visual communication
VISC 302

Professor: Andrea Herstowski
Office: 200 Marvin Hall
Office hours: by appointment

email: herstow@ku.edu

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:: Research
:- Thinking with Type
:- Typotheque
:- Type Cultur
:- Visual Thesaurus
:- Type Base
:- bitique.co.uk
:- dailydropcap.com
:- designobserver.com
:- designworklife.com
:- formfiftyfive.com
:- friendsoftype.com
:- ilovetypography.com
:- ministryoftype.co.uk
:- thevisualdictionary.net
:- typographer.org
:- typographica.org
:- welovetypography.com

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:: Short films :: Audio
:- films by Hillman Curtis
:- sagmeister | scher | carson
:- Type Radio
:- Type Culture Movies

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Project One:
Modular Font: Parts make the whole

Using the context of a modular letter construction you will create a prototype for a modular font by designing letters on a grid of squares or a grid of dots. You may substitute the curves and diagonals of traditional letterforms with gridded and rectilinear elements. You can not use handlettering or develp letters based on some exsiting font. Your letterforms must be modular: parts of the letters are used to make other letters. Avoid making detailed “staircases,” which are just curves and diagonals in disguise.

This exercise looks back to the 1910s and 1920s, when avant-garde designers made experimental typefaces out of simple geometric parts. The project also speaks to the structure of digital technologies, from cash register receipts and LED signs to on-screen font display, showing that a typeface is a system of elements.

_ explore the expressive potential of typography
_ communicate essence graphically and textually
_ solve communication problems within given parameters
_ create a compelling/persuasive, sequential experience
_ experience combining (or pairing) typefaces
_ methodically document relevant design inspiration and process
_ present and assess work in a visually and verbally articulate manner
_ professionally document and photograph final design outcomes
_ demonstrate exemplary visual craft—hand and digital

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Wed Jan 18
_ modular fonts

Begin by drawing a few core letters, such as A, D, H, G, N, O, R, S, and V (all uppercase or lowercase) building curves, lines, and shapes that will reappear throughout the font. All the letters in a typeface are distinct from each other, yet they share many attributes, such as x-height, line weight, stress, and a common vocabulary of forms and proportions. You can control the spacing of the typeface by adding blank areas next to each character as well as creating kerning pairs that determine the distance between particular characters. Producing a complete typeface is an enormous task. However, for people with a knack for drawing letterforms, the process is hugely rewarding.

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IN-CLASS FINISH AS HOMEWORK
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READ: http://www.eyemagazine.com/blog/post/type-tuesday2
They are not all fonts
So you want to create a typeface
How to design typefaces
Fontstruct.com | Fonstruct Shortcuts

Reference Read: LetterFountain

Read the readings above and take notes.

Look over _ modular fonts for more inspiration (be inspired, do not copy). Follow the handouts firs then continue creating the letters using the handouts or create your own set of modular parts. All by hand. Not on the computer.

Extra sheets if you need to print more grids.

In Class...design only the following letters (all caps OR all lowercase) (explore both with different designs:
H, O, R, N, S
or
a, o, r, n, s

HOMEWORK
Based on what you did in class / what you learned in class finish 25 studies/sets (all 9 letters in a set): use the handouts to create the "sets" of the following letters. You can also create your own 'parts" / modulars. Add to what you created in class/refine as you go.

*You can do 15 sets by hand and 10 in Fonstruct(you have to save and show them) or you can do all 25 by hand. Each set of 9 letters should fit together. Explore. Should be fun not torture.
Fonstruct Shortcuts

H, O, R, N, S, A, D, G, V
or
a, o, r, n, s, d, g, v

Have your 25 studies (with 9 letters in each study) in some form that can be pinned up for a crit.

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Monday Jan 23
_ Pin-up your 25 different sets of the letters H, O, R, N, S, A, D, G, V or a, o, r, n, s, d, g, v
_ Letterform construction
_ thinkingwithtype.com/contents/letter/ scroll way down
_ http://fontstruct.com/

HOMEWORK
Choose 3 studies, put them into illustrator. Use the template, draw them carefully and to the correct size, and explore differnt solutions to letters that gave you trouble, refine in Illustrator and add these 6 letters: E U M T W Z /or/ e u m t w z

Print them out so we can see all the letters.

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Wed Jan 23
_ Pick final typeface direction

HOMEWORK
Read: LetterFountain pages 152 - 181 be prepared to discuss (each of you will present 1 page, if your topic starts on the page before you have to read it).

Write 1 test question in regards to the content you have to present. Email it to me with the subject line: Type Test Question

Finish characters: all the lower case OR all the upper case in illusrator or fontstruct.

Promote: Mood, Tone, Attributes of your font. What is the mood and tone? Develp 6 different design directions that exemplify your font. (subvert it, match it, enhance it, counter it, challenge it).

Design Driection = 1 image, 1 word, 1 pangram/phrase/lyric (at least 3 words), and WHY/the Concept. Organize each design direction onto a 11 x 17 (= 6 sheets total)

* If you use FontStruct export as a font and put each letter in Illustrator and outline so your letters are objects in Illustrator for class.

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Wed Feb 1
_ Pick Design Direction
_ Bulid Illustrator Template, Build font in Glyphs

HOMEWORK
Start getting all your letters into Glyphs get as many as you can into the program.
Refine Design Direction
3 Design options on how you will show this project on Behance 1400px x ____ : has to include (short intro about the project, 1 image, 1 word, 1 phrase, animated gif, full alphabet and show how it is consturcted -- the modules)

Answer the questions

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Monday Feb 6
_ Work in class on refinements in Glyphs and Behance ideas and make process book

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Wed Feb 8
DUE
_ Behance ( a minimum of how to show off your font: 1 image, 1 word, 1 phase, animated gif, full alphabet, construction: how did you use a modular?)
_ Process Book (physical or as a pdf) must be well organized, labled, name on it!. project description and project overview.
_ Put Font File on the Server
- (1) 11 x 17 Black and White page with a pangram (all letters in one sentance)

HOMEWORK
Read Mac is not a Typewriter.
Follow directions on the board: Movement. x-height. font combos