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| Fig1.3 Context & Creativity |
Importance of Historical Context in Typography
Understanding historical context is crucial for studying typography. Handwriting significantly influenced the development of letter forms and conventions in typography. The evolution of the Latin alphabet from proto-Sinaitic letter forms and hieroglyphics highlights the historical progression of written language. Early mechanical letterforms mimicked handwriting, which shaped form, spacing, and conventions in typography. Various tools (bones, charcoal, brushes, pens) and writing surfaces (clay, papyrus, leaves, vellum, parchment, paper) also affected the characteristics of handwriting.
Evolution and Influence of Alphabets
The Phoenician alphabet influenced ancient Greek, Latin, and Roman alphabets, showcasing its impact on modern writing systems. Cuneiform, an earlier writing system, evolved from pictograms into phonetic characters. The evolution of letter forms continued from Greek to Roman to calligraphic models over 2,000 years, with Roman letters becoming more rounded and efficient for faster writing in the 4th century.
Standardization and Global Developments
Under Charlemagne, writing was standardized in Europe with the establishment of the Carolingian minuscule, influenced by practicality and cost. In contrast, Koreans developed the phonetic-based script Hangul, and movable-type printing, pioneered in China, achieved significant success in Korea in the late 1300s. The Egyptian civilization also made advancements that influenced Greek writing, though Western biases have historically elevated Greece and Rome over older civilizations like Ancient Egypt.
Preservation and Adaptation of Scripts
Western type designers have revitalized historical letter forms, acknowledging the importance of history in typeface development. Meanwhile, the adoption of Western technologies in the East has sometimes hindered the preservation of heritage and cultural practices. The evolution of alphabets in the Middle East and China, influenced by Egyptian and periodic scripts, and the Chinese script's progression from Oracle bone to clerical script, emphasize the importance of documentation.
Regional Writing Systems and Cultural Impact
The Indian Brahmi script influenced many modern scripts in Southeast Asia, though its origins remain debated. The Cowie script from Java was used for communication in the Malay Archipelago, reflecting the Hindu-Malay cultural amalgamation. Indonesia's diverse historical writing systems include theories of ancient Gujarati-derived proto-Sumatran scripts forming the basis for medieval scripts on the island. Joey script holds great significance in Indonesia's literature.
Modern Typographic Movements and Technological Influence
Preserving and digitizing scripts is crucial for maintaining cultural heritage. Indigenous scripts are now proliferating on digital devices, aided by software giants like Google employing Asian programmers and designers. The term "multi-script" typefaces, coined by Muthu Nedumaran, refers to typefaces accommodating both vernacular and Latin scripts. Local movements, such as Murasu.com in Malaysia and organizations like Huruf, Ek Type, and the Indian Type Foundry, are working to digitize and revitalize typefaces.
Creativity and Originality in Southeast Asian Typography
The movement in Southeast Asia, though lacking organization, is gaining awareness through examples from larger neighbors like India. Increased access to knowledge and methods from neighboring countries facilitates progress. Young designers are encouraged to explore their histories, civilizations, cultures, and communities for inspiration, building on past developments rather than blindly appropriating cultures. Creativity and inspiration should begin with observing surroundings and exploring collective histories.
Instructions
MIB for Advanced Typography
Exercise 1: Typography System
In this task, you are required to utilize 8 typography systems for design, selecting one from the three provided contents. Adobe InDesign must be exclusively used for this purpose. Additionally, the colour palette should not exceed two colours, with a dimension of 200mmx200mm.
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Fig1.11 Axial System, Week 1, 22.04.2024
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Fig1.12 Radial System, Week 1, 22.04.2024
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Fig1.13 Dilational System, Week 1, 22.04.2024
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Fig1.14 Random System, Week 1, 22.04.2024
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Fig1.15 Grid System, Week 1, 22.04.2024
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Fig1.16 Modular System, Week 1, 22.04.2024
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Fig1.17 Transitional System, Week 1, 22.04.2024
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Fig1.18 Bilateral System, Week 1, 22.04.2024
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After receiving feedback, I gained insights into areas of improvement and identified some errors. I attempted to make modifications and selected a preferred version to enhance.
Final Version of Typography System
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Fig1.19 Axial System, Week 2, 30.04.2024
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Fig1.20 Radial System, Week 2, 30.04.2024
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Fig1.21 Dilational System, Week 2, 30.04.2024
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Fig1.22 Random System, Week 2, 30.04.2024
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Fig1.23 Grid System, Week 2, 30.04.2024
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Fig1.24 Modular System, Week 2, 30.04.2024
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Fig1.25 Transitional System, Week 2, 30.04.2024
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Fig1.26 Bilateral System, Week 2, 30.04.2024
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PDF Submission of Typography System With Grid:
PDF Submission of Typography System Without Grid:
Exercise 2: Type &
Play
In this task, we need to look for man-made objects or structures, and avoid mixing too many elements in the image. Observe them to find shapes resembling letters, then choose a reference font to improve upon. Finally, blend the mixed fonts with similar images to create a movie poster. The fonts must retain the characteristics of the objects, making them appear related.
