce aligned figures (numbers) or all capital acronyms embedded in text by 0,5 pt to ensure visual cohesion of the text.

Fig 0.4.9 Comparison of text and numbers

When highlighting text by placing a field of colour at the back of the text, maintaining the left reading axis (right example) of the text ensures readability is at its best. 

Fig 0.4.10 Comparison of highlighting text by field of color

Sometimes it is necessary to place certain typographic elements outside the left margin of a column of type (extending as opposed to indenting) to maintain a strong reading axis

Fig 0.4.11 Comparison of using the typographic elements outside and inside the left margin

Quotation marks can also create a clear indent, breaking the left reading axis. 

Fig 0.4.11 Comparison of using the quotation marks outside and inside the left reading axis

Headline Within Text

There are many kinds of subdivisions within the text of a chapter. In the following visuals, have been labelled (A, B and C) according to the level of importance. 

A typographer's task is to make sure these heads clearly signify to the reader the relative importance within the text and their relationship to each other. 

• A head: indicates a clear break between the topic within the section.

Fig 0.4.12 Example of A heads

• B head: is a subordinate to A heads. They indicate a new supporting argument or example for the topic at hand.

Fig 0.4.13 Example of B heads

• C head: although not common, it's used to highlight specific faces of material within B head text, They don't materially interrupt the flow of reading. C heads in this configuration are followed by at least an em space for visual separation.

Fig 0.4.14 Example of C heads

Putting together a sequence of subheads = hierarchy. There is no single way to express hierarchy within text. In fact, the possibilities are virtually limitless.

Fig 0.4.14 Example of hierarchy using subheads

Cross Alignment

Cross-aligning headlines and captions with the text type reinforce the architectural sense of the page - the structure - while articulating the complimentary vertical rhythm. In this example, 4 lines of caption type (leaded 9 pts) cross-align with 3 lines of text type (leaded to 13,5 pt)

Fig 0.4.14 Example of cross alignments

Week 5 Typo_2_Basic

Letterform Component Parts

• Baseline: The imaginary line of visual base of the letterform
• Median: The imaginary line defining the x-height of letterforms.
• X-height: The height in any typeface of the lowercase ‘x’. 

Fig 0.5.1 Parts of letterform

• Stroke: Any line that defines the basic letterform

Fig 0.5.2 Strokes

• Apex / Vertex: The point created by joining two diagonal stems (apex above and vertex below)

Fig 0.5.3 Apex and Vertex

• Arm: Short strokes off the stem of the letterform, either horizontal (E, F, L) or inclined upward (K, Y).

Fig 0.5.4 Arm

• Ascender: The portion of the stem of a lowercase letterform that projects above the median.

Fig 0.5.5 Ascender

• Barb: The half-serif finish on some curved stroke.

Fig 0.5.6 Barb

• Beak: The half-serif finish on some horizontal arms.

Fig 0.5.7 Beak

• Bowl: The rounded form that describes a counter. The bowl may be either open or closed.

Fig 0.5.8 Bowl

• Bracket: The transition between the serif and the stem

Fig 0.5.9 Bracket

• Cross Bar: The horizontal stroke in a letterform that joins two stems together

Fig 0.5.10 Cross Bar

• Cross Stroke: The horizontal stroke in a letterform that joins two stems together

Fig 0.5.11 Cross stroke

• Crotch: The interior space where two strokes meet.

Fig 0.5.12 Crotch

• Descender: The portion of the stem of a lowercase letterform that projects below the baseline.

Fig 0.5.13 Descender

• Ear: The stroke extending out from the main stem or body of the letterform.

Fig 0.5.14 Ear

• Em: The width of uppercase M, and the distance equal to the size of the typeface
• En: Half the size of Em, most often used to describe em/en spaces and dashes

Fig 0.5.15 Em and En

• Finial: The rounded non-serif terminal to a stroke.

Fig 0.5.16 Finial

• Leg: Short stroke off the stem of the letterform, either at the bottom of the stroke (L) or inclined downward (K, R).

Fig 0.5.17 Leg

• Ligature: The character formed by the combination of two or more letterforms.

