Use Typefaces to Create a "Type Face"

New Assignment: Create a "Type Face":

In this assignment your goal is to use elements of typefaces/fonts to create an illustration. The technique for this works well with a photograph. You can create many type objects and use them to fill in the dark areas in a photo, then remove the photo and you are left with an image. You could also get creative and create an object or portrait without a photo, just use your imagination.

This type portrait of Salvador Dali was created with multiple methods, type fill, envelope distort and text-on-a-path

Type Face Process:

• Find a photo to use a reference, if you change the photo to black and white with photoshop it will be easier for your process in Illustrator
• Launch Adobe Illustrator, make a new document
• Use the File>Place function to bring in your reference photo
• Use the text tool to create different characters, use different fonts as well
• Select your text and go to Type>Create Outlines
• Ungroup your text objects to manipulate them individually, avoid distorting your characters, use alt-shift while scaling objects
• Arrange them into your drawing or use them to fill in the dark areas of your photo
• Remove the photo or hide it to see your progress
• Check out the examples below for inspiration, all those drawings were made from fonts!

Resources:

 Link: Create a typeface illustration in AI

 Link: Create a typeface portrait in PS

Boba Fett Type Face Portrait By: Jared Fail

The Joker Type Face Portrait By: Dyana Aguilera

Sean Connery Type Face Portrait By: Skylen Fail

Have fun!

- Mr.W

Introduction to Typography: Typographic Poster Design

Typography is an important element to design, communication and information delivery. It is everywhere yet we rarely recognize it. After todays lecture read through this page and scroll down to see your new assignment...

THE 19 RULES OF TYPOGRAPHY

(From the book: Digital Color and Type, Rob Carter. Rotovision 2002)

Remember, rules must first be understood before they can be broken. Once you have a good foundation of these rules, you can freely journey into unconventional terrain.

Rule 1: For optimum legibility, choose classical, time-tested typefaces. These typefaces should be drawn and crafted with consistency among characters, and exhibit highly legible proportions. Examples include: Baskerville, Bembo, Bodoni, Caslon, Centaur, Franklin Gothic, Frutiger, Futura, Garamond, Gill Sans, Goudy Old Style, Helvetica, News Gothic, Palatino, Perpetua, Sabon, Times New Roman, and Univers.

Rule 2: Be mindful not to use too many different typefaces at any one time. The main reason for using more than one typeface is to create emphasis or to separate one part of the text from another. When too many different typefaces are used, the reader is unable to determine what is and what is not important.

Rule 3: Avoid combining typefaces that are too similar in appearance. If the reason for combining typefaces is to create emphasis, it is important to avoid the ambiguity caused by combining types that are too similar in appearance.

Rule 4: Text set in all capital letters severely retards reading. Use upper and lower case letter for optimum readability. Ascender and descenders provide the necessary visual cues to make text more readable. Text set entirely in upper-case letters form monotonous, rectangular shapes. Upper-case letters can successfully be used in display type (headlines; type above 16 points).

Rule 5: For text type, use sizes that, according to legibility studies, prove most readable. These sizes generally range from 8 to 12 points for text that is read from an average distance of 12 to 14 inches. Be sure to remember that sizes (based on the x-height of letters) appear different from one typeface to another.

Rule 6: Avoid using too many different type sizes and weights at the same time. Some experts recommend using no more than two sizes, one for display titles and one for text type.

Rule 7: Use text types of book weight. Avoid typefaces appearing too heavy or too light. Text typefaces that are too light cannot easily be distinguished from their backgrounds. In typefaces that are too heavy, counter forms diminish in size, making them less legible.

Rule 8: Use typefaces of medium width. Avoid typefaces that appear extremely wide or narrow in width. Rather than distorting text by stretching or squeezing the text width, use type families that include condensed and extended faces that fall within accepted proportional norms.

Rule 9: For text type, use consistent letter and word spacing to produce an even, uninterrupted texture. Letters should flow gracefully and naturally into words, and words into lines. This means that word spacing should increase proportionally as letter spacing increases.

Rule 10: Use appropriate line lengths. Lines that are too short or too long disrupt the reading process. As the eye travels along overly long lines, negotiating the next line becomes difficult. Reading overly short lines creates choppy eye movements that tire and annoy the reader. When working with text type, a maximum of about 70 charters (10 to 12 words) per line is thought to be most acceptable.

