9 Word Exercises

I enjoyed applying color and different typefaces for these 9 exercises. Figure ground relationships and patterns made from type where consistent throughout my iterations.

Screen printed posters

I’m very happy with how these posters ended up.  I think each represents the typefaces well between the information displayed, the composition, and other details.

This past spring I first learned how to screen print in sophomore studio.  My experience though was a bit spotty and I left wanting to screen print more in the future, but not all that sure how well I knew the process.  I was glad I had the opportunity to practice screen printing more.  It added a nice effect to my posters, especially the Goudy poster which seems like it should represent the handmade.

Pictures of the screen printed posters coming soon

Poster Ideas/Drafts

Here are some aspects of the two typefaces and type designers that I found noteworthy

Goudy

• Golden Age
• Loved 15th Century
• Renaissance Painting
• Diamond Dots on letterforms
• Venetian
• Calligraphic
• Fire burned down printing press

Aaux Pro

• Mechanically clean
• Georgia
• Display flexibility

Both

• Educators
• Used for advertising and packaging

For my posters I like the idea of my Goudy poster preceding my Aaux pro poster.  One poster could be about an event, while the other is more about a product.  One idea is for my Goudy poster to announce a fire in a medieval time period (sort of like a news release) and then my Aaux poster will advertise for fire-proof paper or product.  

The following are my four initial drafts.

Aaux Pro

1. Date Typeface was designed

2004

2. Type Designer

Neil Summerour

Summerour is a type designer, lettering artist, calligrapher and designer based in Georgia, USA with one foot in Takamatsu, Japan. After graduating from The University of Georgia Lamar Dodd School of Art with a BFA in Graphic Design, he soon found himself opening his own studio to deal with the flow of freelance work. This evolved into a 10-year dance in the design, web and advertising world allowing him to work with clients large and small—each time producing and developing unique creative solutions. His desire to not do the ‘same-old, same-old’ continues today. During this time, Neil opened his personal type foundry, Positype, in 2000 to feed his ever-growing desire for type design (something of which, oddly, he considered a hobby to keep him busy late at night). He later co-founded TypeTrust(2002) with Silas Dilworth as his addiction to type and lettering grew. All the while, Neil has continued his commitment to education and fostering young talent as an adjunct art professor at The University of Georgia in graphic design and teaching graphic design at the Governor’s School for the Arts. His work spans across media types and centers on problem solving and communicating graphically (with an obvious emphasis on type and lettering)—and it’s this balance of educator, designer, and entrepreneur that allows him to bring a unique and practical insight to solving a client’s communication needs, regardless of the medium.

As a typeface designer, he has published over 60 typeface families (that’s over 500 fonts) and produced numerous custom typefaces for clients worldwide. You cannot watch TV, go online, or shop in your local grocery store without possibly seeing one of his fonts being used.

3. All weights of the typeface

4. Type Foundry that originally released it

Positype and TypeTrust

5. The story of the typeface and facts relevent to your ‘event’ / 6. Important facts for USING the typeface

“Aaux was an obsession of mine for quite some time … the result turned out to be an extensive sans serif family that has a certain feel all it’s own. The family has all of the necessary trappings to serve as a workhorse text typeface (small caps, old style figures and several weights) but the addition of the thin, ultra and poster weights allow it to have a display flexibility. Built to be mechanically clean with true italic weights, the font is comfortable in various traditional text settings as well as digital and online uses.” -Neil Summerour

SOURCES

http://www.identifont.com/show?90I

http://www.fontbros.com/families/aaux-pro

GOUDY

1. Date Typeface was designed

• E-38 also known as Goudy Light, (1908), for Lanston Monotype Machine Company
• Goudy Old Style, later renamed Goudy Antique, this same type was issued as Lanston (1912) by American Monotype, and was named Ratdolt when cut by the Caslon Foundry in England.
• Goudy Old Style (The ‘real’ Old Style!) commissioned for and issued by ATF in 1914-15.
• Goudytype (1916)
• Goudy Open (1918)
• Goudy Modern (1919)
• Goudy Newstyle (1921)
• Goudy Sanserif Bold (1922)
• Goudy Extra Bold (1926)
• Goudy Text (1928), for Monotype, originally called Goudy Black
• Goudy Sanserif (1925) – produced by Lanston Monotype 1930-31
• Goudy ‘Thirty’ (1942)

2. Type designer

Frederick W Goudy

“Goudy is probably the best known of American typographers and exemplifies the Golden Age of American Printing. He is famous for his prodigious output; he designed over one-hundred typefaces, yet did not start design in earnest until he was 45.

Born in Bloomington, Illinois, he studied at the Chicago School of Lettering. He best and most popular types are Goudy Old Style and Goudy Text. He was also well-known as a spokesperson for the trade and spent a great deal of time speaking in clubs, associations etc. He was not a ‘modern’; he loved the 15th century and found much of his inspiration there.”

Goudy’s practice was anchored in hand lettering and he preferred the roman historical letter structure. Goudy said that he was inspired by the cap lettering on a Renaissance painting by Hans Holbein. His personal style, otherwise known as Goudy-isms, show that he took this inspiration and made it his own. He wanted his work to be useful and beautiful at the same time, saying:

“Printing is essentially a utilitarian art, yet even utilitarianism may include distinction and beauty in its type forms.”

3. All weights of the typeface

3. Type Foundry that originally released it

American Type Founders

4. The story of the typeface and facts relevent to your ‘event’

“It is hardly possible to create a good typeface that will differ radically from the established forms of the past; nevertheless, it is still possible to secure new expressions of life and vigour.”

“In 1915, Frederic W. Goudy designed Goudy Old Style, his twenty-fifth typeface, and his first for American Type Founders. Flexible enough for both text and display, it’s one of the most popular typefaces ever produced, frequently used for packaging and advertising. Its recognizable features include the diamond-shaped dots on i, j, and on punctuation marks; the upturned ear of the g; and the base of E and L. Several years later, in response to the overwhelming popularity of Cooper Black, Lanston Monotype commissioned Frederic W. Goudy to design heavy versions of Goudy Old Style. Goudy Heavyface and Goudy Heavyface Italic were released in 1925. The huge success of Goudy’s typefaces led to the addition of several weights to many of his typefaces; designers working for American Type Founders produced additions to the family. In 1927, Morris Fuller Benton drew Goudy Extra Bold”

5. Important facts for USING the typeface

“Goudy Old Style itself has a very smooth feeling and is classic and timeless in its overall look. it seems to mimic a calligraphic pen in its style as well. There also seems to be a Venetian influence in the gentle curves and rounded serifs of certain letters. The ear of the lowercase g curves upward slightly, and some of the uppercase italics such as the Q almost looks like calligraphy. The dots of letters and punctuation have a diamond-like quality in their shape.”

American Type Founders altered Frederic W. Goudy’s design to fit its common line, a measurement instituted to insure that all of its typefaces could be aligned with each other. Most of the descenders survived the abuse, but not the g. In the digital world there is no reason why Goudy Oldstyle cannot be restored to its proper look.

SOURCES

http://www.adobe.com/type/browser/html/readmes/GoudyStdReadMe.html

http://www.identifont.com/show?13B

http://web.archive.org/web/20001210030800/webcom.net/~nfhome/goudy.htm

http://cjbphotographic.net/samples/illustrator/poster1.pdf

http://centerforbookarts.blogspot.com/2012/05/tuesday-typeface-goudy-old-style.html

http://www.printmag.com/featured/flawed-typefaces/

BOLD TYPE ALIGNED WORDS: introducing juxtaposition

Books and print publications have always held an appeal for me as a reader.  I can say at this point that I enjoy designing them as well. Chelsea Rawson and I created the FORM section of this book.  The design of our spreads was based on a synthesis of our ideas.  The aspect of the spreads I wanted to achieve was a sense of symmetry and balance.  We balanced an even number of diagrams on each spread and maintained a hang line throughout.  For my divider page I revised my previous design using red to make for a more striking introduction.  This same method was used on the front and back cover to entice readers with the bold form of the letter X and the vibrant yellow.  I was very pleased how the book turned out.  I have had prior experience in Adobe InDesign and book binding, but I feel much more confident and knowledgeable after this project.

I have uploaded my edition to Issuu.  Check it out below or here!

Examples of Multi-Column Layouts

LAYOUT 1 – Vie Magazine by Caitlin Workman

What’s not

• Bottom page number ask for higher hierarchy – too much emphasis
• Some irregularity in use of triangles

What’s working

• Clear information + imagery
• Diagramming
• Column variations with 1st of 3 more of an intro
• Cover design represents content well

LAYOUT 2 – Presentation booklet for Orekhprom by QUS QUS

What’s working

• White space
• Presentation of stats
• Use of open pages
• Use of columns with varying content

LAYOUT 3 – 4SNOWMAG

What’s working

• 3 columns maintained but well modified throughout
• Use of numbers to outline
• Color and filtered images consistent and correlate with subject

What’s not

• Circles feel awkward in places