TypeTalk
Research
Peter Strain
Karl Grandin
Friends scene
Experimentation with font
I also picked one line that each of the characters say and put that into different typefaces.
Experimentation with layout
I started with the idea that I could do it within 2 double page spreads, which I then realised wasn't going to leave enough space. I then moved onto 3 double page spreads which still didn't work. So I have opted for a 6 double page spread to be able to achieve the effect I want.
Here I have put each line where I planned it to go with the assigned typeface to each character to help visualise the layout better.
Title page thumbnails
Title page experimentation
I put the photo of the iconic sofa from Friends into photoshop and created the image from the 6 Friends' names to make an image completely out of typography.
I did the same thing with the frame from the door as I did with the sofa.
I put the typography images I made into InDesign and created different title pages.
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Pages 9+10
Page 11
Page 12
Final book
https://issuu.com/grillustdropbox/docs/friends_typography_book
Digital typography workshop
Left to right. Italic/regular, Letter/number, Serif/ sans serif, Upper/ lower.
Typography workshop
Ampersand workshop
DIY Alphabet
Animal alphabet
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I had the idea to use animal figures to create an alphabet. I gathered references from the internet and used them, along with some tweaking of the placement, to recreate a range of characters. I enjoyed drawing these animals out and playing with the arrangement of multiple animals or the limbs/features of each animal. I am very fond of animals so I just had to include them, even if they won't be featured in the final product. This design would be appropriate for infants as it could help them become more interested in learning the alphabet and their animals. If I was to use this design idea I would develop it by finding an animal that starts with each letter of the alphabet and use that animal to recreate the letter. This would further benefit a child's learning process.
Light alphabet
I decided to experiment with light using the fairy lights in my room and the flame from a candle. I took close up shots of the lights and candles in different positions to try and create varied amounts of light and hues. I also experimented using a mirror to see if I could produce a different effect.
I then chose a few images to put into photoshop. I edited each photo to make the colours more vibrant and then I explored various typefaces such as; Bernard mt condensed and blackadder ITC. I used the clipping mask tool to cut the image into the shape of the character.
I then chose a few images to put into photoshop. I edited each photo to make the colours more vibrant and then I explored various typefaces such as; Bernard mt condensed and blackadder ITC. I used the clipping mask tool to cut the image into the shape of the character.
I like the blue to yellow/orange tones I got with the candles but I also like the texture that the clear wires from the lights give to the characters. I think that I prefer the Blackadder typeface as it suits the flame/light theme.
Twins alphabet
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For this idea I was able to rope in my younger twin sisters for help. I like the idea of using people to recreate the Alphabet because you get very different outcomes depending on height and different ratios of the length of legs to upper body. I would like to see how I could develop this further, however, getting them both to cooperate was extremely difficult so I find the idea of spelling out the whole alphabet extremely daunting.
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Pencil shavings Alphabet
In this design I sharpened my coloured pencils to make pencil shavings to create characters. I experimented with the use of negative space by drawing into the pencil shavings to leave an outline of the character. I also used the sharpenings themselves to form the letters, although I think I prefer the effect that the negative space gives the design. To take the photos I used candles for better and more dramatic lighting. I took photos of the shavings clustered together, edited them in photoshop and cut the images into the shapes of the characters.
Sweeties alphabet
I decided to collate images from the internet and manipulate them in photoshop to create different characters. I thought that it would be fun to use classic sweets to form an alphabet. This design could intrigue both adults, as these are the classic sweets they all know and love, and children because we all know children go crazy for anything sweet and colourful.
Banana alphabet
I took photographs of an over-ripened banana and put them into Illustrator and used the magic wand tool to kind of play "dot to dot" with the brown spots on the banana to make the different characters.
A, Y, X, 1, 5 and ?
A, Y, X, 1, 5 and ?
Valentine alphabet
My amazing boyfriend bought me a bouquet of roses for valentines day on Sunday, so naturally I photographed them and thought that I could make characters out of the different shapes that the petals make together. I put the images into Illustrator and found shapes in the flowers that resembled different characters and cut them out. I like the way some of these turned out such as the A and the 7, however, I think that if I chose this design I would spend more time perfecting the shapes of the characters to look more delicate and flower-like.
Cracker alphabet
I broke up a cracker and arranged the pieces into characters. I think I would like to experiment with blocking out the crackers and just leaving their shapes to be the characters instead.
Memories Alphabet
I had the idea to cut out characters from paper with a craft knife and hold it over printed picture of places, family and pets to create a memory Alphabet. I also experimented with putting different textures behind the letters.
Water droplet Alphabet
I used the paper stencil I made for the "memories" idea and sprayed water onto a window so that when I removed the paper the water droplets made up the shape of the letters. It was a little too hard to see, so I tried it on a mirror instead, which worked a slightly better but still wasn't what I had imagined. So I put them into photoshop and cut around the shapes to make them more obvious.
Developments
I have chosen to develop my twins alphabet. I had my sisters find a monochromatic outfit each to give the characters a more put together look to them. I tried to create lower case letters to see if they worked better, however, I feel that the capital letter work better for this design.
I played with lighting and found that a simple silhoutte of the twins creates a more readable alphabet and has a more omnious feel to it.
I also played with hues and saturation to create different lighting and experimented with layers and their opacity to create different effects.
I multiplied the letter 3 times and rotated them to create a fuller and thicker font. I also made it into a silhouette to see if it had a better effect.
Final alphabet
Typography workshop
I have chosen a F because I based my letter on my favourite place to visit, Disney in Orlando, Flordia. I love theme parks and all the rides and rollercoasters, I enjoy both Disney and Universal studios. My family and I usually visit every few years, we have been four times and hope to revisit soon!
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The article explains that you shouldn't trust default settings when it comes to kerning and tracking as it can ruin your design. You also shouldn't over use script fonts because it is unnecessary and no one will read it. It isn't a good idea to place type over busy backgrounds as people will miss the text completely. Using too many fonts is confusing and distracting to a reader, no more than three fonts. Small caps and italics shouldn't be faked because it won't be proportional and will just become distorted. You should never use all caps because the human brain doesn't read words letter by letter, we read them through the shapes of the letters, therefore all caps becomes slightly challenging to read. Reverse typing is a bad idea because forcing readers to focus on white text for a long time can strain the user's eyes. Serifs shouldn't be combined together because fonts that are too similar will clash and cause conflict. Long or short measures can be very distracting to the reader and they will have to fight to construct the sentences.