Advanced Typography: Task 3

18/10/23-29/11/23 // W8-W14
Mercy Chong HuiZiun // 0360929

Advanced Typography // BDCM
Task 3: Type Exploration


Lists
Instructions
Lectures
Proposal

Feedbacks
Reflections
Further Reading

Instructions

Fig 1.0 Module Information Booklet
Lectures
Refer to Exercises

Proposal
Google Slides Link:

I have chosen idea #2 which is a cereal box packaging redesign to make the typographic elements to be more consistent and on brand.



Process
Sketches
> The first draft of the hand-lettering fonts. 
Fig 2.1 hand writing fonts


Fig 2.2 hand writing fonts

Amended version/ second draft of the hand lettering font.
Fig 2.3 Upper + lowercase letters

Digitisation
Software used: Adobe Illustrator

After I have done my sketches of my font in Procreate, I then proceeded the digitization process in Adobe Illustrator.

Using the pen tool to trace the shapes out 
Fig 2.4 Digitization process in AI

Fig 2.5 All upper+lowercase letters done tracing

Fig 2.6 Placing the letters according to the baseline, median, cap height, ascending line

Fig 2.7 Current Workspace


Digitization process
Fontlab 7

Proceeded to the next task which will be on FontLab 7. Placing the letters one by one first to continue with the letter spacing and kerning after.

Fig 2.8 Copy Pasting letterforms into Fontlab

Named my font name as "Ploop" because of its rounded and kiddish looking font characters.

Fig 2.9 Naming font as "Ploop"

However, I have completely forgotten that the Fontlab 7 version in my laptop has ended its trial months ago while I was also using it for my previous sem in Typography class. This means that I need to redo my work and on another computer and I'm already behind of time. 
Fig 2.10 bye bye demo mode

Reworked on the letters again on a monitor instead and started to do the refinements of the letters.

Fig 2.11 Reworking on copy pasting the letters

Fig 2.12 Refining the letters 

Before kerning
Fig 2.13 letterforms before kerning (After pasting + letter refinements)

After kerning
Fig 2.14 Uppercase letters with kerning (wip)

Fig 2.15 Kerning adjustments
 
Fig 2.16 Creating sentences out of the fonts


Click me for Ploop Font :)

Font Application


Fig 3.1 Uppercase and Lowercase of letters

Fig 3.2 Uppercase letters (144pt)

Fig 3.3 Lowercase letters (144pt)




Fig 3.4 Numbers & Punctuations (144pt) 

Fig 3.5 Paragraphs in different pt sizes (72, 48, 24pt)

Fig 3.6 Glyph Map font presentation


Font Presentation 
> Since I'll be focusing on cereal box packaging which is also under food packaging design, I decided to make my own logo using the font that I have created and this is what I came out with.

For the letter 'O', I first color-filled the letters into black and then used the knife tool to cut out the shape of a mouth shown below (like pac man) 

Then I used the mesh warp tool to make the letters 'M' and 'S' seem slightly distorted as if its eating the letters.

Fig 3.7 "NOMS" logo from ploop font

Mockup #1 (main): 
Cereal Box Packaging

Process

To create the blurry/gradient effect, radial blur and gaussian blur is used. But first a shape must be created in order to make the colors show.

Fig 3.8 Adding gradient background to the design

Fig 3.9 Adding logo + fun facts about cereal on the side design

Fig 3.10 Cereal box final mockup look


Fig 3.11 Cereal Box packaging design #1 (Honey)

Fig 3.12 Making a gradient background

Fig 3.13 Screengrab of the cereal box design (with guidelines)

Fig 3.14 Cereal box packaging design #2 (Fruity)

Fig 3.15 Cereal box packaging design #3 (Cocoa)

Mockup #2: Sign board design
Fig 3.16 Screengrab of sign board design

Fig 3.17 Sign board mockup of "NOMS"

Mockup #3: Paper bag packaging

Fig 3.18 Food paper bag mockup for "NOMS"


Mockup #4: Burger box
Fig 3.19 Screengrab of burger box design (with guidelines)

Fig 3.20 Burger box/mini lunch box mockup


Fig 3.21 Final Font Presentation + Font Application (PDF)

Feedback

Week 8
(Independent Learning Week)

Week 9
General Feedback
Remember to state what you're doing for task 3 and why you're doing it (purpose, ideas, problems/solutions)

Week 10
Specific Feedback
Focus on what solution/final outcome you want to have first. For For example, a handwriting text can be applied for comic book titles, headliners etc.

Week 11
Specific Feedback
A cereal box design was supposed to be inconsistent. But if you want to make it consistent then go for it and try to work it through.

Week 12 + Week 13
(Absent)

Week 14
General Feedback
Always work and improve on what you have learned throughout the module. Be ambitious on the things you do.

Reflections

Based on my experience in this task, it was yet another challenging one after task 2 but even more dreading. When I was told by the lecturer that our final task needs us to create fonts with all the letterings, starting from the lowercase till the punctuations, (basically most of the keys that you see on your keyboard) I was honestly worried whether or not I'll have enough time to do all this. And having to redo because my idea wasn't concrete enough is also another concern for me. However, thanks to Mr.Vinod in explaining to me what my focus should be on for the final outcome on my design, like where can I apply my typographic fonts in certain designs that are pleasing to read, so now I got a better understanding in what final outcome I should be focusing towards. 

During the thought process of trying to execute the fonts was okay but when it comes to the kerning adjustments on Fontlab it was rocky as my laptop was broken in this period and I went to a camp so I'm always in a rush to keep up with the assignments and the kerning took a lot of time to do but gladly I pulled through. Seeing the fonts that I have created slowly turning into few mockup designs as if it was a real product is the part that made me feel like my hard work pays off, even though I was not fully satisfied with the fonts I created but I'm happy with the overall look now.

What I have observed in this task is that time managing is very crucial! I have understood as to why Mr. Vinod is rushing us to finish our previous tasks sooner and start to work on this final task early because yes it takes so much of your time from the ideation to execution so it is really important to be able to plan out the time well and get things done well. 

Further Reading

#1 Typographic Design: Form and Communication
Fig 4.1 Typographic design e-book

This book firstly brings us into the evolution of typography and then slowly proceeds further into the anatomy of how the typography has been made and work. By applying the visuals onto this book, it gives a clearer understanding to readers especially designers to understand better on how a typographic element can definitely affect the way we view things. Here is one of the examples of the visuals in the book. 

Fig 4.2 Screengrabs from the e-book

#2 Designing for readability: Guide to Web Typography
Fig 4.3 Designing for readability: Guide to Web Typography

Choosing the best fonts for reading on screen 
Fig 4.4 Comparison between print and web font

  • Choosing clear and recognizable letterforms
    Some typefaces are designed to simply be slick and rhythmic - pleasing to the eye. Legible typefaces have far more nuance among the letters.
  • Distinctive letters
    Forms that are too repetitive can make text illegible, so each letter should have a distinctive shape.
  • Letterform Contrast
    A body text requires some contrast within letterform stroke width, but shouldn't go too far where certain strokes begin to disappear.



Email Post

Popular Posts