Fig 0.5.18 Ligature

• Link: The stroke that connects the bowl and the loop of a lowercase 

Fig 0.5.19 Link

• Loop: In some typefaces, the bowl created in the descender of the lowercase G.

Fig 0.5.20 Loop

• Serif: The right-angled or oblique foot at the end of the stroke.

Fig 0.5.21 Serifs

• Shoulder: The curved stroke that is not part of a bowl.

Fig 0.5.22 Shoulder

• Spine: The curved stem of the S.

Fig 0.5.23 Spine

• Spur: The extension the articulates the junction of the curved and rectilinear stroke.

Fig 0.5.24 Spur

• Stem: The significant vertical or oblique stroke.

Fig 0.5.25 Stem

• Stress: The orientation of the letterform, indicated by the thin stroke in round forms.

Fig 0.5.26 Stress

• Swash: The flourish that extends the stroke of the letterform.

Fig 0.5.27 Swash

• Tail: The curved diagonal stroke at the finish of certain letterforms.

Fig 0.5.28 Tail

• Terminal: The self-contained finish of a stroke without a serif. This is something of a catch-all term. Terminals may be flat (‘T’ above), flared, acute, (‘t’ above), grave, concave, convex, or rounded as a ball or a teardrop (see finial).

Fig 0.5.29 Terminal

Week 6 Typo_6_Understanding, Screen and Print

Understanding

The uppercase letter forms below suggest symmetry, but in fact it is not symmetrical.

It is easy to see the two different stroke weights of the Baskerville stroke form (below); more noteworthy is the fact that each bracket connecting the serif to the stem has a unique arc.

Fig 0.6.1 The uppercase letterform of Baskerville

The uppercase letter forms may appear symmetrical, but a close examination shows that the width of the left slope is thinner than the right stroke. Both Baskerville (previous) and Univers (below) demonstrate the meticulous care a type designer takes to create letterforms that are both internally harmonious and individually expressive.

Fig 0.6.2 The uppercase letterform of Univers is not as symmetrical as we think

The complexity of each individual letterform is neatly demonstrated by examining the lowercase ‘a’ of two seemingly similar sans-serif typefaces—Helvetica and Univers. A comparison of how the stems of the letterforms finish and how the bowls meet the stems quickly reveals the palpable difference in character between the two.

Fig 0.6.3 The comparison of the lowercase letter of Helvetica and Univers

Maintaining x-height

The x-height generally describe the size of the lowercase letterforms. However, you should keep in mind that curved strokes, such as in ‘s’, must rise above the median (or sink below the baseline) in order to appear to be the same size as the vertical and horizontal strokes they adjoin.

Fig 0.6.3 Curved strokes will rise above the median and sink below the baseline to appear just as the vertical and horizontal strokes they adjoin

Counterform

Just as important as recognizing specific letterforms is developing a sensitivity to the counterform (or counter)—the space describes, and often contained, by the strokes of the form. When letters are joined to form words, the counterform includes the spaces between them.

The latter is particularly and important concept when working with letterforms like lowercase ‘r’ that have no counters per se. How well you handle the counters when you set type determines how well words hang together—in other words, how easily we can read what’s been set.

Fig 0.6.4 Example of counterform

One of the most rewarding way to understand the form and counter of a letter is to examine them in close detail. The examinations also provide a good feel for how the balance between form and counter is achieved and a palpable sense of letterform’s unique characteristics. It also gives you a glimpse into the process of letter-making.

Its worth noting here that the sense of the ‘S’ holds at each stage of enlargement, while the ‘g’ tends to lose its identity, as individual elements are examined without the context of the entire letterform.

Fig 0.6.5 Details of the letters (Left: Helvetica Black, Right: Baskerville) gives you a good feel of each font's characteristic

The simple contrast produces numoerous variants: small+organic /  large+machined ; small+dark / large light...

Fig 0.6.6 Variants of contrast

Screen and Print

In the past, typography was viewed as living only when it reached paper. Once a publication was edited, typeset and printed, it was done. Nothing changed after that. Good typography and readability were the result of skilled typesetters and designers.

