OUGD403 Module Evaluation

Evaluation of Module

In this module, I particularly liked the structure that comes with working with typography and the focus this can give. This creates restraints where letterforms have to be adapted to represent an idea or serve a purpose.  This has allowed me to think more creatively and use problem solving skills to portray a concept to the viewer. On the other hand, I have found that the rules can broken within typography to create more experimental work, whilst still retaining understanding because of the use of a common understanding of language.

During this module, my understanding of typographic terminology has been greatly improved. During Foundation, I touched upon this subject in one of my projects, however I now feel more confident in discussing typography technically. Research into typefaces and their characteristics, as well as looking at how other branding uses typographic features to evoke certain qualities, has shown me the importance of how type characteristics can influence the personality of type and its appropriateness to its function. This understanding of type will be applicable to a range of applications in the future such as branding, layouts and poster design where word and image are used in conjunction.

Research has been particularly important within the development of my projects. This provides a basis for design interpretation and allows for a more meaningful interpretation of a brief. It has provided me with a means of taking the less obvious route, which in turn has made my work more challenging and engaging. Research has made my concepts stronger and allowed me to back my work up with reasoning, which people are more likely to relate to. In this module, as a starting point for designing it was important to research the word, its meanings, history and synonyms for ideas to develop from. In future briefs, I will use this as a tool for research and ideas.

Feedback in crits have allowed me to understand which ideas are working well and what can be improved. Suggestions from this feedback have provided ways of refining ideas and developing them further. Gaining opinion from other people has brought a fresh pair of eyes when evaluating the effectiveness of my work, as this is often difficult when you have been part of the whole design process.

In terms of producing work, hand rendered designs have enabled me to create multiple versions quickly and easily. It has also allowed for greater control over the design process and manipulations of ideas, allowing more variation within my work than if I just used the computer. I also find that digital work can take much longer and become frustrating when trying to create initial ideas. It is better used as a tool of refining a few ideas rather than many. However, tools in Illustrator such as the offset path tool, manipulation of anchor points and the ability to compress typography have allowed me to modify designs quickly and easily without having to redrawn the whole design again. 

During this module, I often found I was prioritising design work over blogging which led to me having to backtrack to write about the work. This I found was actually inhibiting my work because I felt the blogging was holding me back rather than helping me, which it is supposed to do. In the future, rather than doing a lot of design work all at the same time I will break it down into chunks and write about each part as I go along, preferably on the same day. This I feel will aid my design work more and enable me to keep on top of things better.

Studio Brief 2 - Typeface Design - Type Specimen, Rationale and Crit

Type Specimen, Rationale, Crit Feedback and Evaluation

Type Rationale

Based on the word succinct the typeface is both clear and compact. Designed for wayfinding it provides clarity and readability with a geometric twist, whilst balancing functionality with personality. Legibility allows for quick recognition when reading signage on the move, with this in mind various features of my typeface aim to increase understanding.

The typeface boasts large counters which increase internal space making the letterforms clearer and more effective at a range of scales. A spur was added to the ‘b’ to avoid confusion between similar letters. Tittles on the ‘i’ and ‘j’ are accentuated to aid recognition. Tails are extended to create clearer more defined letterforms. Terminals are opened up on the ‘c’ and ‘e’ to avoid fill at smaller sizes and to prevent them being mistaken for an ‘o’.

The design developed from synonyms of succinct, words such as compact, condensed and crisp formed the basis of the typeface. These words provided physical characteristics which could be  applied to Univers, my starting typeface. Through adapting the grid used to make Univers to be square , with the x height being the same as the width, I was able to form a structure in which my letterforms could be developed in. Each letter was adapted to mould around the grid which appears to restrict and compress the forms. This structure allowed the curved characteristics to be standardised across the whole typeface creating consistent letterforms.

Univers was chosen as a starting point because of the already existent clarity of letterforms which provided a neutral form to add personality to and a solid structure to base my letterforms around. Features such as a moderate x height, narrow bodies and short ascenders and descenders all linked to the concept of compression and compactness, however the typeface has been developed to exaggerate these initial characteristics. A key feature of Univers that influenced the development of the typeface was the flat bowl in the letter ‘a’ which led to the rest of the typeface being flattened and subsequently compressed­ around the edges.

