Typography - Task 2: Typographic Exploration & Communication (Text Formatting and Expression)

8.5.2023-15.5.2023 / Week 06-Week 07
Tan Zhao Yi / 0363285
Typography / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media
Task 2 / Typographic Exploration & Communication (Text Formatting and Expression)


LIST
Task 2


LECTURES

Refer to Task 1.


INSTRUCTIONS


Task 2: Project 1 - Typographic Exploration & Communication (Text Formatting and Expression)

We were given a tutorial video to follow for our Task 2. At first, we are going to choose one out of three from the editorial text options and I chose the third one, which is Unite to Visualise a Better World. We are requested to use InDesign with two 200mm x 200mm pages, and the 10 fonts given. Again, don't use too much graphical elements!
A good layout is that the headline relations well with its body text. At first, I am trying to explore as more editorial spreads as I can. It helps to develop my ideas in further practices. 

   
Fig 1.1. Editorial Spread Researching, Week 5 (6.5.2023)
As I have chosen the third editorial text, I think the most major expression is for the word 'Unite'. I Google searched the images of 'unite'. I would like them to be in a circle or connected to each other.
Fig 1.2. Mood Board, Week 5 (6.5.2023)
Image Reference Fig 1.2:

1. Sketches
Before using InDesign, I tried to sketch out some different layouts.
#1

#2

#3
Fig 1.3. Rough Sketches, Week 5 (6.5.2023)
I'm trying to input various of circles for the layouts. I think sketch #2 works the best, then I started digitalising all of them to have a overall look.
2. Headings Expression Explorations
#1
I make "a better world" in an outline form because it seems unbalance and reduce the readability if it remains bold.
Fig 2.1.1. Headings Expression Exploration #1 - Version 1, Week 5 (6.5.2023)  
Fig 2.1.2. Headings Expression Exploration #1 - Version 2, Week 5 (6.5.2023)  
#2
All I want in Layout #2 is the circle. I tried an opened one and a closed one.
Fig 2.2.1. Headings Expression Exploration #2 - Version 1, Week 5 (6.5.2023)  
Fig 2.2.2. Headings Expression Exploration #2 - Version 2, Week 5 (6.5.2023)  
#3
I am using various type of typefaces for the headline because I got a pop-up slogan for the word 'Unite': All is One. It's kind of like people with different races, skins or religions are working together.
Fig 2.3.2. Headings Expression Exploration #3, Week 5 (6.5.2023)  
3. Layout Explorations
#1
Fig 3.1.1. Text Formatting Layout Progress #1, Week 6 (8.5.2023)
I found it quite hard to decide where to place the body text due to there's not much place. After I try out some layouts for the text body, I started kerning and tracking the words to avoid orphans and widows.
Fig 3.1.2. Text Formatting Layout #1 - Version 1 and Blocks, Week 6 (8.5.2023)     
Fig 3.1.3. Text Formatting Layout #1 - Version 2 and Blocks, Week 6 (8.5.2023)
 After some self-reflections, I think these layouts don't work, so I'm not using them later on.

#2
Fig 3.2.1. Text Formatting Layout Progress #2, Week 6 (8.5.2023)
Fig 2.1.1 shows the progress of my text formatting layout #2. I was thinking to make the body text shaping like a circle because the first thing came up to my mind about 'unite' is everything joining together, but eventually it failed. Then I changed it as a basic design and started to kern and track the text.
Fig 3.3.3. Text Formatting Layout #2 - Version 1 and Blocks, Week 6 (8.5.2023)       
Fig 3.3.2. Text Formatting Layout #2 - Version 2 and Blocks, Week 6 (8.5.2023)

#3
Fig 3.3.1. Text Formatting Layout Progress #3, Week 6 (8.5.2023)
For Layout #3,  I place the body text into the 3 columns, however I found out that placing them in 2 columns is more effective. 
Fig 3.3.2. Text Formatting Layout #3 and Blocks , Week 6 (8.5.2023)   

