OUGD403 Studio Brief 2 - Typeface Design

For this task I have to create a new bespoke typeface effectively communicating the word 'Abundant'. I need to base it on Mueller-Brockmanns classic and lead typefaces -Garamond, Caslon, Baskerville, Bodoni, Clarendon, Berthold, Times, Helvetica, Univers.

Research

I began my research by looking into the word 'Abundant':

Definition: 

• Existing or available in large quantities, plentiful
• Having plenty of

Synonyms:

• Ample, Generous, Sufficient, Bountiful, Heavy, Abounding, Copious, Rich, Bounteous, Crawling with, Eco-rich, Filled, Cup runs over with, Exuberant, Full, Lavish, Liberal, Lousy with, Luxuriant, Mucho, No end of, Overflowing, Plate is full of, Plenteous, Plenty, Profuse, Rolling in, Stinking with, Teeming.

Antonyms:

• Depleted, Insufficient, Needy, Wanting, Lacking, Meagre, Poor, Rare, Scarce, Sparse.

Mueller-Brockmanns classic and lead typefaces:

GARAMOND

https://printedmatterclass.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/garamond.jpg

Garamond- French
A versatile serif font that has deep historical context, yet a contemporary and harmonious design. Legible in a number of sizes, weights and languages, it was built for the purpose of disseminating a complex and significant range of information.


• Family of old-style serif typefaces coming from the work of Claude Garamond in the 16th century.
• Most Garamond fonts are regarded for their excellent readability, elegance and character.
• Some typefaces claiming Garamond's heritage - Adobe Garamond, Stempel Garamond, EB Garamond, Sabon Next, ITC Garamond.
• Variation in stroke width is restrained in a way which makes it look like handwriting.
• Popular and often used for printing body of text and books.
• Small bowl of the a and eye of the e.
• Long extenders and top serifs have a downward slope.
• Claimed that Garamond uses less ink than Times New Roman especially using ink-jet printers.

CASLON

http://www.andrewkeir.com/wp-content/uploads/caslon_designer_typeface.gif

Caslon - British

Designed by William Caslon in the early 18th century, this typeface is part of a group of serif typefaces. With short Ascenders & Descenders, this specific typeface has the purpose of fitting more characters on a page whilst at the same time leaving sufficient blank space for aesthetics and eligibility. The italic form has a rhythmic calligraphic stroke that makes it easier to read when in a body pf text. There is a moderately high contrast among the letter forms; this gives the typeface a formal identity. The italic P, Q, V, W and Z all have a suggestion of a swash giving the font a hand rendered feel.

BASKERVILLE

http://blog.icm.education/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Baskerville_font_sample.png

Bakervile- Birmingham, England
Created in 1754 by an illiterate self-taught printer, Baskerville went on to be considered one of the most legible typefaces there is. Due to its academic qualities it is used by many universities to make statements stronger and more believable. As Baskerville was a perfectionist, its crisp edges and embellishments and long running history make it a classic/ it is considered an elegant, soft but strong, fine quality typeface.

BODONI

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/ITCBodoni.png

Bodoni- Italian
Designed by Giambattisa Bodoni from 1740 to 1813. Taken from the word "Drdone" meaning modern. This may seem strange now as it seems very traditional and ornate yet at the time was extremely modern and bold graphic constantly and the fact that each letter works together and would be easily reproduced. The type was designed as a transitional form between Fournier and Baskerville. During the years the type was deigned Italy was invading France and the Country was in a period of transition of new times for Italy. I think it is important to consider who could read at the time (not many) and the fact that the church would have been the main source of written literature for the country at the time. The high contrast in stroke weight is a recognisable feature of this type design and gives grand and glamorous feel to the type. The typeface may have been designed for signage and for higher end companies given the large divide in class at the time Bodoni could have been a typographic tool to show a new modern and classy typeface for a company or business. The "vita nova da dante" poem written in 1828 was an extremely popular Italian poem of the time and was one of the first wide spread publications to print in Bodoni. The elegant, graphic and bold letter-forms echoed Italian design and set a bench mark for the future.

CLARENDON

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Clarendon.svg/220px-Clarendon.svg.png

Clarendon- British
A strong, British type created to reflect the aspects of the Victorian British Empire. The thick strokes melding into thick slab serifs and fat ball terminals represent the hearty and unstoppable aspects of the British Empire. Clarendon’s increased contrast, opening the counters, allows it to be used on short passages of text.

