Typography I: MASTERLIST

TYPOGRAPHY I MASTERLIST

Below is a masterlist of OSS posts done for Typography I during the semester!

ASSIGNMENTS

Assignment 1: Comic Sans Presentation (with Claire, Joel, Melo and Louisa)

Assignment 2 The Walls Have Ears! Part 1/3: https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/laum0005/typography-i-assignment-2-the-walls-have-ears-part-1-3/

Assignment 2 The Walls Have Ears! Part 2/3: https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/laum0005/typography-i-assignment-2-the-walls-have-ears-part-2-3/

Assignment 2 The Walls Have Ears! Part 3/3 (Outcome): https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/laum0005/typography-i-assignment-2-the-walls-have-ears-part-3-3/

Assignment 3 Archetypes and Typography Part 1/2 (Process): https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/laum0005/typography-i-assignment-3-archetypes-and-typography-part-1-2/

Assignment 3 Archetypes and Typography Part 2/2 (Outcome): https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/laum0005/typography-i-assignment-3-archetypes-and-typography-part-2-2/

Typography I: Assignment 2 – The Walls Have Ears! (Part 3/3)

THE MENU

Final Posters
Decisions
Link to Part 1 & Part 2

FINAL POSTERS

►Poster 1: Chicken

Quote: “So how the turkey leg? Ok lor, bigger than your chicken but more dry.”

►Poster 2: Doodle

Quote: “Later I show you my super polished, hyper finished doodle.”

►Poster 3: Shadow

Quote: “Last night I dreamt that I became a shadow.”

DECISIONS

For this set of posters, I decided to be minimal about them – no textures, with clean and crisp edges.

Writing the Letters: Process

I used Photoshop to write the letters. I often draw with Photoshop and I felt that the effect created through creating letters and manually warping with Photoshop is an extremely different experience compared to creating them on Illustrator. (But it could be due to my lack of experience with Illustrator as well which was something I realised after an office consultation… I promise I’ll practice more!)

Photoshop also provides an extremely different experience compared to writing on a traditional medium, so I decided to start working on them traditionally with thumbnails first, before scanning them in and writing over them or shaping and smoothing them out on Photoshop.

After achieving the effect I wanted on Photoshop, I ported them over to Illustrator and live-traced them, before cleaning and refining them in Illustrator again.

Layout and Composition

It was difficult creating a structured, yet unexpected composition. It’s much like talking to someone else – you can’t really predict what they’re going to say.

I intended for the posters to have a subtle point-of-view element and wanted the words to be the imagery and carry the tone of the dialog to depict how they were spoken. To convey the dialog’s human element, I chose whimsical and engaging layouts, as if they are engaging in a conversation with someone.

In Shadow and Doodle, the words are meant to be engaging with the viewer, flowing towards the viewer. In ‘Chicken’ where there are two persons conversing, I intended us to be the onlooker, a 3rd person, observing two parties talking.

Shadow has a couple of extra graphical elements other than the letters – the swirl, the hands and the graphics replacing ‘I’ – to show that ‘I’ have turned into something else.

I created the swirl to emulate the feeling of falling into deep sleep pulling you in. It’s the feeling of sinking down into a pillow after a long day and feeling like your consciousness is detached from your body.

Chicken is a little more direct. The words are shaped into a thick turkey and a smaller chicken, standing on hills akin to a farmland on a nice noon.

(Thinking about it, this dialogue is growing weirder every time I look at it; I personally think that turkey meat is more dry than chicken meat…)

Finally there is Doodle. I wanted the huge words in the middle to create expectations and draw eyes, and the smaller text ‘later I show you’ and ‘doodle’ to let you down (smoothly). The yellow circle is used as a spotlight, to draw attention to what ‘i show you’ is trying to preempt.

Color Choice

I chose to go with black, yellow, magenta and blue – basically CMYK. They are stark and I absolutely loved how loud they are beside each other.

I did try to reduce to less colors or try other palettes, but I feel like it just wouldn’t be just as loud without any of them. Like how the cyan/blue provides a counterbalance to the magenta and yellow in order to create a striking image.

To make the posters fit as a set and work in harmony, the tones are also to a milder version of the original CMYK.

