On a weekly basis, students will progressively develop typographic design skill through My Type exercise assignments.
Week 2 & 3: My Type
Look for great typographic design, collect 10 samples and trace 3 using tracing paper and (mechanical) pencil. Then, recreate one of the sample either digitally or by using the same tools that designer used.
Through this assignment, student learn will how to look at typography. By tracing the great typographic design, they will learn about letterform, type classification, and how to select and combine typefaces. This weekly exercise will teach students the fundamental design principles such as space, balance, scale, layer and color. In another word, this assignment connect and align your hand, eyes and brain. Overall, this assignment will help students expand their typographic design palette.
Create a process book for My Type assignment and document everything (10 typographic design samples, 3 traces and 1 recreated design).
(You may look for samples which are related to a project you will be working on, related to your concentrated area of study (like illustration), or anything that inspires you.)
Week 2 & 3: Letterforms
In conjunction with the lecture about type classification, trace sets of alphabet of the following typefaces.
- Adobe Jenson Regular
- Adobe Garamond Regular
- Baskerville Regular
- HTF Didot
- URW Clarendon
- Franklin Gothic
- Helvetica Neu
- Futura
- Gill Sans
- Snell Roundhand
Week 4A: Monogram
In conjunction with the Type of Monogram project, look for monograms that reflect your personality. Select 10 samples, trace 3 and recreate 1.
Include the research into your Type of Monogram presentation.
Week 4: Words
Express the meaning of a word through the spacing, sizing, and placement of letters on a 8" square. Use one of the typefaces we have reviewed in the class so far. You may use different weights and styles within its family. Do not alter the letterform. Work in black and white (grayscale). You may create the layouts digitally or manually.
- Big
- Small
- Repetition
- Slow
- Disruption
- Important
- Tension
- Invisible
- Joy
- Fear
Week 5 to 6: Masters
Select one of the type designers from the list below and research his/her work. Collect ten typographic design samples you liked from his/her works, trace three typographic design, and recreate one.
- El Lissitzky
- Gustav Klutsis
- A. M. Cassandre
- Karl Gerstner
- Herbert Bayer
- Jan Tschichold
- Hermann Zapf
- Matthew Carter
- Adrian Fruitger
- Josef Muller Brockmann
- Armin Hofmann
- Emil Ruder
- Paul Rand
- Massimo Vignelli
- Wolfgang Weingart
- April Greiman
- Zuzana Licko
- Louise Fili
- Bruno Monguzzi
- Paula Scher
- Tobias Frere Jones
- Jonathan Hoefler
- Martin Majoor
- David Carson
- Fred Woodward
- Chip Kidd
- Paul Elliman
Week 7 & 8: Sentences
(1) Pick a statement (or quote), (2) collect 10 typographic samples that are appropriate to the statement, and organize them as a mood board, and (3) create typographic layout according to the mood board. Print your mood board and layout.
Size: 9" x 12"
Color: 2 Colors
Week 9: Text
Create double page spread layout with essay, Grid and Design Philosophy by Josef Muller-Brockmann.
Research editorial design in terms of typeface (display and text), typographic style and hierarchy. Then create a style board that is appropriate for the given text.
You may create charts and diagrams to illustrate the text.
Page Size: 9" x 12"
Color: 2 Colors
Week 10: Text
Create multi-page layout (4 to 8 pages) with the essay, Tye Crystal Goblet, or Printing Should Be Invisible by Beatrice Warde.
Research layout design in terms of typeface (display and text), typographic style and hierarchy, and create a style board that is appropriate for the text. Then create typographic layout according to the board.
You may create charts and diagrams to illustrate the text.
Page Size: 9" x 12"
Color: Full
Week 11 to 14: Event Posters
Select a performing art institution in New York City, and create three monthly promotional posters with a list of its events.
For example, you may choose Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), and create event posters for its theater for April, May and June.
You must use the actual information, but you may edit and reorganize it. You may use photographs and illustrations.
Size: 24" x 36"
Requirements
Give yourself time slot (time limit).
Spend 1.5 hours tracing and 3 hours recreating. You may not able to complete the task in the beginning of the semester. Learn how to work efficiently and beautifully. (Do not rush it either.)
This is a weekly assignment.
We learn by repetition. By repeating the same action, we can train our muscle and unconscious part of our brain. Always looking for a great typography. Make this exercise your weekly routine.
Process Book
You may create a process book physically or digitally.