Q1 – Written assignment (observation and analysis) (4 hrs)
- Define the term “typography” in your own words
- Write a few sentences explaining what typography is not
Find a case study on typeface development on the Internet (similar to the ones in Addendum A). Explain which medium (small format printing, large format printing, mobile devices, etc.) the font developed is best suited for and why. Keep legibility, size and style in mind.
Typography is the art of arranging letters into words.
Typography is not making unique letters, ex. handwriting, carving, drawing.
I found a case study on the type font Gotham. Gotham was originally commissioned by GQ Magazine, and was to be masculine, new and fresh” with a geometric structure. The type font works well in printed media, and especially in larger sizes (headings).
Q2 – Research and written assignment (observation and analysis) (1,5 days)
- Document one day of your life acting as an observer of typographic design. Produce a comprehensive diary of the typographic experience of your day from first thing in the morning to last thing at night.
- Keep this diary within a research folder or sketchbook. You should be prepared to use photography, photocopying and other means where necessary to evidence what you find, as well as collecting first-hand examples of typographic design.
- Make notes or comments to reflect on what you have collected and documented. Your notes should help you to consider what kind of design it is that you are recording. For example, a cereal packet may have some large obvious lettering / typographic device on the front of the box, but there will also be typography in the form of information design within a “nutritional information” table on the packaging. So are you looking at promotional design/branding or information design? Or are you looking at typography? Is it lettering?
Choose two examples of design that you have collected that you consider to have either good or bad qualities. Try to analyse these further in terms of their typography. Can you identify the typefaces being used? Does the typography communicate successfully? If so, why? If not, why not?
This can is a big part of my life, so it felt natural to take a better look at this example.
I feel the typography is modern and easy to read. The typefont is sans-serif, in a rounded typefont for both “pepsi” and “no sugar”, all in small caps. “Max! and “maximum taste” is written in caps, and the color emphasizes that this is the “max” version (no sugar) of pepsi. It is easily recognized.
This image is of a milk carton from my fridge, used daily for my latte (and other things, of course). There are several type fonts used within a small space, the color holds it all together. It is also the color that makes people pick the right milk from in the store, so the “lettmelk” and “1,0 % fett” doesn’t need to be too large. They have modernized the look of their milk cartons many times, and the typefonts used now are sans-serif, modern looking.
Q3 – Practical assignment (2 days)
- Complete the exercise files that came with the LinkedIn video Indesign Typography. Upload them to WordPress.
- Use your design software to design a newspaper front page. Pay special attention to typography (size, leading, column width, etc.).
- Use your design software to design a double-page spread (DPS) for your favourite magazine (look at an example of a DPS here
Resources:
https://medium.com/@danyelle_brady/case-study-gotham-type-specimen-c4ddd71a2131
Image by NASA – from Unsplash.com
Randis Reflective Journal 