TYPOGRAPHY- Task 2/Typographic Exploration and Communication

 

TYPOGRAPHY - Task 2

8 May 2023

08.05.2023- 26.05.2023/Week 6 - Week 8
Nur Fariha Binti Mohd Rodzuan/0351242
Typography/Bachelors (Hons) in Creative Media
Task 2: Typographic Exploration and Communication   

                                      

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Lists: 

Instruction

1. Task 2: Typographic Exploration and Communication   

Further Reading

Feedback

Reflection

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LECTURES:

All lectures are completed in: Task 1-exercises

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                                                                    Introduction

                                   

 

Module Information Booklet

Task 2: Typographic Expression and Communication

The task is a combination of the two exercises in Task 1. We were assigned to express the content typographically in a 2-page editorial spread (200mm x 200mm). We have to choose one of the text passage provided to us as the content. The typography expression should portray the context as well. The knowledge from the first task should be applied into creating a Typographic layout. Before starting the task, we should watch Mr Vinod's video, Typo_Task 2_Process Demo.

Task Requirements:

• Must use the 10 typefaces given.
• Good layout is when the headline expression has an interesting connection with the contents.
• Sketches and digitized sketch are required as part of the process.

Headlines

• Can use Adobe Illustrator to create interesting headlines.
• Only minor graphical elements are allowed (lines, shapes, etc).

Body text

• Must use Adobe InDesign to compose the layout.
• Only minor graphical elements are allowed, no pictures.
• Important information and body text should not be put in the gutter between two pages. Although, large and clear headlines are an exception.

Submission Requirements:

• Spread size: 2 pages of 200 mm x 200 mm on each page. 
• File size: 300 ppi
• Format: 2 JPEGs and 2 PDFs (with and without grids).
• Additional layout information is required.
• Spread in grayscale.

1. Visual References: 

fig 1.1 Compilation #1 of Visual references from Pinterest week 5 (5/52023)

2. Sketches: 

fig 1.2 Sketches of layout and headlines week 5 (5/5/2023)

3. Headline Expressions Exploration

I decided to illustrate the word 'build' and 'code' for the headlines. Using the sketches (fig 1.2), I tried to digitize the first sketch. 

fig 3.1 Headline #1 week 5 (5/5/2023)

I wanted to express how the word 'build' with extended line becomes something to connect the word 'code' and 'live' to express solid foundation. However, the overall arrangement was confusing so I had to come up with another variation of headlines.

fig 3.2 Headline #2, #3 and #4 week 6 (9/5/2023)

4. Layouts Exploration

Using the illustrated headlines above, I created four different variation of layout to suit the headlines.

fig 3.3 Layout exploration for headline #1 and #3 week 6 (9/5/2023)

 

fig 3.3 Layout exploration for headline #4 and #2 week 6 (9/5/2023)

fig 3.4 Layout block week 6 (9/5/2023)

5. Shortlisted Layout:

fig 3.5 Third Layout week 6 (9/5/2023)

HEAD:

Font/s: Futura Std (Medium), for "A CODE, LIVE BY". (Heavy) for "BUILD ON". (Light) for 'to'

Type Size/s: 98pts, 233pts (&) and 30 pts (to).

BODY:

Font/s: ITC New Baskerville Std (Roman), subheading; Adobe Caslon Pro (Regular), body text.

Type size: 9pt (body text), 18pt (subheading)

Leading: 10.8 pt (body text), 21.6 pt (subheading)

Paragraph Spacing: 

Characters per line: 42-50 characters.

Alignment: Aligned Left

Margins: 10mm (Top, bottom), 5mm gutter, Columns: 3.

fig 3.6 First layout week 6 (9/5/2023)

HEAD:

Font/s: Futura Std (Book), for "Build On, &". (Light) for "A CODE, LIVE BY". (Light) for 'to'

Type Size/s: 107pts, 58 pts pts  and 19pts (to).

BODY:

Font/s: ITC New Baskerville Std (Roman), subheading; Adobe Caslon Pro (Regular), body text.

Type size: 9pt (body text), 27 pt(subheading)

Leading: 10.8 pt (body text), 14.4 pt (subheading)

Paragraph Spacing: 

Characters per line: 42-50 characters.

Alignment: Aligned Left

Margins: 10mm (Top, bottom), 5mm gutter, Columns: 3.

