Advanced Typography-1

 21/04/2025 - 12/05/2024(Week 1 - Week 3)

Long Bojiang / 0375362

Typography / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylor's University 

Task 1: Exercise

        1.INSTRUCTIONS

        2.LECTURES

        3.TASK

          

        4.FEEDBACK

    

        5.REFLECTIONS     

        6.FURTHER READING

        1.INSTRUCTIONS

    

        2.LECTURES      

Week1

1.Axial System: In the work, it is reflected in the distribution of all the elements used around one or more axes.

Fig.2.1 Axial System 

2.Radial System:In the work, it is manifested in the form of radiating the elements used from a point as the center in all directions.

Fig.2.2  Radial System 

3.Dilatational System: In the work, it is manifested as an outward expansion centered on a point, diffusing the elements used from the inside out.

Fig.2.3 Dilatational System 

4.Random System: It is reflected in the work as having no obvious rules or sequence, and the elements appear in a free and random way.

Fig.2.4 Random System 

5.Grid System: In the work, it is reflected that the elements in the work appear in a regular graphic form, which has a higher degree of orderliness.

Fig.2.5 Grid System 

6.Transitional System: It is reflected in the work as elements appearing in a gradual or transitional form.

Fig.2.6  Transitional System 

7.Modular System: In the work, it is reflected that the elements have their own independent modules and are combined together in a clever form.

Fig.2.7  Modular System

8.Bilateral System: In the work, the elements appear in a symmetrical way, which will be more formal in the picture.

Fig.2.8  Bilateral System

Week2，3

This lecture distinguishes between "font design" and "layout composition", mainly focusing on the organization and arrangement of a large amount of text content within a certain spatial layout.

The common principles in composition design, such as emphasis, symmetry and repetition, were analyzed. How does the "Third Law" serve as an auxiliary rule for composition, although it is mainly used in the field of photography.

Although seemingly rigid, the grid system has extremely high flexibility and adaptability, and is capable of achieving various complex and orderly arrangements of information. Meanwhile, postmodernism, led by the rebellion of young designers against the traditional order, introduces a design language that is random, chaotic and asymmetrical, but still contains a great deal of planning and intuition behind it.

Through the diversified transformation of the existing grid structure, the layout process is endowed with a sense of dynamics, forming visual coherence and dynamism between pages, enhancing the reading experience of readers, and is especially suitable for the layout design of books and e-books.

Main summary

The difference between typesetting and font design: Typesetting focuses on the arrangement of information in space, not on the character shapes themselves.

2. The applicability of composition principles (such as emphasis and symmetry) in layout is not entirely consistent, and their application needs to be flexible.

3. The grid system is the most common and practical layout system, featuring both order and innovative potential.

4. Postmodernist typesetting challenges the traditional order and pursues visual chaos and freedom.

5. The environmental grid system extracts lines from abstract buildings or environmental structures to create context-related layout frameworks.

6. The morphological movement system emphasizes the visual flow and dynamic sense between pages, making it suitable for a continuous layout experience.

7. In the composition, it is necessary to balance innovation and readability, and fully utilize experimental exploration to drive the boundaries of the design.

3.TASK

task1

1.Axial System: 

  

   

Fig.3.1  Axial System 

2.Radial System:

  

Fig.3.2  Radial System 

3.Dilatational System: 

  

Fig.3.3  Dilatational System 

4.Random System: 

  

Fig.3.4  Random System 

5.Grid System: 

  

Fig.3.5  Grid System 

6.Transitional System: 

  

Fig.3.6  Transitional System 

7.Modular System: 

  

Fig.3.7  Modular System

8.Bilateral System: 

  

Fig.3.8  Bilateral System

task2

Selecting an image:

While looking, I thought of an ancient wooden pagoda in my hometown, the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda. This pagoda has not a single metal nail added throughout. It is undoubtedly a great wonder of mankind that it has been fixed entirely by the mortise and tenon structure of wood for thousands of years.

Fig.3.9

Letterform extraction:

I use these mortise and tenon joints as my font. They connect each part together through different arrangements.