The typeface is suitable for a range of wayfinding applications from airports to city centre signage and aims to bring personaility to a practical setting. It is clear and robust with a geometric feel that is both appealing and functional.

Type Specimen

Finished type specimen 

Finished typeface

To create my type specimen I used 'signs' to put my typeface into context. Based upon airport signage, I have used a similar colour scheme and symbols found within this setting to further convey the function of the typeface. 

Crit Feedback and Evaluation

During my last crit feedback it overall was positive for my final outcome. In the feedback, it was said that the typeface is legible and clear. It was suggested that the kerning could be tighter to bring the letters closer together and reflect the compressed concept further. In contrast, it was said that the wider kerning allows for easier legibility and creates a bolder and clearer impact. For me the wider kerning prevents letterforms from merging making it clearer and easier to understand in a range of scenarios. It was said that the grid system used works well in compacting the typeface which gives the typeface structure but is not too constrained by its own rigidity. The typeface works well in black and white on a range of backgrounds whilst still retaining its legibility. The mixture of curved and straight edges make the typeface legible but orderly and serious enough to aide and guide people. Although I only created a lowercase alphabet and therefore lowercase signs it was said that this worked well even without the conventional caps at the beginning of each word. This is interesting because during my research into legibility I found that lowercase letters were clearer, but this suggests that potentially upper case letters are not needed at all in wayfinding. The horizontal terminals it was suggested create uniformity and direction which is something I had not considered; however, I can see how it may lead the eye along from one letterform to the next, particularly because of the standardised structure. It was also suggested whether the ‘s’ could be made more angular which I agree with as the form is slightly more clunky. The connection between the diagonal stroke and the top and bottom strokes could be made more curved, however this was particularly difficult in the grid system I was working with. By putting the typeface in context, it allowed people to evaluate it in terms of its function and reinforced the overall concept of the typeface. It was said that it would be easily read from a distance making it good for airport signage. Some people suggested that it may not have been as obvious it was for wayfinding however in context it worked well.  

Studio Brief 2 - Typeface Design - Further Refinement

Further Refinements

To refine the 'a' I have experimented with adjusting the connection between the bowl and stem of the letter.

Sharp curvature

Initially I increased the curvature so it was much steeper however this affected the counter quite drastically making it look very angular which didn't fit with the rest of the forms in the typeface.

Retaining the counterform

By moving one of the anchor points closer to the other this did not affect the counterform but created contrast in the connection. However when this was made bolder I found that this was still not a significant enough adjustment. 

Overlapping anchor points

Through moving the anchor point so it met the other anchor point I created the most reduced form possible. When looking at this in its lighter form it looked too drastic, however when made bolder like the rest of the typeface it fitted much better and made the connection look sturdier.

Increasing the width of strokes

To make the diagonal strokes in the 'v' bolder I increased the width of them from 4 to 5 squares thick which increased the thickness making it a similar weight to the rest of the typeface.

'k' experimentation

When adapting the 'k' I tried to make it into a double storey 'k' using the curves and stright edges seen in the rest of the typeface. This ended up looking completely wrong and looked more like a capital 'R' with an ascender which looked really odd.

'k' experimentation

I wanted to try and create a 'k' that was more like the 'k' used in Univers as I thought this would look more refined than previous experiments. I adapted the 'k' to work within my grid, however I found that it looked to elongated and had very wide angles which looked odd. 

'k' experimentation

To refine this further I decided to reduce the width of the grid to three quarters of its original size, which would mimic the proportions of the 'r' in my alphabet. This I think created a more regular angle in the 'k' which made it look less stretched.

Final typeface 

In response to changing the 'k' I also adapted the 'x' to a normal formation which I think will be more legible for wayfinding. The terminals have been reduced on the 'c' and 'e' so there are larger open counters, which will increase legibility and reduce the risk of fill at smaller sizes.

Looking at scale

The typeface can be reduced to 20pt and still retain its legibility which I think will make it suitable for a variety of applications in wayfinding at both large and smaller scales. 

Studio Brief 2- Typeface Design - Refinement

Typeface Refinement

Parts that need refining

After digitalising my designs I have found certain things that need to be adapted.

- The spurs the 'a', 'd' and 'u' need to be emphasised more so there needs to be a sharper curved angle. At the moment I don't think they would withstand being at smaller sizes making the letters less legible.

