Studio Brief 3 - Alphabet Soup - Illustrator

Brief

Produce an alphabet based on one of the letterforms you created from the Alphabet Soup, Visual Thinking brief. Once again you are restricted to using one colour and it is to be produced in CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, key). Although you are restricted to one colour you experiment with opacity and half tones.

Background / Considerations

Think visually. Consider what the visual essence of your subject matter is and how best to communicate it. How can these letterforms that you created be developed further now that you are working digitally? The following terms may prove useful: Trace, edit, layer, combine, outline, silhouette, positive/negative, contrast. Make mistakes in order to learn from them. For this workshop the emphasis is on investigation and experimentation. You will develop a quantity of material that will allow you to maximise your understanding of the applications potential within the time available.  One of the problems with software is that everyone has access to it but not everyone knows how to use it creatively. Abode illustrator is primarily used for the generation of vector-based images and as a type tool. When used as a means for visual investigation it offers the potential for rapid generation of visual variations. The possibilities of which can used as a springboard for further visual research.

We started the Illustrator brief by attending three workshops in order to ensure all students knew the basics needed for this project. The image above is a work sheet we had to complete by following the simple step by step process to create various shapes and lines using the pen tool.

The next stage of the learning process was to create a letter 'g' from the initial sketch above. To do this, we made the image into a template to ensure we didn't alter it accidentally. Then, using either the pen or pencil tool we were to trace around the letter form which would leave us with a linear outline of the letter.

  

This was my traced letter form once the original sketch was removed.

My first attempt at the letter, although successful in terms of the use of the pen tool and an accurate trace of the original drawing, wasn't very accurate or believable as a usable letter form. I then used strokes with a heavy weight in order to create a smoother, more accurate letter form. The problem with this though is it could only ever be one colour and once the weight was changed the letter form would become disfigured and lose legibility.

 

To prevent this from being the case, I used simple shapes in conjunction with the pathfinder tool to create an accurate, smooth version of the letter that could have the stroke, colour and weighting easily altered with no negative effects. Pathfinder is a tool that allows shapes to interact with each other in various ways, mainly adding shapes together and subtracting one shape from another was used in this instance.

 

We then looked at editing existing letter forms. Initially we had to convert the letter into an editable format by converting it into outlines. This meant we could then go into the letter and adjust anchor points and handles to change the curves etc.

 

The first thing I did to this letter form was transform the stem into more of a curve. This was done simply by using the direct selection tool and adjusting the handles. I then, using a basic circle and the pathfinder tool, replaced the counter with a more suited round one.

 

By again using the direct selection tool, as well as adding other anchor points, added my own serifs onto the letter; this caused my letter form to look completely different from the original.

 

To finish off, I added extended the bowl through the stem by adding anchor points and dragging them out to a similar level as the serifs. I think as a letter form, this was very successful and could make an interesting font.

 

We then looked at editing the weight of a stroke. Using the pencil tool I quickly wrote my signature then by using the width tool I dragged out sections of the stroke making them either lighter or heavier depending on whether I felt it was necessary. This gave my design a more natural and flowing feel, as though it had actually been written.

 

These are further examples of experimenting with the width tool. It shows how subtly the strokes can be altered.

 

We moved on to look into the blend tool and how it can be used in various ways. Originally I started by looking at how the use of the blend tool on two of the same shape can create interesting patterns before using it on two different shapes which transforms one into the other. The blend tool can also be used with colours creating a gradient like effect, a good way to create gradients within numerous shapes.

Brief:

This is the design I chose from my 'compact' collection that I am going to base my typeface around. I like the way in which out of context it could be quite illegible, seen more as a symbol or abstract design and think this will create a unique and interesting typeface.

Final Typeface:

Here is how it would appear when used to make a sentence:

Studio Brief 2 - Alphabet Soup - Typeface

Brief

Design a typeface for a full alphabet and glyphs (a to z, !, ?, @, £, :, .) that represents the personality/character of your partner. You will discover their personality/character through a series of set questions. Using your newfound appreciation of the anatomy of typographic forms and the wealth of research that you have already gathered, focus on the manipulation of existing letterforms in order to solve this problem.

