ADVANCED TYPOGRAPHY - TASK 1: EXERCISES

九月 23, 2025

ADVANCED TYPOGRAPHY - TASK 1: EXERCISES

Sep 24,2025
24/9/2025 - 19/10/2025
ZHANG QIYU/0384019
Typography/Bachelor of Design in Creative Media/Taylor's University
Task 1：Exercises

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. LECTURES

2. INSTRUCTIONS

3. FEEDBACK

4. REFLECTIONS

5. FURTHER READING

LECTURES

Week 1:

AdTypo_1_Typographic Systems

These eight major variations are as follows:

Axial
Radial
Dilatational
Random
Grid
Modular
Transitional
Bilateral

The typographic systems are akin to what architects term "shane orammars".

While view it provides a solid framework that allows learners to be guided in their exploration while their intuition develops and maste.

1.Axial System:

All elements are organised to the left or right of a single axis.
Which can be strictly symmetrical or flexibly asymmetrical, but all have a clear visual alignment line.

Fig 1.1 Axial System

2. Radial System

All elements are extended from a point of focus.
All elements radiate, surround or focus on a central point or focus, forming a circular or spiral layout.

Fig 1.2 Radial System

3. Dilatational System

All elements from a central point in a circular fashion.
A series of circles, squares or shapes sharing a common center, spreading outwards from the center, similar to ripples or a bullseye.

Fig 1.3 Dilatational System

4. Random System

Elements appear to have no specific pattern or relationship.
Elements are seemingly placed randomly and without pattern, but are usually carefully designed to achieve a non-structured, organic or dynamic effect.

Fig 1.4 Random System

5. Grid System

A system of vertical and horizontal divisions.
Vertical and horizontal dividing lines are used to form a clear grid (such as column grid, modular grid), and elements are strictly aligned within the grid, giving a strong sense of order.

Fig 1.5 Grid System

6. Transitional System

A informal system of layered banding.
Space is organized through the overlapping of elements, the stacking of textures and layers, rather than relying on clear alignment lines, forming a flowing and rhythmic layout.

Fig 1.6 Transitional System

7. Modular System

A series of non-objective elements that are constructed in as a standardized units.
Repetitive units (modules), these modules are combined like building blocks. It can be regarded as a specific application of the grid system.

Fig 1.7 Modular System

8. Bilateral System

All elements are symmetrically distributed along a central axis, forming a mirror effect, which is solemn, stable and formal.

Fig 1.8 Bilateral System

An understanding of the systems organization process allows the designer to break free from"the rigid horizontal and vertical grid systems of letter press" , It allows designers to use more fluid means to create typographic messages.

Week 2：

AdTypo_2_Typographic Composition

1.Principles of Design Composition

Advanced Typography composition is guided by design principles such as emphasis, isolation, repetition, symmetry and asymmetry, alignment, and perspective.

However, applying these abstract concepts to typographic layouts can be challenging, as they often seem better suited to imagery than complex informational elements.

Fig 2.1 Empahsis on typographic system

2.The Rule of Thirds

Is a compositional guide from photography. It proposes dividing a frame into three columns and three rows, using the intersecting lines as a reference to place points of interest within the given space.

Fig 2.2 The Rule of Thirds on design composition

3.Typographic Systems

In typographic composition, the Grid System is the most pragmatic and widely used of the eight major systems.

Fig 2.3 Grid System

In reaction to the ordered typography of modernism, a new generation of designers embraced chaos, randomness, and asymmetry in the postmodern era.

Pioneered by designers like David Carson, asymmetrical, random, and radial systems took root, energized by punk anti-establishment culture.

Fig 2.4 Designs by Paula Scher, Jonathan Barnbook, David Carson

4.Other models / Systems

Environmental Grid

The Environmental Grid system explores existing structures, extracting key lines to form a superstructure. Designers organize information around this framework, incorporating non-objective elements to create unique visual textures.

Fig 2.5 Example of Environmental Grid

Form and Movement

The system is developed from exploring existing grid systems. It encourages students to discover the multitude of options grids offer, dispelling the rigidity often associated with their use.

By placing forms (images, text, color) across multiple pages, the turning of pages is seen as a slowed-down animation, creating a sense of movement within the layout.

Fig 2.6 Form & Movement

Week 3

AdTypo_3_Context & Creativity

Handwriting

We study handwriting because early printed typefaces were designed to mimic handwriting. The tools and materials used— bones, reeds, quills, and various surfaces like clay, papyrus, and paper—shaped the style and structure of letters.

Fig 3.1 Evolution of the Latin Alphabet

Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics (approximately 2613–2160 BC)

The Egyptian writing system combined with relief art, integrating "pictographic" and phonetic characters, was the prototype of the later alphabet system.

