TYPOGRAPHY - FINAL COMPILATION & REFLECTION

 

July 13 ,2025

ZHANG QIYU/0384019

Typography/Bachelor of Design in Creative Media/Taylor's University

Final Compilation & Reflection

---

                                          WEBSITE LINKS TO EACH TASK

1.1 Task 1: Type Expression and Text Formatting

1.2 Task 2: Typographic Exploration and Communication

1.3 Task 3: Type Design and Communication

---

                                  SUBMISSION

Task 1: Exercises - Type Expression

021/04/25 – 23/05/25 (Week 1 – Week 5)

                          Fig1.1  Final type expression "impaled, strike, sleep, hungry" 

                                         Fig1.2 Final Type Expression （PDF）

                                               Fig1.3  Final animated type expression ‘strike’ (GIF)

Task 1: Exercises - Text Formatting
19/5/25 - 8/6/25 (Week 5 - Week 7)

                                                  Fig2.1  Final text-formatting layout 

                                          

                                        Fig2.2  Final text-formatting layout (PDF)

                                                 Fig2.3  Final text-formatting layout 

                                              Fig2.4 Final text-formatting layout  (PDF)

Task 2: Typographic Exploration and Communication

09/05/23 – 23/05/23 (Week 6 – Week 8)

                                       Fig3.1  Final text formatting and expression 

                                      Fig 3.2  Final text formatting and expression (PDF)

                                      Fig 3.3  Final text formatting and expression with grid 

                                  Fig 3.4  Final text formatting and expression with grid (PDF)

Task 3: Type Design and Communication
2/06/25 – 19/07/25 (Week 7 – Week 13) 

Font download link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13MzwWfbDkky5i5R-zcIo7tQSvfeUKrEu/view?usp=sharing

                                                                               Fig.4.1 sketch

                                                        Fig.4.2 Screen Grab of Fontlab process

Fig 4.3  Construction of Regularly Outré on art board generated in AI (JPG, 1024px, 300ppi)

                              Fig 4.4  Construction on art board generated in AI (PDF)

                          Fig 4.5 A4 poster (JPEG, 1024px, 300ppi) generated in AI

                                                   Fig 4.6  A4 poster (PDF) generated in AI

---

                               REFLECTION

Experience

Over the course of these thirteen weeks, I progressively mastered the core skills of type design starting from scratch. The initial task was setting up an e-portfolio, through which I familiarized myself with the course framework and assignment requirements by watching instructional videos and reading the module handbook. Weekly asynchronous lectures systematically taught me typographic principles, font structures, and grid systems. In practical work, I transitioned from static type design (such as creating four-word compositions for "Exercise 1 Type Expression") to dynamic animations, refining my work through repeated revisions and file submissions (JPEG, PDF formats). Throughout the process, I frequently used Google Sheets to submit feedback and referenced exemplary past assignments to improve my designs.

Observations

I realized that the essence of type design lies in precision and adherence to standards. For instance, in the editorial layout of "Task 2," meticulous font specifications (e.g., Bembo Std, 72pt headline size, 11pt leading) and grid alignment significantly impacted professionalism. Additionally, designing non-Latin scripts (such as Armenian italics) required deeper cultural and structural analysis. By comparing different tools like Adobe Illustrator and FontLab 7, I found that the precision of vector software was crucial for adjustments like side bearings. Another key insight was that constraints (e.g., no color, no letterform distortion) actually stimulated creativity, pushing me to explore more concise yet impactful expressions.

Findings

Analyzing the provided ten typefaces and case studies, I came to understand that fonts are not just visual elements but also cultural and functional artifacts. For example, dissecting letters like "H, o, g" in "Task 3" revealed how stroke contrast and negative space reflected design intent. Experiments also highlighted differences between hand-drawn and digital tools: letters written with 3.0mm+ markers had more dynamism, while digitization required strict adherence to anchor points and path rules. Ultimately, I learned that successful type design balances innovation and practicality—exploring possibilities through sketches while ensuring readability and adaptability within technical constraints (e.g., 300ppi resolution, grayscale exports).