Typography task 1 - exercises

 8.4.2023 - 14.4.2023 ( Week 1 )

Lim Yew Jie/ 0349884

Typography / Bachelor of International Hospitality Management(Hons)
Task 1: Exercise 1WEEK1

INTRODUCTION

TYPOGRAPHY

The art of structuring phrases and words such that the reader may read them clearly and attractively. It encompasses font structure, style, and look, all of which are meant to elicit specific emotions and convey specific ideas. In other words, the text is dynamic because of the font.

FONT is a specific font or weight found in a typeface.

TYPEFACE refers to the complete group of typefaces and weights that have comparable traits and aesthetics.

HISTORY

was created in China's Song dynasty in the eleventh century by Bi Sheng (990-1051). Clay-type printing was still used in China up until the Qing Dynasty, and his moveable type method was made of ceramic elements. One of the innovators of the wooden moveable type was Wang Zhen.

Phoenician to the Roman early development of letterforms

The way letterforms were drawn was heavily influenced by materials and equipment. Different materials and instruments required different techniques to create those letterforms.

fig1

The Phoenician letterforms (Fig1) are significant because they serve as a linguistic bridge between Early Arabic and Modern Latin letterforms. 

HAND SCRIPT FROM 3RD-10TH CENTURY CE

fig2

It was held at an angle that was around 60 degrees off-perpendicular to provide a range of stroke widths. 

fig3

Rustic capital letters were far quicker to write and allowed for the use of twice as many words each page. When keeping the pen perpendicular, an estimated 30-degree angle was created.

fig4

Roman cursive was employed for ordinary writing in the fourth century C.E. It served as the prototype for lowercase lettering and has been streamlined for speed.

fig5

Roman Cursive was incorporated into Uncials in the fourth to fifth centuries C.E. To conceive of Uncials as little letters is more correct. In comparison to Rustic Caps, it is easier to read in smaller sizes.

fig6

The canonical beginning of lowercase letterforms, indicated by half-uncials, further formalises the cursive hand. The creation of the alphabet took place 2000 years ago.

fig7

The first unifier of Europe since the Romans, the decree of 789, required the uniformity of all church works.

fig8

With the fall of Charlemagne's empire, Alcuin's literature underwent regional alterations. Blackletter, also known as Textura, is a condensed, notably vertical letterform that gained popularity throughout northern Europe.

WEEK2 

Baseline: Imaginary line is the visual base of the letterforms.

Median: Imaginary line defining the x-height of letterforms.

X-height: The height in any typeface of the lowercase 'x'.

Stroke: Any line that defines the basic letterform.

Apex/Vertex: Point created by joining two diagonal stems (apex above and vertex below)

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

Ascender: Portion of the stem of a lowercase letterform that projects above the median. 

Barb: Half-serif finishes on some curved strokes.

Beak: Half-serif finish on some horizontal arms.

Bowl: Rounded form that describes a counter. The bowl may be either open or closed.

Bracket: Transition between the serif and the stem.

Cross Bar: Horizontal stroke in a letterform that joins two stems together.

Cross Stroke: Horizontal stroke in a letterform that joins two stems together.

Crotch: Interior space where two strokes meet.

Descender: Portion of the stem of a lowercase letterform that projects below the baseline. 

Ear: Stroke extending out from the main stem or body of the letterform.

Em/en: Originally referring to the width of an uppercase M, and em is now the distance equal to the size of the typeface (an em in 48 points, for example).

Finial: Rounded non-serif terminal to a stroke.

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

Ligature: Character formed by the combination of two or more letterforms.

Link: Stroke that connects the bowl and the loop of a lowercase G.

Loop: In some typefaces, the bowl is created in the descender of the lowercase G.

Spine: S is the best example of the spine. 

Stress: Vertical and diagonal stress. Diagonal stress is based on handwriting

Small Capitals: Drawn to the typeface's x-height in the capital. When many capital letters are used simultaneously, it is highly helpful to avoid visual disruption.

WEEK3

KERNING & LETTER SPACING

FIG9

Kerning: Automatic adjustment of letter spacing

letter spacing: Increase the distance between characters in the text.

Tracking: Adding and removing space between words and phrases

fig10

Formatting text

flush left: Each line of flush-left text begins at the same location and finishes where the final word on the line does, giving the appearance of handwriting. Consistent white space between words gives the text a uniform grey color.

centered: By giving both ends of every line identical significance and weight, this forces symmetry on the text. It gives the information, which is not typically pictorial, a graphical character by transforming fields of text into shapes.

flush right: The text highlights the end of the line, which is advantageous for captions or other instances when the text and picture interaction requires a strong orientation to the right.

justified: By centering, this forces the words into a symmetrical form. It is accomplished by altering the distances between letters and between words.

Leading & line length

type size: Large enough to view at arm's length

line length: Longer lines required more leading whereas shorter lines require less reading.

leading: Too-tightly spaced text promotes vertical eye movement.

WEEK4

LETTER FORM

The capital letterforms below appear symmetrical, but they are not. The two differing stroke weights of the Baskerville stroke form are clearly visible. It may look like the uppercase letterforms are symmetrical.

fig11

MAINTAINING X HEIGHT

The size of the lowercase letterforms is often indicated by the x-height. Yet, in order for curved strokes, like the letter "s," to seem to be the same size as the vertical and horizontal axes, they must rise above the median or fall below the baseline.

FORM & COUNTER FORM

Understanding the counter form, or the space between each stroke, is equally important for comprehending letterforms. Working with letterforms without counters, such the letter "r," makes it much more important. Words flow together beautifully and are easy to read depending on how the counters are handled when setting type.

CONTRAST

The fundamental ideas of graphic design are immediately applicable to typography.

fig12

SCREEN & PRINT

PRINT

designed for print reading long before we read from screens.

a neutral, adaptable, and simple-to-read classic typeface that makes typesetting with them a snap.

SCREEN

To improve readability and performance onscreen in a range of digital settings, site content is often optimized and changed.

There is more open spacing for lower sizes.

Instruction:

week1

sketches

This is the original design, and the part that went into the drawing based on the initial idea of seeing the word.

figure 13 sketches

week2

Draw and design your own typeface after referring to different designs

fig14

week3

figure14 animated process

week4

FIG15 FINAL EDITORIAL

FIG16 editorial with grids

 

PDF WEEK4

REFLECTION:

I have to state my situation here, first of all I am not very talented in the field of design, and after the last few weeks of classes and courses I have found it very difficult to adapt, my mental and physical condition is getting worse and worse every day, so I am doing things much slower than many people, this is not what I want to see, but I can't control it. I don't know how long I can keep up with this rush and this pressure, I know I have to finish a lot of things, but I can't in this situation. I will finish but it will take longer than others to finish.