Rule 11: For text type, use line spacing that easily carries the eye from one line to the next. Lines of type with too little space between them slow the reading process; the eye is forced to take in several lines at one. By adding one to four points of space between lines of type (depending on the specific typeface), readability can be improved.

Rule 12: For optimum readability, use a flush left, ragged right type alignment. Although in special situations, other type alignments (flush right, ragged left; centered, and justified) are acceptable, the tradeoff is always a loss, however slight, in readability.

Rule 13: Strive for consistent, rhythmic rags (the rag is the right edge of your left-justified paragraph). The purpose of effective rags is not only to achieve aesthetic beauty, but to enable readers to move gently and effortlessly down a text column. Effective rags consist of lines establishing an informal but consistent pattern of line endings.

Rule 14: Clearly indicate paragraphs, but be careful not to upset the integrity and visual consistency of the text. The two most common ways of indicating paragraphs are by indenting and inserting additional space between paragraphs.

Rule 15: Avoid widows and orphans whenever possible. A widow is a word or very short line at either the beginning or end of a paragraph. An orphan is a single syllable at the end of a paragraph.

Rule 16: Emphasize elements within the text with discretion and without disturbing the flow of reading. You can use italics, underlined type, color type, different typeface, small capitals, capitals, bold type within light type, light type within bold type, larger type, and outline type to emphasize elements but never overdo it. Use minimum means for maximum results.

Rule 17: Always maintain the integrity of type. Avoid arbitrarily stretching letters. Well designed typefaces exhibit visual qualities that make them readable. Arbitrarily distorting them compromises their integrity.

Rule 18: Always align letters and words on the baseline. Letters are designed to coexist side-by-side on an invisible baseline.

Rule 19: When working with type and color, ensure that sufficient contrast exists between type and its background. Too little contrast in hue, value or saturation, or a combination of these factors, can result in type that is difficult, if not impossible, to read. Be careful when using photos or texture behind text.

Typography Assignment:

Part A) Warm up: Get a perfect score in Kerntype, screenshot and post to your blog....
Link: Kerntype The Game

Part B) Create a cool typographic poster using a favorite quote, like the posters below:

1. Search for a short quote about one of your favorite subjects or from a favorite author or artist, or make up your own. Quote must be approved before proceeding.
2. Set up an 11X17 document in Illustrator
3. Create a poster using nothing but text, you can manipulate the text to illustrate your quote... think of ways to customize or even create your own original letter forms
4. You should have 2 fonts maximum, use scale, variance and other manipulations deliberately
5. Make a cool background for your poster, keep it subtle. Backgrounds should be bitmap, type should be vector
6. 
   
7. Use colors that are easy to read and create impact, make sure it has emphasis!
8. Think BIG! Big text, big message! Use the entire page, fill the space
9. Play with color, variance in size, angles. Make it playful, interesting, and enlightening. Good design should communicate, inform and delight the viewer.
10. Peruse the links below before beginning

Links:

Typographic Poster Design Website

100 Stunning Type Posters

Watching and Writing Assignment: Helvetica The Movie

Hello Students,

Today we will be watching the documentary film: Helvetica, which is about the origin, uses and influence of the typeface Helvetica. Watch the film closely and take notes to use for your writing assignment. Answer and complete all activities listed below on your own blog:

Helvetica The Movie Watching / Writing Assignment:

Answer the following questions from the fim:

1. Where does Helvetica originate from? What country?
2. What does the name Helvetica mean in English
3. What year was Helvetica created, who created it?
4. What is the design style that Helvetica brought to popularity worldwide
5. Name 3 qualities of Helvetica.
6. List the names of 3 different design styles or design movements that are discussed in the film.
7. Which screen fonts did Matthew Carter design?
8. What is the cloned version of Helvetica called?
9. Is David Carson a trained designer? How does it affect his approach?
10. What magazine did David Carson Design?
11. Name 5 brands that use Helvetica.

ACTIVITIES:

• Where can examples of Helvetica be seen? Can you spot some examples on our own campus? Use your camera and take a picture of a few examples and include in your blog post. 
• Name 4 Designers that appear in the film. Look them up and show examples of their work, research and provide links to websites and any biographical information about them. Post the information to your blog with this assignment. 

