14/11/2025 - 12/12/2025 (Week 08 - Week 12)
PHANG QI YU / 0385732
Typography / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media / Taylors University
Task 3: Type Design and Communication
Table of Content
1. Lecture
2. Instructions
3. Process Work
4. Feedback
5. Reflection
6. Further Reading
LECTURES
All lectures have been completed in Task 1: Exercises.
INSTRUCTIONS
Module-Briefs_BDCM_2025 (1).pdf
PROCESS WORK
Typography - Task 3: Type Design and Communication (Font Design)
In this task, we were required to design letters in our own unique styles.
We had to create a type design for the letters
o, l, e, d, s, n, c, h, t, i, and g, as well as
four punctuation marks: #, !, the comma (,), and the period (.). We were free to choose whether to design them in uppercase or lowercase.
Before digitizing the designs, we must sketch three different font styles on
graph paper. Using graph paper ensures proper consistency, structure, and
proportions. We can look through Pinterest for inspiration or references
before starting our sketches. Mr. Max also showed us some of the seniors'
work and gave us a demonstration of how and what we should do for this
task.
Guidance from Mr. Max:
-
Sketch as many options as possible.
The more idea variations we produce, the faster he can approve them.
Each font style should be clear and readable.
- Consistency is important.
The shape and weight of each letter must remain the same within each font
style. Start by designing the letters 'O', 'D', 'N', 'C', and 'G' since these
are more challenging to construct.
Reminder from Mr. Max:
- All alphabets must sit on the baseline.
- Make sure to check the x-height and cap height.
- Ascenders may extend above the x-height.
-
Descenders can extend below the baseline (typically about half of the
x-height).
-
The bounding boxes for each letter must be consistent in size.
1. Visual Reference/ Research
I decided to sketch as many options as possible, starting with the first three
ideas that came to my mind: punk-style fonts, Saturn-inspired fonts, and
mermaid-themed fonts. I did some research on Pinterest and gathered a lot of
inspiration.
Figure 1.1 Punk-style fonts
Figure 1.2 & 1.3 Saturn-inspired fonts
Figure 1.4 Mermaid-themed fonts
Other than the three ideas above, I also explored different types of
fonts and elements to help me develop more design options. I searched
on Pinterest for inspiration because I wanted to create as many
variations as possible. The more options I have, the higher the chance
that Mr. Max will approve my sketches. That way, I can move on to the
next step without falling behind the class! Below are additional
references I found interesting, which helped me generate more ideas
and develop my sketches.
Figure 1.5 Reference image
Figure 1.6 & 1.7 Y2K design elements
Figure 1.8 & 1.9 References images
2. Sketches
We were asked to sketch at least three designs for Mr. Max to choose
from. However, I created as many designs as I could so that I would
have backup options in case any of my sketches were rejected.
Here are all my sketches:
Paper #1
Figure 2.1 Paper #1
Paper #2
Figure 2.2 Paper #2
Paper #3
Figure 2.3 Paper #3
I showed all my sketches to Mr. Max, and he selected three font
designs. He said the three designs he chose were unique
(especially the one that combined uppercase and lowercase
elements), and more consistent compared to the others. He told
me to choose one of the approved designs to digitize. However,
before moving on to digitization, he asked me to add the four
punctuation marks as well. Once those are completed, I can begin
digitizing my final chosen font design.
Below are the three font designs he approved:
Figure 2.4 Font design #1
Figure 2.5 Font design #2
Figure 2.6 Font design #3
I've decided to choose font design #1 (fig 2.4) as my
final selection. I've added the remaining punctuation
marks, and this part of the sketches is now completed. I
can finally move on to digitizing!
The chosen font design:
Figure 2.7 Chosen font design
3. Dissection Font
Before starting the dissection font exercise, Mr. Max explained what
'dissection' means. A font can be formed using shapes, and in this
exercise, we break down a font into its individual parts. We were
assigned to work on four letters: H, o, g, and b. We were only allowed
to use the 10 typefaces provided. Mr. Max reminded us that we needed
to pay attention to the baseline, x-height, cap height, ascender, and
descender. Additionally, we were instructed to fill every gap in the
letters using only circles.
The image below shows the dissection font I completed:
Figure 3.1 Dissection Font - H, o,
Figure 3.2 Letter 'H'
Figure 3.3 Letter 'o'
Figure 3.4 Letter 'g'
Figure 3.5 Letter 'b'
4. Digitization of Letterforms
We had online class in Week 10 due to the weather conditions. Mr. Max
gave us a tutorial on how to start digitizing our letters in Adobe
Illustrator in the easiest way. He used seniors' work as examples and
demonstrated different types of fonts and various methods for
digitizing them. After that, he gave us time to try digitizing them on
our own.