Today, typography exists not only on paper but on a multitude of screens. It is subject to many unknown and fluctuating parameters, such as operating system, system fonts, the device and screen itself, the viewport and more. Our experience of typography today changes based on how the page is rendered, because typesetting happens in the browser.

Print Type vs Screen Type

Print Type

• Type was designed intended for reading from print long before we read from the screen. It’s the designer’s job to ensure that the text is smooth, flowing, and pleasant to read.
• Caslon, Garamond, and Baskerville are the most common typefaces that is used for print, due to them being elegant, and intellectual, but also highly readable when set at small font size.
• Versatile, easy-to-digest classic typefaces, which have neutrality and versatility that makes typesetting with it a breeze

Fig 0.7.1 Print Type

Screen Type

• Typefaces intended for use on the web are optimized and often modified to enhance readability and performance onscreen in a variety of digital environments. This can include a taller x-height (or reduced ascenders and descenders), wider letterforms, more open counters, heavier thin strokes and serifs, reduced stroke contrast, as well as modified curves and angles for some designs.
• Another important adjustment – especially for typefaces intended for smaller sizes – is more open spacing. All of these factors serve to improve character recognition and overall readability in the non-print environment, which can include the web, e-books, e-readers, and mobile devices.
• Hyperlink is a word, phrase, or image that you can click on to jump to a new document or a new section within the current document. Hyperlinks are found in nearly all Web pages, allowing users to click their way from page to another. Text hyperlinks are normally blue and underlined by default. 
• 16-pixel text on a screen is about the same size as text printed in a book or magazine; this accounting for reading distance.
• Because we read books pretty close to our faces, often only a few inches away. they are typically set about 10pt
• If we were to read at arm's length, you'd want at least 12 pt, which is about the same size as 16 pixels on most screens

System Fonts for Screen / Web Safe Fonts

Each device comes with its own pre-installed font selection. Which is based largely on its operating system. The problem is that each differs a little bit.

Windows-based devices might have one group. While MacOS ones pull from another. Then Google’s own Android system uses their own as well.

‘Web safe’ ones, however, appear across all operating systems. They’re the small collection of fonts that overlap from Windows to Mac to Google.

System fonts for screen/ web safe fonts:

Open Sans, Lato, Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Times, Courier New, Courier, Verdana, Palatino, Garamond

Pixel Differential Between Devices

The screens used by our PCs, tablets, phones and TVs are not only different sizes, but the text you see on-screen differs in proportion too, because they have different-sized pixels. 100 pixels on a laptop is very different from 100 pixels on a big 60″ HDTV. Even within a single device class, there will be a lot of variation

Fig 0.7.2 Screen vs Print Examples

Static typography has a minimal characteristics in expressing words. Traditional characteristics such as bold and italic offer only a fraction of the expressive potential of dynamic properties.

From billboards to posters, magazines to fliers, we encounter all forms of static typography with wide-ranging purposes. Whether they are informational, promotional, formal or aspirational pieces of designs, the level of impression and impact they leave on the audience is closely knitted to their emotional connection with the viewers.

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  INSTRUCTIONS

Exercise: Type Expression

We are to make type expressions from the words we chose during class. After doing our votes in class, our chosen words are "rain", "fire", "crush", "water", "dissipate", "freedom", and "sick". We are to choose 4 or more words and make 3 sketches of our type expression design on each word we choose.

1. Sketches

After some thoughts, I decided to make sketches on 5 words: "rain", "fire", "water", "dissipate" and "crush". Here are my sketches:

Fig 1.3 First sketch of the word "fire", Week 1 (8/4/2023)

Fig 1.1 First sketchs of the words, Week 1 (8/4/2023)

On our second week class, Mr Vinods took a look at some of our works. He then said that most of us made a lot of mistakes in some aspects:

• Firstly, we were supposed to avoid using any fonts. The idea of sketching was to give us the ability to freely explore what we can do with the words.
• Secondly, we're supposed to keep it minimalist. Avoid making too much distortion, and avoid using graphical elements. Mr Vinod says that the limit of the graphical elements is when you can still see the meaning of them without those elements. Preferably small or just used in just 1 letter.

