Advanced Typography - Task 2: Key Artwork and Collateral

For Task 2A, we were required to design a key artwork that functions as both a logo and an artwork using our name or initials. This key artwork will subsequently be applied across various collateral in Task 2B.

Notes:

Legibility is not essential.

It must be readable and pronounceable.

The artwork is created using type.

Explore different compositional options.

Can have a monogram-like approach.

Maintain a level of simplicity.

Elegant and visually communicative solution.

Ensure the artwork is scalable.

In Task 2A, we were instructed to create a wordmark using our own name or pseudonym for use in the collateral for Task 2B. Based on keywords identified from the mind map, we then developed a mood board to establish the creative direction and produced sketches of possible wordmark or lettering designs for the chosen name.

1. Mind Map

Firstly, I created a mind map about myself. Through this process, I explored my personality and hobbies to brainstorm concepts that could be used to create a wordmark of my name that reflects who I am as a person. From the mind map I created, which included my hobbies, passions, personality, and other aspects, I was able to quickly develop a rough idea of the pattern and design direction for my wordmark.

Figure 1.1

Mind Map About Me - Week 4 (12/05/26)

2. Inspirations/Mood board

I went on Pinterest to find inspiration that I liked, focusing mainly on gothic, cursive, dark cottage, and ethereal-style wordmarks and visual references, as I found them more interesting and appealing. I noticed similarities between these styles. I also explored vintage and cottage-style wordmarks, but they felt too simple for my preference. Mr. Vinod emphasized that we must consider both visual appearance and feeling, as emotion is very important in design.

Figure 1.2

Inspirations & References for Wordmark (Pinterest) - Week 4 (12/05/26)

Figure 1.3

Inspirations & References for Wordmark (Pinterest) - Week 4 (12/05/26)

3. Wordmark Sketches

With the ideas from the mind map, I then began creating sketches. I decided to use “Qi Yu” as my wordmark because it reflects my personal identity while maintaining a simple and modern design. My keywords are extroverted, energetic, cursive gothic, and adventurous/explorative.

I experimented with a wide range of styles, compositions, and letterform arrangements while creating my initial rough drafts digitally in Procreate on my iPad:

Figure 1.4

Draft Idea Sketches in Procreate - Week 5 (19/05/26)

4. Digitization

Afterwards, I selected some of the most interesting ones and developed them further. Below are my first digitization attempts for the chosen wordmark sketches.

Figure 1.5

Chosen Sketches for Digitization (Adobe Illustrator) - Week 6 (26/05/26)

Then, Mr. Vinod reviewed my digitized wordmarks and mentioned that some of my designs had slight readability issues. However, one of the wordmarks showed potential but still needed more consistency on the edges and overall shape of the letterforms. Below shows the most potential wordmark among all the designs above. I decided to choose this design because it looks more distinctive and expressive. It gives a fun, explorative, and gothic feel, while the cursive lines create an outgoing and welcoming personality. The design is simple, yet the added cursive elements make the wordmark more interesting and unique.

Mr. Vinod suggested that I use another method to digitize it because my wordmark consists of elements such as half-serif and rounded shapes. Using a different method would help ensure that the wordmark becomes more consistent overall.

Figure 1.6

Most Potential Wordmark - Week 6 (26/05/26)

After receiving Mr. Vinod’s tutorial on the digitization method, I followed his steps to readjust the wordmark. He suggested that I use the Shear Tool to adjust the stroke and angle of the letters, and the Shape Builder Tool to refine and improve the letterforms.

Figure 1.7

Shear Tool (Adjust Strokes) - Week 6 (26/05/26)

Also, Mr. Vinod suggested that I add anchor points on each letter edge to better adjust and refine the shape of the letters. This helps improve the consistency, readability, and overall balance of the wordmark. Below are the anchor points that I added, which are circled in blue, to help refine and adjust the letter shapes more accurately.

Figure 1.8

Adding Anchor Points - Week 6 (26/05/26)

So, after receiving Mr. Vinod’s suggestions, I decided to use his methods to readjust all the letterforms in my wordmark to improve the consistency and refine the details. Below shows my attempts at refining the letters.

Figure 1.9

Digitization Attempts - Week 6 (26/05/26)

In attempt #2, I adjusted each letter to achieve a more consistent design. However, I somehow felt that it lost some of the elements I originally wanted, so I decided to add curved elements.

In attempt #3, I added too many curved elements. Mr. Vinod asked me to make the curves more minimalistic and not add too much decoration.

In attempt #4, I reduced the curved elements by adding them only to both sides of the first and last letters.

I intended to use Attempt #4 as the final digitized wordmark. The images below show the before and after adjustments made to refine the wordmark.

Figure 1.10

Before and After Adjustment - Week 6 (26/05/26)

However, I needed to readjust the curved elements because the curves should not have sharp edges. I refined them to make the curves more parallel and smoother. Below, Fig. 1.11 shows the final digitized wordmark, while Fig. 1.12 shows the testing of the wordmark’s legibility.

Figure 1.11

Final Digitized Wordmark - Week 6 (26/05/26)

Figure 1.12

Testing Wordmark Legibility - Week 6 (26/05/26)

5. Color Application

After receiving approval from Mr. Vinod for the final key artwork design, I started exploring the color palette. Next, I needed to decide on a suitable color for the wordmark. I had no idea where to begin with the color selection, so I decided to use Color Hunt to experiment with different color palettes on the website.

