17/6/2024-15/7/2024 (Week 9-12)
Liu Yitong / 0370907
Typography / Mr. Max Goh Wei Lok
TASK 3: Type Design and Communication (Font Design)
Typography / Bachelor of Creative Media Design / Taylors
University
LECTURES
Class summary (All lectures 1 to 6 completed in Exercise 1 &
2)
Week9
In this lesson, Mr. Max shows us how to use three kinds of pens to
draw our font design. At the same time, it tells us that we can use
Procreat to complete the sketch on the tablet, and carries out font
analysis.
Week10
In this tutorial, Mr. Max took us to deconstruct the m of Bembo font,
and let us try another one after class, and then showed us how to more
easily digitize our sketches in Ai.
Week11
In this week's lesson Mr. Max taught us to use a new software called
"Fontlab7". I learned how to set preferences and import the font
design from the Ai. There were a few hiccups, but they all worked
out.
Week12
In this lesson we were asked to use Fontlab7 to make kerning
adjustments to the fonts we designed, and I learned how to make them
readable and look good.
INSTRUCTIONS
TASK
Type Design and Communication (Font Design)
Research
First, we learned some typography basics.
Fig.1.0 Typography basics
Then, I went to the book to find some detailed explanations and
references, so that I could understand more perfectly.
Fig.1.1 Anatomy of typography (from Typographic Design Form
Communication)
Fig.1.2 Anatomy of typography (from Typographic Design Form
Communication)
Sketches
We are asked to try out the beginning process of designing a font which
we have to conduct a few different sketches of a letterform and choose
one of them to digitise in Adobe Illustrator. Here is the sketches I
have done.
Fig.1.3 Sketches
Finally, Mr. Max chose sketch number one, so I started
digitizing.
Digitization
Deconstruction of letters
I chose Bembo Std Regular to conduct the deconstruction of the
lowercase letters r and m.
Fig.1.4 Deconstruction of lowercase r
Fig.1.5 Deconstruction of lowercase m
Creating guidelines
I first created the guidelines based on a 500 pt x 500 pt box to
determine the x-height of Univers LT Std Roman.
Fig.1.6 Guidelines created
Digitization
According to the guideline set by me, I digitized a few letters and
punctuation marks required.
Fig.1.7 Digitization
But I found this # to be a bit inconsistent, so I made some
improvements to make it look more harmonious.
Fig.1.8 Digitization improvement
Developing final font in FontLab 7
I try to adjust the kerning and import all my designs, which is so
much fun.
Fig.1.9 Process
After feedback from Mr. Max, my clause adjustment ended up looking like
this.I changed the design of the letter t to make it more readable and
further adjusted the kerning.
Fig.1.10 Final adjustment
We have to create a font poster for the font we designed by using the
generated font.The text for the poster is "design school good# good!"
When creating BW A4 poster; ensure sentence/phrase/words are the same
font size; ensure the byline
<yourfont's_name><by_your_name>,<2024.> is Univers LT
Std. at 8pts. (See sample).
Fig.1.11 Poster1
Fig.1.12 Poster2
Fig.1.13 Poster3
Finally, Mr. Max suggested that I choose between the second and the third.
I personally preferred the third one, so I decided to use this as the
final poster.
Final Font Design
Downloadable font link:
.jpg)
Fig.1.14 Final Type construction in Ai JPEG
Fig.1.15 Final Type construction Ai in PDF
Fig. 1.16 Final Poster Design - JPEG
Fig. 1.17 Final Poster Design - PDF
Font Tester
Try typing out the characters: c o n d h l i g e s t , . ! #
FEEDBACK
Week9
· General Feedback: In this week's course, we consolidated the
knowledge about the fundamentals of typography, and then designed our
own typeface sketches using three kinds of pens according to Mr. Max's
demonstration.
· Specific Feedback:The format of the first sketch is neat and can be
used for digitization.
Week10
· General Feedback: This week we've learned how to digitize
sketches in Ai and structure fonts. This makes me more familiar with
this part of typesetting knowledge.And I'm getting more comfortable with
how to use Ai.
Week11
· General Feedback:This week I learned how to import fonts
from Ai into a new software called Fontlab7. I also learned to adjust my
preferences to make my design better in the font.