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Fig3.15 Bark, Coffee Bean, Marble tiles, and
Lightning, Week 3(9/5/24)
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At first, I considered several textured objects around me: marble tiles, coffee beans, tree bark, and lightning. After contemplating, I found it difficult to retain the characteristics of stone and bark. For coffee beans and lightning, I opted for the latter. However, the coffee beans appeared too rounded, and in the image, they were mostly similar, making it hard to discern the shapes of letters.
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Fig3.16 Lightning, Week 3(9/5/24)
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Next, I searched for shapes resembling similar letters in the image. I highlighted them with colors and contemplated what word to compose. Eventually, I decided to form "FLASH" because lightning is bright, and there is a connection between them.
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Fig3.17 First Version of FLASH, Week 3(9/5/24)
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The letter "S" was particularly difficult to find in the image, as lightning is very straight, making it hard to locate a curved shape. After identifying it, I began searching for a reference font. I chose Futura Std Light because its thinness matches the characteristics of lightning.
I attempted to match the shapes of the reference font by adjusting the points and then reducing the anchor points. After discussing the final result with Mr. Vinod, he mentioned that while lightning conveys a certain feeling, the current design does not capture that feeling strongly enough.
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Fig3.18 Lightning Image, Week 3(9/5/24)
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After that, I tried to read articles by Mr. Vinod about how to refine letterforms and looked for some lightning pictures.
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Fig3.19 FLASH, Week 3(9/5/24)
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I attempted to use ITC Garamond Std Light Narrow as the reference font because its serif style seemed fitting for the transition from thick to thin in lightning.
While the final result appeared decent, integrating lightning into the font didn't quite evoke the desired effect. Initially, I intended to use the lightning's negative space to shape the edges of the letters for a lightning effect, but it ended up resembling cracks or a fractured surface rather than lightning.
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Fig3.20 FLASH Final Version, Week 4(15/5/24)
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I chose ITC Garamond Std Light Narrow as the reference font because the initial version didn't meet my satisfaction. This time, I focused on reducing the anchor points and aligning the shapes with the reference font. Then, I enhanced the lightning effect by increasing the anchor points to sharpen it. Additionally, I made the lightning intersect and created voids in the middle.
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Fig3.21 FLASH and F, Week 4(15/5/24)
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Lightning can resemble many other things, so to make it more specific, I added some lightning details to the fonts. For the corners, I incorporated small lightning shapes, but I kept them subtle as the focus was on the font rather than the graphics. Of course, this was also to match the serif nature of the reference font.
The letter "F" seemed a bit plain, so I experimented with adding lightning, but ultimately decided against it to maintain a simple design. Adding lightning made a noticeable difference only when magnified, so I opted for simplicity.
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Fig3.22 First Version of Poster, Week 4(15/5/24)
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Once my font was finalized, I began searching for pictures and combining them to create a poster. This was a simple poster without any added effects, just a change in font color and the addition of poster content and other elements.
Final Outcome:
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Fig3.23 All Process, Week 4(15/5/24)
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Fig3.24 All Poster, Week 4(15/5/24)
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Fig3.25 Final Letter "F", Week 4(15/5/24)
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Fig3.26 Final Letter "L", Week 4(15/5/24)
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Fig3.27 Final Letter "A", Week 4(15/5/24)
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Fig3.28 Final Letter "S", Week 4(15/5/24)
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Fig3.29 Final Letter "H", Week 4(15/5/24)
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Fig3.30 Final Poster, Week 4(15/5/24)
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Final Submission for this task:
Feedback
Week 1:
General Feedback:
Open the e-portfolio,
watch lecture 1, and take notes. Review "Typographic
Systems" by Kimberly Elam for further reading. Begin
exercise 1 on typography systems and document the process
and research in the blogger. The final product should be a
JPEG with 300ppi and PDFs with and without grids. There was
no class in Week 2, but there will be a feedback session
from 8-9 am.
Week 2:
General Feedback:
Avoid using black
backgrounds in typography systems for readability. Be
mindful of contrast to prevent eye strain. Opt for simple
graphics with outlines instead of solid colours. Leave space
around text and don't rely solely on feedback; reflect on
general feedback. Week 3 will introduce a new task: creating
posters with discovered fonts.
