Advanced Typography - Task 3 Type Exploration and Application

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19th November 2024 (Week 8) - 24th December 2024 (Week 14)

Insha Thahirah Rajab - 0360671

Advanced Typography - Section 04

Bachelor's Degree  in Creative Media (Honors) - Taylors University

Task 3 - Type Exploration and Application



CONTENTS

Lectures

Instructions

Task 3

Feedback

Reflection

Further Reading


LECTURES

Lecture playlist: Advanced Typography (BDCM) - YouTube

Refer to Task 1 and Task 2

INSTRUCTIONS

Figure 1.0 Instructions (PDF)

TASK

Task 3 - Type Exploration and Application

With the knowledge and experience gained in the exercises and tasks, with the accumulated knowledge from the lectures and your own reading, with the experience gained in the different software covered in the programme thus far, synthesise and apply the learning in tasks to be mentioned.

Choose between font creation, font exploration, and experiment.


Specifications:

Create a font: intended to solve a larger problem or meant to be part of a solution in the area of your interest be it graphic design, animation, new media or entertainment design or any other related area not necessarily reflecting your specialisation. 

End result: a complete generated font (.ttf) with applications.


Explore the use of an existing letterform in an area of interest, understand its existing relationship, identify areas that could be improved upon, explore possible solutions or combinations that may add value to the existing letterform / lettering. 

End result: a complete generated font (.ttf) with applications.


Experiment: For your idea to qualify as an experiment it must be novel and unique — working with material that might be 3-dimensional, digitally augmented, edible, unusual, typographic music video or fine art. 

End result: defined by student


: proposal

I started off researching my idea. I took inspiration from my further reading and research before diving into ideas for my proposal.


Figure 1.1 Proposal Planning Sketches, Week 9 (26/1/2024)


This was my final Proposal:

Figure 1.2 Proposal (PDF), Week 9 (26/11/2024)

I came up with four different ideas for Mr. Vinod to review. Upon consultation, Mr. Vinod stated that my main concept was making a braille alphabet in a digital and physical format was done before by an artist and his showcase work, which I included in my further reading. 


Figure 1.3 Braille Alphabet Font, Week 8(22/11/2024)
Figure 1.4 Braille Alphabet Exhibition, Week 8(22/11/2024)


Mr. Vinod really liked my optical illusion typography, but to simplify it further into the exploration of shadow typography and make a final video showcasing my findings and techniques learned. 


: inspiration

I decided to dive deeper into this idea by using Pinterest for inspiration to create a moodboard. These are some of my selections:

Figure 1.5 Pinterest Moodboard #1,Week 9(27/11/2024)

Figure 1.6 Pinterest Moodboard #2,Week 9(27/11/2024)

Figure 1.7 Pinterest Moodboard #3,Week 9(27/11/2024)

I visited some other websites/ videos to gather visual inspiration and figure out how to apply these techniques into my video: 

https://stock.adobe.com/lk/images/cast-shadow-font-alphabet-letters-and-numbers/264120631

: sketches

I took Mr. Vinod's feedback into consideration and started mapping out ideas of how I wanted the video to look. I decided what kind of supplies I needed, primarily string, white card board, and any form of letters. I thought of incorporating alphabet magnets and hand shadows.



Figure 1.8 Planning process sketches, Week 9(26/11/2024) - Week 10(03/12/2024)
I brainstormed a few quotes to use as a typographic message for my video. This was one quote in my head that I considered using, however, I changed it to something more straightforward for the final.

: exploration & experimentation

Once I gathered all my references and studied them closely, I started experimenting with different shadow-casting techniques. These are some process pictures:
















Figure 1.9 Work in progress pictures of cut out letters and contraptions, Week 10(03/12/2024) - Week 12(17/12/2024)

I had some left over letters, which were used for trial but didn't work for the final, or were redone.

Figure 2.0 Left over letters, Week 12(20/12/2024)

: filming & editing

This was my filming set-up. I used a white background and set to make the video clean-cut and used dark lighting with an iPhone flashlight to create the shadows.


Figure 2.1 Filming set-up, Week 11(12/11/2024)

I edited using Premiere Pro and added some suitable music to enunciate the creepy and suspenseful message. 

Figure 2.2 Video Editing Software Interface, Week 11(14/12/2024)

I found myself struggling to make my video appear professional. The concept is solid, but filming on a lower-end camera, makes the video appear old and grainy.

This is the video with no editing: 

Figure 2.3 Video with no VFX, Week 12(19/12/2024)

I decided to add a few effects and fix some of the lighting and color grading before submitting. I added an adjustment layer to speed some of the process up.