Thinking More Deeply:

Choose one of the questions below to answer in your post:

1. How does a typeface create a mood, feeling or image? Can you describe an occasion when you had a particular reaction to something in print, not because of the content, but because of the typeface?
2. In HELVETICA, design writer Richard Poynor says, “The designer has an enormous responsibility” as the person who is “putting wires into our heads.” What does he mean? How would you define that responsibility?
3. Think of the font you most commonly use when working on your computer. Which one is it and why do you use that one?
4. American designer David Carson says, “Don’t confuse legibility with communication.” What does he mean? What’s the difference between them?
5. How is design an expression of the times? How does politics affect the art of design?
6. What is your reaction to the grunge style of type and design? Why do you think you respond to it that way?
7. Imagine that the post office, your local bank or other government or corporate entity whose signage is familiar to you started using a different typeface. How would that change their image or your feeling about that business or organization?
8. What might you take away from this film in terms of possible effects on your work or other aspects of your daily life?
9. What changes, if any, has this film made in how you think about print and graphic design?

Introduction to Color Theory

Students,

Your next assignment is to create a color wheel that shows 22 gradations of color and examples of color harmony palettes. You will also use an online resource to create a palette derived from a photograph and then create a complementary color palette.

Part A - Color Wheel Assignment:

                   

• Create a new document in Illustrator that is 10"X10"
• Go to File > Document Color Mode and choose RGB
• Create a ring of shapes, at least 24. You can use the rotate tool and control-d to quickly make a geometric pattern. Try different shapes like teardrops, diamonds, ovals etc..
• Open your color mixer (rgb) and mix your colors, start with red, then orange, etc...
• You color wheel should show a smooth mix of color from all the way around
• Create a copy of your color wheel, draw arrows to show two complementary colors. Draw boxes to show those colors side by side.
• Create a copy of your color wheel, draw arrows to show three split-complementary colors. Draw boxes to show those colors side by side.
• Create a copy of your color wheel, draw arrows to show three analagous colors. Draw boxes to show those colors side by side.
• Create a copy of your color wheel, draw arrows to show four quadrilateral colors. Draw boxes to show those colors side by side.
• Post your results to your blog

Part B - Color Palette Generation From Photograph:

In the study of color theory, primary colors refer to the 3 or 4 color combinations that all other colors can be derived from. In photography, an image can have cool, warm, light, dark, saturated or unsaturated primary colors. In this short project we will extract the colors that make up our image. From that palette we can choose pleasing color combinations for layout purposes.

Step 1: Pick a photo you like from one of the free photo websites below:

http://www.freephotos.se

http://www.morguefile.com

Step 2: Navigate to this online palette generator, and upload your image as a JPG file. Here is the link : http://www.cssdrive.com/imagepalette/

Make sure you click "choose file" and upload your image....

Look for this link near the bottom of the page...

Step 3: After your image is done uploading, look at the palette it created for you, then download that palette as a Photoshop .ACO File.

Step 4: Now switch over to photoshop. Create a document about 1000X900 pixels at 72 dpi. Copy-paste your photo into it, scale it down and leave some room on your document for your color palette. You will be creating shape layers and filling them with color from your custom color palette.

Step 5: On your Color Swatch / Sub-Menu, choose Replace Swatches...

Step 6: Navigate to the Photoshop ICO file you downloaded from the palette generator website.

Your color swatch tab should show your custom color palette loaded up, with no other colors available (you can change it back by choosing "reset swatches" from the submenu later on).

Step 7: After your palette is loaded, use a shape tool to draw a square, circle etc...

Step 7: Draw 1 object, then switch to the Move Tool and Option-Drag a copy....

With the Move Tool selected, and your object Layer selected... hold the option key and drag your copy...

Step 8: Continue this process.. each time you create a new object, select a new color from your custom palette by clicking on the swatch. Then you can use the Option-Delete command to fill with that color, or go to the Edit Menu / Fill / Using Foreground Color...

Continue this process until you have 20 different objects... fill these objects with the most dominant colors you see in your custom swatch palette.

Final Step: Add your name and some cool title text to your assignment results and post them to your blog.

Part C - Short Writing Assignment:

On your blog, write a short summary of the principals discussed, shown and demonstrated in this color theory lesson. Refer to your lecture notes. You can search for images online and research answers also. Try to address all the questions listed below:

• What are the 3 primary colors? 
• How are secondary colors created? Cite an example 
• How are tertiary colors created? Cite an example 
• What is the difference between subtractive and additive color models? 
• How can color affect our perception? 
• How does one color affect another? 
• Find an example or show an example of a greyscale image. 
• Find an example or show an example of a monochrome image. 
• Find an example or show an example of an image that uses complimentary color.

- Mr.W