Background / Considerations

Experiment with a range of possible line qualities, marks, colour and paper types. How will colour help the communication? What papers can you work with? Do you need to draw, photocopy, photograph, collage, trace or combine processes? Your final resolutions should read as convincing, well crafted and clearly presented typographic forms.

We started by having a chat with our partners in order to get information about them and some starting points to look into for our typefaces. For this, we were given a questionnaire that we had to go through and get some insight into our partners.

Questions borrowed (then adapted) from The Guardian Magazine Q&A - Caitlin:

• What is your favourite colour - Blue
• What is your earliest memory - 4th Birthday
• Which living designer do you most admire and why - Zim&Zou due to the craft
• What is your most treasured possession - Engagement ring
• What would your super power be - The ability to fly
• Which piece of graphic design do you wish you had created - 'Typographic Sandwiches'
• Who would play you in the film of your life - Angelina Jolie
• Who would you like to invite to your dream dinner party - David Beckham
• What makes you unhappy - Being cold
• What would be your fancy dress costume of choice - 'Riding on an ostrich'
• Which words or phrases do you most overuse - Swearing

However, although I found out some fairly interesting things out about Caitlin, I still didn't feel I had a significant starting point for my research and idea generation. We then had a conversation about various aspects of our lives, both design based and personal.

Design based:

• Calligraphy or Uppercase but sans serif
• Infographics
• Clean, precise designs with block colours
• Quite minimal
• Studio Photography
• Mixed Media
• Perfectionist: Spends a lot of time on her work (likes detail)

 Personal:

•  Active: Stays healthy and goes to the gym (slight obsession)
• Football: Is more like 'one of the lads'
• Scissor Sisters
• Countryside: Slight recluse but approachable
• Opinionated but considerate to others views
• Family oriented
• Travel
• Doesn't smoke or have tattoos
• Can hold a grudge

Some of these points were a lot more useful for me in terms of a starting point for this project, especially some of the design based elements of our chat. These will be things I shall be bearing in mind throughout the initial ideas stage and the whole design process.

Initial Sketches:

Here, I have taken an image from Caitlin's blog and created my own letter form from a pattern used within an image she likes. Although this could be an interesting route with a possibility to create an endless amount of variations, I don't think it successfully represent her as an individual.

Whilst looking through Caitlin's blog I noticed pictures of her scuba diving, a very interesting and rather rare hobby that she forgot to mention. I think that due to the unique nature of scuba diving as a hobby that this is going to be the main theme running through out my designs.

These designs were based around the sort of natural, hand-written type often found on gas cylinders. I don't really know where I could take these in terms of a whole typeface and they don't represent scuba diving or Caitlin enough for me.

This 'G' was based around a pressure gauge. Although I think that aesthetically this looks very effective, it could easily be misread as some sort of speedometer etc. and would be very difficult to incorporate this concept within many other letters of the alphabet.

Here, I have taken the idea of under water hand signals and recreated them into the shapes of different letters. Once again, I really like the concept and think it would make an interesting typeface but could easily be misinterpreted.

I have explored the use of many simple shapes, a basic silhouette of a fish, to create a letter form. I think this works effectively in representing scuba diving as well as being a legible letter form.

Similar to the hand signal idea, I have taken another aspect of scuba diving and transformed it into a letter form; using the actual swimmer to make the letter form was quite tricky and I feel as though I would have great difficulty in designing some letters of the alphabet as well as most glyphs.

 This letter form was created by adapting water bubbles into the shape of the letter. However, it is too illegible and I think due to the nature of bubbles my designs would become too complicated and chaotic.

I then decided to look at the way in which a letter form could look like a wave, or as though a wave is effecting the letter form in some way. To do so I drew out a simple wave like structure and fit my letter into it. These are effective in terms of portraying the effect water would have upon a letter form. I also think that as a concept, it could progress into becoming a very unique typeface.

