Typography Task 2: Typographic Exploration and Communication

10/5/2023 - 30/5/2023,  Week 6 - Week 9
Ng Zheng Kai / 0359424
Bachelor of Design in Creative Media (Hons)
Typography GCD60104
Task 2: Typographic Exploration and Communication (Text Formatting and Expression)

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LECTURES

All lectures 1 to 6 completed in Task 1: Exercise 1 & 2

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INSTRUCTIONS

For Task 2, we have to create a 2 page spread (200mm x 200mm) with one of the three provided texts

We are not required to ass any images or colour but just minor graphical elements such as lines/shades. We are able to use Adobe Illustrator for our expression, and for this task we need to use Adobe InDesign to typographically compose and express the text. 

Task 2: Text Formatting and Expression

Sketches

Figure 1.1 Sketch

A rough sketch done physically via paper, this is the only sketch I made since I prefer to try it out digitally in InDesign. 

My main idea here is to create a "fade in, fade out" effect on the headline, and apply bold on the lead-in text.

Figure 1.2 Headline Expression

Typeface: Futura Std Book

I created the headline expression above in Adobe Illustrator, I decided to highlight the word "Visualise" to make an emphasis in the middle.

Layout progress

Figure 1.3 Initial text layout with no modifications

Figure 1.4 Text layout with paragraph spacing

Figure 1.5 Text layout with shortened textbox

Figure 1.6 Text layout with lead-in text

Figure 1.7 Text layout with kerning adjustments

Figure 1.8 Without kerning (left) vs With kerning (right)

Final Design

Font/s: Univers LT Std 55 Roman (body), Univers LT Std 65 Bold ( Lead-in text)

Type Size/s: 9 pt (body),  12 pt (Lead-in text)

Paragraph spacing: 11 pt

Characters per-line: 54

Alignment: left

Margins: 10 mm (all)

Columns: 2

Gutter: 5 mm

Figure 1.9 Final Design with grids visible (JPEG)

Figure 1.10 Final Design (JPEG)

Figure 1.11 Final Design with grids visible (PDF)

Figure 1.12 Final Design (PDF)

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FEEDBACK

Questions:

Heading

1. Do the expressions match the meaning of the words?

2. Are the expression well crafted (crafting/lines/shapes)?

Text

1. Is kerning and tracking appropriately done?

2. Does the font size correspond to the line-length, leading & paragraph spacing

3. Is the alignment choice conducive to reading?

4. Has the ragging been controlled well?

5. Has cross-alignment been established using base-line grids?

6. Are widows and orphans present?

Week 6:

General Feedback: Be careful when using justify alignment, read MIB, make sure it is 200mm x 200mm

Week 8:

Specific Feedback: Align bottom part of body text with headline.

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REFLECTION

Experience

This task taught me how to incorporate Illustrator and InDesign, by combining a little bit of illustration with text formatting, it also taught me how to create a layout in a 2-page spread.

Observations

When creating a text layout, it is important to consider the arrangement of text in order to achieve a correct hierarchy of information.

Findings

With this project, I found that, too much graphic is a bad thing and could lead to a loss of structure and readability, sometimes minimalism is the key.

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FURTHER READING

Figure 2.1 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.

Figure 2.2 Proportions of the letterform 
Chapter 2: The Anatomy of the Typography, page 34

This page introduces various proportions of the letterform, such as stroke-to-height ratio, contrast in stroke weight, expanded and condensed styles, and x-height and proportion.

Figure 2.3 Historical classification of Typefaces
Chapter 2: The Anatomy of the Typography, page 38

Figure 2.4 Historical classification of Typefaces
Chapter 2: The Anatomy of the Typography, page 39

The book also shows the historical classification of typefaces, showing the several variations of the symbol "&", with Grotesque being the first sans serif typeface.

Figure 2.5 Chapter 3: Legibility, page 51

An example of legibility can be seen in figure 2.5, where the word "LEGIBILITY" is split in two halves horizontally, the upper halves of the word are read with ease, while the lower halves are less legible. Similar situation when words are split vertically, letters are more recognizable when only their right halves are exposed, but there are a few exceptions, like "n" and "r".

Figure 2.6 Legibility and Colour
Chapter 3: Legibility, page 56

Colours matter a lot in the legibility of reading letters, for example, a black type on a white or grey background are more legible than a white type on a light grey background.

Keep in mind of complementary and analogous colours too, when choosing colours for letters and backgrounds.