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.