26/09/2022 - 29/11/2022 / Week 9 - Week 13
Trinity Wong Ka Yi / 0348778
Typography / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media / Taylor's University
Task 3 - Type Exploration and Application
LECTURES
ALL LECTURES WERE COMPLETED IN TASK 1.
INSTRUCTIONS
Figure 2.1 Module Information Booklet for Advanced Typography.
TASK 3
PROGRESS AND IDEA EXPLORATION
Week 9
First, we were instructed to make propose our ideas in the form of slides. I wanted to make something unique that would be specialized for certain situations. Hence, these were my ideas:
Figure 3.1 Idea proposal slides.
First, we were instructed to make propose our ideas in the form of slides. I wanted to make something unique that would be specialized for certain situations. Hence, these were my ideas:
Figure 3.1 Idea proposal slides.
Mr Vinod said both were fine and it was up to me to pick one. Initially, I picked Idea 1, but there was another classmate doing something similar. So after class, I actually changed my mind to Idea 2.
Week 10
Week 10
We were told to create 5 uppercase and lowercase as a draft for us to see if any issues were to arise when creating the rest of the font. Before starting, I tried looking for similar fonts to get an idea of how it would look.
Figure 3.2 Font inspiration.
After looking at these, I decided to take one od the stain and trace it out to form the C. Using that form, I then created other circular alphabets like G and Q. I then tried to make an E to see how it would appear. Overall, I was quite satisfied with the draft.
Figure 3.4 First draft on the letters.
Haha, jokes on me. Mr Vinod said they looked like bushes, which I don't disagree with, but I liked it too much to change. Oh well, gotta redo them.
Week 11
After last week's feedback, I looked up images of how coffee stains were to appear on glass texture, which would result in a less bumpy texture. Below is one of the main images I took inspiration from:
Figure 3.5 New stains to look at.
From there, I derived the letter C again and proceeded to make the other letters by analyzing their form of bumps.
After last week's feedback, I looked up images of how coffee stains were to appear on glass texture, which would result in a less bumpy texture. Below is one of the main images I took inspiration from:
Figure 3.5 New stains to look at.
Figure 4.3 New (incomplete) uppercase letters.
During feedback in class, Mr Vinod said that it was a tad too thin and asked me to add strokes to make it appear thicker. Besides that, he thought it was pretty consistent and told me to move on.
However, I was not satisfied with it and wanted to experiment more on the letter's shapes and see how I can make the idea of circular coffee rings more obvious. So these were another new batch of completed uppercase letters created by using the silhouette of multiple circles:
Figure 4.3 New (incomplete) uppercase letters.
During feedback in class, Mr Vinod said that it was a tad too thin and asked me to add strokes to make it appear thicker. Besides that, he thought it was pretty consistent and told me to move on.
However, I was not satisfied with it and wanted to experiment more on the letter's shapes and see how I can make the idea of circular coffee rings more obvious. So these were another new batch of completed uppercase letters created by using the silhouette of multiple circles:
REFINING PROCESS
Week 12
Completing the rest of the typeface, we had to make lowercase, numbers, as well as some symbols. I was focusing on other assignments so I was slightly behind. I managed to complete the lowercase before class and this was the progress. I was using the same method of using circles to derive the form.
Figure 5.1 Uppercase + lowercase.
Figure 5.2 Process and extra glyphs made when deciding which one to include in the final.
For feedback, Mr Vinod did not have any comment on the letters, but he did provide tips on how to utilize my application to bring home the look of coffee stains. Hence, these were my final uppercase and lowercase.
Figure 5.3 Final uppercase and lowercase.
Figure 5.4 Numbers and Symbols. (Ignore the disfigured &)
If you're wondering, the text there was me trying to compare how the symbols of other fonts looked like, as well as to see whether they reached the capline or ascender line.
Week 12
Completing the rest of the typeface, we had to make lowercase, numbers, as well as some symbols. I was focusing on other assignments so I was slightly behind. I managed to complete the lowercase before class and this was the progress. I was using the same method of using circles to derive the form.