Week12
· General Feedback:This week I adjusted the kerning of the font I designed with Mr. Max's
guidance until it looked comfortable. This is a slightly difficult process for
me because sometimes I can't tell if the distances within the letters are
right or not. But it all worked out in the end.
· Specific Feedback:The form
of the letter t can be changed, and the form in the draft is not very
readable. For kerning, you can try using rectangles in Ai to test whether the
distance is the same between different letters.
REFLECTION
Experience
Creating a font was a challenging yet rewarding task that allowed me to
delve into the intricate details of typography and design. Throughout
this project, I gained a deeper appreciation for the artistry and
technical skills required to craft each letterform.
Initially, I started by researching various existing fonts to understand
their structure, style, and historical context.
Observations
This exploration helped me identify patterns and trends that guided my
own design decisions.At the same time, the way in which fonts are
digitized is refreshing to me, and it's so interesting to build fonts
with shapes.I also tried to use a new software, Fontlab7, which I found
a little difficult to control. But I'm excited to learn something new!
Findings
Overall, I enjoyed the task. Just perfecting the fonts until they all
look the same makes me a little overwhelmed at times. Overall, though, I
enjoyed the assignment and learned a lot about typography and fonts.
FURTHER
READING
Fig.2.0 Typographic-Systems-Book-Kimberly-Elam
Fig.2.1 Anatomy of typography (from Typographic Design Form
Communication)
Capline: An imaginary line that runs along the tops
of capital letters and the ascenders of lowercase letters.
Meanline: An imaginary line that establishes the height of the body of lowercase letters.
x-height: The distance from the baseline to the meanline. Typically, this is the height of lowercase letters and is most easily measured on the lowercase x.
Baseline: An imaginary line upon which the base of each capital rests.
Beard line: An imaginary line that runs along the bottoms of descenders.
Fig.2.2 Anatomy of typography (from Typographic Design Form
Communication)
Serifs: Short strokes that extend from and at an angle to the upper and lower ends of the major strokes of a letterform.
Ascender: A stroke on a lowercase letter that
rises above the meanline.
Bowl: A curved stroke enclosing the
counterform of a letter. An exception is the bottom form of
the lowercase roman g, which is called a loop.
Ear: A small stroke that projects from the upper
right side of the bowl of the lowercase roman g.
Link: The stroke that connects the bowl and the
loop of a lowercase roman g.
Descender: A stroke on a lowercase letterform
that falls below the baseline.
Arm: A projecting horizontal stroke that
is unattached on one or both ends, as in the
letters T and E.
Stem: A major vertical or diagonal stroke in
the letterform.
Leg: The lower diagonal stroke on the letter k.
Apex: The peak of the triangle of an uppercase A
Spine: The central curved stroke of the letter S.
Crossbar: The horizontal stroke connecting two sides of the
letterform (as in e, A, and H) or bisecting the main stroke (as in
f and t).
Eye: The enclosed part of the lowercase e.
Fig.2.3 Proportions of the letterform
The proportions of the individual letterform are an important
consideration in typography. Four major variables control letterform
proportion and have considerable impact upon the visual appearance of a
typeface: the ratio of letterform height to stroke width; the variation
between the thickest and thinnest strokes of the letterform; the width of
the letters; and the relationship of the x-height to the height of
capitals, ascenders, and descenders.
Fig.2.4 Example
Lowercase: The smaller set of letters, so named because in
metal typesetting these were stored in the lower part of a type case.
Capitals: The set of large letters that is used in the initial
position.
Small caps: A complete set of capital letters that are the same
height as the x-height of the lowercase letters. These are often used
for abbreviations, cross-references, and emphasis.
Lining figures: Numbers that are the same height as the capital
letters and sit on the baseline.
Old Style figures: A set of numbers that are compatible with
lowercase letters; 1, 2, and 0 align with the x-height; 6 and 8 have
ascenders; and 3, 4, 5, 7, and 9 have descenders.
Superior and inferior figures: Small numbers, usually slightly
smaller than the x-height, used for footnotes and fractions. Superior
figures hang from the capline, and inferior figures sit on the
baseline.
Fractions: Common mathematical expressions made up of a
superior figure, an inferior figure, and a slash mark. These are set
as a single type character.
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