TAKEAWAYS

Having wanted to experiment with drawing the letters and to train my eyes to be better at compositing, I’m quite happy with how they turned out despite not having expected to go this minimal at first. Since I’m obsessed with details in drawing and I enjoy maximalist art and posters, I was terrified of being minimal. I do see the appeal now and I’m definitely a whole lot more comfortable with exploring minimalism!

Granted, my posters are not exactly minimal, but they’re worked on with the thought of what I could subtract. It took me away from my usual train of thought since instead of thinking of what I could change and add to make it work, I had to keep thinking of what I could subtract and lose, but still convey what has to be said.

It was a really fun project! I learnt a ton and I’ve enjoyed working on all the posters even though it took me ages to work on lettering them. It makes me think that it’ll be so nice to get more writing practice soon too!

LINKS

Part 1 (Dialogs, Research and Thumbnails): https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/laum0005/typography-i-assignment-2-the-walls-have-ears-part-1-3/

Part 2 (Drafts, Feedback and Revisions): https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/laum0005/typography-i-assignment-2-the-walls-have-ears-part-2-3/

Typography I: Assignment 2 – The Walls Have Ears! (Part 2/3)

THE MENU

First Drafts
Feedback and Corrections
Link to Part 1 & Part 3

FIRST DRAFTS

Chicken: I took inspiration from fast food restaurants as well as farms.

Shadow: I drew inspiration from storybooks as well as the character Pitch from Rise of the Guardians.

Doodle: I explored how to draw and warp words, as well as exaggeration.

DRAFT REVISIONS AND FEEDBACKS:

FEEDBACK (Recess Week)

The early drafts!

Chicken:
– Strongest piece of the 3
– Reorder ‘Turkey’ and ‘leg?’
– Give the chicken a breathing space/unseen stroke, have Turkey go over it
Shadow:
– Weakest piece at the moment
– Reconsider the composition
Doodle:
-Reorder layout
-Explore how to draw the words

FEEDBACK (12 / 10 / 2018)

Chicken:
– To change color palette to tie in with shadows poster
– Keeping the grass is up to me but can take out the grass (since it doesn’t hurt the piece)
– Lisa suggests that it’s best to keep it minimal
(be deliberate about choices made)

Shadow:
– To make hand (W) larger to line it up with ‘SHADO’
– Reduce thickness of O and reduce the size as well
– Even out the overall type

Doodle:
– Handwrite it like the other two posters
– Make ‘POLISHED’ serifed and stand out (Handwritten serif)
– Making the word into a dragon is too much (Keep it non graphical and type-only)
– Enjoyed what is going on with the ligature for S and P

(A reminder: All the posters have to look like a SERIES!)

FEEDBACK (16 / 10 / 2018)

Standardize the colors so that the three posters look like they belong in a set
Removing frames, tweaking letters and layout

LINKS

Part 1 (Dialogs, Research and Thumbnails): https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/laum0005/typography-i-assignment-2-the-walls-have-ears-part-1-3/

Part 3 (Final Posters and Decisions): https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/laum0005/typography-i-assignment-2-the-walls-have-ears-part-3-3/

Typography I: Typographer of Week 6 – Jonathan Barnbrook

TYPOGRAPHER: JONATHAN BARNBROOK

On Barnbrook’s Typography: A Collection of Curiosities

Barnbrook mentions that he bases his works on typography and he views it close to language; speak in language that has never been spoken before. He also mentions one thing that I find interesting and relatable despite not having much experience as a designer yet:

The Curse of the Designer

-also known as: noticing details that the average untrained eye neither notices nor cares about. It’s an extremely relatable feeling whilst going through this course, working on my own posters and other graphics. However, I do realise that people are growing increasingly sensitive to design and information around them. People are increasingly less easy to manipulate and more ready to suspend disbelief, likely because of the amount of information they take in from the Internet.

Barnbrook also mentions design as being important in a very political and social age – to which I completely agree. I do think this is increasingly so as well because we’ve moved on to a more digital age – where there are alot more wars waged online than off. Good designs conveys culture, and in turn conveys reliability.