- The terminal on the 'c' and 'e' need to be opened up further to reduce the likelihood of fill at smaller sizes

- The 'x' and 'k' are too distinctive for the typeface if it is to be used in wayfinding so these need to be adapted to more standard looking letters by using straight strokes rather than curved

- The width of the v needs to be increased to match the thickness of the other letters, because the diagonal aspect compresses the width making it look thinner.

Bolder typeface

The typeface as a whole is also too light to be used in wayfinding. By increasing the stroke width using the offset path function in Illustrator, I have been able to create bolder letterforms without redrawing the whole typeface. This I think will be much clearer for signage and legibility at a distance. 

Studio Brief 2 - Typeface Design - Development

Typeface Development 

Grid development

Using the square grid adapted from the original Univers grid I have begun to develop my typeface.

Bold typeface proportions

Light typeface proportions 

I adapted the grid further to experiment with the ascender and descender heights to see how 'compressed' and square I could make the type without it looking deformed and out of proportion. I found that making the ascender and descender height so it was only one block wide squashed the tails and didn't leave much room for curvature within the tail. Increasing the ascender height and descender height back up to two squares high allowed more room for a proportioned tail with a smoother looking form. The bolder typeface looked a little too blocky and I felt the internal counterforms were being distorted a little too much making it look different to the outside form. The best proportioned letter was from the lighter typeface (top, middle). This I think has good balance between the x height and ascender and descender height whilst also having a distinctive form. The lighter typeface also has more pronounced counters which will aid legibility. 

Designing the letterforms 

Creating the 'a'

Initially I tried to adapt the double storey 'a' from Univers to fit within the square grid, however in order to do this, this meant either reducing the counter within the 'a' or reducing the height of the top half of the 'a'. This meant it was impossible to create balance within the two halves which would make it stand out when alongside other letters. By converting the double storey 'a' to a single storey 'a' this enabled me to mimic the characteristics of other letters within the typeface and increase the internal space making it more legible. 


  

Extending the tails

Within my research I found that by extending tails this created clearer letterforms and helped with character recognition. I applied this to letters such as 'f','t','l','j' by creating a sharper curve and straighter and longer terminal. Tails in descenders such as 'g' and 'y' were rounded fully to curve back upwards which creates distinctive letterforms.

Making letters such as the the j,l, t, f half size

The j,l,t and f were created in a grid that was half the size of the other letters, which followed similar proportions in Univers. 

Adapting the 'k' to be like the 'x'

Creating the k within the square formation led to the same difficulties as the double storey 'a'. To rectify this I was influenced by the Univers 'k' form and inspired by the look of my 'x'. I combined both of these ideas to create a distinctive 'k'. However I am not sure how legible this may turn out to be so it may need some work later on.

Creating the 'x'

To create the 'x' I continued the curved formation from the rest of the letters. This I think gives the 'x' a distinctive quality whilst still being recognisable.

Creating the 'm' and 'w'

When creating the 'm' and 'w' I wanted to reflect the same form in both. The general structure of the typeface was to remove the connections and straighten the shoulder to the stem. I applied this to the 'm' and 'w' however it looked very odd with the mixture of straight and curved shoulders. To rectify this I decided upon creating 'rounded' shoulders with no straight edges as I thought this fitted best with the overall type. 

Adding spurs to aid legibility

In my research on legibility and accessibility I found that letters such as 'b' and 'd' were easily confused. To prevent this I added a spur to the 'd' to create a distinction between the two letters. This was also done on the 'a' and 'u'. The 'a' was quite a rounded shape to begin with which I thought may be mistaken for an 'o' at a distance. By adding the spur this highlights the stem of the letter rather than being a continuous stroke. The 'u' could have originally been mistaken for a 'V' because of the straight edge, however with the addition of a spur it creates a rounded connection to the stem, making it more curved than angular.

Increasing the tittle size 

In my research I found that an increased tittle size emphasises recognition and helps recognition between and 'i' and 'l'. The original tittles on Univers were squares however I changed these to circles and made them larger than the width of the stem.

Adapting the 'r'

Originally I created the 'r' to follow the square grid system however when drawn this looked far to wide and disproportionate when compared with the original Univers typeface. I experimented with reducing the width of the grid used. When I halved the width so it was the same size as letters like j, l and t it looked too compressed and the arm of the 'r' was too short making it seem very narrow. When I made the grid to three quarters of its usual size this created enough extension within the arm of the 'r' whilst being proportionate to the stem. 

