Typography assignment

1.
SP5 CUVGRD503A Produce typographic
design solutions
By Colleen Sedgwick (E0498336)
OC assessment code: 31188/01
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Assessment overview
Introduction
You are required to complete Assessment 3: Presentation,
which includes
A 500 word article on typography
A visual diary of photographs of the letters T, Y, P and E that are
constructed by nature and/or man‐made objects that have
been constructed without the intention of being type
Objective
Type cannot only be created by the computer but it can also be
created through hand‐drawing, painting and sculpture. For this
assessment, we are going to learn that type can even be
constructed by nature and man‐made objects that have been
constructed without the intention of being type. For instance, we
can see the letter O or the number zero when we see a solar eclipse
in the sky; we can see the letter ‘P’ when we look at a stair‐hand
rail at a certain angle.
For more inspiration visit
http://www.createsticksandstones.com/letters.aspx

2. 2
Diploma of Graphic Design
Welcome to your set of Progress Challenges, each of which is
designed help you and your assessor track your progress
throughout each module. While your assessor will monitor
your work when you submit at Self-checks, this may not
result in direct feedback.
Click the links below to review each Self-check.
Self-check submission C
Progress Challenge 1: Article on typography
Progress Challenge 2: Visual photo diary
P

3. 3
ro31188a – Progress Challenge 01
By Colleen Sedgwick
Article on typography
You are required to:
• Write a 500-word article examining why and how graphic
designers use typography resolve a design.
• You must cite at least one example newsletter featuring
typography.
• Use research to evaluate how this has been influenced by
past and current trends and the implications on your own
practice.
• You may also explain a bit about the history of type,
fashions and the different typefaces as long as you address
that type can also be created by nature and manufactured
objects.
NOTE: You will be able to integrate feedback from
discussions and self-check submission, for integration into
Assessment 3 Part A.
Answer
A Brief History of Typography
During Pre-historic times, European and Indigenous cave
dwellers painted or carved on cave walls. Hieroglyphics
(pictographs) followed, and then calligraphy (the art of
writing with a fountain pen or quill).
The time-consuming nature of writing gave way letter
punches, stamps, seals and other machines used to produce
text efficiently and consistently. The Gutenberg Bible,
invented in Germany, used a style of lettering called Black
letter1
.
The Rise of Print
Roman script re-emerged during the Renaissance, drawing its
inspiration from Roman Times. Its thinner script, clearer,
simpler lettering, more harmonious or symmetrical shapes,
and contrasting thick and thin strokes and serifs (strokes on
the ends of the letters) all made it easier to read.
The Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries saw the onset of
slab serif typefaces – variations of serif typefaces that were
taller, wider or bolder than their Roman counterparts, and
therefore, more noticeable (all useful in advertising).
Sans serifs, invented before the Twentieth Century, later
rose in popularity. Their characteristics - no serifs, even
strokes and geometric shapes - made them easier to read
and suitable for headings and signage.
1
Jones, S (2013): ‘The History of Typography in Five Minutes’, in Web
Designer Depot, http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2013/10/the-
history-of-typography-in-5-minutes;