We also need to digitalize them before the next meeting. So my assignment is to revise some of my designs and to turn them into digitalised versions. 

So I started to work on my new designs of the words. I tried to keep them simple and minimalist while still being able to somehow symbolize the words. After some thoughts and scribbles, I came up with this designs that I want to digitalise:

Fig 1.2 Revised sketches of the words, Week 2 (16/4/2023)

2. Digitalisation

After I am satisfied with the design, I then continued into the digitalization process. On the first glance, I was quite confused as to what to do. I look at tutorial videos and ask for my friend's assistance to guide me through the tools and techniques.

Dissipate

Dissipate is probably the hardest one to make. I used this technique I found on Youtube and tried to use them. After having some technical difficulties and other problems I finally managed to do it.

Fig 2.0 Video reference for the effect on the word "dissipate"

As the video instructed, I typed my word, added some extra areas above them, and created the dissipated effect. When I expanded and image traced them, it always bugged out for me. I had to manually remove the white backgrounds before grouping them again and applying the clipping mask.

It took me several tries to be able to do it. Luckily I always try to copy every step just in case everything goes wrong.

After so many trials and errors, I finally was able to finish it.

Fig 2.1 After working on the word "dissipate",Week 2 (16/4/2023)

Water

Then I started to work on the word "water". Since we are not allowed to use too many graphic elements or distortions, I have an idea in mind. I used a font that seems "flowy" and added some strokes using the brush tool to add some watery effect (Left image)

On my first try, I used the capital letter for "W" and added some strokes between the words to make them seem like they are 1 single object. After I showed it to Mr Vinod, he told me they don't look that good, and that I should try tinkering with the ligature instead. He also told me to drop the caps. So after some editing, here's what I made. (Right Image)

Fig 2.2 Left: First try of digitalization, right: revised result of the word. Week 2 (16/4/2023)

Fire

Next up is the word "fire". For this one, I only tried to change the dot of the "i" to a fire-shaped object, and added some thin line as some kind of a candle wick. (Left Image)

Again, Mr Vinod told me to play with the ligature and to remove the capital letter, but this time, he also thought that the font doesn't fit the word well. So I tried another font and played with the ligature. (Right image)

Fig 2.3 Left: First try digitalizing the word, Right: Revised version of the word. Week 2 (16/4/2023)

Crush

For the word "crush" I followed my sketch idea and came up with this design (Left image). After checking with Mr Vinods, he told me that it would be better to put some more spacing between the C to R, and the S to H. So after some editing, I came up with this (Right Image).

Fig 2.4 Left: First try of digitalization, Right: revised result of the word, Week 2 (16/4/2023)

Rain

Last but not least, I made a digitalization for the word "rain". I just followed my sketch, only this time, made 1 instead of multiplying them like the one in the sketch, and came up with this. During the review, Mr Vinods did not leave any specific comments about this, so I guess that means it's already good enough.

After making all of them and exporting the file into JPEG according to Mr Vinods' instructions, this is what I ended up with.

Fig 2.5 Result for word "rain", Week 2 (16/4/2023)

Final Complilation

Fig 2.6 Digitalised version of the designs part 1, Week 2 (16/4/2023)

Fig 2.7 Digitalised version of the designs part 1 PDF, Week 2 (16/4/2023)

Fig 2.8 Digitalised version of the designs part 2, Week 2 (16/4/2023)

Fig 2.9 Digitalised version of the designs part 2 PDF, Week 2 (16/4/2023)

All of them took me a while to do, since I am also trying to get myself used to the tools and techniques. But after starting to get the hang of it, I must say I enjoyed the process and happy with what I made.

3. Animation

After I finished watching the tutorial video given by Mr Vinods, I tried to make my own in Adobe Illustrator. It took me several tries to get it right. The first one (left) was jagged (you can see the word moved down a little bit, thus it doesn't look neat). The second one (right) looks much better, though I think I could put some tweening to make the animation look smoother.