Studio Brief 2 - Typeface Design - Typographic Accessibility

Typographic Accessibility

FS Me is a typeface developed by FontSmith in partnership with the charity Mencap. Its function is to improve the legibility of words for people with learning disabilities and ‘represents the ability within disability’. Legibility is on a scale with some more accessible than others. It is important to know and understand who the end user is when designing a typeface so it is suitable for them.

Based on the information within the accessibility infographic I have adjusted my design to make it more legible and therefore more appropriate for wayfinding. Although the typeface is aimed at a different audience and viewed in a different way some of the principles of legibility in this context are transferable to my own work. In my design, I have converted the tittles to circles rather than the original squares used in Univers. The larger tittles provide more emphasis and make them clearer when reading. I have increased the size of the open counters to improve the distinction of letters (e.g. e and c) at smaller scales as these can often look ‘closed’ when reduced in size or for partially sighted users. Counters within the letters are large to reduce filling at smaller sizes and will be appropriate for viewing at further distances. By looping the tails of certain letters (e.g. y,g,j,l and t) I have created clearer more emphasised letter forms. To create a better distinction between the ‘b’ and ‘d’ I have added a tail to the ‘d’ rather than having a mirror image of the ‘b’ which can be confused. To aid distinction between the ‘l’ and ‘i’ I added a tail to the ‘l’ which has changed its form drastically. 

Studio Brief 2 - Typeface Design - FS Millbank by Fontsmith

FS Millbank – How should wayfinding typography look?

Quick recognition is essential when designing wayfinding so the typeface needs to be legible and functional. Signage fonts need to be as clear, legible and readable as possible otherwise this will hinder helping the viewer. It is important to take into consideration the environmental conditions that the type will be seen in e.g. poor lighting and where it will be seen or interacted with e.g. apps, print, electronic display. Viewing type at different angles has an effect on how they look Rough sketches are important in generating initial ideas which can then be refined. The typeface needed to have longevity and be ‘something bold, punchy, solid and robust, but human and full of personality..’. By testing the type in a variety of different sizes it is easier to see which forms are more illegible or difficult to decipher and replicate small size use. It was also found that some of the most used typefaces in signage were too wide, heavy and not very legible. By blurring ad distorting the letters this enables the basic skeletal structure of the letterforms to be seen and adapted if less legible in some areas. Signage has to be understood quickly and easily as people are often on the move when reading them so certain features are important:

- Tails on letters such as d,a,l and u emphasise their forms more

- Serif on the ‘i’ helps to aid distinction between similar letters and numerals such as ‘l’ and ‘1'

-There are wide ink traps on the A,K,M,V,W,X which make the letters easier to read at sharp angles

- Open terminals and internal shapes allow letters to be easily identified when viewed at different angles

- In my own work I need to refine my letterforms by increasing the size of the open counters to stop the counterforms merging when small. I also need to make the ‘i’ distinctive from the ‘l’ to avoid confusion

- Internal spaces need to be maximised within my letters and I will do this by making the stroke weight consistent in my letterforms. 

FS Millbank 

Studio Brief 2 - Typeface Design - Videos

Videos 

House industries interview with Ken Barber 

‘Draw to become a better designer’

Drawing enables designers to deal with individual elements and understand the relationship between them. Having an awareness of type within space is important.

Lettering can stand as a logotype or work in conjunction with other elements to enhance design work. There is a need for more specialisation in design, graphic design encompasses so many areas that people can’t be expected to be good at everything.

A good letterer needs knowledge of type history as there are cross discipline principles in type ad lettering. Using typefaces as a basis for lettering is an effective way of approaching lettering for people new to the subject.

Font Smith interview with Jason Smith

Calligraphy and signmaking important influences when creating letterforms. Originally he did a lot of packaging however this is a very consumerised, meaning it is thrown away and does not last very long, whereas identities do.

Sketchbooks are important as they show how an identity could and should develop. The concept of what the typeface should portray must be firmly understood as the typeface will bring the story of the brand and what it stands for to life. Adapting it across various media should be thought of afterwards.