BERTHOLD

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e1/AkzidenzGroteskspecAIB1.svg/2000px-AkzidenzGroteskspecAIB1.svg.png

Berthold- Berlin
Designed in 1896 and released in 1898, this typeface was created in the wake of the industrial revolution. Akzidenz meaning ‘trade type’ and Grotesk meaning ‘sans serif’, it’s primary use is in industrial advertising and large signage.

The less rigid, geometric form of the type positively impacts the legibility of the type and the many variations make it very versatile. 

The understated forms of the type, and idiosyncrasies set it apart from other typefaces and make it perfect for statistical information with an emotional undertone. 

The typeface is also devoid of the political baggage associated with Russian constructivism and Bauhaus.

Simple in a time that was far from simple; this is one of the first typefaces to have a fixed stroke width; making it the original sans serif typeface.

TIMES

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/21/Times_New_Roman-sample.svg/2000px-Times_New_Roman-sample.svg.png

Times- British
Times New Roman is a serif monotype creation made in 1931 for The Times newspaper. It was commissioned by the newspaper as Stanley Morrison criticised the current type saying that it was badly printed and typographically antiquated. The font was drawn and developed by Victoria Lardent, an employee in the advertising department of The Times newspaper. People believe this typeface is based on earlier original work by William Startling Burgess, this is controversial as The Times never credit Burgess’ 1904 work as influence to their Times typeface. There are variations of ‘Times New Roman’ such as small serifs with more flourish on the ‘Times Roman’, more italic style serifs added to the letters while ‘Times New Roman’ are more clear and straight. Although it is no longer used by The Times, ‘Times New Roman’ is still frequently used in book typography and many other publications, especially because of it’s adoption in Microsoft products, it has become one of the most widely used typefaces in history due to its legibility and directness. ‘Times’ was created in between war period, where newsprint was powerful and seen by near enough everyone. The typeface has lasted the test of time in the fact that its purpose was built for physical print, but is still prominent in modern day digital design. The Times paper was and still is a strong standing and prominent paper in British Culture.

HELVETICA

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/HelveticaSpecimenCH.svg/2000px-HelveticaSpecimenCH.svg.png

Helvetica- Swiss
Helvetica was created specifically to be neutral, to not give any impression or have any meaning itself. This neutrality was paramount and based on the idea that type itself should give no meaning. Designed in 1957 by Swiss graphic designer, this was a time when many companies were looking for a change as it was post war Europe. It was the direct opposite of the fancy and decorative typography that covered advertisements at the time. Still to this day it remains legible and versatile as you can use it in motion, one reason it’s popular for signage and automaker and airline logos.

UNIVERS

http://luc.devroye.org/AdrianFrutiger-Univers-DebernyPeignot-1957.png

Univers- Swiss
Univers is a swiss designed sans serif typeface. It is known for its legibility due to it being the first typeface to form a family of consistent designs. Due to its legibility it is used for a lot of signage in both Westminster and throughout Switzerland and in brands such as Swiss Air and Ebay.

In terms of design, the typeface has quite tall x-heights which is quite common with sans serif fonts. It is quite a neutral design with a very subtle yet visible contrast in stroke. This slight contrast in stroke combined with curved terminals gives the typeface a sense of uniqueness, making it different to a more standard typeface. The added curves also give a sense of friendliness which along with the legibility make it ideal for its usage throughout UK tests and exams.

Testing the font with the word:

Garamond Regular

Big Caslon Medium

Baskerville Regular


Bodoni 72 Book

Clarendon LT Std Roman

Berthold Akzidenz Grotesk Bold

Times Regular

Helvetica Regular


Univers LT Std 55 Roman

Initial design ideas and thoughts:

For my first design I used Univers LT Std 55 Roman. I wanted to create the idea of the letter-forms being full, ready to burst, this is why I gave a constrained design. I mainly worked with an inward curved stroke to give a 3D effect of containing something.

DESIGN 1

For my second design I used Garamond Regular. I wanted to increase the ascender and descender heights to play around with the idea of a large and imposing design that was being boastfully abundant.


DESIGN 2

However I wasn't confident in the direction these designs were going in, something about them didn't appeal that it was reflecting the adjective well enough. I really struggled to come up with a flow of ideas for this and seemed to have a bit of a creative block. After my interim critique I was advised to look into the synonyms of the word more to help create a more visual image in my mind. This was really beneficial as I began to brainstorm more ideas which helped give me a better starting point. 

From this brainstorm I was able to identify the direction that I wanted to go in. I wanted a bold, boastful, abundant feel that reflected the idea of wealth and luxury.