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Who determines the design?
While text is useful for resolving a ‘design problem’ (i.e.
enhancing readability, gaining the reader’s attention), one
could argue that design layout is also important. So, is the
designer, employee or member of the public responsible for
this set-up?
You can see an example of layout and typesetting in
Gopinath’s account of The Patriot2
, an Indian-based
newspaper undergoing technological change during the
1980’s. Originally, this broadsheet publication used lead-
based typesetting methods and eight-column layouts, which
took on the appearance of stepladders.
The Rise of Computers
The introduction of computers, phototypesetting and photo
bromides changed the layout from uneven to even column
lengths; and the kind of type used. Moreover, the
employees (handling the equipment) were responsible for
this change – with no inputs from designers at all.
The increased use of computers in homes and business has
meant more fonts and typefaces available. Increased mobile
phone (‘smart phone’) or tablet (iPad) usage and content-
heavy websites and blogs, called for thinner, ‘flat’
typefaces, enabling more content to fit onto smaller
screens, and users to read the text.
2
Gopinath, C Y (2016): Design or Get Undesigned, in Smashing Magazine,
http://www.smashingmagazne.com/2016/04/design-or-get-undesigned;
Meanwhile, the larger screens on desktop computers and
digital TV have allowed for more skeuomorphic images and
higher definition fonts.
You could argue that modern technology is a ‘game changer’
in text design. Measures in traditional media (grammage,
length, width, thickness and colour [CMYK values]) have
given way to monitor size, resolution, pixel depth, pixel
shape and RGB (red, green and blue) values; and content
priorities, previously measured by size, type strength and
width, are now measurable by keywords, tags and search-
engine optimization.
One may thus argue the need for more information, at a
greater speed, while still being ‘presentable’, has given rise
to the need for computers; all prompting changes in the
means by which designers have tackled the ‘design problem’
itself.
While some might believe that the Internet has ‘killed’
print, David Carson (type designer)3
likened the Internet’s
competition with print to that between photography and
illustration. We still need print for environmental design, to
draw readers to the internet and the public still read
newspapers and magazines – so my answer to this is ‘not
yet’.
3
Carson, D (2003): Design and Discover, in TED.com,
http://www.ted.com/talks/david_carson_on_design/transcript?language=en;

5. 5
31188a – Progress Challenge 2
By Colleen Sedgwick
Visual photo diary
For each of the following letters in the word ‘type’ (T, Y, P
and E), take at least two photos of the letter that have been
constructed by nature or a man-made object that does not
have the intention of constructing type.
For each image, you are required to write 25 words on why
and how you selected these images and how this process
could inform future industry practice.
Note: you are not permitted to include letters that have
been constructed to be part of signage. Also, you are also
not permitted to ‘alter’ nature in order to create the type
(e.g. you are not allowed to break a tree branch into
separate twigs and then position them together to create a
letter).
NOTE: You will be able to integrate feedback from
discussions and self-check submission, for integration into
Assessment 3 Part B.
Answer
These are some pictures that I took of some tiles in my
bathroom. The reason being is they happen to resemble the
letters T-Y-P-E
.
The larger rectangle on top of two squares resembles a ‘T’ –
you can see one horizontal line on top of a vertical line.

6. 6
The square is nested within two rectangles – turned on a 45-
degree angle, it resembles the letter ‘Y’
When these same shapes are at right angles, flipped and
upright, they resemble the letter ‘P’.

7. 7
The same shapes used in the letter ‘T’ are also used for the
letter ‘E’ when turned at a 90-degree angle.
How could they inform future industry practice?
1. Firstly, they can be used for signage and way finding –
especially in places where a lot of tiles are used, like
railway stations, pubs, shopping malls and public
amenities (toilets). They could add a lot of interest
and character to the place.
2. Secondly, they could prove useful for the study of
Pareidolia – or the understanding of how one
perceives a particular pattern in a stimulus where
none actually exists in that stimulus4
. For instances,
if one sees animals when they are looking at clouds or
they see the ‘man in the moon’ when looking at the
moon. In this instance, I see letterforms when
looking at the tiles in my bathroom, because of the
way the tiles are arranged.
4: eNewsletter reflection
4
Wikipedia (2016): Pareidolia, in
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareidolia

8. 8
References
Carson, D (2003): Design and Discover, in TED.com,
http://www.ted.com/talks/david_carson_on_design/transcript?language=en;
Gopinath, C Y (2016): Design or Get Undesigned, in Smashing Magazine, http://www.smashingmagazne.com/2016/04/design-
or-get-undesigned;
Jones, S (2013): ‘The History of Typography in Five Minutes’, in Web Designer Depot,
http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2013/10/the-history-of-typography-in-5-minutes;
Wikipedia (2016): Pareidolia, in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareidolia