Typography / Task 1: Exercises

27.08.2021 - 24.09.2021 (Week 1 - Week 5)
Lulu Luisa Linardi / 0349358 / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Typography
Task 1 / Exercise

---

LECTURES

Fig 1.0: Thumbnail, 05.09.2021

Link to:

Exercise 1: Type Expression

Exercise 2: Text Formatting

Task 2: Typography Exploration & Communication

Task 3(A): Type Design & Communication

Task 3(B): Type Design & Communication

WEEK 1: Development/Timeline

a. Early Letterform Development: Phoenician to Roman
- Writing meant scratching a sharpened stick into wet clay or carving stone with a chisel
- The uppercase forms were simply made from the combination of straight lines and pieces of circles
- Phoenician alphabet is the base of the Modern Latin alphabets

Fig 1.1.1 (Left): Evolution from Phoenician letter, 
Fig 1.1.2 (Right): Phoenicians votive stele Carthage, 4th century B.C.E

- The direction of writing (right to left) Phoenicians and Semitic people used to use was changed by the Greeks
- A new writing style 'boustrophedon' meant the lines of text read alternately from right to left and left to right
- Greeks and Phoenicians didn't use letter space or punctuations

Fig 1.1.3: 'Boustrophedon' writing style

- Etruscan carvers' certain qualities of strokes were a change in weight from vertical to horizontal and a broadening of the stroke at start and finish

Fig 1.1.4: Carved Letterforms

Fig 1.1.5: Phoenicians to Roman

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

Square Capitals
- Have serifs added to the finish of the mainstrokes
- Achieved the stroke varieties using the reed pen held which angle was approx. 60 degrees off the perpendicular

Fig 1.1.6: Square Capitals, 4th or 5th century

Rustic Capitals
- A compressed version of square capitals
- The pen was held at an angle of approx. 30 degrees off the perpendicular

Fig 1.1.7: Rustic Capitals, Late 3rd - mid 4th century

Roman Cursive
- The simplified version from both square and rustic capitals because people needed to write faster for everyday transactions
- The beginning of lowercase letterforms

Fig 1.1.8: Roman Cursive, 4th century

Uncials
- Incorporated some aspects of Roman Cursive Hand, especially the shape of A, D, E, H, M, U, and Q
- Is simply thought as small letters

Fig 1.1.9: Uncials, 4th-5th century

Half-uncials
- Marks the formal beginning of lowercase letterforms, replete with ascenders and descenders (2000 years after the origin of Phoenician alphabet)

Fig 1.1.10: Half-uncials, C. 500

Caloline Miniscule
- The monks rewrote the texts using both majuscules (uppercase), miniscule, capitalization and punctuation which set the standard for calligraphy for a century

Fig 1.1.11: Caloline Miniscule, C. 925

Blackletter to Guttenberg's Type
- Is a condense strongly vertical letterform that gained popularity in Nothern Europe
- The humanistic script is based on Alcuin's miniscule
- The type mold required a different brass matrix, or negative expression for each letterform

Fig 1.1.12: Blackletter (Textura), C. 1300

c. Text Type Classification

1450 Blackletter
- The earliest printing type, its forms were based upon the hand-copying styles that were then used for books in Nothern Europe

Fig 1.1.13: 1450 Blackletter, 1450

1475 Oldstyle
- It was based upon the lowercase forms used by Italian humanist scholars for book copying and the uppercase letterforms found inscribed on Roman ruins

Fig 1.1.14: 1475 Oldstyle, 1475

1500 Italic
- The first italics were condensed and close-set, allowing more words per space

Fig 1.1.15: 1500 Italic, 1500

1550 Script
- Originally and attempt to replicate engraved calligraphic forms, this class of type is not entirely appropriate in lengthy text settings