The pictographic symbols have three functions:

Expressing meaning: directly representing the depicted object.
Limiting symbols: indicating that the preceding symbol is a phonetic one and providing a hint about the meaning category.
Phonetics: representing pronunciation and combining to form words.

Cuneiform script (around 3000 BC)

This was the earliest true writing system, which was in use for a very long time, from approximately the 34th century BC to the 1st century AD.
The characters were in the form of wedge shapes, created by pressing a reed pen onto a wet clay tablet.
The characters initially derived from pictographic patterns, and later gradually evolved and became more abstract.

Fig 3.2 Ancient Egypt Hieroglyphics Chart

Later typographers, driven by research and historical respect, paid tribute to past developments by publishing books and adapting handwritten styles for printing. With the digital revolution, Western type foundries began digitizing, marketing, and licensing historical letterforms—a practice worthy of admiration.

However, Western colonization disrupted or stunted many Eastern cultural traditions, including literature, arts, languages, and scripts. Let’s now briefly explore Eastern developments in handwriting.

Fig 3.3 Evolution of Chinese Script

The oldest writing systems in Southeast Asia were Indian scripts. The most significant was Pallava (or Pallawa in Malay), a South Indian script originally used for Sanskrit and Tamil. Pallava became highly influential, forming the foundation for many writing systems across Southeast Asia.

Another important script used in the Malay Archipelago was Pra-nagari, an early form of the Nagari script, also employed for writing Sanskrit in India.

Fig 3.4 Kedukan Bukit, from Sumantara

Indonesia's most important historical script is Kawi. Though derived from Nagari, Kawi is indigenous to Java. Its name comes from the Sanskrit "kavya," meaning poet.

Kawi was notably used for communication between kingdoms and became widespread, forming the basis for scripts in Indonesia and the Philippines. Thus, ancient Malay Peninsula kingdoms used both Indian scripts and Kawi to write Old Malay.

Fig 3.5 Laguna Copperplate Inscription

Fast forward

Indonesia possesses numerous historical writing systems. We focus particularly on scripts used by communities that later integrated into the Peninsula Malay communities.

Scholars theorize that an ancient Proto-Sumatran writing system, derived from Gujarati, served as the basis for medieval scripts on the island.

Fig 3.6 Incung comes from a South Sumatran

Jawi is an Arabic-based alphabet introduced alongside Islam. Its adoption process is more complex than simple religious conversion.

Ancient Hindu societies in South and Southeast Asia were class-based, often leaving lower classes illiterate. While Islam didn't fully eliminate this, its emphasis on teaching for proselytization led traders to teach Jawi to those who previously had no access to literacy.

This allowed Jawi to spread among upper and middle-class residents in trading ports. However, it took time to replace other scripts and never completely supplanted them in some regions.

Fig 3.7 Record of sale for a female Batak slave to a British

Programmers and Type Design

Software giants like Google are increasingly developing vernacular scripts by employing many Asian programmers and designers. A growing number of vernacular and "multi-script" typefaces—a term coined by Muthu Nedumaran—are being created to meet communication needs in both local scripts and Latin alphabets.

Fig 3.8 Baloo, a multi-script typeface

Local Movements and Individuals

In Southeast Asia, the local design movement still lacks strong organization and coordination. However, with growing awareness and examples from larger regions, the rich talent pool and resources are becoming more accessible.

This encourages young designers to look inward—examining their heritage, culture, and community—and draw inspiration from historical developments. Rather than adopting foreign influences without context, they can build upon relevant local foundations.

True creativity and inspiration should start by observing our surroundings and exploring our shared histories.

Week 4

AdTypo_4_Designing Type

Frutiger

Fig 4.1 Furtiger

It is a sans serif typeface being designed by Adrian Frutiger who is a renowned 20th century Swiss designer. The purpose of Frutiger was create a clean, distinctive and legible typeface that is easy to see from both close up and far away. It is extremely functional.

Considerations/Limitations: letterforms neded to be recognized even in poor light conditions or when the reader was moving quickly past the sign. He tested with unfocused letters to see which letterforms could still be identified.

Verdana

Fig 4.2 Verdana

The purpose is to be extremely legible even at very small sizes on the screen due in part to the popurlarity of the internet and electronic devices.

The limitation is Verdena font exhibit characteristic derived from pixel rather than pen and brush. Thus, it has some commonly confused characters like lowercase i, j, l.

Johnston Sans：

Fig 4.3 Johnston Sans

Johnston Sans is created by Edward Johnsatsn. He was asked to create a typeface with bold simplicity. It is used in the posters and signage of London's Underground railway.

