Advanced Typography - Task 3: Type Exploration and Application

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Name: Liong Xenyi (0383125)
Module: Advanced Typography (GCD61004)
Date: 15/12/2025 (Week 13)
Degree: Bachelor of Design (Honors) in Creative Media 
University: Taylor's University

Task 3: Type Exploration and Application

Table of Contents
  • Module Information Booklet
  • Task 3
  • Feedback
  • Reflection
Module Information Booklet


Task 3
Instructions
Choose either one:
Create a font that is intended to solve a larger problem or meant to be part of a solution in the area of your interest be it graphic design, animation, new media or entertainment design or any other related area not necessarily reflecting your specialisation.
End result: a complete generated font (.ttf) with applications.

or

Explore the use of an existing letterform in an area of interest, understand its existing relationship, identify areas that could be improved upon, explore possible solutions or combinations that may add value to the existing letterform / lettering. 
End result: a complete generated font (.ttf) with applications.

or

Experiment. For your idea to qualify as an experiment it must be novel and unique — working with material that might be 3-dimensional, digitally augmented, edible, unusual, typographic music video or fine art. 
End result: defined by student.

  • Prepare final Task 3 presentation (Google Slide / PP) explain your intention, show examples, make an attempt (at designing the font for the ideas you selected). You should explore at least 3 possible ideas in you presentation.
  • Use a grid to ensure consistency in weight (stroke thickness).
  • Complete all letterforms uppercase, lowercase, numerals and punctuations.
  • Complete font generation from FontLab7 (use MacLab D7.04 for original software) or download a free application like FontForge. You may view this article from a former student on how to use it. 
  • Complete font presentations (5 artworks; 1024 x 1024 px each artwork, 300ppi).
  • Complete font applications (5 artworks simulated; size subject to application but should not exceed 1024px in width or height. 300ppi).
Process
I first made a presentation with several ideas I had for this task. I was brainstorming off on things I liked, such as games' posters or animations' posters, or experimenting with a mix of fashion and typography. This are my slides.
Fig 1.1 Task 3 Presentation

After feedback, I realised that the two ideas with a more solid area that I could research on and develop on that idea are ideas #3 and #5. For idea #3, I could research more on French font types back in the 1960s, while also researching on horror movie posters and mixing the two to produce a better font that could be used. As for idea #5, I want to experiment on something I like, with the opportunity to try something different.

After I evaluated both of these ideas, I prefer idea #3 as it has a more solid background where I can study and develop my font based on existing fonts. However, as for idea #5, I wasn't sure if I could get enough cloths for each letter, and wasn't so skilled in handling cloths in general, so to save time, I would do something I had done before.

Research
I did my research on French fonts from the 1960s. I read some articles to understand which fonts were used in that time, and I also came up with fonts I have studied previously, such as Bodoni MT. It was a little difficult to research on certain fonts, as I couldn't find much specific research on it. After researching on a few fonts, I wanted to compare all the fonts I have collected on a grid, so that I could study it and come up with my own. These are the fonts in order (as shown in Fig 1.2: Peignot, Anitque Olive, Bodoni MT, Didot, La Parisienne Serif (inline and regular), La Parisienne Script, Fournier MT Std and Chambord. 
Fig 1.2 Researching and comparing fonts

After comparing the fonts with the ones in poster with the font I intended to fix, I found the font used by the creator, which is Didot, an older inspiration for the current Bodoni typeface. I noticed Didot has thinner strokes compared to Bodoni, and it's a little more difficult in reading when looking from afar. I continued to study the typeface by laying out the ascender, descender, x-height, cap line, and baseline.
Fig 1.3 Dead Plate poster, fixing the typeface


Fig 1.4 Studying the Didot typeface

Furthermore, I also looked up horror posters with varying typefaces during the 1960s, and compared each one. I noticed that the typefaces are all very bold, in width and colour. There are a mix of normal and hand-drawn typefaces. 