Things learnt from the interviews

- the importance of drawing in design, which enables you to better understand typography as well as have more control over the design process

- sketchbooks provide an accessible place for your ideas to start and develop 

- it is important to play with scale whether this be expanding a singular letter to better refine it or reducing it to see whether they work alongside each other 

- defining the concept of the typeface is the most important thing, as this will underpin how your type will develop and increase the likelihood of you communicating an idea to the viewer  

Studio Brief 2 - Typeface Design - Initial Idea 4 and Crit Feedback

Display Type

This typeface would reduce letterforms back to their most basic forms whilst still retaining legibility. The letterforms would be stripped back to the most important one or two strokes needed to make up the individual letters. This would be used as a display type or as part of a logotype / branding. 

Removing strokes

In my initial experimentation I was looking at which strokes or parts of strokes could be taken away whilst still keeping the overall form. 

Reducing letterforms to minimal strokes

Working over the top of Univers I was able to explore how I could create letters in the least amount of strokes whilst maintaining the overall form of the letterforms. Some letters could not be reduced to one stroke unless you backtracked over an existing stroke. This could possibly be explored further. I have not joined the beginning of the strokes with the rest of the letterforms to because I want to emphasise the stroke formation rather than creating a solid letterform.

Creating minimal strokes with Univers

Filled letterforms

By redrawing over Univers, this time also using the width of the typeface I was able to create a rough version of the whole typeface. Some letters such as the w,x,y and z looked too disjointed initially because I had broken them down into singular strokes when I could of combined them into one flowing stroke. Overall I need make the weight more consistent where I have ignored serifs and I need to create more rounded terminals on all of the letters to reflect the drawn nature of the type .

Reducing uppercase to minimal strokes

This design similarly explores how I can reduce letterforms to minimal strokes and still be clear. Capital letters have a much more structured formation which I thought would provide the rigidity for more precise 'strokes'. By doing this some letters have become abstract shapes which are still representational. However some cannot be reduced anymore because they are already singular strokes, meaning that the letterforms have stayed the same. 

Defining and adapting letterforms

In order to change all the letterforms I would have to adapt the rule and experiment with taking away sections within the forms to make them different from the original Univers typeface.

      

Rounded terminals 

To make the letters look more like 'strokes' I have rounded off the terminals to create a softer edge, whilst still retaining the structured formation.

Negative space

Experimenting with the idea of reducing a letter to its simplest form, I wanted to see how a letter could be legible using the negative space around it. This has been used to create letterforms without there being a physical letter. Within my research I found that the interplay between letterform and its background is particularly important. The counterform is not just the a reversal of the letterform but a separate shape which changes alongside other counterforms.  

Representing negative space with lines

Representing negative space with lines

With this experimentation I have used lines to 'outline' the negative space around the letterforms. This has proved to be more minimal for some letters whereas others are effectively look the same as the letterform.

Blocking out negative space 

Following on from this I experimented with blocking in the sections I had outlined. This worked effectively for some letters, however, some which had upright stems lost the negative space on the otherside of them. In order to bring this back into the design and emphasise the thickness of the stems I drew black lines to represent the negative space on the other side of the stems.   

Crit Feedback 

It was suggested that idea 4, where I had reduced the letterforms to minimal strokes, evoked a futuristic feel which I agree with. However I think this will be the primary thing people will associate with the typeface rather than the 'succinct' concept. For idea 1 someone recommended Paul Mijksenaar who creates wayfinding systems to help develop the idea. In other feedback it was said that idea 3 represented the idea of succinct very well however I am unsure how I can go forward with it because it relies on having clear typography, which would mean I would have to use one of the typefaces without changing it. I am not sure how I can adapt the typeface aside from splitting the letters which for me is not changing the typeface enough.

Moving forward

Idea 1 seems to be the most practical out of my initial ideas and I think it would be effective in wayfinding. Idea 2 is quite a strong idea and would allow me to adapt the typeface in a similar way to idea 1. However the use of the typeface for small print, would mean that I would have to make sure it was functional at this size, which could be difficult. Idea 3, although representing succinct well, I am not sure how I could adapt it further to make it my own. The futuristic aspect of idea 4 I think may overshadow the reductionist concept of the typeface.   

I have decided to go forward with the wayfinding typeface, this I think has the strongest concept behind it and is the most functional. The synonyms of 'succinct' will give me a strong basis for adapting my letterforms and will allow me to add personality to the typeface. The grid systems will provide me with a strong structure which will create a uniformity across the typeface allowing it to work in different combinations.