Fig 1.1.16: 1550 Script, 1550

1750 Transisional
- A refinement of oldstyle forms, was achieved in part because of advances in casting and printing

Fig 1.1.17: 1750 Transisional, 1750

1775 Modern
- Represents a further rationalization of oldstyle letterforms, which the Serifs were unbracketed and the contrast between thick and thin strokes extreme

Fig 1.1.18: 1775 Modern, 1775

1825 Square Serif / Slab Serif
- Originally heavily bracketed serif with the little variation between thick and thin strokes

Fig 1.1.19: 1825 Square Serif, 1825

1900 Sans Serif
- Eliminated serifs altogether, and strokes were flared to suggest the calligraphic origins of the form occasionally

Fig 1.1.20: 1900 Sans Serif, 1900

1990 Serif / Sans Serif
- Recent development which enlarges the notion of a family of typefaces to include both serif and sans serif alphabets

Fig 1.1.21: 1990 Serif/Sans Serif, 1900

WEEK 2: Basic

a. Describing Letterforms

Baseline
- The imaginary line the visual base of the letterforms

Median
- The imaginary line defining the x-height of letterforms

X-height
- The height of the typeface in the lowercase x

Fig 1.2.1: Describing letterforms

Stroke
- Any line that defines the basic letterform

Fig 1.2.2: Stroke

Apex/Vertex
- The point created by joining two diagonal stems
- Apex is the above one, Vertex is the below one

Fig 1.2.3: Apex/Vertex

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

Fig 1.2.4: Arm

Ascender
- The portion of the stem of a lowercase letterform that projects above the median

Fig 1.2.5: Ascender

Barb
- The half-serif finish on some curved stroke

Fig 1.2.6: Barb

Bowl
- The rounded form that describes a counter
- May be either open or closed

Fig 1.2.7: Bowl

Bracket
- The base, transition of the serif and the stem

Fig 1.2.8: Bracket

Cross Bar
- Horizontal stroke that joins two stems together in the capital letterforms

Fig 1.2.9: Cross Bar

Cross Stroke
- Horizontal stroke that joins two stems together in the lowercase letterforms

Fig 1.2.10: Cross Stroke

Crotch
- The interior space where two strokes meet

Fig 1.2.11: Crotch

Descender
- The portion of the stem of a lowercase letterform that projects below the baseline

Fig 1.2.12: Descender

Ear
- The stroke extending out form the main stem or body of the letterform

Fig 1.2.13: Ear

Em/en
- Originally referring to the width of an uppercase M
- Em is the distance equal to the size of of the typeface (the space between letters in computers)
- En is half the size of em

Fig 1.2.14: Em/en

Finial
- Rounded non-serif terminal to a stroke

Fig 1.2.15: Finial

Leg
- Short stroke of the stem of the letterform, either at the bottom of stroke (L) or inclined downward (K, R)

Fig 1.2.16: Leg

Ligature
- The character formed by the combination of two or more letterforms which tends to clash

Fig 1.2.17: Ligature (before joint)

Fig 1.2.18: Ligature (after joint)

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

Fig 1.2.19: Serif

Shoulder
- The curved stroke that is not part of a bowl

Fig 1.2.20: Shoulder

Spine
- The curved stem of the S

Fig 1.2.21: Spine

Stem
- The significant vertical or oblique stroke

Fig 1.2.22: Stem

Stress
- Orientation of the letterform by the thin stroke in round forms
- Sometimes there's a letter with slightly diagonal stress and vertical stress
- Vertical stress is developed by mimicking the handwritings

Fig 1.2.23: Stress

Swash
- Flourish that extends the stroke of the letterform
- Never use swashes in capital letters to form a word

Fig 1.2.24: Swash

Terminal
- Self-contained finish of a stroke without a serif
- May be flat ('T' above), flared, acute, ('t' above), grave, concave, convex, or rounded as a ball or a teardrop

Fig 1.2.25: Terminal

b. The Font
- The full font (a type family that have many typefaces) of a typeface contains much more than 26 letters, to numerals and few punctuation marks
- To work successfully with type, you should make sure that you are working with a full font and know how to use it

