Typography Task 2: Typographic Exploration and Communication

27-08-21 - 18-10-21 (Week 5 - Week 8)
Darren Liga / 0351480
Typography / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media
Task 2: Typographic Exploration and Communication (Text Formatting and Expression)

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LECTURES

All lectures completed in Task 1 - Exercise 1 & 2

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INSTRUCTION

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Task 2 

For task 2, we were assigned to make a text formatting exercise similar to exercise 2 in part 1. This time, we were asked to do a 2-page editorial spread from 3 option of texts. Adobe illustrator is used o=for the graphic headline expression, indesign for the rest.

Sketches

Fig 1.1: Initial Sketches (29/9/21)

I did several attempts of digital sketches from my iPad to help me get my ideas going. After several sketches i automatically have a much better sense on what to do for the digitalization.

Fig 1.2: Digitalization (30/9/21)

I then continued to digitalize my sketches in illustration to further inspect which one works and which one doesn't. 

Layout Progress

Fig 1.3: layout explorations (2/10/21)

I tried several layout design for this part of the exercise as i would like to explore more. I chose 2 layouts from the headline expression which i think looks best. I then created 2 more indesign layouts for each of the headline, 1 that is left aligned, 1 that is justified left.

Fig 1.4: Hidden Characters and alignment. (2/10/21)

Fig 1.5: Hidden Characters and alignment. (2/10/21)

Layouts

Fig 1.6: Layout 1 (3/10/21)

Fig 1.7: Layout 2 (3/10/21)

Fig 1.8: Layout 3 (3/10/21)

Fig 1.9: Layout 4 (3/10/21)

Fig 1.10: Blocked out layout (3/10/21)

Final Task 2: Typographic Exploration and Communication

Fig 2.1: Final layout (3/10/21)

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Fonts: Futura Medium (Body), Gill Sans light (Subtext)

Point size: 9 pt (text), 8 pt (subtext), 11 pt (lead-in text)

Leading: 11 pt (text, subtext and lead-in text)

Line length: 53 - 61 (body text)

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FEEDBACK

Heading

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

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

General Feedback:

The title should be connected to its meaning. Be very observant for text formatting. Is kerning and tracking appropriately done? Does the font size correspond to the line-length, leading & paragraph spacing?  Is the alignment choice conducive to reading? Has the ragging been controlled well? Has cross-alignment been established using base-line grids? Are widows and orphans present? Hidden Characters on?

Specific Feedback:

I did not show the proper format for week 6.

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REFLECTION

Experience

The task is a continuation of the first task in my opinion. I dont really have any problems with the text formatting as i have some experience in those rules such as the fonts, alignment, ragging, justification, widows orphans. Although the text i chose doesn't really have any visual elements that i could connect visually, i just want to direct my audience into the order of reading. Since color isn't allowed to be used for this exercise, the task gets a little bit more challenging as we were not given the chance to use open another hierarchy.

Observation

Because this the continuation of the part 1b which is also text formatting, i observed the same thing since that exercise for the text formatting alone. Although since we could use Adobe Illustrator for the headline formatting, i observed that a lot of visual elements could be use to further unite the text and expression.

Findings

Due to the 2 page layout, i researched that this type of text formatting requires a very different approach when its just a digital copy, and a print. We should avoid placing the headline in the middle for printing as it may lead to misalignment and a larger gap for error.

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FURTHER READING

Fig 3.1: Typographic Design: Form and Communication (2015)

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.

From this book I read the 3rd chapter which helped me be more vigilant to do my second task, we were given examples of typographic text formatting done correctly while contrasted with problematic text formatting.

Small details that we we asked to look out for such as (shows good legibility if done right):

- Hierarchy

- Interline spacing intervals

- Capital and lowercase letters

- Justification

- Paragraph and indentations

- Leading

- Point size

- Letter spacing

- Choice of type

This chapter of the book also describes color. Since we were not allowed to use color for this exercise, limitation have been set by Mr.Vinod to further enhance our creative minds and observant nature to structure a good foundation of typography.