Fig 3.1 , Left: attempt 1: the words slumped down a little bit. Right: Attempt 2: Good but I was still not satisfied.

 Week 3 (25/4/2023)

In my opinion, attempt 2 doesn't look bad at all, but when I look closely it feels like the words are a bit rushed. I tried again, and I try to make a smoother animation of the squeezing C,R,S, and H and them going back to normal shape, while also keeping the frames to the minimum to not torture myself. After some work, I came up with 16 frames.

Fig 3.2 The frames I made in Illustrator, Week 3 (25/4/2023)

After I'm satisfied, I then proceeded to turn them into a GIF and put the final frame several times to give a pause to the animation in the end.

Fig 3.3 Screenshot of my frame animation work in Photoshop a total of 24 frames, Week 3 (25/4/2023)

Final Outcome

Fig 3.4 Final outcome of my animation of the word "Crush". Week 3 (25/4/2023)

Exercise 2: Text Formatting

This time we are told to experiment on making a layout in Adobe Indesign. There are videos tutorials by Mr Vinods explaining how to do them. I started my project alongside watching the tutorial videos just so I wouldn't miss any steps.

Here's what I made with the 10 fonts spelling my name:

Fig 4.1 Experiment of tracking with the 10 typefaces. Left: Before tracking, Right: After tracking. Week 4 (28/4/2023)

Fig 4.2 Experiment of books/fonts of the 10 typefaces Week 4 (28/4/2023)

Then I proceeded to my next task which is making a layout from one of the texts given by Mr Vinods. After also doing it alongside the tutorial videos, here's what I made:

Fig 4.3 Attempt 1 at doing text formatting. Week 5 (2/5/2023)

Details:

HEAD

Font/s: Futura Std

Type Size/s: "I am" 22 pt,  "Helvetica" 72 pt, "By: John Doe" 16 pt

Leading: 36 pt

Paragraph spacing: 0

BODY

Font/s: Futura Std

Type Size/s: 8 pt

Leading: 10 pt

Paragraph spacing: 10 pt

Characters per line: 65

Alignment: left justified

Margins

Top: 90mm, Bottom: 50mm, Left and Right: 12,7 mm

Columns: 4

Gutter: 10 mm

After the feedback session, I was told that I put too many images and that they don't relate to the text. I was also told to make the titles bigger. I played with the placement during class with the help of Mr Vinods and here's what I came up with

Fig 4.4 Attempt 2 at doing text formatting. Week 5 (2/5/2023)

This one seems much emptier, which is unusual for me so I'm still not used to it. But if I look closer they don't look that bad, in fact, I'm starting to like it.

Final Look

Fig 4.5 Final work for text formatting with grid. Week 5 (2/5/2023)

Fig 4.6 Final work for text formatting with grid PDF. Week 5 (2/5/2023)

Fig 4.7 Final work for text formatting without grid. Week 5 (2/5/2023)

Fig 4.8 Final work for text formatting without grid PDF. Week 5 (2/5/2023)

HEAD

Font/s: Futura Std

Type Size/s: "I am Helvetica" 72 pt, "By John Doe" 9 pt

Leading: 5 pt

Paragraph spacing: 0

BODY

Font/s: Futura Std

Type Size/s: 9 pt

Leading: 12 pt

Paragraph spacing: 12 pt

Characters per line: 54

Alignment: left justified

Margins

Top: 90mm, Bottom: 50mm, Left and Right: 12,7 mm

Columns: 4

Gutter: 7 mm

FEEDBACK

Week 1: -

Week 2:

• Do not use too many graphical elements or distort the text too much, keep it minimalistic.
• Keep in mind that we will need to choose between the 10 given fonts to be used in our designs.
• Think outside the box - we are allowed to use different letters outside the one in our chosen words.

Week 3:

• There is no need for capital letters for the words.
• Change the word "fire" font and play with the ligature to make it look better.
• For the word "water" also remove the capital letter, and instead of using additional brushes just play with the ligature to put them next to each other.