Uppercase
- Capital letters, including certain accented vowels

Fig 1.2.26: Uppercase

Lowercase
- Includes the same characters as uppercase 

Fig 1.2.27: Lowercase

Small Capitals
- Uppercase letterforms draw to the x-height of the typeface
- Don't confuse real small caps with those artificially generated

Fig 1.2.28: Small Caps

Uppercase Numerals
- Also called as lining figures
- Are set with the same height as the uppercase and all have the same kerning width
- Used with tabular material or in any situation that calls for uppercase letters

Fig 1.2.29: Uppercase Numerals

Lowercase Numerals
- Also known as old style figures/text figure
- Are set to x-height with ascenders and descenders
- Far less common in sans serifs type-faces than in serif 

Fig 1.2.30: Lowercase Numerals

Italic
- Most fonts today produced with a matching italic
- Small caps are almost always only roman
- Oblique are typically based on the roman form of the typeface

Fig 1.2.31: Italic

Punctuation, miscellaneous characters
- Although all fonts contain standard punctuation marks, miscellaneous characters can change from typeface to typeface

Fig 1.2.32: Punctuation, miscellaneous characters

Ornaments
- Used as flourishes or certificates
- Usually are provided as a font in a larger typeface family

Fig 1.2.33: Ornaments

c. Describing Typefaces

Roman
- The uppercase forms are derived from inscriptions of Roman monuments

Italic
- Named for Italian handwriting
- If a typeface is designed based on handwriting, it is called Italic

Oblique
- Based in roman form of typeface
- If it isn't based on handwriting, it is called oblique

Boldface
- Characterized by a thick stroke
- Can be called as 'semibold', 'medium', 'black', 'extra bold', or super depends on the relative stroke widths within the typeface

Light
- Characterized by a light stroke
- Lighter strokes are called 'thin'

Condense
- Version of the roman form
- The extremely condensed one is called 'compressed'

Extended
- Variation of roman font which is extended

Fig 1.2.34: Categories of typefamily

WEEK 3: Text

a. Tracking: Kerning and Letterspacing

Kerning
- Refers to the automatic adjustment of space between letters
- Often mistakenly referred as 'letterspacing'

Letterspacing
- Means to add space between the letters

Fig 1.3.1: Kerning

Tracking
- The addition or removal of space in a word or sentence
- Is when we do both kerning and letterspacing in one word or in a sentence

Fig 1.3.2: Tracking #1

Fig 1.3.3: Tracking #2

b. Formatting Text

Flush Left
- Most closely mirrors the asymmetrical experience of handwriting
- Each line starts at the same point but ends wherever the last word on the line ends
- Spaces between words are consistent throughout the text

Fig 1.3.4: Flush Left

Centered
- Imposes symmetry upon the text, assigning equal value and weight to both ends of any line
- Transforms fields of text into shapes, thereby adding a pictorial quality to material that is non-pictorial by nature
- Creates such a strong shape on the page, so it's important to amend line breaks so that the text does not appear too jagged

Fig 1.3.5: Centered

Flush Right
- Places emphasis on the end of a line as opposed to its start
- Can be useful in situations (like captions) where the relationship between text and image might be ambiguous without a strong orientation to the right

Fig 1.3.6: Flush Right

Justified
- Imposes a symmetrical shape on the text just like centering
- Achieved by expanding or reducing spaces between words and sometimes between letters
- The resulting openness of lines 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 1.3.7: Justified

c. Texture
- Different typefaces suit different messages
- Type with relatively generous x-height or relatively heavier stroke width produces a darker mass on the page than smaller x-height or lighter stroke
- Thicker stroke increases readability (on prints)
- Sensitivity to these differences in colour is fundamental for creating successful layouts

Fig 1.3.8: Anatomy of a Typeface

Fig 1.3.9: Differences in the look and feel of color

d. Leading and Line Length

Type Size
- Text type should be large enough to be read easily at arms length - imagine yourself holding a book in your lap