Below is my first attempt at digitizing the first two letters.
However, I was unsure how to improve the circled areas, as they didn't
look very smooth or clean. I asked Mr. Max for help, and he
demonstrated how to adjust the lines. His example looked much better
than my earlier version. He also said that he liked how I started
digitizing my letters and that only a few small adjustments needed to
be fixed. After that, I can continue digitizing the remaining
letters.
Figure 4.1 Digitized letters (Attepmt #1)
I've digitized all the remaining letters, but the lines and overall
shapes still look inconsistent. Because of that, I asked Mr. Max's
assistant to help fix them. Below are my digitized letters, both
before and after the corrections.
Before corrections:
Figure 4.2 Digitized letters before corrections
After corrections:
Figure 4.3 Digitized letters after corrections
Above the figure 4.3 is the digitized letters after correction, the
corrections were based on Mr. Max’s suggestions. We readjusted the
letters several times and decided to use circular shapes for the
letter construction instead of lines, as the lines made the forms
look inconsistent. The digitized letters shown above now use only
circle elements, and I have also corrected all the punctuation
marks. A big thanks to Mr. Max for his assistance; my digitized
letters look much cleaner and more consistent than before.
The version shown above is the final digitized set (still without
Shape Builder or grouping applied). Once I finish grouping all the
shapes, I can proceed to the next step. The next stage is to copy
and paste the digitized letters into Font Lab 7 and begin creating
my own font!
5. Developing final font in Font Lab 7
We followed Mr. Max's instructions and downloaded Font Lab 7. We
use Font Lab 7 instead of Font Lab 8 because Font Lab 8's interface
is a little complicated, but we can also download and use Font Lab 8
if needed. But before starting the process in Font Lab, we must make
sure that we have grouped or shape-built all the letter shapes and
that there are no overlapping lines. To check whether all the lines
and shapes of a letter are grouped, press CTRL+Y.
Figure 5.1 Letters grouped (Adobe Illustrator)
Before starting to copy and paste all the letters, the first step
is to decide on a name for our created font. I decided to name my
new font 'IZ2.'
After copying and pasting all the letters I digitized in Adobe
Illustrator into Font Lab 7, I struggled with the size of the
comma and period because they appeared the same size as my other
letters. So, I asked a friend for help on how to resize the comma
and period so they would be smaller. I needed to go to Edit > Preferences > Keep Position if Possible. Only then would the sizes match exactly with what I created in
Adobe Illustrator.
Figure 5.2 Incorrect comma and period size (Font Lab 7)
Then I encountered another problem. At first, I couldn’t type
the ‘#’ sign. Later, I figured out that I needed to press Shift
+ 3. A small box would then appear showing the ‘#’ symbol I
designed, and I had to press the number 3 again to actually type
the ‘#’ sign. This process was a bit challenging for me, but I
managed to complete it!
Figure 5.3
Letters copied and pasted in Font Lab 7
6. Poster Design
We have to create a font poster for the font we designed,
using the generated font. For the poster, I decided to type
the phrases “Be gentle I got to do this” and “Let it go!” I
have created several designs for the poster.
Requirements:
- Poster Size: A4
- Color: Black & White
- Include font name, creator's name, and the year
- Export as JPEG & PDF
Poster #1
Figure 6.1 Poster #1 (Adobe Illustrator)
Poster #2
Figure 6.2 Poster #2 (Adobe Illustrator)
Poster #3
Figure 6.3 Poster #3 (Adobe Illustrator)
Based on Mr. Max's feedback on my three posters, I decided
to use Poster #1 as my final poster design!
Chosen Poster:
Figure 6.4 Chosen Poster (Poster #1)
7. Final Outcome (Task 3: Type Design and
Communication)
Final Kerning
Figure 7.1
Screen Grab of Font Lab process (side-bearings)
Final Font Design
Figure 7.2 Final Font Design 'IZ2 Regular' (JPEG)
Figure 7.3 Final Font Design 'IZ2 Regular' (PDF)
Final Poster Design
Figure 7.4
Final A4 Black & White Poster Design (JPEG)
Figure 7.5
Final A4 Black & White Poster Design (PDF)
FEEDBACK
Week 8
Specific Feedback: Independent learning week and finalizing task 2.
General Feedback: We started our Task 3 work; we were assigned to design letters in our own
styles. I showed Mr. Max my first letter sketches, and he gave me some
suggestions. He emphasized that my letters need to be more consistent.
