1. What did you learn?

The most significant lesson of this project for me was that designing a booklet or a typography project that contains lots of text requires one to keep the big picture in mind. Oftentimes throughout this project, I would find myself stuck in “hyper-designer” mode, trying to create different paragraph or character styles to fit a certain page or section, only to end up being lost in the tedious details such as: What should the indent size be? Is this the right font size for this heading? And so on. In short, I think that understanding the broad concepts of the project, like: what two fonts give you the best consistency, when to create a paragraph style that can standardize prose, etc. are extremely important to always come back to if you get lost in the fine details.

1. What was easy?

The easy part was picking a color scheme I could stay true to. Ironically, the color scheme was difficult to apply through inDesign, but it is what I used to keep the look and tone of the booklet consistent. Using coolors.co, I picked a color scheme I thought would give the Quadrangle issue a new, yet retro feel, and used it on all my type headings and titles. Since I see myself as a graphic designer predominantly, I think having a good base for a color palette actually helped me visually organize the rest of the text.

1. What was challenging?

The hardest part was easily curating paragraph styles. For instance, the many sub-categories of parameters you can apply to the style you’re creating can become very cumbersome, and constantly, I would find myself stuck on what parameter I added that worked in one place and accosted the text in another. Here are some examples of the styles I ended up with in my final:

1. How could your submission be improved?

I think my biggest area for improvement is refining the paragraph styles I ended up having at the end of the designing stage. I ended up creating variants of other styles to achieve certain nuanced styles that were still consistent with the rest of the text, but overall, I think I ended up with too many for a practical application. So, if I had to go back and revisit the project, I would try to standardize the styles a bit more and end up with less variations.

1. How can the professor improve the assignment in the future?

It would be great if we could print our mock-magazines just to see what they look like in-hand. There is certainly a benefit to holding a booklet after the binding and printing is all done, and I would honestly like to see how mine would have turned out if it was tangible.

1. How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios?

If I ever have to use InDesign again on a future project, I am glad to say I know my way around the program adequately, as opposed to prior to starting this project. Using paragraph and character styles may be tricky, but I think with more practice, I can improve on my efficiency and create some really consistent typography work in the future.

1. How did a specific reading, video or example inspire or help you?

I referred to the 2015 Quadrangle often for inspiration on pages, and I will cite these websites for assistance on the visual hierarchy and typographical organization parts of this project:

http://guity-novin.blogspot.com/2012/04/modern-newspaper-magazine-layouts.html#Seventeen

https://abduzeedo.com/editorial-design-inspiration-new-abdz

• What did you learn?

In this third project, I learned the organization and arrangement skills of larger paragraphs of text over a design template and the importance of presenting information to viewers in a legible way with easily identifiable sections that the viewer can move through. To accomplish this in my own project, I started by using the letters of “GOTHAM” as large blocks that could naturally separate the landscape into sections. Once I fitted each letter to an area, I was able to input the essay prompts and arrange them accordingly.

• What was easy?

For me, I was inspired by the work of Tobias Frere-Jones, the creator of the Gotham font, so coming up with a design and color scheme was the easiest part of making the poster. I searched some of Frere-Jones’s work online and found things like the Obama election posters from 2008, as well as some of Frere-Jones’s solo work presenting Gotham.

• What was challenging?

The challenging part of this project was eliminating hyphenations that came as a result of having a bounding box for text passages. For instance, one of the bounding boxes I created is constrained to the diagonal leg of the “A” in the top right of the poster, and this hard, diagonal line ended up creating a lot of hyphens. To compensate for this, I tried different alignments for the text, and decided the right alignment would work best. I also used some soft returns to get rid of the hyphens that did not fix automatically.

• How could your submission be improved?

One of the problems I ran into during this project was having equal columns and consistent font size for the content. This is because of the abstract, or geometric nature of the poster created by the large letters that fit around the border of the frame. I think I might have been able to make the sections more equal, but once I had used the pathfinder, I had trouble moving around those large letters as they all became one polygon.

• How can the professor improve the assignment in the future?

This assignment was really enjoyable to work through, and I especially appreciated the opportunity to employ some writing skills in a design project. In the future, the only feedback I could offer is maybe having us create a magazine page or a booklet to change up the form in which we present our final pieces.

• How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios?

In my future design career, I could definitely see myself working on a project similar to this; a project that entails: gathering information on a topic, creating a design, and using the principles of typography to present that content in an interesting way. I think I have a newfound appreciation for typography and its challenges, so I definitely am interested in using these skills for future work.

• How did a specific reading, video or example inspire or help you?