Leading
- Text that is set too tightly encourages vertical eye movement; a reader can easily loose his or her place
- Type that is set too loosely creates stripped patterns that distract the reader from the material at hand

Line Length
- Appropriate leading for text is as much a function of the line length as it is a question question of type size and leading
- Shorter lines require less leading; longer lines more
- A good rule of thumb is to keep line length between 55-65 characters
- Extremely long or short lines lengths impairs reading

Fig 1.3.10: Bad leading (left); Fig 1.3.11: Too much leading (right)

e. Type Specimen Book

- Shows samples of typefaces in various different sizes
- A Type specimen book (or ebook for screen) is to provide an accurate reference for type, type  size, type leading, type line length, etc

Compositional requirement:
- Text should create a field that can occupy a page or a screen

Fig 1.3.12: Sample of Specimen Sheet

WEEK 4: Text 2

a. Indicating Paragraphs

Pilcrow
- A holdover from medieval manuscripts seldom use today
- Indicates paragraph spacing

Fig 1.4.1: Pilcrow

Line Space
- The descender to the descender of the other sentence

Leading
- Space between two sentences

Fig 1.4.2: Example for Leading

Fig 1.4.3: Line Space vs Leading

Standard Indentation
- The same size of the line spacing or the same as the point size of your text
- Best used when text is Justified with no ragging on left and right

Fig 1.4.4: Example of Standard Indentation

Extended Paragraphs
- Create unusually wide columns of text

Fig 1.4.5: Example of Extended Paragraphs

b. Widows and Orphans

Widow

- A short line of type left alone at the end of a column of text

- The only solution to this is to rebreak your the line endings through out the paragraph, so that the last line of any paragraph isn't noticeably short

Orphan

- A short line of type left alone at the start of new column

- Solution of orphans is to make sure that no columm of text starts with the last line of the preceding paragraph

Fig 1.4.4: Example for Widows and Orphans

c. Highlighting Text

Different ways to highlight text:
- Make it italic, or bold
- Color the text (Cyan/Magenta/Black)
- Change the type family
- Place bullet points

Fig 1.4.5: Highlighting text using italic

Fig 1.4.6: Hightlighting text using bold

Fig 1.4.7: Highlighting text by changing type family

Fig 1.4.8: Highlighting text by changing the text color

Fig 1.4.9: Highlighting text by adding bullet points

d. Headline within text 

A Head
- Indicates a clear break between the topics within a section

Fig 1.4.10: A Heads

B Head
- Subordinate to A heads
- Indicates a new supporting argument or example for the topic at hand
- Should not interrupt the text as strongly as A heads do

Fig 1.4.11: B Heads

C Head
- Highlights specific facets of material within B head text
- Not materially interrupt the flow of reading

Fig 1.4.12: C Heads

e. Cross Alignment
- Cross aligning headlines and captions with text type reinforces the architectural sense of the page while articulating the complimentary vertical rhythms

Fig 1.4.13: Example of Cross Alignment

---

INSTRUCTIONS

Task 1: Exercises 1 - Type Expression 

WEEK 1: Type Expression Sketches

To start the exercise, Mr. Vinod told us to vote the given words on the Facebook group which later will be used for our first task. There are 25 words given there, and we were asked to choose 3 words freely from the TOP 7. Beside those choosen words, there's a mandatory word, "TERROR". Mr. Vinod also gave us 10 fonts for the task, so we can only use the given fonts. He told us to create min. 3 sketches for each words, so there will be 12 sketches to be prepared before the class on week 2.

Fig 2.1: Type Expression Sketch, 02.09.2021

This is my sketches for Week 1 which I did on a paper. Beside the mandatory word "TERROR", I chose "ABYSS", "SPACE", and "WATER" from the TOP 7. At first, I was really confused thinking for the designs, I only got one design for each words. But thanks to Pinterest and Google, I got lots of inspiration there, also received some ideas from my friends.

