Typography - Task 3: Type Design & Communication

 11.11.24 – 17.12.24 / Week 08 – Week 13

Sara Patel / 0362876

Typography / Bachelors in Creative Media Design / Taylors University

Task 3: Type Design & Communication

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Lectures
• Instructions
• Process Work
• Feedback
• Reflections
• Further Readings

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LECTURES

Refer to TASK 1 & TASK 2

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INSTRUCTIONS

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f0kiJIT5Sn4de2G9lpkcDqyDf5cUfsM5/view?usp=sharing

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PROCESS WORK

Task 3: Type Design & Communication

In this task, we were required to design our own font. The process began with researching various typefaces and analyzing their structures through the deconstruction of selected letters from a chosen font. Taking help from the initial study, we were instructed to watch tutorial videos for guidance and proceed to develop the structure of the font we intended to create. This process also involved further exploration and refinement of the final custom font.

Initial Process

I started by researching on a variety of already designed fonts to get an inspiration on the construction of font. It also helped me understand my preferences and creativity.

Fig 1: Font References (12/11/24)

Sketch Work

Further started developing by sketching out ideas of fonts and deconstruction the letters.

Fig 2: Sketch work (19/11/24)

Initially, I wanted to go with something simple but fancy to show creativity in the design and also wanted it to look unique so i decided to go with the second font design.

Digitization

Before digitizing my sketch, we were asked to deconstruct existing fonts to understand the structure of fonts. I decided to deconstruct letters from ITC Garamond Std as I found it the most similar font to my sketch.

Fig 3: Deconstruction (27/11/24)

After deconstructing the letters, I began exploring my own font design through illustration. I started by watching video tutorials and setting guidelines for the baseline, x-height, ascenders, descenders, and cap height.

Next, I constructed a set of letters using various shapes and illustration tools. Initially, I created the letters without detailed customizations. Later, I enhanced the font by merging shapes and experimenting with different structural variations to refine the design.

Fig 4: Font construction process (03/12/24)

After alot of explorations, trials and errors i finalised on the font design and started posting it on fontlab.

Fig 5: Initial Font (10/12/24)

FontLab

I began by watching tutorial videos and experimenting on how to develop and export my font using  FontLab. However, in the process of pasting and kerning letters, some of the letters started looking distorted and weird, which I didnt notice while designing but was highlighted here. As a result, had to continuously switch between Illustration and Fontlab to get the final font.

Fig 6: Font Lab Process (17/12/24)

After making all the necessary adjustments and fixing the alligneds, I finalized the font and generated it with the name "Clocktower".

Fig 7: Final Font (17/12/24)

Fig 8: Final Generated Font (17/12/24)

Poster

After installing the final font, I began searching for quotes and eventually chose the quote, "Design Ignites Bold Clear Minds." I then started exploring various compositions for the final poster.

Fig 9: Poster Design Explorattion (17/12/24)

FINAL Task 3: Type Design & Communication

Download font here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z1siTow3xAOHzLXTwrJbj-46dp0rWEM5/view?usp=sharing

Fig 10: Screen Grab of FontLab (20/12/24)

Fig 11: Final Type Construction (Ai JPEG) (20/12/24)

Fig 12: Final Type Construction (Ai PDF) (20/12/24)

Fig 13: Final Poster (JPEG) (20/12/24)

Fig 14: Final Poster (PDF) (20/12/24)

FEEDBACKS

Week 8

Feedback : (ILW) We submitted our final layout along with updated portfolio blog. Watched practice videos and started working on for Task 3. researched on the fonts and further sketched out few fonts and deconstructed the letters to understand the structure of letter faces.

Week 9

Specific Feedback : I had to change few letters after getting my work reviewed as it looked distorted and dramatic. Later i made a new final font with more iligant details and transferred the font on Front lab for final submission. 

General Feedback : We were asked to update our feedback sheet and e - portfolio and finalize one digital version in caps or lower case. Further create the final font on Front lab.