Figure 2.4 VFX Video Editing, Week 12(22/12/2024)


: final video

This was my final video submission:

Figure 2.5 Final Video (MP4), Week 13(24/12/2024)

FEEDBACK


Week 9

General Feedback: Complete all uppercase letterforms and use a grid to ensure consistency in weight (stroke thickness). Submit task 2 for review.

Specific Feedback: Absent


Week 10

General Feedback: Task 3: aim to complete all lowercase letterforms (numerals & punctuations as well). Update Task 3 e-portfolio with research and process.

Specific Feedback: Missing class means you are behind on your work, so things must be sped up. I like the concept of experimenting with shadow casting in typography. An interesting piece of work can be produced by creating a video and working with different materials and shadows.


Week 11

General Feedback: T3 complete all letterforms uppercase, lowercase, numerals (punctuations left), complete font generation from FontLab7 (use MacLab D7.04 for original software) or download a free application like Font Forge. You may view this article from a former student on how to use it. 

Specific Feedback: You have left it too late to begin experimenting and judging by your pace I’m not confident if you will be able to complete this task in week 13’s class. That being said, I’m unable to answer your question. All I can say is that you need to ensure that the work is produced by you and does not look like someone else’s. 


Week 12

General Feedback: T3 adjust side bearings for all letters & punctuations using the chart provided on week 11. Use MacLab D7.04 for original FontLab7 software (or FontForge). Export font. Complete font presentations (5 artworks; 1024 x 1024 px each artwork, 300ppi). See sample below.

Specific Feedback: Absent


Week 13

General Feedback: Task 3 is to be submitted by week 13. To be specific 11:59PM the day before your class. So if your class is on Tuesday, your submission will be on Monday, 11:59PM.

Specific Feedback: Ensure that all process work is documented for exploration submission. The final product can be a failure result, however, the experimental process needs to be properly documented in the e-portfolio to be graded. Make sure to speed up the e-portfolio and complete the submission by Friday.


REFLECTIONS 

Experience: Task 3 was extremely risky and I had to step outside my comfort zone several times. Filming and editing proved to be more difficult than expected, and experimenting with organic material was a weakness of mine that I needed to work on. Regardless, I enjoyed the learning process and every curve thrown at me, I pushed myself to produce an output. I loved looking at works online and gathering inspiration, understanding what it is to experiment with typography.


Observations: I observed that a typographic experiment meant careful documentation and spontaneous choices while exploring a certain technique. I observed that through many others' work, an experiment is purely done through exploration, whether the final output was a success or failure. By cutting up organic letters up and observing their shadows, I am able  While observing others' works, I realized that many created fonts whilst I conducted an experiment, therefore the output were extremely different.


Findings: I found that I struggle not with completing the work on time, but with submitting the final work and documenting my process along the way. I found that documenting on the e-portfolio as the progression furthers is much easier than submitting all at once, and something I hope to apply next semester. I found that attending classes boosts my productivity, through the feedback and inspiration from others, however not to be embarrassed to show my work, no matter how behind I am.


FURTHER READING


A subtle revelry - Typographic Cake

Figure 2.6 Screenshot - A subtle revelry - Typographic Cake


This site was presented by Mr. Vinod in our assignment brief. I loved the creativity here and the exploration of a different medium to convey typography: baking. The complexity of the result yet the simplicity of the process is what inspired me, the hardest part was the innovative thpight process.

Fast Company - Typogami: A Free Animated Typeface Inspired By Origami



Figure 2.7 Screenshot -Fast Company - Typogami: A Free Animated Typeface Inspired By Origami

   This exploration not only provides a typeface, which is incredibly novel and incorporates one's love for origami and organic work to a digital format but also provides options for both a static and animated typeface, which depicts the "folding" of the paper to produce the final letter.

Rony Koch - Experimental Typography


https://ronykoch.myportfolio.com/experimental-typography-1

Figure 2.8 Screenshot - Rony Koch - Experimental Typography

I liked the exhibition and the different folding styles and materials. I love 3-dimensional work and this definitely inspired my process as well.

Melting - Experimental Typography by Endolphins





Figure 2.9 Melting - Experimental Typography by Endolphins on YouTube

This video, once again, provided in the assignment brief as reference, draws inspiration on how experimental work can be presented in a video format. The simple video length with its reverse style and music used captures the essence of a typographic experiment and exploration and is heavily infused in my work.

(to draw) Experimental Typography With Ferrofluid - Giovanni



Figure 3,0 (to draw) Experimental Typography With Ferrofluid - Giovanni on YouTube

Everything about this video is perfection. The angles, editing, video style, and music.

Experimental Typography Playlist - by Collect & Contrast



Figure 3.1 Experimental Typography Playlist - by Collect & Contrast on YouTube

This entire playlist helped me better understand the creative process of experimental typography. By using different mediums, styles, editing, we can create an output we are proud of.


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