final type

And this is a series of videos for my final type project: showing how motion can change how you see the type, and adding a theme of onomonopiea to each word.

These are stills for the designalogue blog:

process

(FYI, I have compiled some of my process posts in one blog post)

As always, i begin with my brainstorming. And to be honest I often have a disorganized way of recording thoughts as they sporadically come to me, so if there's one thing I learned, it is to perfect my thought process when working on a project.

my work space

As stated in a previous blog post, my question was concerned with looking at the foreground and background of the a letter, and seeing how those interact. this is an example of that. Other examples can be seen in the film reel on this blog post.

these are most of the letterforms that I made to work with earlier on in my project. you'll see 'em in action in the vid just below. (and the metal letters I used in the video after that)

this shows my earlier projects. they concern the the letterform and show how the foreground and background interact with one another, thus changing the letterform with the motion which at times blends the letters.

So then I changed the tracks a little bit, and no longer was looking at the relationship between the foreground and the background per se. In my wanderings during my expererimentation, I became to notice that the putting the text in motion started to distort and blur the lettering. So that's why I started to pursue how motion could distort the letterforms. THATS why I went that direction.

here are some early results from what I got from my little kinetic toy:

and here is the toy itself: see it in action in the vid below.

So the following film shows how started playing with that motion:

THEN I had to think of how I could present my type, and all the different ways to manipulate type in one cohesive presentation.

So I came up with the concept of using onomatopoeic phrases on little shapes which were then put into motion. Each shape is made out of cut metal (so they could fit better on the machines that I made (which you see in the video)) and then I applied the printed text.

here is another of the machines i have been using: It's just a little motor that I rigged up with a battery and a stand.

things got a little messy when in enthusiastic experimentation mode:

my metal cutter was a big help. I used metal letters, because the sheet metal could be bent around and still hold place so i could play with it more than what i could do with paper.

I printed all my text from an illustrator file. After assembling them, I filmed all motion sequences in for my final presentation. To see the final, please go to the next blog post.

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INTERESTING THINGS THAT I LEARNED;

here was something interesting that I learned:

for this designalogue band, I had 'design' with yellow on one side, and 'alogue' with purple on the other. With the motion, I tried to get it so you could read both sides. it didn't work very well so instead I made another sign (3 images below) with the whole word. And that I think yielded interesting results with the distortion of the lettering.

MORE DESIGNALOGUE EXPERIMENTS:

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please go to next blog post for final stuff.

THANKS>

MY DEVELOPING QUESTION

>How could the physical letterforms be perceived differently when the background image (not environment) behind them is periodically changed (the background image in this case would be moving).

(but I realize now that what i was really trying to do in my head was simply to see how the letterform can change forms when the foreground and or the letterform itself is moving).


>How can the letterform change its form or appearance when it is moving, or how can the background moving change the the surface or form of the letter.


[I address this issue more in the process post above]

notes

triggs 12-17: typography and its swiss roots:

what do you think about technology's role in enabling typographic experimentation? what technology is the present-day equivalent to the desktop computer, and how might that be utilized in type design or typography?
design is changed by technological development. More opportunities arise from it. The computer has changed type considerable, and we use that to our advantage.
It is helpful in the interest of originality to use unconventional yet appropriate tools for whatever you do. If you need to make a what looks like a children's drawing, don't do that in illustrator, just get a crayon and some cheap paper. better yet, get get a kid, a crayon and a cheap piece of paper. Sometimes the absence technology is what you want. However new and technology is on the way. Having a touch screen alone for example is a huge step forward. But being able to use the interactive digital technology that we have now opens up an endless amount of new possibilities.



what potential exists for continuing to explore the "second order of denotation" as mentioned in the cranbrook/mccoy sections?
Breaking those boundaries of traditional type setting was definitely a step forward. Considering how the typography is placed on the page (whether it's 'flying' or stagnent is important. and what you add to that to complement it or enrich its meanning is equally important. It's easy for people to forget though that there has to be a good reason for a word to be 'flying' across the page or else that second order of denotation will detract from the meaning of your message rather than enrich.

further, what potential might your area of interest have to "promote multiple rather than fixed meanings" as jeffery keedy mentions? and what role might the reader play in the construction of your typographic messages?
Having layers of meanings can often be more compelling than having only one. But it depends on what you are trying to say.

thoughts? does this spur any ideas for your own work? respond in the comments here.
These passages have reiterated many of the things that we have already learning. We should experiment by whatever means necessary, and always add and enrich our message with imagery or animated typography (making sure that there is a meaningful correlation between the tow) as we design. We should always use a thoughtful and exploratory design process.
I have to say it is interesting that they mention the magazine, Imigre had stopped exploring experimental typography and switched to finding relationships between graphic design and music. To me this is brings a compelling thought — it seems that design is now breaking away from its two dimensional static (print) form and popping off the page into dimensional space dealing with sound, projection, motion, sculpture, or all those things and other things combined.

furthering my questions

So, just to clarify, I am working with typography in space. With emphasis on motion.

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I did some extra research with motion typography in space: (they are ranked in order of physical and digital typography in space).

I have all my previous research on my blog: http://josephshopen.blogspot.com/

As i see it, the digital typography that you see in these could looked at as being physical typography in space. if that makes sense:

physical:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v47wJKjRp2w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XTLXloWNFI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViljJ1GEcRM&feature=related


digital:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdUDKBHQKy4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHBSVhjufFo&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0weas5i5lew&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acus4a0HPIM (toward the end)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD39wGSvD1g&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqIclb4qsJI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acus4a0HPIM (toward the end)


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These are the questions that I have come up with: I have made the distinction of physical or digital typography within each question

questions:

motion type in space:

.How could animating physical letterforms (with stop motion or any similar technique) in space give a simple narrative. kind of like this:


How could adding only subtle motion of the letterforms ad meaning to the typography.