WEEK 2: Type Expression Digitization

After submitting the sketch, we were told to continue doing the task by moving the rough sketch into Adobe Illustrator. Some of them might be slightly different from the sketch one because I did exploration and found some new idea. I'm using different fonts for each word. The typefaces that I used are 'Bodoni MT' for "TERROR", 'Futura Std' for "ABYSS", 'Serifa Std 75 Black' for "SPACE", and 'Gill Sans Std Extra Bold' for "WATER". To get those shapes, I tried using distort and blend tools. So, here's my making process and final outcome.

Fig 2.2.1: "ABYSS" making process, 08.09.2021

Fig 2.2.2: "WATER" making process, 08.09.2021

Fig 2.2.3: "TERROR" making process, 08.09.2021

Fig 2.2.4: "SPACE" making process, 08.09.2021

Fig 2.2.5: 1st Outcome of Type Expression, 08.09.2021

Final Outcome

For the word "WATER", I chose to use the one without the blend effect at last because I think I already used distortion for it and it'll be so messy if I also use blend effect. The others like "TERROR" and "ABYSS" were also being modified after I received feedback.

Fig 2.2.6: Final Outcome in .jpeg, 10.09.2021

Final Outcome in .pdf

WEEK 3: Type Expression Animation

During this week, we were told to create an animation from one of our type expression. Students were given 30 minutes to watch the short lecture about creating the animation, and later tried making the animation. After watching it, I chose the word "WATER" to work on. At first, I thought choosing water is the best decision because it is much more easier than the other words. So I used my 30 mins to finish it, but then when I was presenting my work, my classmates and lecturers found it weird because the water droplet keeps increasing.

Fig 2.3.1: 1st attempt on animation, 10.09.2021

Then after receiving some feedbacks, I tried to figure out what's wrong with my work and make some changes on it. I didn't make the droplet increasing its size anymore, however I made some distortions of the droplets. Still found it a lil strange.

Fig 2.3.2: 2nd attempt on animation, 10.09.2021

I actually regretted a bit because at the beginning because I thought this word will be the easiest one to animate. However, with the feedbacks from my lecturers and classmates, I tried to figure out on it again and again. My brain was really stucked and didn't know what to do with it, but I was still trying my best even though it looked so bizarre.

Fig 2.3.3: Idea exploring process, 17.09.2021

Finally after a long journey, I got new idea on how to create the water splashes, also received help from my cousin who studied graphic. I used lots of frames, it's 13 i guess, but I think it is the best way to express the word well. So, here's some making process of my animation.

Fig 2.3.4: Making process in AI #1, 22.09.2021

Fig 2.3.5: Making process in AI #2, 22.09.2021

Fig 2.3.6: Making process in AI #3, 22.09.2021

Fig 2.3.7: Making process of the timeline in PS, 22.09.2021

Final Outcome

This is the final result of  my type expression animation.

Fig 2.3.8: Final Outcome in .gif, 22.09.2021

Total hours spent on this task: 16 hours

Task 1: Exercise 2 - Text Formatting

- Lec 1:4

We were given a new task to do text formatting. First of all, all we need is to watch some lecture videos provided on Youtube in order to complete the task. And before we jump into the main task we were also asked to try doing text formatting for our name using the 10 given typefaces. It's free to choose which one to use in a type family. Later, students were also assigned to do some kernings on our name. I tried to use different typefaces so I can get kinda variations of it.

Fig 2.4.1: Text Formatting without Kerning, 23.09.2021

Fig 2.4.2: Text Formatting with Kerning, 23.09.2021

Lec 2-4:4

After doing that kerning above, I started doing the text formatting for the article given by Mr Vinod. I tried using different typefamily and typefaces for both heading, sub-heading, and body text. 

