ADVANCED TYPOGRAPHY - TASK 1:EXERCISE

Miao Xinjun / 0379525

Advanced Typography / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media / Taylors' University

Task 1: Exercises

1. LECTURES

WEEK 1:

In the online lecture of the first week, the professor gave a detailed introduction to eight commonly used typography systems in font typesetting, and presented examples of each system in practical use, as well as some typographers' insights on individual systems.

The color selection for fonts arranged in different positions is also a necessary consideration. A typesetting work that reflects one of the following systems has good control over color distribution and size.

Fig 1.1 Note of Online Lecture 1/ 23.9.2025 (week1)

Fig 1.2 Note of Online Lecture 1/ 23.9.2025 (week1)

Most systems (such as the Dilatational System) can have both simple and complex design forms, which differ in being single-core or multi-core.

Axial System: All elements are organized to the left or right of a single axis.

Radial System: All elements are extended from a point of focus. (There could be multiple points of focus instead of just one point of focus.)

Dilatational System: All elements expand from a central point in a circular fashion.

Random System: Elements appear to have no specific pattern or relationship. (Although it’s random, there is a method in the chaos that is created within the page)

Grid System: A system of vertical and horizontal divisions. (The example shows how information has been structured according to different grids within that page, and you notice that there are different sizes and different weights – all to create emphasis and hierarchy.)

Transitional System: An informal system of layered banding. (Banding means segregating information within certain bands.)

Modular System: A series of non-objective elements that are constructed as standardized units.

Bilateral System: All text is arranged symmetrically on a single axis. (There could be two axis. One in the middle and another one is horizontal)

Typography plays a visual role, not just a reading role.

WEEK 2:

In this lecture, I learned about three design composition principles:

The Rule of Thirds: It suggests that a frame(space) can be divided into 3 columns and 3 rows. The intersecting lines are used as a guide to place important information within the given space.

Environmental Grid: This system is based on the exploration of an existing structure or numerous structures combined.

Form and Movement: The system is based on the exploration of an existing Grid System.

It may seem to be rigid, but the versatility of the system and its modular nature tend to allow an infinite number of adaptations. That’s why it’s always popular.

Other Models/ Systems:

Care was taken to ensure visual connections and surprises on every page. The forms could represent images, text, or colour.

How is this helpful in typographical compositions: You can replace those non-objective elements with text, and the positive space or the negative space could be used as images. This could create them for unique a unique layout composition for the entire book and so on.

Fig 1.3 Examples of The Rule of frame, Environmental Grid, Form and Movement / 1.10.2025 (week2)

WEEK 3:

In this week’s lecture, I first learned why hand-drawn typography is so important for studying typography:

The first mechanically produced letterforms were designed to directly imitate handwriting. Handwriting would become the basis or standard for form, spacing, and conventions that mechanical type would try and mimic.

Fig 1.4 Note of week 3's lecure

Cuneiform _ c.3000 B.C.E: Cuneiform, the earliest system of actual writing, was used in several languages between the 34C. B.C.E. through the 1st century CE. Hieroglyphics _ 2613-2160 B.C.E: The system was a mixture of both rebus and phonetic characters – the first link to a future alphabetic system. Three different ways to use hieroglyphic images: As ideograms, as determinatives, as phonograms. Early Greek _5th C. B.C.E: The Phoenicians developed a phonetic alphabet consisting of 22 letters. The Carolingian Minuscule: After the fall of the Roman Empire, cultural decline led to the rise of illiteracy, which created a barrier to communication between people. The Carolingian Minuscule effectively eased this problem: through standardized writing and literary efforts, it unified communication among the various religious groups that had been brought under the European empire due to its continuous expansion. This played a vital role in the empire’s development (just like the standard Roman capital). Emperor Charlemagne_8 C. CE: Having developed and evolved in different regions as a handwritten script after the fall of the Roman Empire, it formed an important foundation for the Carolingian Minuscule. It was not until the arrival of Charlemagne that these diverse handwritten scripts were unified and developed. Black Letter_12-15 C. CE: Gothic was the culminating artistic expression of the Middle Ages, occurring roughly from 1200 to 1500. It is worth noting that the development of the style and structural features of handwritten fonts has always been accompanied by the growth and changes of the humanities and the times.

Context & Creativity

In this lecture, we realized that studying the history of typefaces is an essential step in learning typography. Through discussions about why we rarely talk about the influence of Egyptian and early Western cultures on Greece, we learned that under the influence of colonialism, some claims that seemed to support the development of a particular culture were actually subjective and lacked a factual basis. They were actually driven by their own agendas and were refuted with the emergence of various objective documents and research. What is worth learning is the contribution of Western scholars to the study of the history of typeface development, their efforts in reviving ancient scripts, and their contributions to the rise of new technologies. Creativity and originality are properties that are most often intertwined. Young designers need to look inward and examine their histories, civilization, culture, and communities to bring these past developments into the future and develop on them instead of blindly appropriating cultures and developments that have no context, relatability, or relevance. Summary： The study of typography involves many aspects, such as the cultural background of the writing system, regional and population migrations, religious spread, the exchange and evolution of different writing systems resulting in documentary records, and the development and changes of humanities and eras.