Script type styles
Formal scripts:
Derived from the 17th century formal writing styles. Many characters have strokes that join them to other letters. This style would help to add elegance.

Considerations:

• Legibility and readability are key to engaging and holding the readers attention.
• Does it work in context - Test early on
• Legible at any size - specific weights and roman vs italic
• Usage
• Audience - mature aka. not children particularly
• Select a serif typeface with sturdy features as delicate serifs can be challenging to reproduce crisply in certain scenarios.

Swash Characters:

Decorative letters that have a flourish or an extended stroke, terminal, or serif, usually at the beginning or end of the character.

Calligraphic usually in appearance, they add an elegant touch.

Swashes marked in red.

Minion Pro in    1.Regular     2.Italic      3.Swash

3 Categories:

1. Fancy Capitals
2. Beginning and ending characters
3. Stylistic swashes

Uses:

• The beginning of a sentence
• Eye-catching initial letter
• To begin a paragraph, chapter or article.
• A single swash character can add grace, sophistication, and visual focus to a page, but a scattering of them can clutter the design and reduce readability.

Choosing the most appropriate starting typeface:

I chose to start my design with Baskerville as it is one of the most legible typefaces. Its crisp edges and embellishments are soft and elegant reflecting a rich and lavish feel. I believe the serifs and terminals would be easy to manipulate, however the width stroke may be too thin so may need adjusting. I feel that serif typefaces seem to reflect the word better as they have a sophistication and richness about them. Sans-serif is too neutral it doesn't have enough character.

Uppercase VS Lowercase

I am going to do my design in uppercase as I believe it will produce a bolder, striking design that reflects the context it would be used in more appropriately. Lowercase is too soft although it is easier to read full words. 

Fonts with swashes:

BOOKMAN

Bookman was designed as an alternative to Caslon, with straighter serifs, making it more suitable for book and display applications. It maintains its legibility at small sizes, and can be used successfully for headlines and in advertising. The first set of letters show the original and the second with added swashes.

Manifesto:
Within my design I hope to create a bold visual that is striking and draws attention to itself. My adjective that my typeface is based on is 'Abundant'. With this in mind I aim to create a design which reflects a high-end luxurious feel. A serifed font will help to exaggerate and create a boastful abundant feel. Decorative swashes will hold the viewers attention. I can see this design being used as an eye-catching initial letter to begin a paragraph, chapter or article.

Which type of Baskerville:


BASKERVILLE REGULAR - Immediate high end feel. I like the contrast between stroke widths. Unsure whether it is bold enough to stand out.

BASKERVILLE ITALIC - Doesn't look as striking or bold. Swashes added to serifs and terminals.

BASKERVILLE SEMI BOLD - Bolder but the stroke isn't too heavy, catches the eye.

BASKERVILLE SEMI BOLD ITALIC - I don't think it would fit the context appropriately.

BAKERVILLE BOLD - Too harsh, feels to overpowering and commanding. Abundant is joyful, this doesn't seem happy.

BASKERVILLE BOLD ITALIC - Again it is too harsh, doesn't feel welcoming.

I am tied between Baskerville Regular and Baskerville Semi-Bold. However in relation to what context I would be using it in, I believe the semi-bold version would be more appropriate as the increase in stroke weight draws more attention and catches the eye.

Sketches:

DESIGN 3

These are a few sketches of the design I would like to achieve. I have extended serifs and terminals turning them into swashes. The swashes stroke begins to thin and ends in a sharp point. I feel this adds elegance and sophistication to the letter-forms.

I tried to manipulate and add on to the characters within Adobe Illustrator which proved very difficult. Because I am a beginner I do not know all of the tools very well. The issue I faced is that when trying to add on the swash there wasn't an appropriate stroke, it didn't match my sketches and looked out of place and uneven. However I have come up with a solution. I am going to print out the typeface and hand draw on the swashes. I will then scan them in and use image trace on illustrator so that it produces a more refined smoother design that can translate at any size. Hopefully this won't be too time consuming. For some of the characters such as 'A' I will need to remove the serif before printing so that I can appropriately apply the swash.