As the game poster I am looking into is based on the horror genre, consisting of a cannibal cook, I wanted to look at blood as the main theme. However, I want a more consistent look for the typeface, as I am mixing it with the studied French fonts, I will add a minimal graphic element to represent said blood. The dripping blood and slashes are too common and not to be used as a font. In addition, the game was very subtle in showing the cannibal, so I want to create a font that shows that, with the horror aspect dialed down in a subtle way.
Fig 1.4 Horror posters comparison

These are the short notes I collected that I observed that could be included in the new font.

French:
  • one side is thicker than the other
  • serif is thick to thin
  • thick overall
  • make it more bouncy/flowy like the richness of classy restaurant
  • somehow mix thickness of the era and thin with the delicacy of the theme

Horror:
  • thin in the middle, thick in the top and bottom
  • thick and chilly
  • a bit over the top with sketchy graphics
  • can show blood on the typeface
  • horror: human crime (killing, cannibalism), instead of monster scary, it has to reflect a grime, chilly human scare
  • blood as the main thing
Digitsation
I started making my font. I made the mistake of not being able to sketch my ideas, but didn't have the time, so I started experimenting on Adobe Illustrator instead. I used the researched French fonts to become my base of inspiration, while making adjustments to make it unique for the poster. I used Bodoni, La Parisienne Serif (inline) and La Parisienne Script as reference. I started by making the strokes and curves. I included a drop of blood as the graphic element to show the subtle look of the story. 

I was inspired by the cursive La Parisienne Script, so I tried doing my own version with the letter 'B'. But after testing it out, it was difficult to make a cursive side, let alone one that is consistent. Instead, I scrapped doing the cursive and first made certain strokes and curves that I would use for the font. 
Fig 1.5 First progress of making the font

Instead of using the pen tool, I used the shapes to create the curves and used the pathfinder tool. As for the stroke, I widen the thickness compared to the reference fonts, along with the poster, but not too much like the horror ones, just thick enough to be seen. I added the drop of blood at the bottom of the stroke, as if the blood is dripping down from the stroke. I added a curvy serif but only at the top of the stroke. All the strokes would have an empty space in the middle, taken inspiration from the La Parisienne Serif (inline) typeface, but with my own changes that I think would fit in the poster. I used a elongated diamond shape for the empty space in the middle, rounding the edges so it is more smooth. Because of the contents, I wanted to make the strokes look creepy and chilly, making it look like a bone with blood, thus the thinness in the middle, and becoming thicker at the end. The bottom would be thicker than the top.
Fig 1.6 Making the strokes and curves

I made several versions of the letter 'A' to see what works. After looking from afar, I realised that the blood droplet isn't visible, so I made it smaller. I'm not really a fan of the white space occupying the 'A', but I would work on that later. I continued doing the letters 'B' and 'C', and see what works and what doesn't. At the end of certain strokes, like the curves of C, I used the same curvy serif I made. I adjusted accordingly, using the pathfinder and pen tool.
Fig 1.7 Making the letters







Feedback
Week 9:
General Feedback: Be smart and know how much you can complete in the given time. Do the task with time in mind and plan properly, as this task is hard with the amount we have to do. Always use a grid when forming letterforms, and have consistency and good spacing that is maintained. 

Specific Feedback: The first two proposals had a few issues, as the first idea's typeface looks like its from an exisiting font, while the second had a mixture of upper case in the place of lower case letters, making it hard to develop the font properly. My third and fourth proposal is based on fixing a font and making it better, with my third having a basis and reference that I could look at. My last one was an experiment using fabric to make letterforms, choosing either to make upper or lower case with some numbers, while Mr. Vinod suggested I could use wasted fabric that could prevent wastage. Proposal 3 and 5 were the best ideas, but I still have to make my own decision.

Week 10:
General Feedback: Be quick. Be consistent and use a grid. Use the same strokes and lines.
Specific Feedback: To save time, I should be consistent with my font, using the same lines, strokes, and curves. 

Week 11:
General Feedback:
Specific Fedback:

Week 12:
General Feedback:
Specific Fedback:

Reflection
Observation:
-

Experience:
-

Findings:
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