As a young generation of designers, ensuring the preservation of these languages and scripts in a digital age, compiling and digitizing them to facilitate their use in electronic products has become a crucial task. This task also provides programmers and designers with opportunities to collaborate and unleash their creativity. It is essential to remember that rather than blindly copying and imitating Western culture, we need to examine history and culture objectively, and strive for development and innovation based on existing achievements.

2. INSTRUCTIONS

3. TASK

3.1 WEEK 1:

3.1.1 Research

Fig 3.1.1.1 Reference for Axial, Grid, Bilateral, Dilatational System/ 26.9.2025 (week1)

Fig 3.1.1.2 Reference for Random, Radial, Modular, Transitional System/ 26.9.2025 (week1)

3.1.2 Sketches

Fig 3.1.2.1 Axial & Grid Sketches/ 27.9.2025 (week1)

Fig 3.1.2.2 Bilateral & Dilatational Sketches/ 27.9.2025 (week1)

Fig 3.1.2.3 Random & Radial Sketches/ 27.9.2025 (week1)

Fig 3.1.2.4 Modular & Transitional Sketches/ 27.9.2025 (week1)

3.1.3 Final Outcome - Submission

Fig 3.1.3.1 Axial System - JPEG/ 29/9/2025 (week 1)

Fig 3.1.3.2 Bilateral System - JPEG/ 29/9/2025 (week 1)

Fig 3.1.3.3 Grid System - JPEG/ 29/9/2025 (week 1)

Fig 3.1.3.4 Dilatational System - JPEG/ 29/9/2025 (week 1)

Fig 3.1.3.5 Random System - JPEG/ 29/9/2025 (week 1)

Fig 3.1.3.6 Radial System - JPEG/ 29/9/2025 (week 1)

Fig 3.1.3.7 Modular System - JPEG/ 29/9/2025 (week 1)

Fig 3.1.3.8 Transitional System - JPEG/ 29/9/2025 (week 1)

Fig 3.1.3.9 Collate all 8 JPEGs as one image / 29.9.2025 (week1)

Fig 3.1.3.10 PDF with grides/ 29.9.2025 (week1)

Fig 3.1.3.11 PDF without grades/ 29.9.2025 (week1)

3.2.1 WEEK 2:

In the exercise of week 2, we need to find photos with strong consistency and repetition, and extract the characteristics from the same element to create letters. This is a special exercise that helps us develop the ability to design custom letter forms.

Step 1: Finding an Image

I looked through many images focused on the same element, then filtered out some that have irregular textures and more varied changes—hoping to try designing some interesting letterforms. In the end, I chose "smoke" as my design element.

Fig 3.2.1 Image Selected/ 2.10.2025 (week2)

Step 2: Deconstructing an Image:

In the second step, to better preserve the textural qualities of the smoke, I used a special brush to outline and deconstruct it. This step also helped me analyze and understand the smoke’s shape(how it’s structured and can be broken down)laying a solid foundation for the subsequent design.

Fig 3.2.2 Deconstructing an image/ 2.10.2025 (week2)

Step 3: Identifying Letterforms:

Since we were required to use AI for this task, after the structure, I changed to using a regular brush to complete the next steps. I identified five letters—B, D, C, T, X—within the outlined areas respectively. Then I used the same brush as in the previous step to outline them.

Fig 3.2.3 Image for Identifying Letterforms/ 2.10.2025 (week2)

Step 4: Extracting Letterforms

I placed the defined letters on a baseline to facilitate the unification and refinement of their style next. It’s clear that the five letters currently lack consistency in terms of size, elements, and other aspects.

Fig 3.2.4 Letterforms extracted from deconstructed image/ 2.10.2025 (week2)

Step 5: Identify a Reference Typeface

To help me better create and refine the font, I found an existing font that roughly matches the style of the one I’m going to design, using it as a reference. This also effectively prevents me from feeling confused about the font’s structure during the design process.

Fig 3.2.5 Extracted letterforms placed a reference typeface/ 3.10.2025 (week 2)

3.2.2 Final Outcome of Part 1

Fig 3.2.2.1 Overall Process/ 11.10.2025 (week3)

Fig 3.2.2.2 Reference Front/ 9.10.2025 (week 3)

Fig 3.2.2.3 Extrated Letterforms (baseline)/12.10.2025 (week 3)

Fig 3.2.2.4 Final Letterforms (baseline)/ 12.10.2015 (week 3)

Fig 3.2.2.5 Original Extraction and Final Letterforms Comparison/ 12.10.2025 (week 3)

3.2.3 Final Outcome of Part 2

Fig 3.2.3.1 Final Poster-JPEG/ 12.10.2025 (week3)

Fig 3.2.3.2 Final Poster-PDF/ 12.10.2025 (week3)

4. FEEDBACK

Week 2:

General Feedback: Axial: Since the main title—already the largest font size—uses an underline, and this underline already meets the compositional requirements of this typography system, the line below the main title in the composition is no longer necessary.

Specific Feedback:

Bilateral: In this exercise, the Bilateral System only includes one axis of symmetry, not two.

Grid: More attempts should be made.

Random: It is acceptable for now, but you could try to make it more casual.

Modular: It resembles the Grid System and requires revision in accordance with the Modular System's rules.

Week 3:

General Feedback:

I need to redo my work.

Specific Feedback: Regarding the second week’s exercise, there’s no issue with the image selection. However, since I didn’t use AI and instead created the font using Procreate, the font I made ended up with a different effect. For this reason, I need to redo it.

Week 4:

General Feedback:

There is a lack of information elements, which don't meet the exercise requirements (e.g., logo, etc.).

Specific Feedback:

1. A logo needs to be added to complete the poster as required.

2. For a smoke-themed font, you can use the smudge tool and blur tool in Photoshop (Ps) to enhance the smoky texture of the font.

3. Consider replacing the poster’s background image

5. REFLECTION

5.1 Exercise 1:

Experience

In the lecture, the professor introduced us to this semester’s study content and tasks, and I quickly realized that the first week’s learning had already started within the limited time of the first week. From the lecture, I learned about the eight common systems of typography. For the first week’s exercises, we need to use these eight systems to practice typography and familiarize ourselves with their characteristics and applications.

Observation

When practicing with the eight typography systems, I looked up many works by other typographers as references to aid my practice. From these works, I observed that not every piece was created strictly in accordance with its corresponding typography system down to the last detail. While adhering to the characteristics and rules of a specific typography system, these works also featured some variations. As a result, they developed unique traits within the same typesetting method, making them more diverse and outstanding.

Finding

I’ve found that typography isn’t a rigid, rule-bound discipline. While we, as newcomers to this field, need to follow the rules of each typography system in our initial practice to help us familiarize ourselves with and master them, we can see in the works of many seasoned typographers that they add some "variations" while adhering to the system rules. After all, no one has defined what’s right or wrong—and these unique attempts are precisely one of the reasons those works stand out.

5.2 Exercise 2:

Experience

Exercise 2 was really interesting. We selected images with clear, consistent elements and designed fonts by analyzing and deconstructing those elements. Before starting the task, I read the detailed steps and instructions, and also looked at many excellent works from other students. I wanted my font to be unique, so after browsing numerous qualifying images online, I chose "smoke" as my deconstruction element. The process wasn’t smooth—I wasn’t sure how to use basic brushes in Adobe Illustrator to capture smoke’s texture and structure. It wasn’t until I got inspiration from the professor’s advice that I made multiple attempts again over the following week.

Observation

In the first feedback session for this exercise, I saw many designs from my classmates. The elements used were diverse: fruit peels, animal scales, tree roots, and more. When deconstructed, these textures from different sources were transformed into unique, distinct fonts in various ways. This made me realize that during my own process, I’d been stuck in rigid stereotypes of letters. Whether searching for images or creating the font, I’d been confined to the fixed letter forms in my mind, which limited my creativity.

Finding

I gained a lot from the step-by-step exercise process. It wasn’t until the final step that I truly understood what the professor had written in the article. As a beginner, I lacked sufficient experience, so when designing the font, I easily fell into rigid perceptions of letters. This led me to over-refine the font while unifying the style of the five letters, resulting in a loss of the distinctive features derived from the deconstructed element. One way I addressed this was by going back to the smoke’s texture, observing its structure and characteristics carefully again. I avoided over-referencing existing fonts and re-integrated the extracted texture into my design, using lines of varying thickness to convey its texture.

6. FURTHER READING

Fig 6.1 Typographic Design: Form and Communication - Week1

This book is very helpful for a beginner just starting to learn typography. In the preface, I learned that it covers a lot of basic knowledge and skills about typography, as well as the evolution and history of typography.

I chose to start reading from the first chapter. The history of typography development is also essential knowledge for beginners—understanding its development and evolution process throughout history helps me better learn this course.

In the first chapter, the evolutionary history of typography (from before the invention of printing to the present day) is divided into four sections：

Part 1: Preceding movable type printing in history is "writing". People first carved characters into materials like clay and clay tablets. Later, "paper" suitable for writing—made from papyrus or animal hides—gradually came into being. Before the invention of movable type printing in Europe, the handwritten fonts used by people also went through multiple evolutions to meet the needs of rulers.

Part 2: This section introduces the evolution of hand printing and handcrafted metal type over 350 years.

Part 3: As time progressed, printing began to be significantly influenced by the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. Photographic plates, wood-type printing, and typewriters emerged one after another and became trends of the era.

Part 4: Starting from 1900, modernist aesthetics became the mainstream trend in typography. Sans-serif fonts were widely used, and the well-known Bauhaus design style also emerged and stood out during this period.

Final Part: The last section shows us examples of the practical applications of typographic design in 21st-century life. Technological development has also added more possibilities to the development of typographic design in this era.

Search This Blog

MIAO XINJUN (0379525)