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Advanced Typography: Task 2 Key Artwork & Collateral

✩ 12/5/25 - 15/6/25 (Week 4 - Week 8)

✩ WONG MEI YEE 0367857

✩ Advanced Typography / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor's University

✩ Task 2 - Key Artwork & Collateral


TABLE OF CONTENTS


Lectures

✩ WEEK 1 - WEEK 4 

✩ WEEK 5 - Perception and Organisation

ⓘ Introduction

Typography perception deals with how a reader visually navigates and interprets content through:

ꔚ Contrast

ꔚ Form

ꔚ Organization

Content may be textual, visual, graphical, or coloured — but today, we focus on typography.

ⓘ Why Contrast Matters

Creating contrast helps to:

  • Draw attention

  • Separate different types of information

  • Guide the reader's eye

ⓘ Carl Dair’s 7 Types of Typographic Contrast

1. Size

  • Larger text grabs attention.

  • Common use: Titles > Body Text

2. Weight

  • Bold text stands out among light text.

  • Also seen in rules, dots, shapes for emphasis.

3. Form

  • Contrast between:

    • CAPS vs. lowercase

    • Roman vs. Italic

    • Condensed vs. Expanded

4. Structure

  • Variation in typeface family:

    • Serif vs. Sans-serif

    • Monoline vs. Blackletter

5. Texture

  • Created by combining size, weight, form, and structure.

  • Focuses on the overall appearance of text blocks (macro & micro).

6. Direction

  • Vertical vs. Horizontal orientation.

  • E.g., Rotated text, or mixing wide and narrow columns.

7. Colour

  • Colour creates tonal contrast.

  • Choose colours based on value and emphasis, not just hue.

ⓘ Form in Typography

Definition

  • The look and feel of typographic elements.

  • Influences first impressions and eye movement.

Etymology

"Typography" comes from Greek:
Typos (form) + Graphis (writing) → "Writing in accordance with form"

Functions

  1. Represent a concept

  2. Represent a concept in visual form

Typographic Form as Visual Art

  • When type becomes form, it may:

    • Be distorted, textured, enlarged, or extruded.

    • Lose readability but gain expressive power.

ⓘ Organisation & Gestalt Principles

What is Gestalt?

  • German for "shape" or "whole"

  • Emphasises how we perceive groups and wholes, not isolated parts.

  • "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts."

Gestalt Psychologist

Max Wertheimer: developed laws to explain how humans group visual elements.

ⓘ Key Gestalt Laws in Typography

1. Similarity

  • Elements that look alike are seen as a group.

  • Similar in colour, shape, size, orientation, or motion.

2. Proximity

  • Items close together are perceived as a group.

  • Distance affects grouping perception.

3. Closure

  • The mind fills in missing information to perceive complete forms.

  • Even if parts are missing or obscured.

4. Continuation

  • The eye follows aligned elements smoothly.

  • Intersecting forms are still perceived as continuous.

5. Symmetry

  • Symmetrical elements are naturally seen as belonging together.

6. Simplicity (Prägnanz)

  • We prefer simple, orderly, and balanced forms.

  • The mind simplifies complex visuals.


Instructions

Figure 2.1, MIB, Week 1 (21/4/2025).


Task 2A: Key Artwork

✩ 3.1 Moodboard and Moodboard

At the beginning, Mr. Vinod asked us to create a mind map about ourselves and to collect a mood board.
Figure 3.1.1 Mindmap Week 4 (17/5/2025).
Figure 3.1.2 Moodboard Week 4 (17/5/2025).

✩ 3.2 Sketch

After that, I began sketching out my ideas. However, Mr. Vinod pointed out that the letters weren’t very readable, so I eventually dropped those two concepts.
Figure 3.2.1 Sketches Week 4 (17/5/2025).

✩ 3.3 Process

Figure 3.3.1 Process Week 5 (19/5/2025).
I went straight into Illustrator to begin my task. I used a pixel-style typeface that I personally like. While working on the word Angel, I noticed that the letters g and e connected in a way that reminded me of a bow — something I love — or even a four-leaf clover, which to me symbolizes the luck I always cherish and need. I decided to develop my idea based on this discovery.
Later on, Mr. Vinod mentioned that the pixel font made it hard to recognise the word Angel, so I revised my work and switched to a clearer typeface — but I kept the original design concept.

