Week 4: Signs and Typographic Marks
"Design is idea-driven. Why? How? What form? What
technology or tool to deliver the message?"
- Mark Mentzer
Topics:
- Critique all sign and symbol projects
- Class work includes revision of signs and development of typographic
mark explorations
The emotive power of typography
Designers today have thousands of typefaces to choose from. The difference
betweens can be as subtle as variations in stroke weight and slightly
larger x-heights and they can be as extreme as variations across type
classifications (humanist, old face, script, transitional, modern, slab
serif, sans serif, etc.).
When choosing a typeface, consider the dual purposes of type: functional
readability and aesthetic emotional qualities.
We have been influenced by type for thousands of years. Imperial orders,
the solemn captivation of trust, the promise of casual relaxation, security,
awe-demanding distance - type can disseminate all of these qualities and
more.
The effects arise, on the one hand, from the abstract form of the letters,
whether soft, round, delicate, hard, elegant or rough. They come about
also through what typeface has been used for. For example, association
with Hitler's National Socialists (Nazis) clings like a bad smell to blackletter,
an otherwise innocent category of typeface originating in northern Europe
in the early modern era.
There is also the subjective opinion: "I don't like this typeface."
"That one really appeals to me." These are irrefutable and legitimate
arguments. They do not, however, answer the more important questions for
design: does this face suit the purpose; can it carry out the assignment?
Who would you trust? The following is an excerpt from George Orwell's
1984.
The Ministry of Truth -- Minitrue, in Newspeak* -- was startlingly
different from any other object in sight. It was an enormous pyramidal
structure of glittering white concrete, soaring up, terrace after terrace,
300 metres into the air. From where Winston stood it was just possible
to read, picked out on its white face in elegant lettering, the three
slogans of the Party:
WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
- 1984, Capter One, George Orwell, Published: 1949
These fictional party slogans are good examples of overt propaganda.
Yet the meaning of any message may be altered by the context of the message.
Typography can be a powerful tool for conveyance of meaning through copy.
As an example look at the first party slogan rendered in various typefaces.
How does each typeface enhance or change the meaning of the text "War
is Peace?"
Gotisch
Futura
Gotham
Skizzed
Princton
Playbill
Mom's Typewriter
Nollapiste
Typographic marks
G8 logo and poster designed by Andrea Rauch, 2001. This poster was designed
in response to the violent clashes with peaceful protesters and the police
at the 2001 G8 summit in Genova, Italy where police shot and killed activist
Carlo Giuliani. The caption reads "We have seen Genova." The
counter spaces of the "8" have been replaced by stylized illustrations
of police with clubs raised. The illustrations are reminiscent of similar
imagery used by student protesters in France in 1968.
Let us consider how a symbol combined with type can inform a broader
campaign and system within a design. Here is a concept logo developed
as part of a proposed campaign.
Click on examples below
Below is a typographic mark for the 25th anniversary for the University
of Alicante that plays with anthropomorphic attributes of the type and
line forms.
See how this mark can is incorporated into a compelling poster.
Designer Michael Mabry created this simple and effective anti-war poster
which utilizes typography in a stark and memorable image.
Below is a fairly conservative example of a logo type combined with a
simple identity mark that references the the letter F in the company name
FutureBrand.
Here is simple logo type for 3FACH
a Swiss youth radio station in Lucerne
Note how the type is manipulated as a graphical element within this example
for Logica an IT
services corporation.
Here is another typographic mark which begins to degrade the type as
visual tactic of the overall design.
Typographic identity mark developed for the Czech Republic.
"I Love New York" logo, by Milton Glaser.
"I Love New York More Than Ever" logo by Milton Glaser. Published
as a poster on October 8, 2001.
Below are examples of symbols and typographic marks developed by students.
Mason McCoy: Tribecca - Spring 2007
Below is an example of how Mason applied this logotype to a page spread.
Jimmy Kontomanolis: Museum of Modern Art - Fall 2005
Class Activity: Symbols and Typographic Marks
Choose the best symbol from today's critique and select five typefaces
to juxtapose with your symbol. Spell out the name of your issue or a slogan
related to your issue. Using this juxtaposition of symbol and type
create five typographic logo explorations for your issue ranging from
utilitarian, where legibility is important, to emotive, where the visual
impact is paramount.
- Use Adobe Illustrator to create your typographic and symbol designs.
- Color: Make it a two color mark so that it can be reproduced in color
and black / white.
- Pick one of the five logos, refine this and intrgrate it into the
design for this week's assignment. (see below)
Considerations
- When selecting typefaces to use consider both the utilitarian and
aesthic qualities and how they will impact the meaning of your message.
- When creating an identity mark representative of your issue consider
how to integrate originality, humour, practicality and openness of the
design elements and their potential for wider use. For example how can
the logo be used on a sticker, a poster, building signage, postage stamps,
t-shirts, automobile placards, etc.
- The proposed identity mark should represent the unique qualities
of the issue and your point of view about this issue.
Save your typographic explorations as PDFs.
- Save all your electronic source files for the homework and class activity
into a folder and place them in the class drop box on the network before
you leave today.
- Remember to use the naming conventions outlined in the introduction
section about How to prepare your work for submission.
Assignment: Mood Board
Establish the emotion, mood and direction for a design language related
to your issue.
To show the character of the campaign you are developing a style for,
we need to develop a visual vocabulary to represent its personality. Building
on the development of your symbol and typographic vocabulary create a
moodboard which includes the symbol and typographic mark you developed
in class.
1. Choose one of the typefaces that you investigated this week
to use as your primary headline typeface.
2. Research and select a second complimentary body text typeface.
The main requirement is that it must be legible at small point sizes (eg.
9 points at a minimum but no smaller than 6 points) AND it should "fit"
the visual vocabulary of your primary typeface and visual vocabulary.
Here are just a few examples of classic and legible typefaces.
3. Design a moodboard. The composition should be composed of type
treatments, photography styles, line qualities, patterns, textures, and
a focused and compelling color palette.
File Specifications
- Size 11x17" Landscape
- You do not need to mount these designs for next class.
- Print the page out in color and also bring with you all of the electronic
source files.
Examples of two-page spreads which begin to establish the visual language
of a design system. Notice how the designers used the same modular typoegraphic
grid to layout the titles, images, and body text to create a cohesive
design which works across all of the pages within a spread or booklet.
Dow Chemical brand moodboard brochure
Draworkshop moodboard for a website
Considerations
Moodboards take many forms. Use this project as a springboard for establishing
a visual vocabulary for your issue. Articulate your vision for your design
language which will impact future projects. Be specific about how you
use images, a clear and concise color palette, typographic language, a
clear hierarchy, grid, etc.
- There is always a story behind mood boards. Know how all of your choices
impact the ethos of your issue. How do the different elements help to
tell the story?
- Attempt to address all five senses. Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste, Touch
- Evoke feelings towards an ethos of your issue.
- Different elements go in a mood board (images, colors, shapes, textures,
sounds, music).
Research
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