Typography, 3rd Assignment, Part 2: The 15 Drafts

DRAFTS (x15)

These are the 15 drafts for the third project. The third project focuses on making a book: there are a total of five drafts for the book cover, five for the contents page, and five for the page layout(s). Each image illustrates a total of two boxes (approximately 5" x 7") that contain unique and artful designs for the three main parts of the book. As stated in the previous blog post, the typeface chosen for the project is Futura (designed by Paul Renner); therefore, all words, phrases, sentences and numbers are typed in this typeface. This also includes titles, captions and the like. Moreover, the main subject matter of the book is the New Deal relief program; hence, the title of the book is The New Deal. There will be passages on the American president Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the Great Depression, and other topics related to the New Deal.

The goal of this project is to create dynamic and engaging compositions for the book cover, contents page, and page layout(s). The titles are self-explanatory: they are the largest and stylistic texts within the boxes. Large rectangles and squares indicate where pictures are to be placed. On the other hand, miniature squares are the selected page numbers and letters. Moreover, horizontal lines specify where words, sentences and phrases are going to be placed (their thickness and spacing indicate their weight). Small pound sings on the corners or bottom center of a page point out where page numbers are going to positioned. Balanced placement is essential for this book project.

As usual, like the past projects, the drafts are subject to change in terms of appearance, placement and composition. They are to be digitalized, refined, and finished as the pages of a bundled book. This project is due at the end of the semester. 

Typography, 3rd Assignment, Part 1: Historical Connections (The Great Depression, The New Deal, and the Futura typeface)

Even if America experienced an economic boom during the early 1920s (usually referred to as the Roaring 20s), the country also experienced a severe recession the moment the stock market crashed in October 29, 1929. However, it was not only the stock market crash that initiated the Great Depression. There was an overexpansion of the American economy: many companies produced too much products that Americans did not really need. As a result, there was a rapid decrease in employment. To make matters worse, since the country was undergoing a technical change, machines replaced people when it came to jobs. As the amount of occupations pummeled down, so did the number of factories. Herbert Hoover, the president at the time, was unable to fix the problems of the recession – he was just unable to appease struggling Americans with his Rugged Individualism philosophy.

It was not until Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s rise to presidency that America’s economy began to pick up again. He and his administration launched the New Deal program – a grand plan that was designed to grant jobs to unemployed Americans. Overall, the program focused on promoting relief, recovery, and social reformation (notably known as the Three R’s). There were numerous administrations, acts and commissions that were formed to carry out FDR’s restoration plan. One of the most effective strategies that he came up with was the Social Security Act, an act that established unemployment insurance. It also acted as a supplement to the pensions of Americans. The American economy steadily began to stabilize again – it experienced another economic boom once World War II ended during FDR’s presidency.

The typeface primarily chosen for the third project is Futura. As an article in Wikipedia exclaimed, it is a typeface that has an appearance of “efficiency and forwardness.” According to an article on the website Typophile, the it was designed by Paul Renner between 1927 and 1930 (coincidentally, it was a period in time when the Great Depression occurred in America). While designing Futura, Renner was temperamentally minimalistic – this explains why the distinguished typeface is geometrical and sans serif in form. Futura visually appears to be a typeface that represents the purpose and function of the New Deal Program, which is stability. Moreover, the typefaces that were used to design posters during the 1920s in America strongly resembled Futura. This typeface is definitely suited to narrate and explain the events of the Great Depression for the book project.

SOURCES CITED:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futura_(typeface)
2. http://typophile.com/node/12494
3. American History Class notes

NOTE: Information on Futura was derived from two websites (#1 and #2). Information on the Great Depression and the New Deal were derived from history class notes (#3).

Identify that Letter! Part 12 (FINAL): The Wrap-up

NOTE: All the letters of the Alphabet, both in their uppercased and lowercased forms, have been found posted on this blog at this point of the semester. These are the last 14.

This is a snapshot of a C-Table that was displayed at the furniture/utility store Crate & Barrel. Just as its given name implies, it is shaped like a capital letter “C.” Anatomically speaking, a capital “C” is basically a long curved a stem; in other words, it is a bent vertical stem. Despite its rigid form, the cubic table’s flat top and pedestal can visually be perceived as the extensive curved arms of a “C.”

