Typography - Task 2: Typographic Exploration and Communication
31/10/2025 - 14/11/2025 (Week 06 - Week 08)
PHANG QI YU / 0385732
Typography / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media / Taylors University
Task 2: Typographic Exploration and Communication
PROCESS WORK
Task 2: Typographic Exploration and Communication
Mr. Max briefed us on Task 2 and introduced the exercise we need to complete. For this task, we are required to apply the knowledge we have gained from previous exercises and other modules. Unlike task 1, this task allows us more freedom and creativity, giving us the opportunity to explore and experiment with different layout designs. Mr. Max also showed us some sample works created by our seniors as references. First, we will choose a text or article provided in Microsoft Teams. Then, we will research ideas and create at least 3 layout designs for the selected text headline.
1. Searching for ideas/inspo
We were provided with 3 texts and were required to choose one for our layout design. I decided to choose the text titled "Punk's Design Revolution: Breaking the Rules." When Mr. Max first introduced this title, and I immediately felt it interesting and started visualizing the possible layout ideas as I'm kind of love punk styles and elements.
After reading the text, I searched on Google and Pinterest for inspirations. Before that, when I thought about punk, an anime I used to watch 'NANA' came to mind. The character's fashion and attitude are closely related to punk style, which became one of my main inspirations as well!
Figure 1.1 My inspo (Pinterest)
2. Layout/Idea Exploration
After gathering all the information and inspiration, I decided to create 3 sketches and consult with Mr. Max before digitizing them in Adobe Illustrator. Mr. Max pointed out that one of my layouts had a headline that was a bit too complicated and advised me to adjust it. After reviewing my sketches, he approved all 3, and I proceeded to digitize them in Adobe Illustrator.
My sketches:
Figure 1.2 My sketches
Reminder:
- We are not allowed to use color, only greyscale is permitted. (black, white, and grey)
- For the headline titles, we can use more than 10 fonts, but for the body text, we can only use the 10 fonts given in task 1.
Figure 1.3 Progress (Adobe Illustrator)
I showed Mr. Max the three digitized layouts, and he pointed out my mistakes. He mentioned that one of my layouts had too many elements and advised me to remove one of them. Another problem was that the main title should be more prominent. Fortunately, Mr. Max approved one of my digitized layouts, allowing me to proceed to the next step in InDesign.
Attempt #1:
Figure 1.4 Attempt #1 (Digitized Layouts)
Attempt #2:
Figure 1.5 Attempt #2 (Digitized Layouts)
For the attempt #2, I changed my idea for the first artboard layout; Mr. Max said it's better than my previous one. He mentioned that the spacing between the words in the headlines and other text could be improved. Once I fix it, I can move on to the next step in InDesign.
For the second artboard, I added a gradient effect to the titles. Mr. Max said it's creative, but it reduces readability and makes the text harder to read. So, I'll need to revise it again!
Figure 1.6 Attempt #3
(left: third artboard layout, right: new artboard layout I created)
For the third artboard layouts, the designs above are my third attempt. I created another new artboard layout because I was unsure how to adjust the headlines on the third artboard (Fig 1.5). However, Mr. Max gave me suggestions on how to rearrange the headlines, and after following his layout, the layout looked cleaner and more refined. Mr. Max also mentioned that I could leave out the new artboard I created, as the previous three artboards were already fine; only the headline arrangement needed improvement. He also commented that all of my layout designs show a strong sense of design and creativity; the main issue I needed to focus on was the headline arrangement.
Attempt #4:
Figure 1.7 Attempt #4 (Digitized Layouts)
Above are the three final artboard layout designs after receiving feedback. I'm glad that I can finally move on to the next step!
3. Layouts Exploration (Body Text Layouts)
Layout 1:
Figure 1.8 Layout 1 (InDesign)
Layout 2:
Figure 1.9 Layout 2 (InDesign)
Layout 3:
Figure 1.10 Layout 3 (InDesign)
At first, I struggled with creating the body text layouts, as I wasn't sure which fonts would be suitable for the body text. Then, Mr. Max gave me some suggestions, and I've now completed the body text layouts. After discussing with Mr. Max, I decided to choose layout #2 as my final layout for this task.
4. Final Layout
HEAD
Font/s: Berlin Sans FB Regular, Franklin Gothic Demi Regular, Karina Regular (Punk's) Bell MT Bold (Design Revolution) Copperplate Gothic Bold Regular (Breaking the Rules)
BODY
Font/s: Bodoni Std Book
Type Size/s: 21pt
Leading: 23pt
Paragraph spacing: 23pt
Characters per-line: 50-60 characters
Alignment: Left aligned
PAGE MARGINS
Top/Bottom: 60mm
Left/Right: 70mm
Columns: 2
Gutter: 35px
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Figure 2.1 Final layout (JPEG without Grids)
Figure 2.2 Final Layout (JPEG with Grids)
Figure 2.3 Final Layout (PDF without Grids)
Figure 2.4 Final Layout (PDF with Grids)
FEEDBACK
Week 6
Specific Feedback: I consulted with Mr. Max about my 3 sketches. He said my ideas were good, but I needed to fix the headline in one of them because it was a bit too much and looked messy. He shared some of his suggestions, and I made the necessary adjustments. After that, he approved all 3 of my layout sketches, and I can now start digitizing them!
General Feedback: Mr. Max reminded us to finish our Task 1 by this week. He then briefed us on Task 2 and provided some examples as references. We were instructed to choose an article from Microsoft Teams, gather inspirations, and create 3 layout sketches for the article's headline. After completing the sketches, we need to consult with Mr. Max before digitizing our final 3 sketches.
Week 7
Specific Feedback: Mr. Max gave me feedback on my digitalized layouts and helped me edit some of my headline placements. He mentioned that my layouts are all well-designed and show a strong sense of design. The main issue is with the arrangement of my headlines, which needs some adjustment. He also suggested I change some of the fonts for the sub headlines. Once I make these changes, I can proceed to the next step.
General Feedback: In week 7, we had our consultation session. We planned to complete Task 2 and review all our digitized layouts or sketches with Mr. Max. We also updated our e-portfolio, and with that, Task 2 was finally completed. Task 2 is due in week 8!
REFLECTIONS
Experience
My experience with this task was much better than the previous one! This time, we had more freedom to explore and design the layouts based on our own ideas. I really enjoyed being able to apply the knowledge and skills I gained from the previous task to Task 2. It not only deepened my understanding but also served as a great recap of what I had learned before. I felt more passionate about this task because it allowed us to incorporate different kinds of elements into our designs, making the creative process even more enjoyable.
Observations
My main observation for this task is that arranging the headlines was quite challenging for me. I know that I'm not very strong in text or headline arrangement, so it's definitely an area I need to improve on. Mr. Max provided a lot of helpful feedback on my headline arrangements, which made my project look much cleaner and more refined. In my opinion, the most difficult part of this task was arranging the body text and deciding on the appropriate font size. During the sketching stage, I had a rough idea of where to place the body text, but once I started working in InDesign, I felt completely stuck and unsure about the best placement to make the text comfortable and readable for viewers. This is definitely something I need to keep working on and improve further.
Findings
My findings for this task are that creating layouts is both fun and challenging. Research and sketching need to be done before starting the digitized artwork. I also realized that receiving feedback is extremely important; the more constructive feedback I get, the more it helps me improve my work. Every correction I make helps me understand which areas I need to work on and where my weakness lies. I would like to thank Mr. Max for his valuable feedback and guidance throughout Task 2. It was truly a fun and rewarding experience!
FURTHER READING
Figure 3.1
Just My Type: A Book About Fonts, by Simon Garfield (2010)
1. About Simon Garfield
- Simon Garfield is a British journalist and non-fiction author born in London in 1960.
- A graduate of University College School in Hampstead and the London School of Economics.
- He began his career in journalism (writing for publications such as The Independent and The Observer) before turning to non-fiction books.
- His subject matter tends to be diverse and unusual; he's writing books on everything from the color mauve to British wrestling to typography.
2. About the Book (Just My Type: A Book About Fonts)
- The book explores the world of fonts and typefaces: their history, their design, their cultural impact.
- It covers how fonts have become a part of everyday life. From street signs, posters, books, and computer menus.
- This book shows that fonts are more than just tools, they carry character, they signal identity, they influence how we read, how we feel, how we interpret a message.
- This book was chosen as the best book of the year in 2011.
Here are some pages that contain graphics and illustrations:
Figure 3.2
Page from Just My Type: A Book About Fonts
Figure 3.3
Page from Just My Type: A Book About Fonts
I discovered that Chapter 18 in this book is titled "Breaking the Rules." Since in Task 2 I worked on a text titled "Punk's Design Revolution: Breaking the Rules," which has a similar title, I became interested in this chapter!
Below is one of the pages from Chapter 18: Breaking the Rules:
Figure 3.4 Chapter 18: Breaking the Rules
After reading several pages from Chapter 18, I found that this chapter explores designers and typographers who deliberately defy traditional rules of typography. It explained how some designers view fonts not just as tools for readability but as artistic expressions. The chapter also shows that breaking the rules can sometimes lead to creative brilliance but can also go too far and make text unreadable. To sum up, I think the main point of this chapter is to remind us that in typography, rules are meant to be understood before they're broken.
Chapter 18 Quotes:
- Typography truly reflects the whole of human life, and it changes with each generation.
- By all means break the rule, and break them beautifully, deliberately, and well. This is one of the ends for which they exist.
- I would not want to live in a world of exclusively good design at the bus-ticket level.
- The only intractable, invincible basic rules of good type? Making it interesting, make it beautiful, and bring out both its humanity and its soul.
Lastly, I highly recommend this book. It will definitely change the way you see font-saturated world. The author's wonderful writing style makes it an enjoyable read, and the book provides fascinating insights into the world of fonts, which we often take granted as just a long list available in Microsoft World.
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