Figure 3.3.2 Process Week 6 (26/5/2025).

After finalising the revised typeface, I looked for a colour palette that matched the mood I wanted to convey. I tried placing my wordmark on different background colours and tested several combinations to explore the overall feel and harmony.
Figure 3.3.3 Process Week 6 (26/5/2025).
Figure 3.3.4 Process Week 6 (26/5/2025).

Then I moved on to Photoshop and started creating the GIF!
Figure 3.3.5 Process Week 6 (26/5/2025).

✩ 3.4 Task 2A Final Outcome

Figure 3.4.1 Final Outcome JPEG of Task 2a week 6 (26/5/2025).
Figure 3.4.2 Final Outcome JPEG of Task 2a week 6 (26/5/2025).
Figure 3.4.3 Final Outcome JPEG of Task 2a week 6 (26/5/2025).
Figure 3.4.4 Final Outcome JPEG of Task 2a week 6 (26/5/2025).
Figure 3.4.5 Final Outcome JPEG of Task 2a week 6 (26/5/2025).
Figure 3.4.6 Final Outcome PDF of Task 2a week 6 (26/5/2025).


Task 2B: Collateral

✩ 4.1 Expansion

When I started working on Task 2B, I decided to combine the g and e again — not only because it looked unique, but also because it reminded me of the bow shape I really like. This time, I also looked for a rounder typeface to better match that soft, ribbon-like feel.
Figure 4.1.1 Process Week 7 (2/6/2025).
Figure 4.1.2 Process Week 7 (2/6/2025).

I started by slanting the g and e, then merged them together into a single form.
Figure 4.1.3 Process Week 7 (2/6/2025).

✩ 4.2 Collateral 1

Then I moved on to designing the collateral. I chose phone cases, since I always end up spending money on them — so I thought it’d be fun to apply my design there.
Figure 4.2.1 Process Week 7 (7/6/2025).

✩ 4.3 Collateral 2

The second item I designed for my collateral was a badge pin. I’ve always loved collecting cute badge pins, and my backpacks are already full of them — so creating one with my own design felt really personal and meaningful.
Figure 4.3.1 Process Week 7 (7/6/2025).

✩ 4.4 Collateral 3

For my final collateral, I chose a canvas tote bag — because I always use one for class!
Figure 4.4.1 Process Week 7 (7/6/2025).

✩ 4.5 Instagram Layout

Then I started adding my wordmark expansion to my photo. After finishing everything, I arranged all the visuals and uploaded them to Instagram with the proper layout.
Figure 4.5.1 Process Week 7 (7/6/2025).
Figure 4.5.2 Process Week 8 (9/6/2025).

✩ 4.6 Task 2B Final Outcome

Figure 4.6.1 Final Outcome JPEG of Task 2b week 8 (9/6/2025).
Figure 4.6.2 Final Outcome JPEG of Task 2b week 8 (9/6/2025).
Figure 4.6.3 Final Outcome JPEG of Task 2b week 8 (9/6/2025).
Figure 4.6.4 Final Outcome JPEG of Task 2b week 8 (9/6/2025).
Figure 4.6.5 Final Outcome JPEG of Task 2b week 8 (9/6/2025).


Task 2 Final Compilation


Figure 5.1 Final Outcome JPEG of Task 2a week 8 (9/6/2025).
Figure 5.2 Final Outcome JPEG of Task 2a week 8(9/6/2025).
Figure 5.3 Final Outcome JPEG of Task 2a week 8 (9/6/2025).
Figure 5.4 Final Outcome JPEG of Task 2a week 8 (9//6/2025).
Figure 5.5 Final Outcome JPEG of Task 2a week 8 (9/6/2025).
Figure 5.6 Final Outcome GIF of Task 2a week 8 (9/6/2025).

Figure 5.7 Final Outcome PDF of Task 2a week 8 (9/6/2025)..





Figure 5.12 Final Outcome PDF of Task 2a week 8 (9/6/2025)..


Feedback

WEEK 6:

Specific Feedback
Mr. Vinod pointed out that my wordmark might be difficult to interpret as the word "angel", especially for someone who isn’t familiar with English — so I should consider improving its legibility.

WEEK 7:

General Feedback
Mr. Vinod reminded us that the submission is due next week.