.How would you read letterforms in space that moved themselves (with a motor or wind or something).

***How could the physical letterforms be perceived differently when the background image (not environment) behind them is periodically changed (the background image in this case would be moving).

—static type in space:
How can the light in the space effect the legibility of the typography.

How can I make an image of letterforms in space interact with the human form.

How can I make an image of digital letterforms believable in the space.

How could different environments effect the same physical letterforms.



***I've already been working on the starred one.

type lecture notes

lecture 4: legibility and readability

what exactly is legibility?

the degree to which a short burst of text - a headline, catalog listing, or stop sign - is instantly recognizable. - xhieght, san serif, looser tracking etc will make things more legible.


readable typefaces have contrast, simplicity and proportion.

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the nature of letters:

to maintain recognition, letters retain structure with contrast.

the four letter groups:

il EFHILT

acegos COQS

bdfhjmnpqrtu DGJPRU

kvwxyz AKMNVWXYZ

obvious similarities within groups.

upper and lower halves are typically more legible than the lower halves. people tend to read the top half of the letters.

readers read best what they read most. (zuzana licko) the read better what they are most familiar with.

caps versus lower case - typeset in all caps affects readability and legibility more than any other factor. lower case letters have more distinct character because of their ascenders and descenders.

interletter and interword spacing. not too much, and not too little.

point sizes vary per typeface. 18pt baskerville is smaller than 18pt universe.

leading: ascenders and descenders should carry the eye easily from one line to the next.

need good contrast. not too thick, not too thin.

be careful with color and background. don't want too much vibration, or not enough contrast. also, similar qualities of color take away readability (the same saturation, the same color tone, etc)

typographic color: the overall color value of the text. letter, point size, stroke weight etc effect this.

paragraphs signal a change in thought. there are different ways to denote that.

jaggies - stair step pixelyness

anti-aliasing - smoothes edges of screen based type.

hinting - altering pixel mapping (or bitmap) to increase legibilty at various sizes on screen.

10 QUESTIONS

TEN QUESTIONS ABOUT MY TYPE RESEARCH. (SEE IN PREVIOUS POST)

1. HOW CAN I MAKE My type project INTERACTIVE?

2. SHOULD I MAKE IT A 3D TYPE IN REAL SPACE?

3. AND COULD IT SOMEHOW CHANGE FORM THUS MAKING IT TEMPORAL?

4. IF WHAT IM DOING IS ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP WITH TYPE AND IMAGE, AND I HAVE A 3D TYPEFACE IN SPACE, THEN WHERE DOES THE IMAGE COME INTO THE PICTURE? (ie DO I USE THE WALL AND FLOOR AS IMAGE, OR DO I MANIPULATE THE SPACE SOMEHOW?).

5. HOW SHOULD I CHOOSE WHICH MATERIAL TO MAKE, AND WHY I CHOSE THEM?

6. MAKING A TYPE IN MOTION USING TYPE TO BE SUPERIMPOSED ON AN IMAGE COULD BE INTERESTING!? WOULD IT BE TOO MUCH TO MAKE SUCH A MOTION PIECE INTERACTIVE SOMEHOW?*

7. SHOULD I JUST DO MOTION? — DOES IT HAVE TO BE INTERACTIVE? PERHAPS THE MOTION CAN BE ALMOST OBTRUSIVE IN THE SPACE (ie PROJECTION?) AND SO IT MIGHT BE IN SOME WAYS INTERFERED WITH...

8. WHAT TYPEFACE SHOULD I USE? I IMAGINE THAT WOULD DEPEND ON THE MESSAGE. SHOULD I MAKE MY OWN?

9. SHOULD I FOCUS A LOT ON THE MESSAGE, OR SHOULD I LET THE FORM DIRECT THE MESSAGE?

10. ARE THERE ANY AESTHETIC QUALITIES I SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER THAT MIGHT GUIDE ME — SHOULD I USE COLOR, SHOULD THE TYPEFACE BE LEGIBLE OR NO, SHOULD THE TYPEFACE BE PRETTY OR UGLY.


*A thought occurs: could use motion piece: a recording of the audience. then type is superimposed onto them. or they are superimposed onto a landscape with type.



THEN START TO ADDRESS (VISUALIZE) THE QUESTION THAT YOU THINK IS BEST.

TYPE RESEARCH part deux...

TYPOGRAPHY IN SPACE.

I would say that the typography that I found consists of mainly of digitally manipulated type within an image. I also found a few examples of physical typography that is photographed within a space which makes for a similar look.

What I am finding with my research is a pretty good diversity of imagery, typeface and subject matter. Interestingly enough though, it seems that many of the examples that I am finding is closely linked with the human form. Also, much of the typography is flat and vectored (naturally so as it is digital type that is superimposed on a photo).

All of the examples I found are done by professional artists and designers. However none of them seem to be of any typical commercial use. They tend to function mostly as an expressive art form — and very expressive they are too. In all of them there is a very good and meaningful relationship between the image and the typography. That is important because it reflects the values that have been developed within the field of graphic design — that is namely using typography itself in a unique and meaningful/appropriate way, and in addition to that, adding a second level of meaningful information with the imagery that the typography resides in. In all the examples, the message is compelling but what makes it more compelling is typography's relationship with the image, and how it exists within the image.

in class expriment

process imagery and type with ray

symposium typ process

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fold paper to reveal = sort of motion on print.

studio wall stuff.

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We broke up in two groups. now i am going to do work with others on building a typeface that made from parts of other typefaces. much like what bethany and taylor did here.