Week 9
Specific Feedback: I showed Mr. Max all my font sketches for Task
3, and he selected three designs that he found unique and consistent. He told
me that I may choose one of the three approved sketches to develop further. He
also asked me to add the remaining punctuation marks for my chosen design.
Once that is done, I can start digitizing them next week!
General Feedback: Mr. Max briefed us on the font discussion
exercise and demonstrated each step in detail. We were assigned to work on
four letters: H, o, g, and d. After completing this exercise, we were given
time to consult with Mr. Max about our sketches for Task 3.
Week 10
Specific Feedback: I showed Mr. Max the first two digitized
letters, and he adjusted some of the lines to improve their appearance.
Overall, everything looks good, and I'm continuing to digitize the remaining
letters.
General Feedback: A reminder to students who have not finished
their sketches must complete them and get them approved by the end of this
week. Mr. Max gave us a tutorial on how to digitize our sketches in Adobe
Illustrator.
Week 11
Specific Feedback: I asked Mr. Max’s assistance with my digitized
letters. He suggested that I replace all the lines with circular elements for
better consistency. Mr. Max also helped me fix each of my punctuation marks.
I’ve finally completed all the digitization, and now I can proceed to the next
part!
General Feedback: This week, Mr. Max briefed us on the final part
of Task 3, which is copying and pasting our digitized letters into Font Lab.
He briefed us on everything that needs to be done in this final stage and
explained the file format we need to export. This week was also our last
physical class, as the next session will be conducted online. Also, Task 3 is
due next week!
Week 12
Specific Feedback: I completed my Task 3 and 4 e-portfolios and asked Mr. Max to review everything. He said that everything looked good and that there were no major issues. Then, I think I have completed everything!
General Feedback: We conducted an online consultation class where we updated Mr. Max on our progress. He went through our work and reviewed our e-portfolio to ensure that everything was completed and in good condition.
REFLECTIONS
Experience
This task was slightly different from the previous one. In Task 3, we had
to design our very own font, which I found interesting to explore. I came
out with several ideas at the beginning, but when it came to sketching, I
got a bit stuck because my imagination and my drawing skills weren't
proportional HAHA. Still, the sketching process went smoothly overall, and I
managed to come up with a few different font designs.
While sketching, I was also worried that my font design wasn't special
enough. I was afraid it looked too common and might get rejected by Mr. Max.
However, the process actually turned out to be quite successful! Digitizing
the letterforms from my sketches, though, was a 'disaster' and a very
complicated process. I struggled a lot at the beginning of digitization. I
had issues with the strokes and shapes; my sketches had many different thick
and thin strokes, but I couldn't pull the lines the way I wanted, which made
the letters look inconsistent. I felt helpless and had to ask Mr. Max for
assistance because the letterforms were too messy TT.
Still, this was my first experience creating a font and turning it into a
real, usable typeface! Overall, the font designing process was fun and
enjoyable. I love being able to design a font based on my own inspirations
and experiment with different elements to make it unique. I also appreciated
the sense of accomplishment I received from my friends and Mr. Max. Since it
was my first time designing a font, I truly feel satisfied and
fulfilled!
Observations
I've learned that when creating a font, the most important things are
creativity and maintaining consistency across all the letters. In fact, I
realized that the most challenging part of the whole process is digitization.
The letters I sketched looked completely different once I began digitizing
them; every length, curve, and thickness had to be clean and consistent.
During this stage, I became frustrated with my failed attempts and wasn't sure
how to move forward. However, after seeking help from Mr. Max, I was able to
work much more smoothly and gained confidence in my digitized letterforms. A
very big thanks to Mr. Max, who always pointed out my mistakes, gave me
valuable feedback, and assisted me throughout the process of Task 3!
I also noticed that using basic shapes to build the foundation of a font is
incredibly helpful, especially for achieving consistency. I initially
struggled with the pen tool because the lines I created looked odd and uneven.
I never realized that fonts could be constructed from simple shapes; I always
assumed all letters were drawn entirely with linework, except for the letter
'O.'. That's why learning typography is so important; it helps us understand
and appreciate the hidden principles behind how fonts are made!
Findings
We need to understand the concepts and meanings behind a font before
designing a typeface. Without this foundation, the process will inevitably
come with setbacks and result in inconsistent letterforms. As I mentioned
before, I did struggle because creating a typeface was completely new to me.
However, I gained a lot of valuable insight from this experience, not just
about type design, but about design in general.
We are so used to seeing type everywhere in our daily lives that we treat
it as nothing more than a tool for communication. Because of this, we often
overlook the subtle differences between typefaces and the careful decisions
behind every curve, shape, and detail.
