Advanced Typography / TASK 1: Exercises: Typographic Systems & Type & Play
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Daphne Lai Yu Cheng / 0366380
GCD 61004 / Advanced Typography / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylors' University
Task 1 / Exercises: Typographic Systems & Type & Play
- Lectures
- Instructions
- Task 1 / Exercise 1: Typographic Systems
- Task 1 / Exercise 2: Type & Play
- Feedback
- Reflection
- Further Readings
LECTURES
Week 1 (22/4/2025): AdTypo_1_Typographic Systems
8 Major Variations:
- Axial System: All elements are organised to the left or right of a single axis.
Figure 1.1 Axial System
- Radial System: All elements are extended from a point of focus.
Figure 1.2 Radial System
- Dilatational System: All elements expand from a central point in a circular fashion.
Figure 1.3 Dilatational System
- Random System: Elements appear to have no specific pattern of relationship.
Figure 1.4 Random System
- Grid System: A system of vertical and horizontal divisions.
Figure 1.5 Grid System
- Modular System: A series of non-objective elements that are constructed in as a standardised units.
Figure 1.6 Modular System
- Transitional System: An informal system of layered banding.
Figure 1.7 Transitional System
- Bilateral System: All text is arranged symmetrically on a single axis.
Figure 1.8 Bilateral System
Week 2 (29/4/2025): AdTypo_2_Typographic Composition
Principles of Design Composition:
- Emphasis
- The Rule of Thirds
- Isolation
- Repetition
- Symmetry
- Asymmetry
- Alignment
- Perspective
- Grid System (or Raster System) is the most used system, derived from the grided composition structure of letter press printing.
- Further enhanced into Swiss (Modernist) style of typography.
- Asymmetry, random, repetition, dilatational and radial system became more popular in the modernist era.
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Figure 1.9 Typographic Systems
- Based on the exploration of an existing structure or numerous structures combined. (Could be architecture, painting or interior design of a room).
- An extraction of crucial lines both curved and straight are formed.
- Information are organised around the super structure which includes non objective elements to create a unique and exciting mixture of texture and visual stimuli.
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Figure 1.10 Environmental Grid
2) Form and Movement
- Based on the exploration of an existing grid system.
- To explore the multitude of options the grid offers.
- To dispel the seriousness surrounding the application of the grid system.
- To see the turning of pages in a book as a slowed down animation in the form that constitutes the placement of image, text and colour.
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Figure 1.11 Form & Movement
Week 3 (6/5/2025): AdTypo_3_Context & Creativity
Handwriting
- First mechanically produced letterforms were designed to directly imitate handwriting.
- Shape and line of hand drawn letterforms are influenced by the tools and materials used to make them.
- Materials used are sharpened bones, charcoal sticks, plant stems, brushes, feather and steel pens.
- Importance: Time, effort and money consuming to create many of the old text in printed form.
- More vernacular scripts are being produced by Google.
- More and more vernacular and "multi-script" typefaces are being produced to cater to situations where the written matter is communicated in the vernacular script or vernacular and Latin scripts.
Evolution of the Latin Alphabet:
Figure 1.12 Evolution of The Latin Alphabet
- Earliest system of actual writing, used in a number of languages between 34C. B.C.E. through the 1st century C.E.
- Pressing the blunt end of a reed stylus into wet clay tablets resulted in its distinctive wedge form.
- The characters evolved from pictogram, written from left to right.
- Egyptian writing system is fused with the art of relief carving.
- A mixture of both rebus and phonetic characters, the first link to a future alphabetic system.
- Used in 3 different ways.
- Ideograms to represent the things they actually depict.
- Determinatives to show that the signs preceding are meant as phonograms and the indicate the general idea of the word.
- Phonograms to represent sounds that "spell out" individual words.
Early Greek 5th C. B.C.E.
- Consists of 22 letters
- Phoenicians system was then adopted by the Greeks to add necessary vowels.
- Read in a format known as 'boustrophedon' or 'as the ox plows' (left to right then right to left).
- No serifs.
Roman Uncials
- Letters become more rounded.
- Curved forms allowed for less strokes and could be written faster.
English Half Uncials 8th C.
- Evolved into a more slanted and condensed form.
Black Letter 12-15 C. C.E.
Movable Type 11 C.-14 C.
- Printing on wood block.
- Already been practiced in China, Korea and Japan.
- Koreans establish a foundry to cast movable type in bronze to allow the dismantling and resetting of texts.
- Korea's script creation: Hangul (한글)
- Turning point of written language.
- Use of sound represented in letters.
- Possibly influenced by the Egyptian Hieroglyphics and Hieratic Scripts.
- From the Oracle Bone to Seal Script to Clerical Script, Traditional and Simplified scripts.
- Oldest writing writing found in the 'Indian' subcontinent.
- Is yet undeciphered and seems somewhat logo syllabic in nature.
- Earliest writing system developed in India after the Indus script.
- One of the most influential writing systems.
- Oldest writing systems present in Southeast Asia were Indian scripts.
- Pallava, a South Indian script originally used for writing Sanskrit and Tamil.
- Another script: Pra-nagari.
- Jawi, Arabic based alphabet.
- murasu.com
- Huruf
- Ek Type & Indian Type Foundry
- Look inward and examine their histories, civilisation, culture and communities to bring these past developments into the future and develop on them instead of blindly appropriating cultures and developments that have no context, relatability or relevance.
- Creativity and inspiration begin by surroundings observation and exploration of collective histories.
- Type design carries a social responsibility so one must continue to improve its legibility.
- Type design is a form of artistic expression.
- Univers and Frutiger.
- A sans serif typeface designed in 1968 specifically the newly built Charles de Gaulle International Airport in France.
- Goal: To create a clean, distinctive and legible typeface that is easy to see from both close up and far away.
- Consideration/Limitations: Letterforms needed to be recognised even in poor lighting conditions or when the reader was moving quickly past the sign.
- Created to address specific technical challenges.
- Considerations/Limitations: Exhibits characteristics derived from the pixel rather than the pen, brush or chisel. Commonly confused characters, such as the lowercase i j l.
Figure 1.15 Johnston Sans by Edward Johnston
- Hugely influential London "Underground" typeface.
- He was asked to create a typeface with 'bold simplicity' that was modern yet rooted in tradition.
- A combination of classical Roman proportions with humanist warmth.
- Purpose: London's Underground railway for its posters and signage.
- Consideration/Limitation: Ensure an identity that was united. Different companies use the same rails an tunnels.
General Process of Type Design:
- Understand the type history, type anatomy and type conventions, also terminologies, side bearing, metrics and hinting.
- Important to determine the type's purpose or what it would be used for. (School busses? Airport signage.
- Examine existing fonts that are presently being used for inspiration/ideas/references/context/usage pattern, etc..
- Using the traditional tool set (brushes/pens/ink and paper) the scan them for the purpose of digitalisation.
- Some designers sketch their typeface using digital tool sets, wacom directly into a font design software (must quicker, persistent and consistent but can sometimes impede the natual movemental of hand strokes.)
- Fontlab and Glyphs App.
- Attention should not only be given to the whole form at this stage but also the counter form.
- The process of refining and correcting aspects of the typeface and leading to important feedback.
- Readability and legibility of the new typeface depends on the typeface category (display, type/test try).
- Teething problems that did not come to the fore during the prototyping and testing phases.
- The rigour of the testing is important in so that the teething issue remain minor.
Typeface Construction:
Roman Capital
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- Grid consists of a square and inside it a circle that just touches the lines of the square in 4 places.
- There is also a rectangle within the square.
- The rectangle is 3 quarters the size of the square and is positioned in the centre of the square.
- Using grids (with circular forms) can facilitate the construction of a letterforms and is a possible method to build/create/design the letterforms.
Construction and Considerations:
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- The 26 characters of the alphabets can be arranged into groups. A group for lowercase letters and capital letters.
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- An important visual correction is the extrusion of curved (and protruding) forms past the baseline and cap line. This also applies to vertical alignment between curved and straight forms.
- Needed for the distance between letters. It is not possible to simply place letters next to each other with equal spacing between them, they must be altered to a uniform 'visual' white space called 'fitting' the type.
Most typefaces come about due to a need or demand. The need/motivation can be:
- The designer has inexplicable need driven by interest to design a typeface and seeks out a form that comes close to fulfilling a desire. OR possible that the designer identifies a gap/problem and solve it through the design of the typeface.