Interim Critique:
I asked a small group of people to give me feedback on the 3 design ideas I have:

• A sans-serif typeface doesn't reflect 'abundant' as this style is more stripped back whereas the serif styles feel 'abundant'  and should be embellished and over the top. 
• Try and go thinner with the stroke as it may appear to be more elegant and less chunky.
• The serif design suits the adjective.
• Having a taller typeface gives the design a greater sense of large quantities.
• The serifs are too hard (pointed) and the contrast between the thick and thin strokes isn't suiting of the word.
• The long curls add a sense of playfulness to the design, however they are all consistent and make an interesting set.
• Go quite over the top to show an abundance, royal rich etc.
• The 3rd design is there favourite because abundance reminds them of flowers blooming and fruit growing - This encompasses a rich, healthy, vibrant character - very abundant. Like how not all serifs are curly.
• Push the embellishments further on the 3rd design.
• The 3rd design is there favourite because it clearly represents abundance and the rich, plentiful design I am going for. With strong letters and curls instead of serifs.
• The embellished letters in the 3rd design are the most relevant - could try varying weights within each letter.

From this feedback it is clear that my final design is the one that I will be developing further which indicates I am heading in the right direction.

Process:

I took the original typeface and took off the serifs that I am going to edit.

I then hand rendered the swashes onto the ends of terminals and serifs that I had removed.

 I scanned them in, and using the pen tool in illustrator I traced over them so that it produced a smoother digital image. I found this process really hard as I haven't really used illustrator before. I also found that I had to make a lot of adjustments but it still wasn't entirely smooth, but this was the best I could do. When I had finished tracing the letters I took them into photoshop where I was able to add colour and re-size/rearrange my letters more appropriately.

Final Design:

Above is an image of my final typeface design. My design would be used as single characters rather than to create words. So for example it will be used at the start of articles and chapters in books. Below I have mocked up how it would look if one of the letter is used at the start of an article.

Self-Reflection and Evaluation:

I found this a really challenging task based on the fact that I was unsure where to begin but once I had got passed that it did become easier. I had a really hard adjective to work with and this is initially where my problems came from. Once I had spoken to others it gave me a lot more ideas to work with and helped me pinpoint which direction I wanted to go in. The ideas seemed to come a lot easier then, I wanted to reflect wealth and and a large richness. I thought the best way to do this was to embellish the characters. The swashes add elegance and grace to a smoother design which is contrasted by the unbracketed serifs. The contrast between the thick and thin strokes makes the design more striking and has a boldness which seems to boast about its 'abundance'. I also extended arms and legs to give this sense or largeness and plenty. Some characters however did not need editing as it would draw to much attention away from the character and I didn't think it would work cohesively with the rest of the typeface - characters 'O' and 'Q'. I used a semi bold design of the typeface baskerville because it needed to draw attention to itself and stand out on the page. The swash character typeface I have created would work alongside baskerville regular. So I am naming it Swash Semi Bold Baskerville. I could potentially try and make the swirls bigger and more over the top but within the time scale I did not see it being done and because my skills on illustrator are very basic I didn't want to try something that I wouldn't be able to complete.

Feedback from others:
Overall people believed that a serif typeface was more appropriate for the adjective as it exaggerated the features and took up more space. It added a decorative element which was 'abundant' with design and expressed a larger quantity. I asked what 'abundant' means to them and what images do you connote it to - quantity, large amounts, rich, elaborate, nature. The twirled serifs and long descenders reflect this. I found that people actually liked my second design idea more as they felt it more closely communicated 'abundance' and the idea of there being more. However, the 'A', 'U' and 'R' have fluid strokes and extension of the strokes communicate the sense of there being more. With relation to weight and stoke being appropriate to the context people did believe it was because it was very consistent, and the bold heavy weight of the stroke shows the idea of there being more, but someone suggested it should be a bit thicker. Someone related abundant to nature and feel that I have communicated this well, the typeface looks enchanted, like the vines or roots within plants. I asked the question as to whether the swashes should be extended to further increase the sense of elegance or whether it works better being slightly simpler. One person believe that I should extend them to increase the sense of 'abundance'. But overall people said that if I over complicate it, it will start to look unsophisticated.

Conclusion:
From the feedback I have received I think I have achieved my aim of how I see abundant reflected as. People have interpreted my adjective in different ways which is probably the reason why my feedback is reasonably mixed. However, I think that people generally understood my design decisions which is a good thing. Next time however I might try to consider how I can incorporate both trying to find more of an even ground of large quantities which more people seemed to associate the word with. With regards to my aims I have produced a design which is clear and easy to read, legibility is something I wanted to focus on. I think because I didn't over complicate my design and kept it reasonably simple it improved clarity and I think it would easily be reproduced. Regarding its functionality and whether I made the right design decisions for the context I wanted to use the typeface in, I think it has worked and proved to be successful. However, next time I hope to be quicker with my idea generation and work and improve my skills on illustrator so I produce a more seamless piece of design.