Figure 5.3 Final uppercase and lowercase.
Figure 5.4 Numbers and Symbols. (Ignore the disfigured &)
FONTLAB TIME
Week 13
Now that all the glyphs are ready for import into FontLab, I moved them into my little grid box in Illustrator with the guidelines. Why are there so many guidelines? Some are for my own reference for letters like the height of lowercase t, i, and j, the slightly lifted baseline for g and y, and punctuations reaching below the baseline (.,:;). My When making the lowercase letters, Mr Vinod actually suggested going with a bigger x-height because of the round-ish nature of the typeface.
Figure 6.1 My gridlines in Illustrator.
Then came the big question, what do I name my font? I swear I spend way too much time on these small things. But lo and behold, after scavenging the web for a suitable name, I found an Italian word: Culaccino. Apparently, it means "a water ring, a mark left on a surface by the bottom of a wet glass or vessel (of tea, water, etc). HOW AMAZINGLY SUITABLE. Hence, my child is called Culaccino.
Figure 6.2 Culaccino typed in Culaccino.
Now onto the importing and kerning of each letter. A nightmare. Well after I imported all the uppercase into FontLab and started importing the lowercase, I typed out a sample text. To my horror, I realized: The uppercase looked bolder. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA And then I typed out more sample text and realized: SOME OF THE LOWERCASE LOOKED BOLDER THAN THE OTHERS. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Figure 6.3 Importing the letters.
Figure 6.4 Kerning.
Anyway, I decided to use the lower n as the standard so I went back into Illustrator and use Offset Path and typed a negative number to make it thinner and match the n. And then I imported everything back in. Yay happy ending.
Figure 6.3 Importing the letters.
Figure 6.4 Kerning.
Figure 6.5 Everything.
APPLICATIONSSSSSSS
Week 14
For application, my plan was to apply my font on cafe-related items. So to maximize my typeface, I've created a fictional cafe called Stained. whose branding concept revolves around leaving a mark on customers. Sounds a bit odd but the intention is that customers will remember the cafe because of the good impression it left on them.
Hence, I decided to create mockups of the store sign, cups, coasters, menus, aprons, etc.Mr Vinod also suggested that I keep my colour palette to the colour of a coffee stain to further give the impression of the coffee ring concept on my font.
First off, I started with the logo of the store.
Figure 7.1 Initial attempts.
For application, my plan was to apply my font on cafe-related items. So to maximize my typeface, I've created a fictional cafe called Stained. whose branding concept revolves around leaving a mark on customers. Sounds a bit odd but the intention is that customers will remember the cafe because of the good impression it left on them.
Creative block go brrrrrrr. But yea. I wasn't satisfied with any of them but my brain just didn't work. So I just slept on it and the next day, I got something I liked. It's so simple, yet somehow I did not think about it the day before. Not gonna lie, it reminded me of the London Underground logo HAHA because of the silhouette.
Figure 7.2 The logo I went with.
Figure 7.3 London Underground logo.
I have no time to describe my process but photos speak a thousand words, right?
Figure 7.4 Cup design.
Figure 7.5 Paper bag design.
Figure 7.6 All the designs done in Illustrator.
Figure 7.7 Full menu (Pls read because I spent 2 hours on it)
Figure 7.8 Coasters close up to see the stain effect.
Figure 7.9 How I made the effect
Figure 7.3 London Underground logo.
Figure 7.4 Cup design.
Figure 7.5 Paper bag design.
Figure 7.6 All the designs done in Illustrator.
Figure 7.7 Full menu (Pls read because I spent 2 hours on it)
Figure 7.8 Coasters close up to see the stain effect.
Figure 7.9 How I made the effect
FINAL WORK
Figure 8.1 Culaccino Typeface
Download Culaccino here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/18-Ptldh2KlBxXR1MM9qKESJsHmQACKxn/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/18-Ptldh2KlBxXR1MM9qKESJsHmQACKxn/view?usp=sharing
Figure 8.2 Menu, coaster, and business card mockups.
Figure 8.3 Paper bag mockup.
