Typography: Project 1: Text Formatting and Expression

10/05/19-17/05/19 (Week 6-7)

Angelina Lee An Qi (0334272)

Typography

Project 1: Text Formatting and Expression

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Lecture Notes

Lecture 6:
We were working on this project for most of the time.

Lecture 7:
Kerning is the automatic adjustment of space between letters. It is often mistakenly referred to as 'letterspacing'. Normal tracking, loose tracking, and tight tracking.
Designers always letterspace uppercase letters.
Better to start with flush left.
Type that calls attention to itself before the reader can get to the actual words is simply interference, and should be avoided.
The choice of typeface can be up to the situation. Consider too the different textures of typefaces.
Type size: Text type should be large enough to be read easily at arms length--imagine yourself holding a book in your lap.
Leading: Text that is set too tightly encourages vertical eye movement; a reader can easily lose his or her place.
A type specimen book (or ebook for screen) is to provide an accurate reference for type, type size, type leading, type line length, etc.

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Instructions

Exercises

Week 6: 

I did around four designs this week.

Fig. 1.1

Fig. 1.2

Fig. 2.1

Fig. 2.2

Fig. 3.1

Fig. 3.2

Fig. 4.1

Fig. 4.2

Week 7: 

Fig. 5.1

Fig. 5.2

I went home and did another design. After Mr Vinod's feedback, this is the end result.

Fig. 6.1

Fig. 6.2

The embedded PDF:

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Feedback

Week 6:
Mr Vinod commented on my blog that I should give it a white background so that the posts are in the centre of attention. He also noted that I should write figure numbers in the captions of images whenever possible. Furthermore, I had some issues with the spacing in my writing format and I wrongly categorized exercises as a main part when it should have been a subheading. I also have to update my blog link in Facebook because I had accidentally put in the link for the mobile site.
He further suggested that I do more research on editorial layouts.

Week 7:
I messaged Mr Vinod on Facebook and this is his feedback: The large capital is a little awkward looking. The ragging (blue) for your text should be smoother. It’s a little too jagged. The line under 33 break in half (red) and align left side to the end of the letter t in first.

Fig. 7.1

Fig. 7.2

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Reflections

Experience:

Week 6: I felt a little bit lost throughout the class but I managed to keep up with the help of my friends.

Week 7: This week's exercises seems fairly easy to me, although I haven't been able to print out the layout just yet due to an online error.

Observations:

Week 6: I have not done enough research in editorial layouts.

Week 7: I was very sleepy today.

Findings:

Week 6: I have to thoroughly research what I am doing next time.

Week 7: I should sleep earlier.

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Further Reading

Week 6:
10 Foolproof Layout Examples for Editorial Design by Patricia Coroi
https://blog.flipsnack.com/10-foolproof-layout-examples-for-editorial-design/
I read up on several ways to design an editorial layout:
1. Image and text
2. Photo collage and text
3. Big type layout, oversized title
4. Not so symmetrical elements
5. Image across two pages, with description
6. Quote layout
7. Playful layout
8. Image layering
9. A bit of everything--image, image collage, text
10. More images, less text
I feel like, as I read through the article, layout design is an underappreciated form of art. To me, it is very hard to grasp and yet it is seen everywhere. I really don't know how people do this. I'm going to have to buck up some more to reach a decent level.

Week 7:
Editorial design: definition, tips and examples
https://www.designyourway.net/blog/design/editorial-design/ 
10 usual rules and ways for a good editorial design:
1. Recognise and design for your readers
2. Cover primary
3. Take the best cover way
4. Hold it gridded
5. Typographical hierachy
6. Use white space
7. Pacing
8. Hierachy of details and entry features
9. Consider cross-platform
10. Be different
From my findings, throughout the years editorial design is becoming more and more progressive. Designers must have a broad range of skills in order to keep up.

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