ADVANCED TYPOGRAPHY - TASK 3 : TYPE EXPLORATION AND APPLICATION
ZHANG QIYU/0384019
Typography/Bachelor of Design in Creative Media？Taylor’s University
LECTURES
- A-Z; Numerals; Punctuation
- Link to your .ttf font.
- 5 font presentations (1024 x 1024 px, 300ppi)
- 5 font applications (1024 x 1024 px, 300ppi)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Proposal Ideations:
Fig 1.1 - Task 3 Presentation Ideas Proposal
At the early stage of this project, I initially explored a softer and more expressive design direction, aiming to create a typeface with a casual and organic visual quality. However, as the type system expanded to include a full set of uppercase, lowercase, numerals, and punctuations, this approach revealed several limitations. The softer forms resulted in inconsistent structures and reduced readability, particularly when applied across multiple characters.
After evaluating these issues, I decided to shift the design direction towards a more structured, digital-inspired style. This transition allowed the letterforms to become more systematic, with clearer geometry and improved consistency. The refined digital approach ultimately strengthened the overall coherence of the typeface, resulting in a more controlled, legible, and application-ready design.
Based on the initial letterform concept, I began sketching the structural framework of my uppercase letterforms. These sketches focused on overall proportions, counter space placement, and the relationship between vertical and diagonal elements, serving as a guide for the digitisation process.
After finalising the digital-inspired design direction, I focused on constructing the typeface entirely within Adobe Illustrator. I began by setting up a fixed grid system to ensure consistency in proportions, stroke thickness, and alignment across all letterforms. This grid served as the foundation for maintaining the structured and modular qualities characteristic of a digital, game-inspired typeface.
2. Digitisation and exploration
After finalising the digital-inspired design direction, I focused on constructing the typeface entirely within Adobe Illustrator. I began by setting up a fixed grid system to ensure consistency in proportions, stroke thickness, and alignment across all letterforms. This grid served as the foundation for maintaining the structured and modular qualities characteristic of a digital, game-inspired typeface.
Fig.1.5 Final font
After completing the full character set, including uppercase and lowercase letters, numerals, and punctuations, I conducted an overall visual review of the typeface. During the feedback session, it was pointed out that the lowercase letters appeared slightly smaller in proportion compared to the uppercase characters, which affected the overall balance and readability of the type system.
In response to this feedback, I revisited the font metrics and adjusted the scale of all lowercase letterforms. By increasing their size while maintaining consistent stroke weight and spacing, the relationship between uppercase and lowercase characters became more harmonious. This adjustment improved legibility, especially in continuous text, while preserving the original design characteristics of the typeface.
FINAL OUTCOME
| Fig. 2.2 Font Presentation - #2 |
| Fig. 2.3 Font Presentation - #3 |
| Fig. 2.4 Font Presentation - #4 |
| Fig. 2.5 Font Presentation - #5 |
| Fig. 2.6 Final Font Presentation |
| Fig. 2.8 Font Application - #7 |
| Fig. 2.9 Font Application - #8 |
| Fig. 2.10 Font Application - #9 |
| Fig. 2.12 Final Font Application |
FEEDBACK
Week 9
- General Feedback: For my final typeface direction (Idea #3), I feel that the concept is strong,I believe my intention and purpose are clearly expressed.
- Specific Feedback: The reference I used successfully shows dripping ink and distorted organic forms, which match the concept I want to pursue. I begin designing the full alphabet, especially with the distortion and ink-drip effects. Overall, I think my slide layout is organized, clean, and noticeably more refined compared to my earlier drafts.
Week 10
- General Feedback:I have successfully completed the uppercase letterforms of my typeface and maintained consistent weight across the letters. Using the grid system helped me improve the visual harmony of my characters. Overall, I feel my understanding of typographic consistency has improved.