This is an image of one of the handles of a wooden basket that was also displayed at Crate & Barrel. It is undeniably shaped like an uppercased letter “D.” In terms of typeface anatomy, an uppercased “D” is composed of a vertical stem and an arc-like bowl and counter. In this case, the basket’s cropped rim can be seen as the stem while its rounded handle can be regarded as the bowl (or counter).

This is a picture of a one of the spiral-shaped legs of a horizontal, bar-like candle holder. Without a doubt, it shaped like a capital letter “G.” In typeface anatomy, a capital “G” is simply a long curved stem with a crossbar attached to its lower endpoint. Despite its curvilinear form, the core of the object can be visualized as a tilted crossbar while its exterior support can be viewed as a stem.

This is an image of a scotch-tape roller. When it is laid flat on a plane (with its backside as the front), it is undeniably shaped like a lowercased letter “G.” When it comes to typeface anatomy, a lowercased “G” is composed of a vertical stem (or link), a bowl, and a descender (sometimes with a finial or a loop). The hole at the center of the roller can be considered as the bowl while its tip can be seen as the descender.

This is a snapshot of a chair (at its side-view). It is certainly shaped like a lowercased letter “H.” A lowercased “H” has a long vertical stem (with an ascender) and a short one that are connected by a shoulder in the middle. Together, the backrest and the posterior leg can be considered as the long stem. The anterior leg can be viewed as the shorter stem. Lastly, the seat can be seen as the shoulder.

This is a picture of a banana hook. Along with the spherical connector, it can be seen as a lowercased letter “J.” In typeface anatomy, a lowercased letter “J” is composed a period, a vertical stem, and a descender (with a curved tail or unclosed loop). The hook itself can be perceived as both the stem and descender put together. Furthermore, the spherical connector can visually be regarded as the period.

This is a close-up of a specific part of an ornamental mirror (displayed at the furniture store Pier 1 Imports). By looking closely at the image, the cropped decoration of the mirror is shaped like an uppercased letter “K.”  Anatomically speaking, an uppercased “K” consists of a long vertical stem and two diagonal strokes branching off of it. The lone curvilinear bar on the left can be perceived as the stem. The diverging ones on the right can be viewed as the strokes.

This is an image of a trident-like tip of a metallic fork. If it is seen upside down, it can be identified as an uppercased letter “M.” Basically, an uppercased “M” consists of two long vertical stems that are attached to two diagonal strokes diverging from a single point in the middle. The two outermost projections can be distinguished as stems. The central projection and the apertures form the strokes.

This is a snapshot of a simple white lamp post in a Hospital's parking lot. It is definitely shaped like a capital letter “T.” When it comes to typeface anatomy, a capital “T” is simply a long vertical stem with a crossbar attached at its cap-height. The post itself can be distinguished as the stem. Moreover, its circular shoulder-like lamps as a whole can be recognized as the horizontal crossbar.

This is a snapshot of two trees (on an elevated base) that have their foundations close to each other. It seems that their trunks have a slim, inclined figure. They form the shape of a capital letter “V.” In typeface anatomy, a capital “V” has two diagonal strokes branching off a single point. The trunks of the trees can be perceived as the strokes while their foundations can be regarded as the shared common point. These trees are situated between the Student Services Center and Communications Building at El Camino College.

This is a picture of a group of ledges that were displayed at the furniture/utility store, IKEA. The organization of these ledges certainly forms the shape of a capital “W.”  A capital “W” consists of four diagonal strokes that are connected to each other at the baseline; two exterior strokes point downwards while the two internal ones point upwards. Each ledge visually represents one stroke.

This is a snapshot of a crown-shaped apex of a pine tree. By looking closely at it, one may notice that it is shaped like a lowercased letter “W.” A lowercased “W” has the same exact form as its capital counterpart; however, it is shorter in terms of height (like all the lowercased letters, it reaches up to the x-height). Each verdant branch visually represents one diagonal stroke. The tree was displayed at the Peninsula Center.