I decided to experiment with each wordmark using two different color combinations, as I felt it would make the design look more interesting. This also allowed me to compare the combinations and determine which one worked better. Also, all of my artwork artboards below were created in a square format with a size of 1024px x 1024px.

Figure1.13

Color Palette Exploration - Week 6 (26/05/26)

There were many interesting color combinations to choose from, but after consulting with Mr. Vinod, I felt that the combination that suited my artwork best was the design on the third row, far right (the black background with red text). This color combination reflects my keywords, extrovert and adventurous, while also matching the dark gothic style I wanted to achieve. It stands out the most and creates a bold, energetic, and adventurous feeling. The bright red conveys a lively and extroverted mood, while the dark background provides strong contrast, making the wordmark appear more dynamic and eye-catching.

Figure 1.14

Chosen Color Palette - Week 6 (26/05/26)

Figure 1.15

Dual Color Testing - Week 6 (26/05/26)

6. Wordmark Animation

We are required to create an animation of our wordmark and export it in GIF format. For the animation, I used Adobe After Effects because it made the animation process much easier and more flexible.

Figure 1.16

Wordmark Animation (Adobe After Effects) - Week 7 (02/06/26)

Task 2A Final Outcome

Figure 1.17

Black Wordmark on White Background - Week 7 (02/06/26)

Figure 1.18

White Wordmark on Black Background - Week 7 (02/06/26)

Figure 1.19

Color Palette - Week 7 (02/06/26)

Figure 1.20

Wordmark in Actual Colors on Lightest Shade of Color Palette - Week 7 (02/06/26)

Figure 1.21

Wordmark in Lightest Shade of Color Palette on Darkest Shade of Color Palette - Week 7 (02/06/26)

Figure 1.22

Task 2A Final Key Artwork Compilation (PDF) - Week 7 (02/06/26)

Task 2B: Collateral

For the next task, we needed to use the wordmark from Task 2A to create an Instagram page that promotes our brand identity and the collaterals we designed. We were required to create three collaterals and expand our visual identity by applying elements such as patterns, keywords, images, and the wordmark itself.

Notes:

3 Collaterals.

Instagram Account (Handle, Link, Bio, and High-Resolution Profile Screenshot).

9 Instagram Tiles.

Artwork Size: 1080px (W) x 1350px (H), 300 ppi.

Submit in JPG/PNG & PDF Format.

Consistent Visual Identity.

Creative Instagram Feed Layout and Presentation.

For inspiration, Mr. Vinod provided us the Pentagram site to explore how brand identities are expanded across different applications:

a) https://www.pentagram.com/work/parla

b) https://www.pentagram.com/work/san-antonio-book-festival?rel=sector&rel-id=7

c) https://www.pentagram.com/work/juzdan?rel=sector&rel-id=14

d) https://www.pentagram.com/work/tala?rel=sector&rel-id=14

e) https://www.pentagram.com/work/kpit?rel=sector&rel-id=17

Additional resource on expansion of identity: https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/paula-scher-atlantic-theater-company

1. Collateral Design

After exploring the Pentagram website provided by Mr. Vinod, I came up with several possible design options/ideas:

FEEDBACK

Week 05:

✦ Specific Feedback: Mr. Vinod mentioned that my sketches are not readable and pronounceable enough. He said that one of my sketches is slightly symmetrical but still lacks balance, and that I need to explore more variations and ideas. He also advised me to create more “look and feel” mood boards to strengthen the concept and visual direction.

✦ General Feedback: Mr. Vinhod went through the class’s Task 2 progression and mentioned that most of us lack a proper “look and feel” mood board, so we need to explore more references to better capture the concept and emotion of the design. He explained that the look and feel of the design must align with the related keywords and overall concept. He also pointed out that black is not always the solution, and if the negative space is greater than the positive space, the design may lose impact and become weaker. Mr. Vinhod emphasized the importance of creating distinction by making the design look unique and different. He highlighted three important aspects to focus on: balance, positive and negative space, and readability and pronounceability. Lastly, he advised us not to make the design too complicated and reminded us to use grid lines or graph guides during the design process to maintain proper balance and structure.

Week 06:

✦ Specific Feedback: Mr. Vinod pointed out that my wordmark needed to be more consistent. He taught me another method to adjust the wordmark pattern and improve its overall appearance. He also advised me not to add too many elements to the wordmark; adding just a few simple elements is enough. The elements should also be placed properly and in the correct position. After making these improvements, I can proceed to the next step.

✦ General Feedback: This week, we worked on the progression of our Task 2. Mr. Vinod reviewed each of our digitized wordmarks, pointed out the mistakes we had made, and helped us correct them. After that, we tested the legibility of our wordmarks and printed them out for Mr. Vinod to check.

Week 07:

✦ Specific Feedback: I showed my color palette to Mr. Vinod for feedback. He pointed out that most of the colors were quite dark and that there was no clear highlight color to create visual emphasis. He suggested adding a brighter accent color to improve contrast and make important elements stand out more effectively. Also, he mentioned that the colors were too harmonious and lacked complementary contrast.

✦ General Feedback: This week, there was no class due to a public holiday. Therefore, there is no general feedback for this week.

Week 08:

✦ Specific Feedback:

✦ General Feedback:

REFLECTIONS

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Findings

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Phang Qi Yu (0385732)