The Obama election posters as well as Tobias Frere-Jones’s work helped me conceptualize this project, and here are some examples of his work that I took ideas from and made my own:

The power of well-made typography is not always displayed through the font itself; rather, the placement, kerning, and space of the text relevant to its background can really communicate a message. I think that for my project, which are takes on the Christopher Nolan films, “Interstellar” and “Tenet,” I wanted to incorporate the type in such a way that it looks as if some transition is happening. I learned how to accomplish the design using Figma, and specifically, using some of the community plugins available. The basic idea is the aforementioned “transition,” as the plot of Interstellar is based around looking for a new home for humanity across galaxies while Tenet is about technology that can instance a “reverse time” in order to save humanity. To communicate this in the first image, I played around with some spacing of the word to give a visual that the letters are moving towards the right end of the screen. Also, the word gets bolder as it is read from left to right to strengthen that idea. I further emphasized this by adding a noise distortion filter behind the title on a separate layer to give the effect of the text in a transition phase. In the second, I used the “N” as a split between what would represent regular time and reverse time on either side of the frame, so as to “transition” from one linear timeline to another alternative, reverse one. The second piece also works with “duplication” as the film’s reversal of time creates multiple instances of events happening in both timelines (it’s a very confusing movie, so I did my best to connect the word here).

• What was easy?

The easy part of this project was the workflow with Figma. I think that with a project where the only real manipulation to the text allowed is addition, subtraction, kerning, etc., Figma provided the most straightforward and simple UI, so I used my constraints to open up more possibility with my imagination. I also think the words we were given narrowed down the conceptual part of the project enough so that we could really interpret those words in any way we wanted without having to worry about finding our own word to visually display.

• What was challenging?

The challenging part of this project was similarly what made it easy to accomplish: the broad interpretations associated with the words we had to choose from. For instance, once I picked “Interstellar” and decided transition would be the best word that follows the plot of the film, it definitely took a while to figure out how to design around that word. “Transition” can be ambiguous, and at the end of my project, I felt the concept was portrayed, but if somebody had to guess what word I used without having a list to choose from, I cannot be certain they would be able to discern the word being communicated.

• How could your submission be improved?

My submission might be improved with more design in the background. I did add a small effect to the background of the first image that created a linear tunnel effect to add to the theme of space travel. I thought about taking the designs even further, adding things like the director’s name and lead roles’ names at the foot of each frame, but ultimately decided not to interfere with the main concept of the text and accost it to an over-designed background. Perhaps, however, there are some other possible additions that could take the submission to the next level and turn it into a “mock” movie poster.

• How can the professor improve the assignment in the future?

I think it would be cool to make an actual movie poster. Although it may be less feasible, it would be really fun to design and print out our own movie poster with the title still communicating the expressions we choose. Then, maybe a part of the assignment could be to show the original movie poster and compare it to our version.

• How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios?

The knowledge I gained from this project was mainly the use of different tools for text in Figma, and I definitely would use those methods on future graphics or assignments and/or for a graphic design internship, which I am hoping to earn this upcoming spring.

• How did a specific reading, video or example inspire or help you?

Along with the past work from students who took this course, I also browsed some movie posters to see how professional designers advertised certain films. Here are a few examples of posters I found to help inspire my own idea:

Throughout the process of building a brand-new, original typeface, I learned that fonts are not easy to create. Understanding the rules a font must abide by, namely a set cap height, x-height, ascender line, descender line, etc., there are a lot of things one must keep in mind when building a font. It was nice to have some preface from lectures to comprehend exactly how a font should operate. I learned that one of the most important details or qualities of a font, furthermore, is its legibility and readability. By this, I mean that a font that is decorative or experimental, perhaps strictly geometrical, like with this project, must be easy to identify by letter and character. Extra details can make a font look quite beautiful, but in the worst times, it may take away from the functionality of it.

• What was easy?

The easiest part of the font-building process was the workflow that resulted in getting through the first and hardest couple of letters. Once I had a plan in mind, which, in this case, was to base my font off of the period of 8-bit video games and texts that would appear on old, analog consoles, I was able to move through the letters fairly quickly. There was definitely a point where everything “clicked,” and I was able to chug along through the tedious characters and symbols that followed the letters. However, getting to that point took many failed attempts and unsuccessful experiments.

• What was challenging?

The most challenging part of this project was deciding that the first font I had in mind was simply not going to work. My initial idea for my first font struck me when I was looking at a 3D cube. It was actually a Rubick’s cube that I have in my room. As I stared and pondered at the cube, I wondered if a font could look such that its perspective reflects a side of a cube if one was staring directly at an edge of the cube. As I began working in fontstruct, I was really enjoying the products of many of my letters. It was when I arrived at a capital “X,” though, that I knew trouble was afoot. Even when working with Professor Dunkle, our attempts at a remedy for this stubborn letter just weren’t coming together with the limitations set by the program. Alas, I scrapped the project and moved to my second idea, which I eventually turned into my final project.

• How could your submission be improved?