Week 3:
General Feedback:
The chosen images should maintain the consistency of the
objects, making them easier to observe. When making
modifications in comparison with the reference fonts, it is
important to keep it simple and retain the characteristics
of the selected image.
Specific Feedback:
Ligntning seems to convey an impression, but the impression
is not strong enough. Be careful to avoid the letters look
too graphic. Refer to the sixth point in the article, and
understand the part to improve.
Week 4:
General Feedback: The poster you create should resemble a real movie poster. The text must integrate with the background image without standing out too much. The message of the poster must be clearly communicated to the viewer. Logos must be included in the poster.
Specific Feedback: The poster looks good and can be used.
Reflections
In this advanced typography class, I have felt an immense amount of pressure due to the tight schedule and numerous courses. All the task due dates are packed together, leaving no time to actually work on the projects, which makes it difficult to get feedback. Everyone is somewhat reliant on feedback because, in the previous typography classes, we almost entirely relied on the teacher's feedback to make changes and improve our work. This time, with less targeted feedback, we have to make our own choices. Of course, not all choices are correct, and the teacher has mentioned that we must take responsibility for our decisions, which is also a form of creativity.
As I progress in learning typography, I realize it permeates our surroundings. When working on typography systems, the difficulty is definitely present, especially in the later modules like grid systems, where the similarities are very high. Sometimes, it is hard to determine if I am within the correct scope, which can be frustrating. Continuous revisions might lead me further down the wrong path, but the charm of design is that mistakes can eventually lead to success. Continuous improvement will eventually bring success, but unfortunately, there isn't enough time because this course is frequently interrupted by holidays, causing significant delays.
The second task, finding letters within patterns, was quite interesting. However, creating my own font based on the reference letters felt strange and lacking something. I needed to constantly observe different images and make corrections. Fortunately, I was satisfied with the final product. The effect of the poster turned out well, but it’s a pity that there wasn’t more time for further modifications, which is somewhat regretful.
A tight schedule isn’t necessarily a problem; it’s unfortunate that I find it difficult to limit and control my own actions well. I hope that in future courses and in life, I can make more progress, both academically and personally.
Further Reading
The book I chose, "Typographic Systems," was recommended by Mr. Vinod and written by Kimberly Elam.
Introduction
- All design is based on a structural system. These systems can be divided into eight major variations, each with infinite composition possibilities.
- Once essential visual organization systems are understood, designers can fluently organize words or images within structures or create variations.
- Typographic organization is complex as it relies on communication. Additional criteria such as hierarchy, reading order, legibility, and contrast are crucial.
- Typographic systems are akin to shape grammars in architecture, identifying styles via rule-based compositional systems. Each system has unique rules providing focus and decision-making guidance.
- Student designers may find typographic systems strange at first, but as they work, understanding grows, unlocking creative potential.
- Many designers focus on traditional grid systems, unaware of other system potentials. Visual examples illustrate diverse design solutions.
Project Elements and Process
- Understanding visual organization systems provides designers with in-depth knowledge of the design process.
- Traditional horizontal and vertical grid systems are no longer the only means of order and efficiency in production; designers can use the eight typographic organization systems to create typographic messages.
- These systems expand the visual language of typographic communication and engage the reader in the text.
- The process-oriented exploration of visual organization systems is focused and simple. The eight systems include axial, radial, dilatational, random, grid, transitional, modular, and bilateral.
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Fig1.27 Axial, Radial, Dilatational System
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Fig1.28 Random, Grid, Transitional System
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Fig1.29 Modular, Bilateral System
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Constraints and Option
- Within any project process, there are typographic constraints and options that offer opportunities for rich yet subtle variations.
- All lines of the message must be used in each composition, but breaking lines can change grouping and reading patterns.
- Leading, word spacing, and letter spacing variations affect texture and tone.
- Grouping lines together simplifies composition and improves readability.
- Designers should experiment with leading to achieve the desired texture and readability beyond default values.
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Fig1.30 Line Breaks, Leading, Words and Letter Space
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Fig1.31 Line Break and Leading
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The Circle and Composition
- The circle serves as a wildcard element, adaptable to any position within the composition.
- Particularly in compositions with uniform size and weight, the circle offers designers a versatile tool for guiding the eye, creating focal points, tension, and balance.
- Its placement significantly influences the composition: squeezed between text lines creates tension, close proximity emphasizes, and alignment with lines organizes, while positioning in the upper left quadrant often initiates and lower right quadrant concludes.
- After developing a series of thumbnail compositions, designers are encouraged to refine the strongest one. Evaluating the results reveals diverse yet equally effective choices, highlighting the circle's transformative impact on composition and perception.
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Fig1.32 Placement
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Fig1.33 Placement
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