COP 3 - Design Boards

COP3 - IMAGES OF TIME PLAN

COP3 - Evaluation

The aims throughout this project have been to gain a wider understanding of what governs the creation of typography in light of cultural, social, and technological change, and if typefaces can subsequently be subcategorised based on the place or region of their design. Through the research and writing of the essay it was made apparent that typefaces don't often carry these definitive characteristics. Although certain typefaces can have a large impact in defining a ethos or be a signification of a cultural change. It is clear that any artwork must be considered with the era it is designed and this connection is unavoidable. Though what was made clear is that these associations are much more susceptive to change compared to other arts. Considering this, in the practical it proved very difficult to create a physical embodiment of type’s cultural subgroups, even though this idea was explored in many different practical ideas the final outcome highlighted more technological connections rather than cultural. The project overall was an exploration of type from a more outside perspective, as I have little experience in creating type and and not prolific in type design it was important to look at type from a more analytical and theoretical perspective. Therefore within the practical this more theoretical view on type was important to highlight. The practical as previously explained aimed to do what the essay couldn't demonstrate an understanding of the connections and influences of type in the history of modern typography. The aim for the practical from the start was to create something interesting and show some information that would be new and communicate it in a direct and information based format. The idea for the practical didn't take fruition until research into 'Alfred Barr’s cover of the book Cubism and Abstract Art.' this was hugely influential and acted as a great inspiration to the practical work. Overall the practical communicated what was originally intended. The direct nature of the poster and high level of typographic information would make it a desirable poster for any type fanatic. Relating to the target audience outlined early on.




In terms of the essay's overall argument an aim from the outset was to learn some new things about typography's meaning, this has most definitely been achieved, the semiotic theory explored not only was a real test of writing and understanding the complex language, but through these semiotic explorations a much more developed understanding of what governs typography's meaning and how this can be associated to culture. A great strength of this project has been the exploration of a large number of themes, not only looking into the cultural impacts but much wider, and subsequently how these themes come to be embedded in typography.




In terms of what could have been improved on or explored further throughout this project, it would have been interesting to ask some type designers their own views if type can be culturally categorised and when designing if there is an acknowledgment of the impacts and associations of culture build into the typography. Furthermore in the practical an exploration of type’s use and how this effects the context it is read and associated. This might allow for a deeper understanding of what really defines type to feel 'British' or 'German' etc. The practical project can be seen as the physical embodiment of knowledge developed throughout this project and reflects an understanding of the influence of type can play in shaping the visual language of an era or cultural ethos.




All in all this project has really pushed skills in analysis, writing and the ability to create a practical piece that fits with a fairly complex written piece. The overall content has been researched, developed and carried out to a high standard and with constant feedback from tutors and peers to ensure the project is interesting and intriguing. Creating a high quality final outcome supported by a extensive body of research and development that builds upon the theoretical explorations of the written piece.

COP3 - Practical Project Final Outcome Photography

In response to the photographic research of how design studios photograph their poster these images have been taken. Experimenting with background colours, close ups and different compositions, these images now can be taken forward for further exposer in the project and display the poster in the best light possible.

COP 3 Synthisis

In terms of a relationship between the practical piece and the essay, the practical is in many ways a physical embodiment of the knowledge developed in typography over the project. Drawing connections between typefaces is a great way of understanding their meaning, why it has been designed in a certain way and what has influenced it. Within the poster these connections are clear, though each has taken lots of time to get right. For example the work of Wim Crowel from an outside perspective may not have had a massive influence on Susan Kare's work for Apple typography. However in the poster. Through the connection of 'Digital Geometric' there is a link created with the grid limitations Wim Crowel worked to in his designs for 'New Alphabet' (a typeface designed to respond to the new technology of the screen) and Susan Kare's typeface Chicago, (a typeface designed to work in pixels for the Apple Ipod). These connections within typography are an area that seems to not be discussed particularly often therefore a interesting subject to research into. Another example is the typeface BIFUR designed by A.m Cassandre in 1929 and Milton Glaser's Baby Teeth. Both typefaces are fairly unorthodox in their design yet have a similarity between them. This can be seen as a direct or an a indirect influence, but is a influence none the less. Therefore form this further connections can be made between other decorative type.
In terms of further connections to theory in the essay and the practical, another important part of the essay is about who can create type, the computer opening up many more possibilities to who can design type. This is reflected in the poster's 30 years of type design between 1990 to the present. Since the new technologies have allowed for more typefaces to be created the radical nature of these typefaces have massively increased. The poster aims to illustrate this massive increase in typographic production. The final section has many more typefaces than the previous. The categorising of typefaces is another element of the poster that is interesting, drawing more links between type allows more subcategories to be formed.

Furthermore this poster highlights some of the influences that are discussed in the essay, Pastiche as explained in the essay is central to the work of Jonathan Barnbrook, in the poster the connection between his typeface Bastard and the classical Blackletter typefaces of Germany have been made. In contrast to this, the inclusion of the New Rail Alphabet from 2009 is completely different to a typeface like Bastard, illustrating how type can vary, and it is difficult to pin point accurate influences with type being so different and diverse.

The aim for the project is to understand more about what influences and changes typography. The practical poster is an expression of the amount of research untaken in this project. The essay explains the effects of postmodern and multicultural culture on typography though in the practical it is difficult to identify what typefaces are effected by this and what are not. Throughout the ideas stage there was experimentation with type as a historically signifying medium, trying to display the connections with type to a specific culture, this however proves very difficult as these are in many cases subconscious and knowledge of typography is usually limited.

COP3 - Poster Photography research & inspiration

Photographing work can be make or break in terms of how it is distributed, displayed and highlighting the print quality. These examples range from a number of great design studio's - Build, OKRM, Hey and Sagmeister & Walsh. They implement a range of techniques to ensure the poster is displayed in its best light. 

Repeating the poster is often a technique used by Hey Studio to display the poster more interestingly, however this used often more than one colour as the poster is singular this doesn't really apply.
Another technique is using software like cinema 4d to display the poster floating though this again is not appropriate to the projects target audience of the design community.
Other posters feature both a overall view and a close up detail to give a further context to the posters quality. Using these images as inspiration hopefully the photographs I take will replicate the same level of quality as shown above.

COP 3 Final tutorial

In the final tutorial we discussed the essay and some small improvements to be made to make sure the argument is as strong as it could be.

Initially the idea of both type being able to enrich culture as well as be a reflection of culture needs to be explored, as these two are slightly different and the enrich is possibly more appropriate. (To reflect culture and create culture)

Another point was that con-density is probably not a word. and this could be changed, something like - Narrow

When speaking about Helvetica's connection to NY look at Paula Scher's quotes on Helvetica how it signifies the Vietnam war and almost a bad consumerism of America.

Furthermore than when you speak of connotational signs some idea of the structures that govern this.
Also speak about the denotational and connotational not really being reflective of type it is less of an obvious sign.

In the analysis of Johnston it was pointed out that an analysis of Gill Sans would be more effective and then subsequently Johnston from this, as well as Reith the new typeface for the BBC.

In terms of the conclusion speaking about neutrality of typefaces mention the fact they are Sans Serif.

Finally when talking about the semiotics of type look at idea of typefaces being more susceptible to re-positioning, colour for example is much less deceptive to change in terms of meaning, though type can change much more freely.