Fig.3.10

After that, the designs of several letters were found through these connections and the fonts were extracted through Adobe Illustrator.

Fig.3.11

Final poster

I made two versions of the poster, using the same font but changing the style of the background.

                         

Fig.3.12

Fig.3.13

   

                                                                     Fig.3.14

     4.FEEDBACK

WEEK1
General Feedback
This week, Mr. Vinod provided a detailed overview of the study guide's content and key precautions. He also elaborated on the homework requirements for Task 1 practice, ensuring clarity on the tasks to be completed.
WEEK2
General Feedback
This week, evaluations and improvement suggestions were provided for 8 of our posters by Mr. Vinod. He carefully reviewed each poster and offered detailed feedback to help enhance their quality and effectiveness.
Specific Feedback
This week, Mr. Vinod proposed adjusting the font layout of the poster, noting that such modifications would enhance its overall presentation. His suggestion aims to optimize visual hierarchy and readability, contributing to a more effective communication of the poster's content.
WEEK3
General Feedback：
This week, Mr. Vinod reminded us to enhance the search for designed fonts, use the selected fonts to complete the poster, finalize the design process, and finish the blogger for Task 1. His guidance emphasizes refining font selection to ensure the poster's visual consistency and completing all stages of the design workflow, along with wrapping up the Task 1 blogger as required.                                                                  Specific Feedback: 
Is it necessary to adjust the font positions so that all text aligns with a unified baseline, even if the fonts themselves appear to be without issues?                            
WEEK4
General Feedback：
This week, Mr. Vinod emphasized that the poster images we design must correlate with the designed fonts, noting that font design should create corresponding visual effects. He also provided a detailed explanation of the specifics and requirements for Task 2a, instructing us to first create a mindmap and a moodboard, and then draw sketches using our own names or nicknames. His guidance highlights the importance of visual consistency between fonts and imagery, as well as the structured steps needed to complete the preliminary design tasks for Task 2a.
Specific Feedback: 
In poster design, the background image of the font should be consistent in style with the reference images used when selecting the font and should be combined with the font style to ensure visual unity.

        5.REFLECTIONS     

Practical experience: Systematically studied the eight major font layout systems, made mistakes in the timeline system when creating with InDesign, and corrected them under the guidance of a mentor. Later, extracted prototypes from images, designed new fonts with Illustrator, and completed the design of movie posters.

Core understanding: Layout details affect the overall effect. Font design should integrate form and connotation. Movie poster design should follow industry norms to ensure accurate information transmission.

Experience summary: The improvement of design capabilities relies on the combination of theory and practice. The experience accumulated by independently solving difficult problems has laid an important foundation for dealing with various design tasks in the future.

        6.FURTHER READING

This book expounds the core principles and practical methods of design, particularly emphasizing that the essence of design is the combination of knowledge and creativity, as well as the strict control over form and meaning. The book is divided into two parts: "Intangible Elements" (meaning, syntax, pragmatism, discipline, suitability, ambiguity, design unity, visual power, wisdom aesthetics, permanence, responsibility, and inheritance value) and "Tangible Elements" (paper size, grid, font, layout, color, white space, binding, etc.). His works encompass diverse materials and media across various fields and are always guided by the unified laws of design. Organize information and layout through the grid system to achieve a harmonious unity of form and content, emphasizing economy, environmental protection and the social responsibility of design.

Design is not only creativity, but also a combination of profound knowledge and strict discipline.

2. The design process begins with semantic research. Understanding the profound meaning of the project is the cornerstone of successful design.

3. Grammar and structure (syntax) are the key tools to ensure the overall consistency and logic of the design.

4. White space plays a role of "silence" in layout design and is an important guarantee for visual layering and clarity.

5. Design should pursue eternal values and resist the culture of fashion impetuosity and visual pollution.

6. Designers have the responsibility to provide clients and the public with economical, effective and socially responsible design solutions.

7. Logo and corporate image design should respect historical traditions and protect the cultural accumulation of visual inheritance.