Figure 8.4 Coffee cup mockup.
Figure 8.5 Paper napkin mockup.
Figure 8.6 Paper napkin mockup.
Figure 8.7 PDF of Typeface and Application.
FEEDBACK
Week 12:
General feedback:
Have to focus on details during application and let the typeface stand out.
Specific feedback:
During application, try to use a subtle off-white paper texture and a coffee stain colour to give the impression.
Can use dodge and burn in photoshop to get that gradient effect on some spots.
Focus on the details like blotting and all.
Week 11:
General feedback:
A bit behind schedule.
Specific feedback:
Can see how the coffee stain has influenced the work. Thicken the strokes as it looks a bit too thin. Make sure lowercase looks circular in nature and the x-height is large.
Week 10:
General feedback:
Mostly just minor adjustments.
Specific feedback:
The current one is very consistent with style, but this one currently does not seem to resemble coffee stain much. It resembles coffee stain on textured paper, but try to observe how it stains on a glass table so there are lesser bumps and overall smoother. Back to the drawing table.
Week 9:
General feedback:
Most ideas are fine, just need to think about the application.
Specific feedback:
Both ideas look executable. Pick whichever one you like more.
Week 12:
General feedback:
Have to focus on details during application and let the typeface stand out.
Specific feedback:
During application, try to use a subtle off-white paper texture and a coffee stain colour to give the impression.
Can use dodge and burn in photoshop to get that gradient effect on some spots.
Focus on the details like blotting and all.
Week 11:
General feedback:
A bit behind schedule.
Specific feedback:
Can see how the coffee stain has influenced the work. Thicken the strokes as it looks a bit too thin. Make sure lowercase looks circular in nature and the x-height is large.
Week 10:
General feedback:
Mostly just minor adjustments.
Specific feedback:
The current one is very consistent with style, but this one currently does not seem to resemble coffee stain much. It resembles coffee stain on textured paper, but try to observe how it stains on a glass table so there are lesser bumps and overall smoother. Back to the drawing table.
Week 9:
General feedback:
Most ideas are fine, just need to think about the application.
Specific feedback:
Both ideas look executable. Pick whichever one you like more.
REFLECTION
ExperienceI actually enjoyed this assignment a lot because I genuinely like making typefaces. Might even develop the initial attempt one day and call it Bush or smth HAHA. Overall, a very enjoyable assignment. Mr Vinod pretty much just let loose and let us decide what we wanted to do and let ourselves evaluate it. I'm definitely more satisfied compared to the last assignment because there was too many things I wanted to do and too little time. Funny enough, by looking at all the food listed in the menu made me wanna get better from food poisoning faster so I can eat good food HAHA. Very happy with how everything turned out and I hope Mr Vinod thinks so too.
ObservationsOh you know, just seeing how classmates have totally different but equally exciting ideas and seeing all our work come to life is pretty exciting. But in terms of the assignment, it was just the usual "oh this is supposed to be at the cap line too" and "eH why does this look different".
FindingsI found out that food poisoning is not fun when you have assignments to pass up and all you can do is lie in bed in pain. Besides that, I found out which websites were reliable at giving me good mockups and which websites weren't.
I actually enjoyed this assignment a lot because I genuinely like making typefaces. Might even develop the initial attempt one day and call it Bush or smth HAHA. Overall, a very enjoyable assignment. Mr Vinod pretty much just let loose and let us decide what we wanted to do and let ourselves evaluate it. I'm definitely more satisfied compared to the last assignment because there was too many things I wanted to do and too little time. Funny enough, by looking at all the food listed in the menu made me wanna get better from food poisoning faster so I can eat good food HAHA. Very happy with how everything turned out and I hope Mr Vinod thinks so too.
Oh you know, just seeing how classmates have totally different but equally exciting ideas and seeing all our work come to life is pretty exciting. But in terms of the assignment, it was just the usual "oh this is supposed to be at the cap line too" and "eH why does this look different".
FURTHER READING
Figure 9.1 Same book as usual.
It's the same book because its the only design book I have physically and can always go through to find branding ideas.
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