Although I would really like to go back and make my first idea come to fruition, I’d probably consider doing so with another program like Illustrator or Figma. The geometry of the cube font is one that is very complex and cannot be created with the basic shapes of Fonststruct, so I would revisit that first idea in another program. In regards to my actual font, the 8-bit-inspired basic sans serif, I would say my only issue is with some of the spacing of each letter. It was difficult to discern what letters/characters would need an extra block of empty space and which should be left alone in order to have a monospace font. This was initially my goal, but the font does have some spacing issues that were hard to overcome.

• How can the professor improve the assignment in the future?

It would be interesting to explore what other font-building programs might be available on the internet. I think fontstruct.com is great for what it offers, but it definitely has some glaring issues with the user interface. I would say, albeit, that this assignment was a great intro to font-building.

• How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios?

I will probably try to use the basic understanding from lectures as well as the history of fonts to apply those concepts with my own projects. I have a band called Shadowlite, and typefaces are often a point of contention when it comes to creating covers for my albums, so now that I understand and certainly deeply appreciate fonts and their origins, I can proceed with such work with my best foot forward and better judgement about which fonts could communicate which messages.

• How did a specific reading, video or example inspire or help you?

I used most of Professor Dunkle’s articles on D2L for inspiration, but my actual font was inspired heavily by old games like Super Mario and Oregon Trail. Here are some images of type in those games:

The first font captured in Forest Lawn was quite a remarkable example of blackletter. The first letter, the “T” in Timerman is probably the most obvious indication that this font is blackletter. Similarly, each letter has very defined edges and points that are essential elements in a blackletter font.

This next font is an example of a decorative historic typeface. Upon my discovery of this gravestone, I was immediately reminded of an old theatre font or “Ritz” font, and after doing research, it seems this font is exactly within that era and family of typefaces. Dating back to around the 1930s, the thick and double-lined columns qualify this font, in my opinion, to be something out of the 1930s decade. It was a very intriguing find and I enjoyed researching its origins.

Further, I’ve included another example of a serif decorative font. This font is honestly so unique that it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what period it comes from. The font resembles qualities within a blackletter, but there are some differences. This font has more curves and script features, but albeit, it’s probably a variation of some blackletter font.

As we move down the gallery, this next tombstone attributed to “Sutfin” is a prime example of a slab serif. The thickness of the columns and rows have equal weight, and the serif tails are defined and blocky. This was, in fact, just one of many slab serif fonts I was able to find during the trip to the cemetery.

Onward, this next font for “Altmann” is easily identifiable as a sans serif typeface. The minimalist nature of the letters, all easily legible and clean-cut, make this font a really great fit in the sans serif family.

Next, we have a script font that is dated 1970. this font is interesting because it looks to be created by etching stroke lines into the stone rather than carving out the entire letters. I thought this was a simple, yet elegant script font, and my favorite feature here is the elongated and decorative descender on the “y.”

Finally, the last font to share was ironically the first one I saw when walking through Forest Lawn Cemetery. This font classifies as a serif font, due to its serif tails that are subtle, yet detectable with a close examination. It seems this font is one of the more classic fonts visible on veterans’ tombstones not only in this cemetery, but in many around the United States. I think the tone of this font and tombstone is formal, and it’s clearly ubiquitous within memorials.

For my second Typehunt, I chose to feature the label on San Pellegrino sparkling water. I honestly do not know why this font has such an appeal to me, but if I had to guess, I’d say this font is personal. For me, it is evocative of my childhood and spending time at my grandparents’ house, because my grandfather always had these bottles around. Fonts and typography in the context of graphic design definitely carry emotional appeal, be it through personal experience or just the font’s essence, which is admittedly a difficult element to describe. Further, I think this font really does feel like a piece of Italy in text, and the borderline “historic” era type really helps in accomplishing that. Finally, the pairing of the title with the sans serif descriptive line is a really functional and aesthetically pleasing combination of fonts.

The first font style that really caught my eye was the above picture of the “Allen Burger Venture” restaurant, hand-written on a chalkboard sidewalk sign. The appeal for this style comes from its extravagant and elegant cursive writing. It’s clear that the artist who drew this had a still hand and was attentive to very small details: the placing of each word, the thickness or boldness of the font, etc. I think a cursive type works well here in context and the style definitely gives the board and presentation of the restaurant a “classic” feel.

The next typeface that was noteworthy enough to capture is this “Rock the Boat” concert series paper advertisement. I’m drawn to the simple, sans serif style here that gives the poster a clean and dignified look. Another great feature of this font is the spacing; the letters are not cluttered and have equidistant space in between the letters that comprise each word. I also like the subtle outlining of the text to make it look three-dimensional.

The final typeface I chose to include in this lab are shown in the “furniture” and “design/fabrication” titles for a store in downtown Buffalo. Admittedly, I thought this was Helvetica at first glance, though some subtle differences do distinguish this typeface as something slightly different. At any rate, the placement of this type on the walls to frame the window make it appealing to me, and I thought I’d feature it to highlight the influence Helvetica has on its successors and close iterations in the contemporary world.