- The designer has been commissioned or the student designer has a task to complete that involves designing a typeface.
TASK 1: Exercises: Typographic Systems & Type & Play (22/4/2025)
Headline:
or
The ABCs of Bauhaus Design Theory
or
Russian Constructivism and Graphic Design
Contents:
Taylor’s University
June 24, 2021
Lew Pik Svonn, 9AM-10AM
Ezrena Mohd., 10AM-11AM
Suzy Sulaiman, 11AM-12PM
June 25, 2021
Lim Whay Yin, 9AM-10AM
Fahmi Reza, 10AM-11AM
Manish Acharia, 11AM-12PM
Lecture Theatre 12
Inspiration Board & Sketches
The headline I chose is The ABCs of Bauhaus Design Theory. I started by finding reference and inspirations on Pinterest then sketch out my ideas before attempting on the 8 typographic systems in Adobe Illustrator.
Figure 2.1 References & Inspirations (22/4/2025)
Figure 2.2 Sketches (24/4/2025)
Exploration / Process
Fonts Used: Futura Std
Figure 2.3 Axial System Process (26/4/2025)
I began experimenting on vertical and slanted lines during the process (left) and moved on to do a single axis line. However, during feedback session, Mr Vinod said that the axis is too slanted and to try around 30 degrees because the overly slanted layout would affect the readability and the overall composition.
2) Radial
Fonts Used: Futura Std
Figure 2.4 Radial System Process (26/4/2025)
For radial, I spread the information out by using 2 circles and a larger circle for the headline. I left the circle visible because circles are one of the Bauhaus shapes and to also get viewer's attention to the information. After that, I tried out 2 different colours, black and red, to decide on which is better for viewing.
3) Dilatational
Fonts Used: Bodoni MT & Serifa Std
Figure 2.5 Dilatational System Process (26/4/2025)
Figure 2.6 Reference Image (26/4/2025)
I used an image of ripples as reference for this system. I wanted to create a layout similar to it. During the process, I also noticed that the placement of the information are affecting the readability so I did some changes to it by adjusting them into a suitable placement. After that, I tried out 2 different colours, black and red, to decide on which is better for viewing.
4) Random
Fonts Used: Janson Text LT Std, Serifa Std, Garamond, Futura Std, Bembo Std, Adobe Caslon Pro, Bodoni MT & Univers LT Std
Figure 2.7 Random System Process (29/4/2025)
Figure 2.8 Feedback (4/5/2025)
I started out by randomly placing the letters but the outcome was very messy, Mr Vinod mentioned that random system has to be chaotic but have order to it. Then, I did a rough sketch of the composition and proceeded to create it in InDesign. I also asked for feedback and advice from Chang Wing to refine the overall composition. This system was quite challenging as I spent the longest time on this it compared to the others.
5) Grid
Fonts Used: Serifa Std & Univers LT Std
Figure 2.9 Grid System Process (26/4/2025)
For the Grid system, I did a simple layout and applied outline on "Bauhaus" and changed to red to highlight "Bauhaus" because I want to emphasise the headline more amongst the information.
6) Modular
Fonts Used: Futura Std & Univers LT Std
Figure 2.10 Modular System Process (26/4/2025)
I used 6x3 squares and tried out different placements for the information. I wanted to make "Haus" to look like a house by enlarging the letter 'H' and elongate it to hover over "AUS".
7) Transitional
Fonts Used: Serifa Std & Univers LT Std
Figure 2.11 Transitional System Process (29/4/2025)
I initially plan to proceed with the one on the left but I thought that it looks related to my dilatational system and consisted a few graphics of Bauhaus shapes so I created another layout (right) which makes the information more connected and more visual hierarchy.
8) Bilateral
Fonts Used: Futura Std, Bodoni MT & Univers LT Std
Figure 2.12 Bilateral System Process (29/4/2025)
For the Bilateral system, I did a simple layout and changed the colour of "Bauhaus" to red to highlight "Bauhaus" because I want to emphasise the headline more amongst the information.
Final Typographic Systems (JPEG)
1) Axial
Figure 2.13 Final Axial System (3/5/2025)
2) Radial
Figure 2.14 Final Radial System (3/5/2025)
3) Dilatational
Figure 2.15 Final Dilatational System (3/5/2025)
Figure 2.16 Final Random System (4/5/2025)
5) Grid
Figure 2.17 Final Grid System (3/5/2025)
6) Modular
Figure 2.18 Final Modular System (3/5/2025)
7) Transitional
Figure 2.19 Final Transitional System (3/5/2025)
Figure 2.20 Final Bilateral System (3/5/2025)
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Figure 2.21 Final 8 Typographic Systems (4/5/2025)
Final Typographic Systems (PDF)
Figure 2.22 Final 8 Typographic Systems PDF (without guides) (3/5/2025)
Figure 2.23 Final 8 Typographic Systems PDF (with guides) (3/5/2025)
Exercise 2: Type & Play
Part 1: Font Extraction & Letter Design
Figure 3.1 Chosen Image: Broad leafed sedge (4/5/2025)
Below are the extracted letters A, R, T, V, X and K:
Figure 3.2 Extracted Letterforms (A, R, T, V, X & K) (4/5/2025)
Figure 3.3 Reference Font (4/5/2025)
I decided to use Horror by Ni Luh Purnamawati because I had a concept in mind for my extracted letters, which is horror. This typeface was also the most similar to my extracted letters.
Figure 3.4 Before & After Font Reference (6/5/2025)
During the refining process, I followed the typeface's placement and extracted some of the leaves' characteristics to combine with the typeface.
Figure 3.5 Letterforms R, X & K Refinement Process (5-6/5/2025)
Throughout the refinement process, I did a lot of changes to the letters 'R, X & K'.
Mr Vinod said that:
'R' stem was inconsistent with other letters so I thicken the stem to make it look balanced.
'X' initially looked very narrow, I tried separating them further away from each other and did some adjustments to balance both strokes.
'K' was also inconsistent with other letters so I lengthen the arm and leg to balance the overall letter.
Figure 3.6 Letterforms Extraction & Refinement Process (5-6/5/2025)
This is the refinement process. I did a 50% font reference and 50% extracted letters to try to retain some of the characteristics of the leaves such as the torn dried leaves.
Final Outcome of Part 1
Figure 3.7 Image & Extraction (4/5/2025)
Figure 3.8 Overall Process (5-6/5/2025)
Figure 3.9 Extracted Letterforms (Baseline) (4/5/2025)
Figure 3.10 Reference Font (4/5/2025)
Figure 3.11 Final Letterforms (5-6/5/2025)
Figure 3.12 Initial Extraction (top) & Final Letterform (bottom) Comparison (5-6/5/2025)
Figure 3.13 Exercise Part 1 PDF Compilation (6/5/2025)
Part 2: Mock Movie Poster
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Figure 3.14 Font & Movie Poster References/Inspirations (7/5/2025)
Figure 3.15 Chosen Image for Mock Movie Poster Design (7/5/2025)
Looking at my final letterforms, I decided to go for a horror concept. Next, I searched up font colour/effects, movie poster references and an image related to my extracted letters, broad leafed sedge plant, for my poster design.
Having watched Sumala recently, an Indonesian horror movie, it starts with children playing in the village at night even after their parents warned them to stay at home. While playing together, their ball went far into the corn field, they went to find it and heard rustling amongst the leaves and got caught by Sumala. I got the inspiration from that scene which led me to think of "No one can hear you scream when you are trapped."
Figure 3.16 Process (7/5/2025)
These process were done in Adobe Photoshop. Making the whole image in black and white seem a little boring, so I used the Quick Selection Tool to select a section of the plants to make it stand out. I refined the edges of the selection then applied Posterize and added Hue/Saturation to a reddish tone.
Figure 3.17 Process (7/5/2025)
After that, I applied Radial Blur to make it look like the plants are rustling. Additionally, I applied Stippled Grain to it to create that suspense feeling.
Figure 3.18 Process (7/5/2025)
Lastly, I applied grain effect onto the title and changed the colour to red and added another layer of black colour to create a vintage horror movie font concept.
