Typography / Task 3(B): Type Design & Communication

29.10.2021 - 26.11.2021 (Week 10 - Week 14)
Lulu Luisa Linardi / 0349358 / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Typography
Task 3(B) / Type Design & Communication

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LECTURES

Fig 1.0: Thumbnail, 05.09.2021

Link to previous posts (containing all lecture notes and task submissions):

Task 1: Exercise 1 & 2

Task 2: Typography Exploration & Communication

Task 3(A): Type Design & Communication

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INSTRUCTIONS

Task 3(B): Type Design & Communication

For the last task of Semester 1, students were assigned to create a greeting sticker to be used in Telegram. Mr. Vinod had listed many options of festive greeting, so students can freely pick one from the lists. I chose "Merry Christmas" greeting to produce since I really like the vibes of Christmas.

Fig 2.0: Greeting Options

What do students need for final submission:
- B&W Sticker (2048 px)
- Color Sticker (2048 px)
- PDF of B&W and Color Sticker
- Gif Sticker Animation (1024 px/800 px)
- Screengrab of Telegram Sticker

*The required size to export the sticker to Telegram is 512 x 512 px for both static and animated stickers.
*The sticker animation is not more than 3 seconds long.

Research

After the class ended, I started to explore references on Pinterest. I only typed something like christmas typography or christmas lettering and suddenly all of them popped out. I got so many inspirations for my sketch there.

Fig 2.1.1: Sticker References

Fig 2.1.2: Shape References

Fig 2.1.3: Lettering References

Exploration

Later on, I began to draw some sketches while looking at the references. Actually, I only intended to create like 4 or 5 sketches, but I don't know why it ended up with 9 sketches. It seems like I was addicted to these sticker things. So at last, I ended up making 4 christmas tree sketches, 1 gift box, 1 santa hat, 1 candy cane, 1 wreath, and 1 ornament ball.

Fig 2.1.4: Rough Sketch, 03.11.2021

Digitization

After I received some feedback from my lecturer, I then started transferring 3 of my sketches (3rd christmas tree, gift box, santa hat) to Illustrator. Mr. Vinod told me to try out 3 of them and then look at which one that I prefer the most. So I tried making a few options for each sketch.

- Option 1 (Christmas Gift Box)
For this first option, I tried out some typefaces from the 10 to see how each will work. I ended up confusing with these 3 typefaces but decided to use the third one, which is Gill Sans because I think it's the most suitable one. And I also decided to replace the letter 'T' from christmas to Taylor's logo.

Fig 2.2.1: Choosing Typeface, 11.11.2021

Next, I proceed to the coloring part. I tried a few shades of red and green colors since the theme is Christmas. As for the border (background color), I decided to choose something like goldie so the whole design can still manage to show the christmas vibe and also splendid (I use color gradient to make it shinier).

Fig 2.2.2: Picking color, 11.11.2021

Fig 2.2.3: 1st attempt result, 11.11.2021

- Option 2 (Santa Hat)

For this santa hat, I will say that this is the hardest among the two other designs. I really had a lot of things to do here. I began drawing the hat, and then choosing the typeface, and finally doing the most difficult part and needs patience, distorting the letters manually. Actually, I didn't really distort all of them, I just worked on particular letters like the 'M' and 'R' on merry. The rest of it was distorted only a bit to make it looks more fit and similar to a santa hat. By the way, I picked the red color from the gift box so it is the same one, and for the typeface, I chose to use Gill Sans too.

Fig 2.2.4: Distorting letters, 11.11.2021

After done doing those things, I tried to add shadow for the design since the snowball and 'CHRISTMAS' are white-colored, so it looks more visible to people. I also picked 2 colors for it, green and blue, but I was still not sure which to use. 

Fig 2.2.5: Adding shadow, 11.11.2021

Fig 2.2.6: 2nd attempt result, 11.11.2021

- Option 3 (Christmas Tree)

The last one, which is the christmas tree was also hard to do actually. At first, I thought that this one will need the least time to design, but turns out I was wrong. The time I spent for doing this one is almost the same as the santa hat. For this christmas tree, I began doing this by drawing the christmas tree shape and the star. After that, I started trying out typefaces and almost got frustrated because most of them doesn't fit the shape. I finally chose Gill Sans (again) and for the 'T' in christmas, I tried several typefaces and came out with two final option. One is obviously Gill Sans and the other one is Futura. The main color that I used is the same as other options, but I wanted to try making it more varied and colorful, so I added some new color palettes.

Fig 2.2.7: Making Process, 11.11.2021

Fig 2.2.8: 3rd attempt result, 11.11.2021

Students were told to export their sticker draft (colored one and B&W one) to Telegram to see how it turns out. I'll put the screengrab of sticker drafts here.

Fig 2.2.9: Sticker drafts sent in Telegram, 11.11.2021

After consulting with Mr. Vinod, I decided to choose the santa hat for my final sticker. It is overall good, but Mr. Vinod suggested me to try adding some effects to it, and I tried. I also changed the green color to a bit darker shade because the previous one didn't look so good.

Fig 2.2.10: Adding details, 14.11.2021

Here's the final outcome of the still sticker. We actually just need to export two files, the B&W option, and the colored one. However, I really like this one without the green shadow (Fig 2.2.11) because it looks really nice and very similar to a santa hat. So I decided to export one too, and I'll just put it here, not at the final submission part.

