Advanced Typography : Task 3

Week 10 - Week 13 : 30 May 2022 - 20 Jun 2022

Tan Yi Yun 0345559
Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Task 3

LECTURE

Lecture 1-3 were jotted down at Task 1 / Exercises 
Lecture 4-5 were jotted down at Task 2

INSTRUCTIONS

TASK 3 : Type Exploration and Application

With the knowledge and experience gained in the Exercises, Project 1 and 2, with the accumulated knowledge from the lectures and your own reading (library books and online
sources), with the experience gained in the different software covered in the programme thus far, synthesise and apply the learning in the tasks to be mentioned, allow the knowledge
gained guide and inform your decisions for the effective execution of the final project. 

Develop a font that is intended to solve a larger problem or meant to be part of a solution in the area of your interest be it graphic design, animation, UI UX or entertainment design
or any other related area not necessarily reflecting your specialisation.

or

Explore the use of typeface in your area of interest, understand its existing relationship, identify areas that could be improved upon, explore possible solutions or combinations that may add value to the existing typeface.

To be effective you will need to study your area of interest, look at how type is used in the area and identify potential weaknesses or possible areas of further exploration. You can then attempt to provide a creative solution or add value to an existing use.

The end outcome could be a designed font and its application in the form or format that it is intending to provide a solution for, or an exploratory process that solves a problem or adds value to an existing use. The work can manifest into any kind of format related to the issue being solved or explored: animation, 3d, print, ambient, projection, movie title or game title, use of different material etc.

The brief was confusing, so here I provided a summary: 
-To design A-Z, 0-9, and a few punctuations. 
-The typeface you design is to solve a problem or add value to an existing typeface. 
-This task challenges my problem solving and design thinking skill. 

Inspirations
This task really takes half of my day to find inspirations and identify a problem to solve. The first inspiration I found was the Piksəlāt Font by Patrick Seymour. It utilises repeated patterns (block, cross, dot) and make use of the opacity created by the patterns to form a pixelated typeface. 

Figure 1.1, Piksəlāt Font by Patrick Seymour, Week 9 (29/5/2022)
Figure 1.2, Piksəlāt Font by Patrick Seymour, Week 9 (29/5/2022)

Figure 1.3 shows a typeface called "Keya" by Barrett Reid-Maroney, obviously inspired by keyholes. 

Figure 1.3, Keya Typeface by Barrett Reid-Maroney, Week 9 (29/5/2022)

Figure 1.4 shows some experimental typography by Rony Koch. It actually triggers my curiosity to work with modelling cards to produce block letterforms. 

Figure 1.4, Experimental typography by Rony Koch, Week 9 (29/5/2022)
I think of a recent project I'm currently working on --- "Defying Gravity". In this project, there are a lot of origami being applied to this model. I search for origami typography and find a lot of common works. I then give up on this thought and continue searching for more inspirations.

Figure 1.5, Origami typography, Week 9 (29/5/2022)

What if...creating a lighting typeface? People love light (at least for some of my friends I met) :  The LED light on keyboard, neon light in a city, flashlights during concert... Light is a way to communicate over long distance (e.g. Morse code) 

People love stars too. No one can resist the beauty of starry sky, right? In Western astrology, astrological signs are the twelve 30-degree sectors that make up Earth's 360-degree orbit around the Sun. The signs enumerate from the first day of spring, known as the First Point of Aries, which is the vernal equinox. The astrological signs are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. 

Figure 1.6, Zodiac signs, Week 9 (29/5/2022)
Figure 1.7 shows a cool effect when the light shines through the holes. Love it!

Figure 1.7, Light, Week 9 (29/5/2022)
Figure 1.8, Light, Week 9 (29/5/2022)

Final Idea
- Theme : Astronomy
- To design a typeface inspired by zodiac signs. 
- Purpose : Designed for star gazers, astrophiles 
- Things to note : Legibility, aesthetic 
- Application : Typeface for stargazing software (e.g. Star Walk 2), Book cover for astronomy and space 
- Execution (physically if time permits) : Laser cut on mdf board/ply wood, use torchlight/LED light board to shine through the holes. 

Figure 1.9, Star Walk 2 (astronomy app), Week 9 (29/5/2022)

Figure 2.1, Laser cutting, Week 9 (29/5/2022)

Existing star typefaces
I looked for the existing star typefaces in Pinterest:

Figure 2.2, Stars typeface, Week 9 (29/5/2022)
Figure 2.3, Stars typeface, Week 9 (29/5/2022)


Sketch
I did a rough sketch in Procreate. I didn't add the stars at this stage because I wanted to focus on the basic structure first. 
Figure 2.4, Sketch (A-Z), Week 10 (3/6/2022)
Figure 2.5, Sketch (0-9), Week 10 (3/6/2022)

Digitisation in AI
After sketching, I started digitising the letterforms in Adobe Illustrator. 
Figure 2.6, Digitisation, Week 10 (12/6/2022)


Test #1 - Laser cutting (14/6/2022)

I was too keen to see the results of laser cutting my design. Hence, I went to Makerspace and laser cut "ABC" on different materials (ply wood, mdf board and acrylic). 