After the peer feedback section, I chose Text Formatting #2 - Version 2 to make improvement. 
Fig 3.3.3. Final Text Formatting Progression, Week 6 (11.5.2023)
I make the 'Unite' of the heading bold to emphasise the expression. Then I replaced the body text. I realised the sub-heading wasn't 'look' like a sub-heading, so I enlarged it. I reduced the tint of text for the headings as the background to let the whole frame flowing. I think it will be more compatible to the word 'visualise'.
Final Text Formatting Layout

Head
Font/s: ITC Garamond Std - Ultra Narrow (Unite), ITC Garamond Std - Book (to visualise a better world.)
Type Size: 75pt
Tint: 100% (head), 5% (background)

Sub-head
Font/s: ITC Garamond Std - Bold
Type Size: 18pt
Leading: 23.4pt

Body
Font/s: Gill Sans - Regular
Type Size: 10pt
Leading: 12pt
Paragraph Spacing: 11pt
Characters per line: 60
Alignment: Left Justified

Margins: 12.7mm (top, bottom, left, right)
Columns: 2
Gutter: 4.2mm
Fig 4.1. Final Text Formatting without Grids (JPG), Week 6 (11.5.2023)

Fig 4.2. Final Text Formatting without Grids (PDF), Week 6 (11.5.2023)

Fig 4.3. Final Text Formatting with Grids (JPG), Week 7 (17.5.2023)
Fig 4.4. Final Text Formatting with Grids (PDF), Week 7 (17.5.2023)
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FEEDBACK

Week 6
General Feedback: Be aware of the line length. Don’t make too much graphical elements. Remember to remain the text readability while working with layouts. Don't do two tasks in one time. Focus on the expressions first, then work with the layout (with no text).
Specific Feedback: The circle of the ‘Unite’ works. It can be a closed circle, rather than an opened one.

Week 7
General Feedback: For the e-portfolio, ensure that all final submission have a PDF file and a JPG file. Check the samples given.
Specific Feedback: No feedback is given in Week 7.

REFLECTIONS

Experience
I have used what I experienced in Task 1, which is finish sketching first before starting the whole task. It leads me effectively on my digitalizations. I also tried to ask some of my peers' feedbacks for my work. I found it was very effective and they have given many useful suggestions.

Observations
I observed that a good layout designer should do things step-by-step. I realised I was underestimating this exercise before working everything out, this makes me came up with insufficient ideas. While I was worrying, Mr. Vinod said we should explore layouts first, then continued by working on the type expression. I observed that I was popping up different ideas when I was exploring the layouts. Changing the way of working helps me go in everything more detailed.
 
Findings
I found out that doing research is the key of design. It helps to inspire ideas for the following missions. Sometimes we are just forgetting the main point, and looking at others work will remind it for us.

FURTHER READING

Fig 5.1. Understanding Book Layouts and Page Margin by The Book Designer, Week 6 (10.5.2023)
Web Link: https://www.thebookdesigner.com/book-layouts-page-margins/
This article solved an amount of questions for me of the margins. It mainly stated out the common mistakes of book construction, and provide advices for designers. 

Advices
  • printed books aren't completely flat
  • square-serif fonts like Memphis take up a lot more space than a typical old-style font like Garamond
  • 30-35 line per page, in most case
  • leading's approximately 130% of the type size (Eg. 11pt with 14 points leading)
  • provide room for the reader to hold the book comfortably
  • show the entire type block area easily, without “disappearing” into the gutter 
  • give a feeling of openness, making the book inviting to read
  • providing space for running heads (or running feet), page numbers or other navigation aids
Common Mistakes
  • making the outside margins too small (leave more room on the inside margins!)
  • vertical entering isn't the best way when you are going to end up bound into a book
  • top and bottom margins should depends on whether you use running heads or running feet or neither, or where you put the page numbers

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