Week 10

General Feedback: We were asked to update our feedback sheet and e - portfolio for task 3 and improve previous portfolios according to the feedbacks given and had to start watching  the videos to work further with the task 3.

Specific Feedback: I had fixed my portfolio and final task 3 digitalization.

Week 11:

General Feedback: We were asked to update our feedback sheet and e - portfolio for task 3 and place all the letters and punctuations in font lab and start generating the new font.

Specific Feedback : After getting my illustrated font reviewed Ms. V. told me to make some changes as it was not looking aligned. I had to redo a lot of letters and adjust some parts of the font but it was quite a challenging week.

Week 12:

General Feedback: We were asked to complete and document the process of font creation and type design in Task 3 e portfolio. Also had to make the font downloadable, and showcase the process on portfolio. Also had to design an A4 black-and-white poster using the font.

Specific Feedback: I tried generating the font but some letters were looking really weird so had to continuously switch between illustration and Fontlab to make the letters look better. Struggled with the fonts to make it look aligned.

Week 13:

General Feedback: For Task 3 e portfolio, had to finalize the font. Additionally, I had to design the  A4 black-and-white poster using the font. An optional font tester/preview was also created to demonstrate the font's usability.

Specific Feedback: I got my font reviewed and still changes had to be made so made it more aligned and generated the final font also composed the final poster with the font generated. Updated my e portfolio and feedback sheet.

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REFLECTIONS

Experience: Task 3 was a highly creative and enriching learning experience that helped me understand font design. Initially, the idea of creating my own font was really interesting and exciting. However, as I began with the sketches, it gradually started to feel challenging. It wasn’t as easy as it seemed to develop a new typeface, especially considering the amount of familiar typefaces already available. After the sketching phase, the process became even more difficult as we deconstructed to understand the structure and construction of typefaces. Ensuring consistency across all the letter was particularly challenging and required a lot of trial and error. In the end, my final result turned out to be completely different from my initial idea, as I made minor adjustments along the way. Despite the difficulties, the experience got me more curious to know further about the complexity of font design.

Observations: During this task, various observations played a significant role in helping me finalize my font design. Starting with research, sketching, and deconstruction, each step enhanced my understanding of different font designs and their minor details. Through research, I explored the framework of the font and their unique personalities. Sketching allowed me to experiment with different ideas, while deconstruction provided a deeper insight into the structure of typefaces. This process taught how some fonts are creatively constructed with subtle details that make them both functional and aesthetically appealing. Additionally, observing my peer's works during tutorial sessions wasalso really helpful. Seeing their approaches, ideas, and problem-solving techniques gave me practical knowledge into what works well and what to avoid. This learning environment clarified the dos and don’ts for the  font construction and inspired me to refine my work .

Findings: This task helped discover that creating a functional typeface requires a really deep understanding of both design principles and technical executions. The research phase allowed me to explore various font structures and provided insight into the details that make each typeface unique. Sketching and deconstructing existing fonts helped me realize the importance of consistency in elements like stroke width, curvature, and proportions. The trial-and-error process was essential for refining these details, While it enhanced my creative thinking skills it also helped me improve my problem solving skills along with time management as it had a timeline. 

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FURTHER READINGS

For these weeks I decided to read and summaries few parts of the book "Typographic design: Form and communication" which was suggested by Mr. Vinod and was really helpful throughout the assignment.

Fig 15: Reading Book

It introduced me to the history of type development and how it evolved significantly. How today, technology — especially computers, software, and the internet has made typography more accessible and popular. Typography is now highly regarded as an essential aspect of design, sparking debates and creativity. Variations of fonts helped me think of new font designs.

Fig 16: Font Variations

In 1970, ITC released two typefaces: ITC Avant Garde Gothic, designed by Herb Lubalin and ITC Souvenir, a revived version of Morris Fuller Benton's 1918 design by Ed Benguiat. These fonts looked really interesting to me.

Fig 17: Different  Fonts