1.General Process of Type Design

Research

Study type history, anatomy, and terms
Define the font's purpose (e.g., for school buses or airports)
Review existing fonts for reference

Sketching

Some designers sketch traditionally with pen/ink then scan
Others sketch digitally (e.g., Wacom) for speed and consistency
Both methods have pros and cons

Digitization

Professional software: FontLab, Glyphs App
Some use Adobe Illustrator (less approved by purists)
Focus on both letter shapes and counterforms for readability

Testing

Essential for refining the typeface
Includes prototyping and feedback
Readability crucial for text fonts; expression matters more for display fonts

Deployment

Even after release, minor spacing and alignment issues may appear that weren't caught during testing. Revisions continue post-launch, making thorough testing essential to minimize these problems.

2.Typeface Construction

Roman Capital Construction

The letter grid is based on a square containing a circle that touches its sides. Inside the square is a centered rectangle at 3/4 of its height. This structure, combined with circular forms, helps create customized grids for designing letterforms.

Design Considerations

When designing type, curved and protruding forms should extend slightly beyond the baseline and cap line for visual balance. Vertical alignment between curved and straight forms also needs adjustment.

Letter spacing requires visual correction—equal mechanical spacing doesn't work. The goal is uniform visual spacing, where white space between letters appears consistent. This process is called "fitting."

INSTRUCTIONS

Exercise 1_Typographic System

In this exercise, we are instructed to come up with 8 layout designs using different typographic systems. This is the text I choose for the exercise:

The Design School,

Taylor’s University

All Ripped Up: Punk Influences on Design

Open Public Lectures:

June 24, 2021

Lew Pik Svonn, 9AM-10AM

Ezrena Mohd., 10AM-11AM

Suzy Sulaiman, 11AM-12PM

June 25, 2021

Lim Whay Yin, 9AM-10AM

Fahmi Reza, 10AM-11AM

Manish Acharia, 11AM-12PM

Research

After watching the professor's layout video, I gained a thorough understanding of these eight systems. So, I searched for many examples on the internet to complete my assignment.

Fig 1.1 Reference

1. Axial System

Fig 2.1 Axial System first attempt

I chose the left design because it establishes a clear and powerful vertical axis that connects all the informational elements, creating a strong sense of order and visual guidance. The generous use of whitespace also contributes to a more dynamic and modern layout composition.

2. Radial System

Fig 2.2 Radial System first attempt

The reason for choosing the left side is that the right side is too simple. While the left side is clearly distinguishable in terms of color combination and the size of the letters.

3. Dilatational System

Fig 2.3 Dilatational System first attempt

I chose the left design because its more controlled—the text radiates outward from a clear central point, creating strong visual tension while maintaining a clear information hierarchy.

On the right, I originally intended to create a design similar to a Wi-Fi pattern, but the spacing between the elements was difficult to control.

4. Random System

Fig 2.4 Random System first attempt

On the left, what I envision is a bunch of words randomly placed together, from dense to scattered, creating a kind of random pattern. I think it's very special. On the right, this is my initial idea. I didn't quite understand what I wanted to do. It's a bit confusing.

5. Grid System

Fig 2.5 Grid System first attempt

I chose the left design because it employs a strict vertical grid to present the date information in a clear columnar structure.It's rather special. The right side is more ordinary.

6. Transitional System

Fig 2.6 Transitional System first attempt

The one on the left is more advanced. The one on the right is too messy.

7. Modular System

Fig 2.7 Modular System first attempt

I chose the design on the left because its rigorous modular grid clearly separates the dates, speakers, and time slots into distinct zones. This creates a stable visual structure, allowing the public to grasp the lecture information at a glance.

The right side is a bit messy and the colors don't look good.

8. Bilateral System

Fig 2.8 Bilateral System first attempt

I chose the left design because its bilateral system achieves visual balance through symmetry, while the contrast in text orientation and size injects a tension and dynamism characteristic of punk style into the overall layout. This makes it conceptually more complete than the right layout.

Attempt

Fig 2.9 Revised Version

Final Submission: Exercise 1_Typographic System

Fig 3.1 Final Axial System (JPEG)

Fig 3.2 Final Radial System (JPEG)

Fig 3.3 Final Dilatational System (JPEG)

Fig 3.4 Final Random System (JPEG)

Fig 3.5 Final Grid System (JPEG)

Fig 3.8 Final Bilateral System (JPEG)

Fig 3.6 Final Transitional System (JPEG)

Fig 3.7 Final Modular System (JPEG)

Fig 3.9 Final Submission_Exercise 1_Typographic System (PDF)

Fig 3.10 Final Submission_Exercise 1_Typographic System with Grid (PDF)

Exercise 2_Type & Play

According to the course requirements, I need to complete the "Typo & Play" font design assignment. First, I will select a simple picture of a natural scene or man-made object, ensuring that the main elements are repetitive and do not contain too many messy details. Then, I will sketch the selected image as per the suggestions.

Mr. Vinod emphasized that when extracting the letter shapes from the reference object, one needs to deconstruct its basic features - reference is a guide rather than the ultimate goal. The key lies in extracting the essence of the reference object while retaining the core identifying features of the letters. I need to extract at least 5 letters.

Letterform extraction

Fig 4.1 Chosen Image

fig.4.2 alphabet X

fig 4.3 alphabet C

fig 4.4 alphabet E

fig 4.5 alphabet A

fig 4.6 alphabet D

fig 4.7 alphabets extracted

I meticulously observed the bamboo's form, searching for hidden letterforms within its straight stalks, natural nodes, and intersecting structures. I successfully identified and sketched the rudimentary shapes of letters including "A, C ,X, E, D".

Digitisation and Refinement

Fig 4.8 Working Process in Adobe Illustrator

I brought my hand-drawn extractions into Adobe Illustrator , aligning them precisely on a baseline and beginning the initial digital rendering to ensure formal consistency.

While studying reference typefaces, my goal was not mere replication. I absorbed principles of structure and proportion while consciously preserving the organic, hand-drawn quality reminiscent of bamboo, aiming to imbue each character with a sense of natural vitality.

This was the most crucial phase. I iteratively adjusted and optimized the curves, angles, and spacing of the letters. I stripped away redundant details and enhanced the "bamboo-node-like" design features, resulting in a cohesive set that retains individual character.

fig 4.9 Final Submission

Final font

fig 4.10 final outcome compilation

fig 4.11 compilation letter final outcome pdf

Exercise 2 - Type & Play Part 2

We need to design a movie poster (1024 x 1024) using the letters. Same or similiar photo for the letter extraction need to be used.

In part 2 of this exercise, Mr Vinod instructed us to create a movie poster using the type designs we had made in part 1.

I refined the color scheme of the bottom logos to enhance their clarity and visual prominence. The adjusted contrast now ensures all identifiers are legible while maintaining the poster's overall aesthetic harmony.

Fig 5.1 Finalised Poster - JPEG

Fig 5.2 Finalised Poster - PDF

FEEDBACK

Week 1

General Feedback：I am satisfied with my progress in understanding and applying the typographic systems. I successfully followed the instructions for eportfolio setup and submission formatting. However, I need to focus on strengthening my conceptual clarity and visual hierarchy in future exercises.
Specific Feedback：I noticed that I successfully explored all eight typographic systems, but some systems like Dilatational and Random could have been executed with clarity.

Week 2

General Feedback：I have built a solid foundation in type extraction and refinement processes. My eportfolio shows logical progression, and I included both the original extractions and final letterforms side by side as required.
Specific Feedback：In reviewing my 'Finding Type' exercise, I successfully extracted the minimum 5 letterforms from my chosen image and documented the complete process from extraction to refinement. However, I notice that the symbiotic relationship between the final letterforms and the original image could be stronger – the visual interplay needs more intentional design.

Week 3

General Feedback：Based on the tutor's feedback, I successfully refined my letterforms by improving their alignment and adjusting the kerning between characters. The revised version now appears more cohesive and professional.
Specific Feedback：The process of refining the letterforms was crucial for the final poster's quality. I've created a typographic poster that is not only more visually balanced but also better fulfills the objective of showcasing the extracted letters as a cohesive, standalone artwork.

Week 4

General Feedback：By improving logo visibility while preserving the sophisticated color palette, I successfully balanced informational clarity with artistic integrity.
Specific Feedback：In response to the tutor's feedback, I refined the color scheme of the bottom logos to enhance their clarity and visual prominence. The adjusted contrast now ensures all identifiers are legible while maintaining the poster's overall aesthetic harmony.

REFLECTIONS

Experience

Throughout the four weeks of typographic exploration, I engaged in the complete design process — from understanding typographic systems to refining extracted letterforms and composing final outcomes. This experience enhanced my technical proficiency in layout and formatting, as well as my conceptual understanding of typographic hierarchy and visual communication. While certain systems, such as Dilatational and Random, initially posed challenges, they ultimately strengthened my adaptability and creative problem-solving skills.

Observation

Through consistent feedback and self-evaluation, I observed that clarity, visual hierarchy, and alignment are fundamental to effective typographic design. The “Finding Type” exercise revealed how extracted letterforms can conceptually and visually relate to their source imagery. Furthermore, subtle refinements — such as kerning adjustments and contrast control — demonstrated how minor decisions can significantly improve both aesthetic harmony and legibility.

Findings

From this series of exercises, I discovered that typographic design requires a thoughtful balance between precision and expression. Every design decision — from structural refinement to color selection — contributes to the clarity and emotional resonance of the final work. The iterative design process, supported by constructive tutor feedback, has helped me develop a more intentional design mindset that values both aesthetics and communication effectiveness.

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ZHANG QIYU (0384019)