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Figure 3.19 Layouts & Refinement (7/5/2025)
My final chosen layout is #2. While looking at the chosen layout, something feels off the longer I looked at it. I decided to increase the letterspacing for the information then remove the "coming soon" and then changed "december 2025" to red colour. Lastly, I also double checked the spacing between all the information to ensure the consistency.
Final Outcome of Part 2
Figure 3.20 Finalised Mock Movie Poster Design (JPEG) (7/5/2025)
Figure 3.21 Finalised Mock Movie Poster Design (PDF) (7/5/2025)
Exercise 2 Final Compilation
Figure 3.22 Image & Extraction (4/5/2025)
Figure 3.23 Overall Process (5-6/5/2025)
Figure 3.24 Extracted Letterforms (Baseline) (4/5/2025)
Figure 3.25 Reference Font (4/5/2025)
Figure 3.26 Final Letterforms (5-6/5/2025)
Figure 3.27 Initial Extraction (top) & Final Letterform (bottom) Comparison (5-6/5/2025)
Figure 3.28 Exercise 2: Part 1 PDF Compilation (6/5/2025)
Figure 3.29 Finalised Mock Movie Poster (JPEG) (14/5/2025)
*click on the image to view in better quality*
Figure 3.30 Finalised Mock Movie Poster (PDF) (14/5/2025)
Specific feedback:
General feedback: Summarise lecture notes in own words. Keep e-portfolio well organised and consistently document process, include figure numbers, description and dates underneath every images. Recommended to label typographic systems under each artwork during compilation for convenience. Update feedback sheet every week.
Week 2
Specific feedback: The angle for axial is too slanted, try around 30 degrees. Modular is interesting. Compositions are fine.
General feedback: Margins are important in the first step of design. Make sure there's reading rhythm in dilatational system. Look out for rivers when using justified. Avoid 45 degrees for axial system. Random system needs to be chaotic but still in order. Briefing on exercise 2, understand the textural effect of the photo taken. Retain characteristics of the extracted forms.
Week 3
Specific feedback: Place fonts on a baseline (horizontally) to compare the height & thickness of each letter for consistency. Further develop the letters. A needs to be wider & thicker. X and K’s leg needs to be longer and placed on the baseline to ensure consistency. R’s stem needs to be thicker like X’s leg. Getting there.
General feedback: Make sure to have a reference font, highlight the font extraction in the picture and decide which aspect or characteristics to retain from the extraction. Always ensure consistency in the design. Choose a picture related to the font extraction, add information on your own and think of ways to integrate the title (font) with the background picture.
Week 4
Specific feedback: Everything's good except for the tagline, feels misplaced, try rearranging the content and do some changes on the space in between "coming soon" and "december 2025".
General feedback: Let the title interact with the background picture by applying colour tonality for the background picture. Make sure text size and font are suitable and readable in the mock movie poster. Choice of font for content is important to ensure that thye are not outdone than the title and adjust the size and alignment of the text for readability. Task 2's monogram has to have a meaning if combining upper and lower or any specific elements.
1. Finding Type: A Novel Typographic Exercise (Vinod Nair, 2023)
Figure 4.1 Finding Type: A Novel Typographic Exercise
This article by Mr. Vinod talked about "finding type" which is an exercise for task 1 in the advanced typography module, it is about how to create letters by using shapes found in everyday images. This exercise consists of 6 steps:
1) Finding an image
- Select an image that has a strong and consistent character, preferably a subject matter that is similar or repetitive in nature.
- If there are too many different elements in the image, the extraction would have a variety of attributes and time consuming process.
2) Deconstructing an image
- Observe and outline the identified shapes in the image. The lines, textures and overall form.
3) Identifying letterforms
- Identify the potential letterforms within the outlined areas.
- It is acceptable if the identified shapes may not look exactly like the desired letter but as long as it resembles its basic shape.
4) Extracting letterforms
- Letterforms are placed on a baseline to be studied as a whole and in comparison to each other after the extraction from the deconstructed image.
5) Identify a reference
- Find a reference font for refinement process.
- The reference font serves as a guide towards an overall aesthetic and also reference to determine the shape or form of a letter.
6) Refining letterforms
- Maintaining the consistency in height and thickness of the letterforms.
- Refine the letterforms so they look clean, matches the style of the other letters and decide on retaining or removing characteristics of the original image used for extraction.
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