Improved Layout:

After the feedback session on week 6, I realized the countless careless mistake I have made while doing the layout such as different leading length and there were few words that are in a completely different font and etc. So I tried to improve one of the shortlisted layout that was more suitable, before that, I tried a different variation for the headlines.

fig 4.1 Variation of Headlines week 6 (9/5/2023)

fig 4.2 Improvisation of shortlisted layout  #1, #2 and #3 week 7 (16/5/2023)

fig 4.2 Improvised layout blocked out week 7 (16/5/2023)

Final Task 2: Typographic Exploration and Communication

I decided to choose the 3rd layout since it suits the headline and information well.

fig 2.11 Final Task 2 Layout (without grid) week 7 (16/5/2023)

fig 2.12 Final Task 2 Layout (with grid) week 7 (16/5/2023)

 HEAD:

Font/s: Futura (Heavy Oblique), for "Build On"; Bodoni Std (book)

Type Size/s: 98pts, 96 pts and 30 pts (to).

BODY:

Font/s: ITC New Baskerville Std (Bold), subheading; ITC New Baskerville (Roman), body text.

Type size: 9pt (body text), 9pt (subheading)

Leading: 11pt (body text), 12 pt (subheading)

Paragraph Spacing: 11.5 mm (body text)

Characters per line: 37-45 characters.

Alignment: Aligned Left

Margins: 10mm (Top, bottom), 5mm gutter, Columns: 6.

fig 2.13 Final Task 2 PDF (without grid) week 8 23/5/2023

fig 2.13 Final Task 2 PDF (with grid) week 8 23/5/2023

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Further Reading:

The Vignelli Canon by Massimo Vignelli

From the Vignelli Canon Part 2: The tangibles, the italian designer talks about the basic rules for typesetting depending on width of the column. For example, 8 on 9, 9 on 10, 10 on 11 pt for columns up to 70mm. In any situation the ratio may change accordingly. 

Fig 1.1 Example of basic rules in type settings 

According to the Massimo Vignelli, in order to achieve intellectual elegance in a typographic composition we must take note of proper amount of leading, proper use of fonts (knowing how to balance bold/italic/regular), tight kerning, using rulers when needed to separate different part of messages. 

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Feedback: 

WEEK 6

General Feedback: 

• Do not compensate colour/black space when there's something wrong with the template.
• Distortion of words are not allowed.
• 2-3 different line lengths are not advisable
• Must explore different variation of expression for the headline.

Specific feedback:

• The correlation between 'Headline' and the 'Body Paragraph' must means what it means.
• Must always consider face value (how the viewers/readers would see the text).

WEEK 7

General Feedback:

• Make sure to check the leading and paragraph spacing.
• Bodoni is not a suitable typeface for body text.

Specific Feedback:

• "to" and "&" are too transparent, increase the opacity a little.
• No hyphenation in the body text because it would affect the kerning process.
• The letter E and B in "LIVE BY" are too close to each other.
• The paragraph indent place makes the body text look off. 

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Reflection:

Experience:

For Task 2, we had three weeks to progress in our assignment which was the combination of all the exercises in Task 1. Although, it is slightly different in the form of creating the illustrated headlines in Adobe Illustrator since the last exercise was more straight-forward. Creating headlines that expresses what the content is about was rather challenging, but with a lot of trial and error, I was able to slowly come up ideas for headline that communicates with the readers well. During the progress, Mr Vinod encourages us to participate in the feedback session by analyzing our classmates work, pointing out errors as a way to strengthen our understanding on characteristics of a good layout and also receive opinions from our classmates in improving our work. 

Observation:

I was able to handle Project 2 by breaking down the tasks into smaller versions to complete within the weeks so that I could focus on producing quality work for all my modules. After doing Task 1, I learnt how trying to perfect a whole workload in one day could make me susceptible to procrastination. Other than that, taking in consideration of what they have to say gave me an opportunity widen my perspective on creating judgement. 

Findings:

I found that taking a step back and retain information from different resources is essential especially if we are suffering from a creative block, creativity or an idea is not a miracle that comes when you wait, but a collection of experiments and sketches that comes from embedding the information you have learned during the data collecting stage. The previous task have given me a good head start as I am able to cope with the task and also becomes a test for me to practice my understanding of certain components in typography that I am still confused of.