Exploration in Modern Typography

Here is an interesting video that I stumbled across while looking up stuff for our paper on the "Cult of the Ugly." It was made for some design conference in 2007. The transitions are pretty nifty and it is a pretty good example of how sound can enhance your Flash videos.

A Rant on the Evilness of Mat Cutters

This could also be called "A Rant on the Stupidity of Me."

For anyone who owns a Logan mat cutter (or any type of mat cutter for that matter): BEWARE! Yes, every teacher we have ever had tells us to be careful. I thought I was. But no. I stupidly assumed that because said mat cutter ran along a track it would stay on the track. Well, it doesn't always. There I was, revelling in the ease and accuracy of my Logan mat cutter, merrily cutting the very last bit off a mat so it would fit into a frame, when ZOIT - I sliced my thumb. Apparently, you should NOT cut pieces off that are only 1/16th of an inch thick. It can cause the mat to bend; which causes the hand blade to jump the track; which causes you to cut your stupid thumb because you weren't expecting that; which causes pain, a three-hour trip to the ER, and five stitches. So remember: don't assume anything. It makes an ass out of u and me. In this case, mostly me.

Also, if you happen to be the recipient of the gift that someone slices their thumb making, the first thing out of your mouth after hearing the story should not be a worried "did you bleed on the paintings." That is just the tiniest bit tacky. Certain brothers of mine may want to re-read the last part a few times for clarity.

Type 2 (due Feb 24)

Being able to write well is very important to designers. I think it can help in both the initial design process as well as in the final product. Writing is useful for the designer because it is just another way to get one's idea across. I've noticed that writing sometimes helps me clarify to myself exactly what I am working towards. If I can write my idea down so others can understand it, I have a definite goal to work towards, rather than some vague idea. Teachers also have us come up with word lists during brainstorming. Often, the word associations help us come up with ideas we never would have thought of initially. As far as being useful in the final product, writing often accompanies a design, whether it comes in the form of a logotype, a book, a poster, or a web page. As a designer, I need to be make sure that the text and the image work together and enhance each other. Even though we sometimes focus on the visual part of graphic design, writing can be just as important.

links:
http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm/the-role-of-writing-in-a-design-curriculum
http://www.alistapart.com/articles/betterwritingthroughdesign
http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/

Type 2 (due Feb 17)

For this week's journal I read the articles Designing Under the Influence and Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Typeface. I liked Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Typeface more, but I'll admit that my opinion has more to due with the writing style than the subject. Both articles broght up very interesting and valid points. At what point does an idea that resembles and borrows from another become plagerizm? I guess I think it is (usually) OK to borrow from previous designers or artists as long as you bring some of your own ideas to the table. I also find borrowing a little more acceptable if you are using that person's style for more than just a "cool factor." The quesion of "How much design history does one have to know before he or she dares put pencil to paper?" also intrigued me a bit.
The second article, Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Typeface, discussed how and why designers should choose certain typeface over others. I am of the opion that typography is mainly used to comunicate information and shouldn't inhibit the reader in understanding the message. To help encourage the flow of information from the designer to the reader, I belive it is best to avoid being a typographical "slut." However, I think limiting a designer's available choices for typefaces is, well, limiting. It would be stupid to limit a person's word usage to the ones they knew by the time they were ten years old just as I think it would be stupid to limit the available typefaces to five. Sure, said typefaces might be really awsome, but I think typefaces have their own personality and certain ones can carry a specific message better than others for any given project.

Type 2 (due Feb 10)

Stefan Sagmeister's video was different from most of the other videos we have seen on designers. Instead of mostly talking about what he did as a designer, he spoke about how design affects him and how he reacts to the world around him - an interesting perspective. I also loved the part where he talked about the designs that made him happy.

The other videos I watched were TED presentations by Theo Jenson and another by JJ Abrams. The creatures that Theo Jenson creates are really awesome, but I thought he was a less-than-stellar presenter. JJ Abrams talked about what gives him inspiration for what he does. One of the things he spoke about that I have heard from other designers was the importance of mystery to gain and hold the viewer's attention.

Ten Commandments of Typography and How to Break Them

Commandments:
I. Thou shalt not apply more than three typeface in a document.
II. Thou shalt lay headlines large at the top of the page.
III. Thou shalt employ no other type size than 8pt to 10pt for body copy.
IV. Remember that a typeface that is not legible is not truly a typeface.
V. Honour thy kerning, so that white space becomes visually equalized between characters.
VI. Thou shalt lay stress discreetly upon elements within text.
VII. Thou shat not use only capitals when setting vast body copy.
VIII. Thou shalt always align letters and word on a baseline.
IX. Thou shalt use flush-left, ragged-right type alignment.
X. Thou shalt not make line too short or too long.

How to Break Them:
1. Break the fetters imposed by the use of only three typefaces.
2. Let thine eyes be seduced by the hierarchy of type.
3. Do not forsake smaller or bigger sizes.
4. Be seduced into trying new and expressive typefaces.
5. Treat kerning and tracking with total irreverence.
6. Entice the reader to sample the delights of your text.
7. Do not forgo the liberal use of capitals within your text.
8. The Lord designed letterforms to stand side by side, but there is no harm in their being lured away from one another.
9. Yield to the temptation to align text in unusual ways.
10. Lure the reader down unfamiliar paths.

Jakob Trollback

I thought the lecture by Jakob Trollback was pretty interesting. Long, but interesting. the most interesting parts to me were the areas that he spoke about how a designer engages his/her audience. According to him, the designer needs to create an emotional connection with the audience. In the third part when he was answering questions he mentioned that the designer needed to put him/herself in the audience's shoes. In other words, design to the audience, not to yourself. Also, he spent some time describing and showing how leaving things out of a design is almost as important or more important as what the design includes. This engages the viewers' brain and helps the message feel more personal to them.