Finally, another point I found interesting about what Barnbrook said was an interesting point about clients. He roughly mentions designs being associated to their designer, and about how after you work for Company A, it may not be very suitable for you to immediately jump to Company B. Following that, he also discusses the lack of experience as a very good thing – because of how the designer is able to experiment and shape themselves with brilliant works.

On Barnbrook’s different fonts

I can’t believe he’s the man behind Exocet! Diablo II was one of the first games I played and it was a big part in my life – I even bought the official copy of the game again a couple of years later because I first played with a pirated disc (oh man).

The O of Exocet face is definitely one of the things that sets it apart from many other fonts. It was also used for a Dungeons & Dragons setting Planetscape but it’s (personally) incredibly hard now not to associate Exocet with Diablo especially since Blizzard is a high profile game company that’s known for lots of triple A titles. Blizzard games were a big part of my life while growing up. I especially enjoyed playing Warcraft as a kid too. I don’t think anyone can use Exocet anymore without someone going “Oh! Isn’t that the Diablo font?”. I personally definitely can’t dissociate from that.

Other than Exocet, I find Barnbrook’s designs really peculiar (down to how they are named).

I love this guy.

Typography I: In Class Activity 7 – A Lesson in Pattern (Illustrator)

Fonts:

Lemon Milk
Times New Roman

Lemon Milk seemed to only create dense patterns because the individual letters are thick, which is very different from the effect that Times New Roman produced, since it was a serif font. I decided to try working with a mix of Lemon Milk and Times New Roman to see how they would look like.

Kinda reminds me of an oreo cookie.

I felt that they turned out pretty interesting! It’s definitely a super useful (and fun) way to add a little something for future assignments. (‘u’)

Typography I: Automatic Drawing

1 – Doodle with both hands, mirrored.

2 – Doodle with non-dominant following the dominant hand.

3 – Doodle in anyway, hands moving at the same time (and end off with signature).

Results: Brain is still not awake but still had alot of fun. It’s a fun exploration and theory. Perhaps it’s worth looking into to expand into bigger projects! 🙂

Typography I: In Class Activity 6 – Play Nice

Modifying Type

For my modified type, I based the above on toothy kids at a playground. Some features are: round edges, a ‘confined’ play area, a slide-like tail for ‘y’ and yes, actual teeth but with gaps. (Starting to hope that I wasn’t going too far off there.)

The original sketches were actually kinda different:

It was alot more literal! (‘o’)

Typography I: On The Elements of Typographic Style

On The Elements of Typographic Style

(Chapter 1 page 17-25)

The text gives a good start and breakdown on how to approach designing text. I especially appreciate “1.2.2 Discover the outer logic of the typography in the inner logic of the text.”

My own ‘Good Practice Checklist’

Understand your content and make a decision
(To give your design a voice)
Decide on a treatment
(What are some appropriate looks for your content? What is suitable for the company and client?)
Respect your content, do your research
(What’s the agenda? Check if there are any rules or sensitivities regarding your given content, and check if there are any existing graphics that are similar to what you have in mind)
Dress your content
(The technical aspects of design: What medium are you using? What colors and typefaces? What’s the layout like?)

About the text: ‘Well-chosen words deserve well-chosen letters’

To expand on certain aspects of ‘On The Elements of Typographic Style’, it’s definitely the job of typography to help words be expressed in their best form, with many factors considered.

If the content is meant to disturb, then perhaps a cold, unfeeling font or design should be selected for that purpose.

If the content is meant for digital platform, the design must take advantage of what the platform has to offer to give viewers the best and most correct experience.

I definitely think that priority should be about what fits good, rather than what looks good. Mismatching design and content would be doing a disservice to the efforts put into both. I think it’s definitely a good reflection for myself as well as it’s something I have to remember while working on my personal works.

About the text: Color as an ancient metaphor

This is definitely the first time I have heard of color used to refer to ‘the darkness or blackness of the letterforms in mass’. I have never looked at it in this way and it’s interesting to consider, along with its different criteria.

As I usually looked at letterforms by considering thickness (width), roundness (edges) and its superficial characteristics, it’s fresh to think about how the text sees the letterforms as a mass, something that is filled in with solid weight with more dimensions to it.

Overall

I have definitely learnt alot from this reading. It is a good step-by-step written list of factors to consider when approaching a text to make it less daunting, and a good reminder to treat words carefully during your work/project.

Typography I: In Class Activity 5 – Haiku

Haiku

Three little hamsters

Running on the wheel tonight

Driving me crazy

(dedicated to my hamsters)

This is my big friend, Duchess (‘u’)

Layout Sketch

I decided to work on a physical layout again as I wanted to get some hand-lettering practice in!

While it was alot of fun, the only downside was that I couldn’t really change the layout much after I was done with it. 🙁

Feedback

Font texture: works as it conveys furriness of the hamster!
Move layout up
Reduce the opacity of the blue panels
“running on the wheel” is not noticeable, and can begin from where the speed lines are at ‘H’

Typography I: Typographer of Week 5 – Paula Scher

TYPOGRAPHER: PAULA SCHER

Paula Scher is a graphic designer based in New York. She is revolutionary, being the first woman to receive the Type Directors Club Medal, first female principal of Pentagram and also for working on branding projects for big companies. Well-known examples of such includes Windows 8, Tiffany & Co. and Citibank.

Liquid Identities

Scher names a successful brand identity as one that is liquid and fluid, rather than rigid, as information exists across different mediums and platforms. If the information and piece has to last long, then flexibility should be key to a successful brand identity.

Scher’s processes are extremely rational and her works are definitely alot more relatable compared to the past few typographers we’ve been looking at. Her identities are lodged deep into our subconscious. If you would just walk at a mall today, say Jurong Point or JEM, you would already see Citibank’s iconic logo. It’s not something we consciously think about, but definitely something that has wormed its way to the back of our head and can never forget.

She works with a very different platform for type. Designing for brands work extremely differently as compared to things like maps for train lines or magazines. The goal of crafting a brand identity is to burn the values and image of the company into the minds of a consumer. It is incredible how she is involved in the development for so for so many big brands.

Speaking for your work

One thing I found interesting is the section where Scher is quoted briefly about defending your work in the article ‘Get to know Paula Scher, titan of postmodern design’. Here is the quote:

“I think it’s very important for young designers to do two things. One: spend the first one to five years learning how to design and present design from somebody who is terrific at it. Having that basic understanding will carry you through the rest of their career. The second is this: develop the ability to explain, defend, and promote your work. Those are the two most important things.”

This hit a little hard considering this week in Typography class, we just went through how we should give and receive design critique. Being able to explain and sell your idea and concept is most definitely a major part of design. I find it hard to learn when to step in to defend my works as well, as it’s definitely just much easier to smile, nod and accept whatever that comes this way.

It may not be as applicable for now since lecturers and fellow classmates tend to suggest things that mean well for you and even sometimes ways for you to improve your work, but I do see the need to justify and defend our works in the future when there is a need to get your works seen (and where necessary), especially so in early stages of conceptualization where it’s still difficult to visualize an end product but you have to convince them to give you the funds to make it work.

An inspiration

Scher is definitely an inspiration as well for being one of the few female designers and leader in a male-dominated industry as well. Rather than letting herself be defined by gender, she identifies as a designer. Personally, I find the way she commits herself to her work extremely admirable!

TYPOGRAPHY I MASTERLIST

ASSIGNMENTS

TYPOGRAPHER OF THE WEEK

READINGS AND REVIEWS

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES AND HOMEWORK

OTHERS

THE MENU

FINAL POSTERS

DECISIONS

TAKEAWAYS

LINKS

THE MENU

FIRST DRAFTS

DRAFT REVISIONS AND FEEDBACKS:

FEEDBACK (Recess Week)

FEEDBACK (12 / 10 / 2018)

FEEDBACK (16 / 10 / 2018)

LINKS

TYPOGRAPHER: JONATHAN BARNBROOK

On Barnbrook’s Typography: A Collection of Curiosities

On Barnbrook’s different fonts

Modifying Type

On The Elements of Typographic Style

My own ‘Good Practice Checklist’

About the text: ‘Well-chosen words deserve well-chosen letters’

About the text: Color as an ancient metaphor

Overall

Haiku

Layout Sketch

Feedback

TYPOGRAPHER: PAULA SCHER

Liquid Identities

Speaking for your work

An inspiration