Figure 2.7, Laser cutting, Week 12 (14/6/2022)
Issue faced : Since I want the negative space of the letterforms, the triangles will fall apart.
Solution #1: Add tiny bridge to connect all triangles. 
Solution #2: Paste an extra layer of transparent sheet to stick the triangles.

Initially I wanted to go for Solution #2 because I scared the bridges will block the light and affect the legibility. But the problem for Solution #1 is that it requires extra effort to label each triangles and paste it right. I couldn't count how many triangles I need to paste...

At the end I went for Solution #1. 

Figure 2.8, Testing, Week 12 (14/6/2022)

I placed the monitor screen at the back of the board and played some videos (ocean/aurora). The result was breathtaking!

Figure 2.9, Ocean video display, Week 12 (14/6/2022)

Figure 3.1, Results of different types of video display, Week 12 (14/6/2022)

To tryout the different effects on different material, this time I use acrylic board to cut out the transparent letterforms. 
Figure 3.2, Results on acrylic, Week 12 (14/6/2022)
Figure 3.2, Results on mdf board, Week 12 (14/6/2022)

Test #2 - Laser cutting (17/6/2022)

Figure 3.3, Lasercutting on plywood (A-Z), Week 12 (17/6/2022)
Actual product - Laser cutting (21/6/2022)

It was another night spent at Makerspace. For the actual product, I have printed :
  • "Astrophile" (the name of my type design) on a A3 size MDF board
  • the whole set of type design on 3mm acrylic board and 3mm plywood. 
Laser cutting, Week 13 (21/6/2022)

However, life isn't always smooth sailing. I failed in the first two attempts when printing on plywood. The first time was because of I forgot to add the "connections" on asterisk (*), so the entire shape fall down. The second time was due to an unfocused laser that caused the shape didn't being cut through properly. 

Figure 3.4, Human error, Week 13 (21/6/2022)

Finally, I have successfully printed the type design on plywood (Figure 3.5), MDF board (Figure 3.6), and acrylic board (Figure 3.7).

Figure 3.5, Lasercutting on plywood, Week 13 (21/6/2022)

Figure 3.6, Lasercutting on MDF board, Week 13 (21/6/2022)

Figure 3.7, Lasercutting on acrylic board, Week 13 (21/6/2022)

Type Showcase

Physical

Each individual letterforms (acrylics) were placed on a black board for type display purpose. 
Figure 3.8, Type showcase (Acrylics), Week 13 (21/6/2022)
Figure 3.9, "Astrophile" in acrylics, Week 13 (21/6/2022)
Figure 4.1, Acrylics, Week 13 (21/6/2022)
Figure 4.2 shows a capture of the type when an aurora video is playing beneath the plywood. The light penetrates the holes and creates a beautiful effect.

Figure 4.2, Aurora video display on plywood, Week 13 (26/6/2022)

Type design showcase (aurora video), Week 13 (26/6/2022)

Figure 4.3, White light beneath the MDF board, Week 13 (26/6/2022)

"Astrophile" showcase (aurora video), Week 13 (26/6/2022)

Digital

Figure 4.4, Type Design (black on white), Week 13 (26/6/2022)

Figure 4.5, Type Design (white on black), Week 13 (26/6/2022)

Figure 4.6, "Astrophile" - type display poster, Week 13 (26/6/2022)

Type Application

Application #1 : Astronomy book cover
The typeface can be used for astronomy and space book cover. I downloaded the picture from pexels and added the book title using my typeface. 

Figure 4.7, "The Galaxy" - Book cover, Week 13 (26/6/2022)

Figure 4.8, "The Galaxy" - Book cover mockup, Week 13 (26/6/2022)

Application #2 : App application  (Star Walk 2)

The typeface can be applied on the headline of an interactive stargazing app, "Star Walk 2"

Figure 4.9, Original typeface on app showcase, Week 13 (23/6/2022)

Figure 5.1, Original typeface on app showcase, Week 13 (23/6/2022)

The original typeface is boring and doesn't bring out the purpose of the app. "Astrophile" is more suitable to use in the app showcase because it is originated from the idea of zodiac signs. 