Fig 2.2.12: Outcome in .png (Bonus), 14.11.2021

Fig 2.2.13: Final Static Sticker, 14.10.2021

Animating

For the animating part, I decided to go with simple animation since there aren't so much things to do with my sticker. I planned to animate the shadow's opacity, and play around more with the highlight thingy. At last, I played with the opacity for the highlight because I intended to make them like blinking or shining and sparkling, here's what I tried.

Fig 2.3.1: Animating Process #1, 17.11.2021

Fig 2.3.2: Animating Process #2, 17.11.2021

And here's what I did overall for the animation part.

Fig 2.3.3: Works on Animation, 17.11.2021

Fig 2.3.4: Final Animated Sticker, 18.11.2021

Also I actually got a very hard time exporting the file. Just like everyone else's matter, I also faced the same situation, not being able to export the file as .tgs, and also exporting the file with black background (not transparent). However, with help from my classmates, I can overcome my second problem. For the first problem, since Mr. Vinod already mentioned that it is fine if we can't convert the file into an actual Telegram sticker, so I have less worry about this, and decided to export the animated gif file only.

Fig 2.3.5: Problem with extension, 17.11.2021

Final Submission

Sticker Download Link:

Telegram Sticker Pack (Static only)

Whatsapp Sticker Pack (Static only)

Whatsapp Sticker Pack (Animated Only)

Fig 2.4.1: B&W Final Outcome in .png, 14.11.2021

Fig 2.4.2: Color Final Outcome in .png, 14.11.2021

Fig 2.4.3: Final Outcome in .pdf, 14.11.2021

Fig 2.4.4: Animation Final Outcome in .gif, 18.11.2021

Fig 2.4.5: Telegram Screengrab, 17.11.2021

Total hours spent on this task: 18 hours

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FEEDBACK

WEEK 11

General Feedback:
- Make sure the sticker use the maximum space (fit to square) because it'll look small if it doesn't fit to the square

Specific Feedback:
- The first Christmas Tree option is really good looking but Mr. Vinod worried that it'll look too small later
- The gift box's ribbon is a really good idea
- Try 3 options (gift box, santa hat, and 3rd christmas tree) and see which will come out the best
- Very good ideas overall, good job

WEEK 12

General Feedback:
- Keep the animation simple
- Don't use too many graphical elements
- Focus more on wordings since the main attention is typography, not illustration

Specific Feedback:
- Nice options, all looking good, can go with the preferred one
(Santa Hat Option)
- The green, red, and white color combo is the best option because it reminds people of snow and christmas thingy (looks more christmassy)
- Try giving stippling shadow around the "merry" letters if you want to add some effects, just make it in 1 or 2 areas so it'll pop out more
- Consider adding a thin highlight in every letter of "merry" with lighter shade of the red

WEEK 13

Well done!

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REFLECTIONS

Experience

It was really fun doing this task, from the beginning till the end. I realized that I got really addicted to this sticker-making task. I don't know the exact reason, but I think the whole process was really enjoyable even though I faced some troubles while doing it. Also, this is the first task that made me produce the design more than the requirements.

Observations

While working on this task, I observed that my patience level is rising up because there were so many hurdles to face, from small to big obstacles, I think I met all of them. At first, we all thought that this is the easiest Typography task ever, but after we went through it, no it's not actually that easy work to complete. And I realized that patience is the key.

Findings

I realized that my Illustrator skill is already improving compared to the first time I'm using it. Although I haven't become that pro yet, I think that I'm good to go already.

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FURTHER READING

Fig 3.1: Typographic Design: Form and Communication

Reference:

Carter, R., Day, B., Meggs, P. B., Maxa, S., & Sanders, M.

(2015). Typographic design: Form and Communication

Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

[Chapter 6: The Typographic Message]

Verbal/Visual Equations

Effective typographic messages result from the combination of logic and intuitive judgment. Only the neophyte approaches this process in a strictly intuitive manner; a purely logical or mechanical procedure undermines human expression. Keeping these two extremes in balance requires the use of a functional verbal/visual vocabulary capable of addressing a broad spectrum of typographic communication. 

Fig 3.2: Solidarity Logotype

Language, in any of its many forms, is a self-contained system of interactive signs that communicate ideas. Just as elocution and diction enhance and clarify the meaning of our spoken words, typographic signs can be manipulated by a designer to achieve more lucid and expressive typographic communication. 

Signs operate in two dimensions: syntactic and semantic. When the mind is concerned with the form of a sign, it is involved with typographic syntax. When it associates a particular meaning with a sign, it is operating in the semantic dimension. 

All objects in the environment can potentially function as signs, representing any number of concepts: a smog-flled city signifying pollution, a beached whale representing extinction, and confetti implying celebration—each function as a sign relating a specific concept. 

Signs may exist at various levels of abstraction. A simple example will illustrate this point. Let us consider something as elemental as a red dot. It is a sign only if it carries a particular meaning. It can represent any number of things: balloon, ball, or Japanese flag. The red dot becomes a cherry, for example, as the mind is cued by forms more familiar to its experience. 

Fig 3.3: Signs exist at various levels of abstraction

The particular syntactic qualities associated with typographic signs determine a specific meaning. A series of repeated letters, for example, may signify motion or speed, while a small letter in a large void may signify isolation. These qualities, derived from the operating principles of visual hierarchy and ABA form, function as cues, permitting the mind to form concepts. Simple syntactic manipulations, such as the repetition of letters or the weight change of certain letters, enable words to visually mimic verbal meaning. In another example, the letter E has been visually altered, relating it to the meaning of specific descriptive words.

Fig 3.4: Syntactic manipulations

Fig 3.5: Elaboration of letter 'E'