 I have continued to develop my 'wave' idea, experimenting with the way in which water could effect type. For these, I have taken a horizontal section across the middle of the letter form and almost dragged it across to a side whilst leaving the top and bottom in place. The bottom right 'R' looks much more successful due to the natural and flowing feel it has from the smooth lines that appear to be flowing away from their original positions.

I continued to look at the way in which I can represent waters effect, again the most effective being the version with a smoother distortion of the letter form. This time though I have looked at changing the letter form vertically as opposed to horizontally which I feel doesn't work as successfully.

 

I have looked at the various points at which I can manipulate the letter forms to before the become too distorted and lose their believability. I also looked at distorting the image in two directions, going upwards and downwards within the same letter form but it makes the letter look too modified and unrealistic. I really like the horizontally distorted 'A' on this design sheet and will extend this into the whole typeface.

This is how I shall be arranging my letters within my typeface, ensuring each letter has enough space and that the letter forms are equally spread and aligned across my page.

This is a sketch of my final outcome so that I can ensure I have all of the letters aligned accordingly.

I added structure lines throughout my sketch so that each letter form was altered equally, giving my typeface some unity and cohesion. 

Final Typeface:

 

 

This is the name badge I created using a digital version of my typeface. It flows nicely and is legible and readable.

We then had to use our letter forms to create a word of a brand or product. I chose Champneys Spa's as it fits well with my under water theme.

Studio Brief 1 - Visual Thinking - Alphabet Soup

Brief

Produce a set, series or sequence of ten letterforms that explore and communicate your interpretation of the word that you have selected from the randomisers. Using your newfound appreciation of the anatomy of typographic forms and the wealth of research that you have already gathered, focus on the manipulation of existing letterforms in order to solve this problem.

Background / Considerations

Think visually. Consider what the visual essence of your subject matter is and how best to communicate this. What are the obvious responses? How can you beyond these? How subtle can you be? Do your ideas operate as a set, series or sequence? The following terms may prove useful: Trace, erase, layer, combine, outline, silhouette, and surface. Consider the most effective and controlled use of media appropriate to your subject matter. EXPERIMENT with a range of possible line qualities, marks, colour and paper types. How will colour help with the communication? What paper stocks can you work with? Do you need to draw, photocopy, photograph, collage, trace or combine all of these processes?

Initial ideas and sketches:

 

• These ideas are to do with the concept of compacting numerous versions of the same letter into one form. The thing I like about the outcomes is the legibility of the letters is still there, they are recognisable whilst still expressing the term 'compact'.

  

• This idea revolves around the squashing of the existing letter form, literally compacting the letter form down. With this idea, without seeing the original my altered letter form could easily be mistaken for an ordinary font which I find helps it to become more believable as a legitimate letter form.

• These experiments are similar to one of my previous ideas in which I compacted numerous versions of the same font and letter form together; this time I have compacted different segments of the same letter form that were gathered from different fonts.

• Here, using the term 'compact' to mean solidify and to stabalise, I have drawn structure lines that are 'supporting' the letter form as if scaffolding was being used. I like the way in which the letter has been hidden by parts of the structure lines but has still managed to keep its identity.

• These sheets are continuation of development within a similar idea. I liked the idea of somehow 'compacting' a letter form within a certain space or shape but initially couldn't find a way to express this effectively. I continued to work with the concept until I found an outcome I was happy with.

• To make this letter form seem as though it had been 'compacted', I took the existing font and simply altered its anatomy to make it become bolder and heavier thus appearing to be more 'compact' within itself.

•  Here, very similarly to an earlier outcome, I had actually 'squashed' the letter form vertically without altering the width of the letter which made it become visually more compact. Once again, this concept has left me with a letter form that without comparison with the original could be seen as a legitimate font.

• For these examples, I have cut a vertical section out of the letter forms in order to give the impression they are more 'compact'. I like the way in which, even without the middle sections of the letters they are still legible and instantly recognisable as the specific letter forms.

• Similar to an earlier idea, I wanted to explore the way in which a letter form could be put within different shapes. Here however I started with the shape and used negative space in order to create the individual letters. The way in which the shape as well as the letter forms are instantly recognisable works very successfully.

Finals: