Week 10: The Challenge: Typography Task
Take an excerpt from a national poet or writer and transform the text into a single typographic composition;
Redesign the first line of text in a style that’s appropriate to the subject - draw it, render it, build it;
Then take the body of the text and typeset it.
Be experimental. How does leading, positioning, stresses on particular words and detailing affect the power of the piece?
How is meaning affected by interpretation in a tangible way?
What is the relationship of the page?
Workshop challenge - Research
Discover: Finding the right verse
As I live a stone’s throw away from Ashdown Forest (aka Winnie the Pooh country), it made absolute sense to find some inspirational quotes or verses by A.A.Milne.
A.A. Milne is a renowned English author known for his beloved character Winnie-the-Pooh and his poems are also regarded for their charm and whimsy.
Many of his poems explore themes of childhood, nature, and the joys and sorrows of growing up, and his poetry and verses are enchanting to readers of all ages.
The verse I chose was more of a verse than a poem which I have seen used a lot recently in posters and references to mental health positivity.
Compositions with text
Version 1 - Layout and form
Overview:
After watching this week’s guest lecture with Kristoffer Soelling of Regular Practice and listening to examples of layout and page form I realised if I was going to set my typography, I needed to look at its layout and not just trust the software.
I really wanted to bring a sunset into the text within the ‘tomorrow’ text and after a couple of variations I felt it fitted best in the centre. Once I had balanced out the ‘o’ I worked on the rest of the text and corrected the spacing on the rest of the lettering known as ‘kerning’. See the example in pink outline to where the original text falls and how I adjusted it.
After watching this weeks lecture I started looking at examples using typography to tell a story. These are great examples where you can feel the tone of what the poem is about from the visual interpretation before you start to read the words.
I started researching examples that I thought were elegant and fitted the verse. These were mainly in serif typefaces and black and white.
Version 2 - The wildcard
Overview:
Inspired by the abstract experimental designs from both Neville Brody and why not associates, I decided to create something totally different to my first solution. My wildcard version was to take the ‘Disney’ out of this poem so it looked entirely different.
I based my style on the grunge typography which is intentionally designed to look worn, distressed, or aged. It is often characterized by rough edges, irregular shapes, and a distressed or dirty appearance.
I tried a variety of techniques, including textured backgrounds, layering of different fonts and colours, and the use of filters with special effects in photoshop. The whole intention was to create a complete contrast to the first version.
Experiments with shadows
Overview:
Working from the typography principles from Neville Brody and Why Not Associates, I decided to experiment with the word ‘tomorrow’ from the poem.
I found Neville Brodys ‘Blur’ typeface and focused on the word ‘tomorrow’ and cut out the letters on a fold, and experimented by changing the angle of the light so I could create a sun setting shadow. I also experimented with photography behind the cutout.
Resources:
Final outcome
My final outcome which is a totally different experimental version from my first style.
Reflection:
I ended up enjoying this task, especially with the second more contemporary option, which really took me out of my comfort zone. It made me realise I must be more experimental with typography instead of choosing the standard typefaces I know.