- Specific Feedback:I struggled with keeping stroke thickness completely consistent for letters with curved shapes. I also found it challenging to balance proportions between wide and narrow letters. I plan to refine these areas when working on numerals, lowercase letters, and punctuation marks.
Week 11
- General Feedback:I consulted with the lecturer to clarify my final project direction. After applying the feedback, I can see my typeface design becoming more cohesive. I feel more confident in integrating my work into my e-portfolio.
- Specific Feedback:I encountered issues with spacing between certain letters, which sometimes made the words feel uneven. Exporting SVG files for all letters also took longer than expected because I had to rename and organize them carefully. I plan to continue adjusting spacing and organizing files more efficiently.
Week 12
- General Feedback:I have started working on the final project prototype and integrated my typeface designs effectively. Updating my e-portfolio allowed me to clearly show my design process, experimentation, and reflections. I feel that my confidence and technical skills have grown.
- Specific Feedback: I faced difficulties applying my typeface consistently across different UI elements. Some letters appeared too small or too large in context, which required multiple adjustments. I also realized I need to document my design decisions more clearly to make my process understandable.
REFLECTION
Experience
Throughout the Task 3 project, I experienced the complete process of developing a typeface, from conceptual proposal to a full digital font. I began with exploring design directions and presenting a proposal, which helped clarify the vision for the typeface. Through research, sketching, and initial digitisation in Adobe Illustrator, I translated conceptual ideas into structured letterforms. Feedback sessions highlighted issues such as inconsistent structures and proportion imbalances, prompting adjustments including a shift to a more structured, digital-inspired style and scaling of lowercase letters.
Observation
I observed that a systematic approach, including the use of grids and consistent construction rules, greatly improved consistency, readability, and overall visual harmony. Iterative testing and refinement were crucial in resolving technical and aesthetic challenges.
Findings
From this process, I found that balancing creativity with structure is essential in type design. Being open to revisions and carefully implementing feedback allowed the typeface to achieve both visual distinctiveness and functional usability. This project strengthened my understanding of type construction, proportion, and the importance of iterative development in design.
FURTHER READING
After reading Typographic Systems, I gained a much deeper understanding of systematic thinking and methods in typography. In the past, when I worked on design projects, I often focused more on the aesthetic appeal of fonts or color combinations. However, this book made me realize that typography is not only about visual beauty but also about organizing information, guiding the reader, and effectively conveying content. The book introduces eight main typographic systems, including axial, radial, dilatational, random, grid, transitional, modular, and bilateral systems. Each system has its own logic and application scenarios, which helped me understand that layout design is both creative and requires rigorous thinking.
Page 92, which discusses the Grid System, left a particularly deep impression on me. The book explains the structure of grids, including module divisions, horizontal and vertical alignment, hierarchy of information, white space distribution, and visual rhythm. Using a grid system allows text and images on a page to be organized according to rules, ensuring unity while maintaining flexibility in information hierarchy, making it easier for readers to understand and quickly grasp the main points. In my assignments, I applied these methods by arranging headings, body text, and graphics according to modules, using alignment and spacing to emphasize hierarchy. In practice, I found that previously chaotic information became visually neat and conveyed the main idea more effectively after being organized with a grid.
The book also made me realize that typographic design depends not only on aesthetics but also on logic and structure. For example, the axial system emphasizes central content, the radial system guides the eye visually, the random system encourages creative experimentation, and the grid system provides a stable foundational framework. Each system has its advantages, disadvantages, and appropriate use cases. By learning these systems, I can now choose layouts more flexibly according to different needs rather than blindly pursuing beauty.
Furthermore, the exercises and case studies in the book taught me to approach design with a systems thinking mindset, considering the role of each module, alignment line, and white space. This not only improved my design efficiency but also made me more attentive to logical information flow and the reading experience. Overall, Typographic Systems is more than just a reference book for typography; it is a design methodology that teaches how to combine creativity with structure, making layouts both visually appealing and effective in conveying information.
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