Specific Feedback
He mentioned that the spacing in my wordmark is slightly too wide and suggested tightening it to improve overall cohesion.

WEEK 8 (Independent Learning Week)


Reflections

Experience

Working on this task was a very personal journey for me, as it allowed me to explore both design and identity at the same time. We began with a mind map and mood board based on ourselves, which helped ground the design process in something meaningful. From there, I experimented with sketches — though my initial ideas were unclear in legibility and eventually discarded. What stood out most was the moment I discovered a connection between the letters g and e in my name, Angel. The way they curved reminded me of bows or even a four-leaf clover — symbols I personally love and associate with good luck. I leaned into this concept and started building my wordmark in Illustrator, choosing pixel-style fonts that matched my aesthetic. Although Mr. Vinod later pointed out that the font made Angel hard to read, I took the feedback and revised the typeface, keeping the design idea intact while improving clarity. I then created motion in Photoshop by developing a GIF, and explored how my wordmark could live on real-life objects. For collaterals, I chose things that were personally meaningful — phone cases (which I always buy), badge pins (which I collect), and a canvas tote bag (which I use daily for class). These choices made the project not just a design task, but a reflection of myself.

Observations

Throughout this task, I noticed how even the smallest decisions — such as slanting a letter or choosing a rounder font — could drastically change the tone and personality of a wordmark. I also realised how much of myself I was embedding into the work. The bow-inspired g-e merge wasn’t just a stylistic choice; it became a symbol of identity, softness, and positivity. Watching my classmates explore their own ideas also reminded me how flexible and expressive type design can be. Some went minimal, others went experimental, but everyone had a different story to tell through their type. It reinforced the idea that typography is more than letterforms — it’s emotion, intention, and identity.

Findings

This project taught me that good typography is deeply personal yet requires critical thinking and refinement. Designing a wordmark might seem simple, but it involves layers of observation, decision-making, and trial and error. I learned to pay attention to how letters interact, how form can express feeling, and how to apply designs across different mediums.

Beyond just creating a logo, I explored how to extend the idea across collaterals and digital platforms like Instagram. The process of translating a concept across multiple outputs helped me understand consistency, adaptation, and visual storytelling on a deeper level. More than anything, I found that the most successful designs come from somewhere honest — when you’re not just trying to make something look good, but trying to make it mean something.


Further Reading

✩ WEEK 5

This week I explored the anatomy of a grid, particularly the modular system. On p.221, the book explains how Cartesian grids—with horizontal and vertical lines forming modules—help create consistent, structured layouts. I learned how modules aren’t limiting; instead, they offer designers a framework to insert words and images harmoniously. This system strengthened my understanding of balance and hierarchy in layout design.
✩ WEEK 6
I continued with columnar and modular grid structures and focused more on how they’re applied in different media formats. According to p.220–221, even websites use modularity to adapt content across screen sizes. This week made me realize how flexible grids can be if approached with the right strategy—modular grids are not just about control but also about creating unity and variation.
✩ WEEK 7
This week introduced me to the idea of free placement, where compositions can be dynamic and expressive without relying strictly on grids. On p.219, the book mentions how designers like Kevin Paolozzi place elements intuitively, guided by visual tension rather than symmetry. I tried this method and found it liberating—it encouraged me to experiment with diagonals, layering, and unexpected focal points.
✩ WEEK 8
I explored typographic hierarchy, an essential concept explained on p.222–223. It emphasized that hierarchy isn’t only about size, but also weight, position, contrast, and animation in motion graphics. This made me rethink how I structure information—whether to draw attention fast or to allow layered discovery. The USC Law Viewbook example inspired me to play with visual rhythm and typographic mass.
✩ WEEK 9
This week focused on unity and variety in layout, as explained on p.224–225. A unified brand identity can be achieved by repeating visual systems such as typefaces, line structures, and spacing—even when the document formats differ. I especially liked the example where Kevin Finn ties together business cards, labels, and invoices through consistent typography. It reminded me that design is about systems, not just individual beauty.
✩ WEEK 10
I wrapped up with symmetry and asymmetry (p.226), discovering that both strategies have specific emotional impacts. Symmetry provides calm and formality, while asymmetry introduces tension and visual interest. The reading helped me understand when to use each: symmetry for credibility or tradition, asymmetry for energy or disruption. I now see asymmetry not as imbalance, but as a tool for intentional focus.
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