Figure 5.2, Redesigned app showcase, Week 13 (26/6/2022)

Figure 5.3, App showcase, Week 13 (26/6/2022)
Final Submission

The typeface I have designed is "Astrophile", which is inspired by zodiac signs. It is designed for astrophiles (star lovers) and star gazers which can be applied on products related to astronomy and space. Physical type designs were created by laser cutting on different materials (3mm plywood, 3mm MDF board and 3mm acrylic board) and the light effect shining across the holes were captured. 

Download the font (Astrophile) here :

Figure 5.4, Type Design (black on white), Week 13 (26/6/2022)

Figure 5.5, Type Design (white on black), Week 13 (26/6/2022)

Type Showcase

Digital
Figure 5.6 , Final type display poster, Week 13 (26/6/2022)
Physical

Figure 5.7, "Astrophile" on MDF board, Week 13 (26/6/2022)

Figure 5.8, "Astrophile" on acrylic board, Week 13 (26/6/2022)
Figure 5.9, Type design (acrylics), Week 13 (26/6/2022)
Figure 6.1, Type Design on plywood (aurora video display), Week 13 (26/6/2022)

Type design showcase (aurora video), Week 13 (26/6/2022)

"Astrophile" showcase (aurora video), Week 13 (26/6/2022)

Type Application

Application #1 : Astronomy book cover

Figure 6.2, "The Galaxy" - Book cover, Week 13 (26/6/2022)

Figure 6.3, "The Galaxy" - Book cover mockup, Week 13 (26/6/2022)

Application #2 : App application  (Star Walk 2)

Figure 6.4, Redesign app showcase, Week 13 (26/6/2022)
Figure 6.5, App showcase, Week 13 (26/6/2022)

PDF Submission, Week 13 (26/6/2022)

FEEDBACK

Week 10 :

General Feedback
Some typefaces were already been experimented by our seniors. If that is the case, we should try to have a slightly different direction. Try to achieve something that is different. When we make a decision, make sure you make a statement about the reasons why we choose to do this typeface. 

Specific Feedback
Specify the application of the typeface I am going for. Maybe could be a head title for documentary for astronomy. In the end results, I can record the video and move the light to get 2-3 frames to make a GIF. Obviously I can expand the end results afterwards. 

Week 11 :

No class due to public holiday.

Week 12 :

General Feedback
Application is crucial to show the use of the typeface design. Need to be really well-thought. 

Specific Feedback
Continue with the good work. Mr. Vinod is okay with the application of the typeface. Maybe the typeface design could be applied for National Science Centre.

Week 13 :

General Feedback
The mock-up/showcase of typeface usage need to be come out strong. 

Specific Feedback
A very cool typeface and there is potential in the application of typeface design. In the final submission, take note of the way you present them. 

REFLECTION

Experience
A very unique experience because this is the first time I produce a physical artwork in typography module. I enjoyed the type showcase where I can record the effect of the light coming through the shape of the type design. It was super satisfying. Due to the time constraint,  I didn't manage to produce a video showcasing the type design. That is 

Observation
I have observed the possible obstacles that I might face when doing a physical artwork. It is more time-consuming and takes extra effort to make sure the artwork "looks right". It doesn't work like digital which undo can always be done whenever I made a mistake. 

Findings
I have learnt about the importance of doing type design because it can be applied in many places. We heavily relief on texts to communicate message (especially advertisement). The type design is essential in conveying a brand identity.

FURTHER READING
Figure 6.6, Key typeface, Week 9 (29/5/2022)

Experimental typefaces generally have unexpected look or interaction. It can help add a powerful edge or the right feeling to a design. It encompasses anything new and interesting that pushes type norms just a little outside of the usual comfort zone. 

“The question of the design process behind the creation of these typefaces, and the question of the experimentation in the design process, is not really the point. Anyway, it seems to me that this term tries to convey the idea of a certain novelty, an avant-garde in the display genre,” says Jérémy Landes, Art Director & Type Designer at Studio Triple. 

You may think it as "an experimental font is anything that bucks the rules of traditional type design."

It is important to think about how the design will resonate with your core audience and overall messaging before conducting any type of design experiment. 

Types of experimental typefaces:
  • animated
  • color fonts
  • variable fonts
  • custom novelty
  • illustrated or artistic lettering
  • three-dimensional

Lesson 29 : Punctuation by GT Academy
Figure 6.7, Punctuation, Week 11 (12/6/2022)
Punctuation aids in the comprehension and accurate reading of written language, as well as helping to clarify the meaning of sentences.
Figure 6.8, Period, Week 11 (12/6/2022)

Figure 6.9, Period, Week 11 (12/6/2022)

Figure 7.1, Comma, Week 11 (12/6/2022)
Note that the length of comma is approximately to the height of two stacked periods.
Figure 7.2, Downstroke terminal's angle of comma, Week 11 (12/6/2022)