Overall, I really enjoyed this task! It was so fun to see my font transform
from rough sketches into digitized letters that could actually be typed on a
screen. I truly appreciate having the opportunity to experience this
process. Although it was challenging at times, the final outcome turned out
nicely, and seeing the result made all the hard work worth it. I hope that
the next semester I can become more confident in my own designs and continue
improving my skills in Adobe Illustrator, especially when working with lines
and shapes. Step by step, I hope to get closer to becoming a
pro!!
FURTHER READING
Figure 8.1
Designing Type: Second Edition, by Karen Cheng (2020)
1. About Karen Cheng
-
Karen Cheng has been a graphic designer and professor in the visual
communications program at the University of Washington (Seattle) since
1997.
-
She is best known for writing Designing Type, a comprehensive guide on how
to design typefaces (serif, sans, capitals, lowercase, punctuation,
accents, etc.).
-
She aims to help students understand both the 'why' and 'how' of
type/design, making her book and teachings very relevant for beginners and
more experienced designers.
2. About the book (Designing Type: Second Edition)
-
Designing Type is a comprehensive guide to the craft of designing
typefaces, not just using type, but creating the letterforms
themselves.
-
This book often hailed as a 'must-have' for typographers, graphic
designers and students.
-
In this second edition (2020), Karen Cheng updated and expanded the book
for the digital-age context.
-
The book is richly illustrated with 400+ diagrams showing how letters
are built, how spacing works, and how visual principles affect
legibility and style.
3. My thoughts
I chose this book for my further reading because we were also designing a
font for this task, so the title immediately made me think it could give
me more inspiration and a deeper understanding of the foundation of type
design. After reading a few chapters, I noticed that the book covers the
classification of typefaces, the history of type, letter anatomy, spacing,
kerning, and many of the same topics as Mr. Max introduced during our
tutorial class. Because of this, reading it felt familiar and reassuring,
as it connected well with what I had already learned.
The first few pages of the book are especially captivating. They drew the
reader in and sparked curiosity about what's inside. Below are the pages
that inspired me to keep reading! Those illustrations and fonts make me
curious about what's inside this book.
Figure 8.2 & 8.3 & 8.4
Pages in Designing Type: Second Edition
Actually, this book contains many illustrations to help readers understand
the content. Even people who don't enjoy reading can look through the
graphics and still grasp what the author is trying to convey. I am going
to share some pages that include these graphic elements, which helped me
better understand the material.
Figure 8.5 & 8.6
Pages from Designing Type: Second Edition (Page 35 & 36)
Figure 8.7 & 8.8
Pages from Designing Type; Second Edition (Page 43 & 51)
The figures shown above are from different chapters. As you can see,
this book includes illustrations in every chapter. However, as I read
further, I realized that it doesn't focus as much on actually
designing fonts; it's more about the history of type, similar to most
of the books I've read before. Because of that, I personally found it
a bit boring, HAHA, since it felt like I was reading similar content
again.
However, I think this is mainly because I've only read the first few
chapters, which usually focus on the basic introduction to fonts. I
believe the later chapters will include the information I'm actually
looking for, such as how to create a type of family. I also noticed in
the book reviews that the later sections contain more content about
font design, which will be helpful for me. So, I'm excited to continue
reading!
Figure 8.9
Making Fonts: A Comprehensive Guide to Professional
Type-Design,
by Chris Campe and Ulrike Rausch (2022)
The figure above shows a book I discovered through the comment
section of Designing Type: Second Edition, where a reader
recommended it. The reviewer mentioned that this book is a great
resource for turning a typeface into a functional font. It provides
a more holistic introduction, and its presentation feels lighter and
more enjoyable to read. Although it doesn't go into very fine detail
about individual glyphs, it covers all the essential information,
including everything a beginner needs to know about the software
side of type design. These two books complement each other well and
Making Font: A Comprehensive Guide to a Professional Type Design
offers a clearer, more accessible overview for beginner
typographers.
For me, if I had some free time, I would also like to read this
book. It sounds interesting and seems suitable for a semester 1
student like me. I've already gone through a brief overview, and it
appears to cover the parts I'm most interested in. The book explains
the basics of type design in just nine steps, guiding readers from
initial letter sketches to creating their own font. It also includes
a selection of workshops to support different approaches to type
design, which I think would be very helpful!
4. Quote Sharing
Figure 8.10
A quote from the Internet (Google)
I know quote sharing is not considered part of further reading,
but I came across one on the Internet that I found really
motivating and cool, so I wanted to share it with everyone too!
'Designing is simple, but the process you don't see is
complicated. That's why design is both simple and complex.' I hope
all of us continue to do well in our future tasks and semesters.
Don't give up and always stay confident in yourself!
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