Week 4:

• General Feedback
• If the animation is not looped, make the duration of the final key longer.
• Specific Feedback
• Prevent the crusher letter to move down
• Make the CR and SH closer to make them look as if they're squeezing the U

Week 5:

• General Feedback
• Put a relatable image to the text.
• Specific Feedback
• There are too many images, and also for the title make them larger.
• Attempt 2:
• Mr Vinod is not really fond of the headline placement but he said it's up to me because it might be my style.
• Make the title much bigger and make "I am" and "Helvetica" the same size.
• Can figure out where to put the image after experiencing.
• Change the type size to bigger. It is fine if it actually reaches more than 65  or less than 55 as long as still close, since it still gives the same feeling.
• The gutter is too big, so change it to 7 pt

REFLECTION

Experience

Throughout these past few weeks and exercises, I found Typography to be challenging, but in a fun way. I learned about so many new things and realized there were so many mistakes I have unconsciously done during school days. Though I sometimes also feel a bit of a challenge regarding my work. Sometimes things I see as nice and fitting are actually wrong. Sometimes I feel like Mr Vinod like things to be simple, yet modern and creative, while I usually aim for the bit of the fuller, aesthetic side. I see this as an experience of me dealing with a client, where the designs we have in mind are not the same. I would always try to see where I can meet both opinions in my work.

Observations

Whenever we do the feedback session, I could see so many work from other people. Sometimes it amazed me how they are able to come up with such ideas, while some ideas are totally rejected in my mind too. I also learned from the feedback given to them. By learning much from other people's mistake, I also learn to improve myself.

Findings

When I started on typography, there are so many things I learnt. I found how to express words better. I also learned that recording our progress of our work is very useful in the future when our employers are interviewing us for job applications since some people find that the progression is more important to know than the results. It helps to see my past works and my workflow. Though overall, I found typography to be a fun thing to know and learn and their principles are applicable to a lot of things.

FURTHER READING

A type Primer 2nd Edition by John Kane was one of the book recommended by Mr Vinod for us to check out.

Fig 5.1 "A type Primer 2nd Edition by John Kane" Book Cover

Fig 5.2 Introduction (page x)

Before even entering the main content, a page from the introduction caught my mind. The writer said that spacing really determines the connection of each letter and word. He said a serious typographer constantly monitors and manipulates the relationship of the form (where type is) to counterform (where type isn't)

There are also shown examples of type spacings and their relationship/meaning. Knowing this is central to all good typography and becausee it offers an ideal point in which to start. Keep in mind how the spaces operate, both in the example shown and in the pages themselves.

Fig 5.3 Describing Letterforms (page 2-4)

I feel like it is important to always remember the basic of what forms the letters. This part is probably the most basic of typography, but definitely not the least important thing to know about.

Fig 5.3 Units used in text (page 10)

For type, the unit used to measure them are points and picas. A point is 1/72 of an inch or .35mm. Pica is also used extensively in printing, and is made up of 12 points. There are 6 picas in 1 inch

         6 picas                          → 6p or 6p7  

6 picas and 7 points    → 6p7   

                    7 points                          → 7pts, 0p7, or p7  

Fig 5.3 Development (page 16-47)

This part shows the timeline of the development of typography, starting from the most ancient writing, to writing that came from different places in different times, the evolution to a certain fonts, all the way to fonts used today. Seeing how long and far it takes to bring letters to how they are today, I'm pretty amazed. I also noticed some of the pictures are in Mr Vinods lecture videos.

Fig 5.4 Reinforcing words (page 54-69)

This part shows examples of reinforced word, just like what we did in the first exercise. It's fun and inspiring to see how the author expressed the words in a unique way that I might not think about when making them myself

Fig 5.5 Making sentences, finding sense (page 70-79)

This section of the books shows how to arrange a sentences, play with the placement, and even changing the forms to make them "make sense" and suitable for the text they're expressing.

Fig 5.6 Type and Color (page 80-87)

Hue,saturation,temperature-each color has a specific value. A tone that describes the color's weight on the page as a percentage of black

The example shows how we can check the value by testing it through different shades of black. From there we can see that it has the most balanced contrast at 50% black, thus it has a gray value of approximately 50%