This is an image of a decorative grille work contained within the rim of a bench’s armrest. The object absolutely resembles the shape of a lowercased letter “Y.” A lowercased “Y” is simply composed of two diagonal strokes (meeting at a single point) and a descender. The diverging branches at the top are the diagonal strokes. On the other hand, the slanted tail-like stem at the bottom is the descender. The bench can be found at the Peninsula Center.

This is a picture of a large retail shelf that was seen at IKEA. If the image is turned sideways, the shelf definitely resembles a large capital letter “Z.” A capital “Z” consists of two crossbars (on the cap-height and the baseline) that are connected by an oblique stem in the middle. The top and bottom black metallic bars are the crossbars while the slanted one in the middle is the stem.    

Identify that Letter! Part 11: Randomization III

This is a snapshot of a curvilinear hook that suspends one of an old-fashioned scale’s weighing pans (which are sometimes called dishes). It should be noted that the scale was displayed at the furniture store Z-Gallerie. Without a doubt, the object is shaped exactly like a lowercased letter “S.” When it comes to typeface anatomy, a lowercased “S” is simply a spine with two curved extensions (from its baseline to its x-height). The hook certainly takes on the stated letter’s shape in its sans serif form.

This is a photograph of earthly cracks on a concrete floor. It was taken at a parking lot. These linear cracks somehow formed the shape of an uppercased letter “F.” Anatomically speaking, a capital “F” is composed of a vertical stem with two horizontal crossbars: one situated on its cap-height and another at its x-height (though sometimes the bottom crossbar is situated slightly below the letter’s x-height). At times, the formations of cracks on the ground can also be described as formal rather than randomized.

As stated from a past blog post (titled Can You Say IKEA?), a lowercased letter “A” takes on two forms. Like the previous post, only one of its forms will be displayed again: the one with an expansive, hollow bowl with a short stem attached at its right side. This is an image of a white, round hook within the open body of a hanger – it is arguably shaped like the stated lowercased “A”. The hook itself can be considered as the bowl. Moreover, cropped part of the hanger’s shoulder can be visually perceived as the short stem.

This is an image of the upholding legs of a wooden easel.  By looking at its side view (when the canvas is facing the left side of the image), they form the shape of an uppercased letter “N.” In terms of typeface anatomy, a capital “N” can be best described as two long, vertical stems and a slanted one (dropping towards the right side) put together; the slanted stem is positioned in the middle connecting the two vertical ones. Without the inclined support of the rear leg, the legs together cannot be seen as an “N.”

Typography, Extra Assignment: Open House Poster 2011

11" x 17" Open House Poster

This may seem to be just an ordinary poster that promotes El Camino's  upcoming Open House (2011) event that is to take place at May 20, but there's more to it than meets the eye; actually, there was a lot of work put into it. Similar to the past projects, the elements (and/or principles) of design were applied on this poster as well. Furthermore, the typeface used for this project was Hanzel Extended Normal since it appears to be "Modern" in terms of design (it was chosen for its roundness and flexibility). The design of this poster was inspired from the Russian Constructivist Movement. This project was done on Adobe Illustrator; its actual size is 11" x 17".

When it comes to designing a poster, visual hierarchy is very important as it arranges the most essential messages before the less important ones. In this case, there is greater emphasis on the title of the poster as it is the largest in size. It has an elaborate and dynamic composition as it forces the viewers' eyes to move in different directions; it may also compel them to tilt their heads to read it. The title is regarded as the most important because it tells viewers where the event it taking place (especially what the event is). The second rank of the hierarchy is the day, date and time since they inform the viewers when the event is going to occur. Therefore, they were also enlarged and were placed along the right edge of the title. The school address, web address, phone number, information on art classes, punchlines, and other bonus/extra messages are considered to be among the lower ranks of the visual hierarchy. Thus, they are way much smaller in size. In order to avoid imitating the composition of the title (for the sake of originality), these secondary informations have been aligned right in a linear position that has been tilted to the left. This position contradicts the title's position that falls to the bottom right side of the poster. Lastly, it is very effective to only use one or two typefaces for a poster. If the designer uses more than two typefaces, the poster may become visually confusing as its viewers may not know where to look first.