Fig 2.5.1: Character in line (for the 2nd attempt), 23.09.2021

Fig 2.5.2: Process on text formatting #1, 23.09.2021

Fig 2.5.3: Cross Alignment #1, 23.09.2021

Fig 2.5.4: Cross Alignment #2, 23.09.2021

Fig 2.5.5: Process on text formatting #2, 23.09.2021

Fig 2.5.6: Process on text formatting #3, 23.09.2021

Fig 2.5.7: Text Formatting 1st attempt, 23.09.2021

Fig 2.5.8: 2nd attempt, 23.09.2021

Final Outcome

For the final outcome, I choose the first attempt, but I made some modification in it. The body text part I used Bembo Std Regular, with the font size 10 pt, line leading 13 pt, and left justified for the alignment. I cropped each of the photo to make it stands out vertically.

Fig 2.5.9: Final Outcome of Text Formatting, 23.09.2021

Final Outcome in .pdf

Total hours spent on this task: 5 hours

---

FEEDBACK

WEEK 1: E-Portfolio

General Feedback: 

- Do not customize both the blog too much, just keep it simple with clear background and regular typeface.

Specific Feedback:

- Use horizontal rule <hr> to divide each part.

WEEK 2: E-Portfolio & Type Expression

General Feedback:

(E-Portfolio)

- Use slightly grey color for the background of the white plain images so it doesn't blend with the blog's background.

(Type Expression)

- Don't use too much distortion

Specific Feedback:

(E-Portfolio)

- Start doing further reading and writing the reflection.

- Don't embed the other files except PDF.

(Type Expression)

- Use the color gradation from light to dark (top to bottom) for "ABYSS"

WEEK 3: Type Expression

General Feedback:

- Don't color the letter too much

- Export the jpeg file using " Export as Artboard"

Specific Feedback:

- Overall good. Just use the capital A for "ABYSS", no need distortion just make it straight.

- The r in "TERROR" doesn't look like a gun.

- For the animation, no need to enlarge the 'WATER", just let it drops with the same size, make distortion after the water drops on the ground.

WEEK 4: Type Expression Animation

General Feedback:
- Add more frames to get smoother animation

Specific Feedback:
- Better not to distort the word when dropping
- Keep the word with the same shape and size until it arrives at the ground
- Add some splash for the word

WEEK 5: E-Portfolio, Type Expression, & Text Formatting

General Feedback:
-

Specific Feedback:
(E-Portfolio)
- Good e-portfolio progress, well organized

(T1, Ex 1)
- Good work! Well done on the animation

(T1, Ex 2)
- Last paragraph, right column is not cross aligned

---

REFLECTIONS

Experience

Really had fun while doing some exploration and experiment of typefaces during the typography class. Despite the pretty strict class, the lecturers are very friendly and helpful to students. I'm a quite beginner to Adobe Illustrator but I think I can handle it well after doing some experiment. Trying new things is a bit challenging but it brings alot fun.

Observati0ns

Realized that typography is very new to me because I never got any knowledge for it, so I think I should follow all the lectures and class well in order to get a promising result. Typography sounds pretty simple to most people, but it is actually somewhat complicated to us. Typography is quite the same as the other designs, but needs more attention to small details and accuracy to produce the best result. Getting feedback is the best thing to help overcoming the problem we can't solve by ourselves.

Findings

Doing exploration is the best way to create interesting works. Realized that I need to have more practice in Illustrator even though I have quite mastered some of the tools. New to animation but found it so fun making it in spite of my lacking idea exploration. Also new to InDesign but now I realized that every new steps we take needs time to be explored and overcome.

---

FURTHER READING

Fig 3.1: Design, Second Edition: The Definitive Visual Guide cover, 09.09.2021

Reference:
DK, 2021
Design, Second Edition: The Definitive Visual Guide
DK Publishing (Dorling Kindersley)

This book is guiding us to explore the evolution of design through the key designers, manufacturers, objects, and the movements from the Arts and Craft movement to the digital age.