Typography Final Compilation & Reflection

 21/04/25 - 25/07/25 Week 1- Week 14

Aina Ahmed Aleem / 0355701
Typography / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media
(Task 4)

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. Task 1: Exercises
2. Task 2: Typographic Exploration & Communication
3. Task 3: Type Design and Communication

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SUBMISSIONS

Task 1 | Type Expression (Exercise 1)

Fig 1.2 Final Type Expression GIF

Fig 1.1 Final Type Expression 

Task 1 | Text Formatting (Exercise 2)

Fig 1.3 Final Text Formatting

Fig 1.4 Final Text Formatting with guides

Fig 1.5 Final Text Formatting - pdf

Fig 1.6 Final Text Formatting with guides - pdf

Final Formatting Details:
HEAD LINE
Typeface: Bembo Std
Font/s: Bembo Std Bold, Bembo Std Bold Italic
Type Size/s: 72pt, 42pt, 21pt
Leading: 55pt
Paragraph Spacing: 0

BODY
Typeface: Bembo Std
Font/s: Bembo Std Regular
Type Size/s: 9pt
Leading: 11pt
Paragraph Spacing: 11pt
Characters Per-line: 58
Alignment: Left Justified
Margins: 123mm top, 26mm left + right + bottom
Columns: 2
Gutter: 10mm

 

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Task 2 | Type Formatting 

Fig 2.1 Final Type Formatting 

Fig 2.2 Final Type Formatting - pdf 

Fig 2.3 Final Type Formatting with grid - pdf 

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Task 3 | Type Design & Communication

Fig 3.1 FontLab Final (sidebearings & kerning)

Fig 3.2 Final font construction

Fig 3.3 Final "Leaflet" Poster

Fig 3.4 Final Font Construction - pdf

Fig 3.5 Final "Leaflet" Poster

 

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REFLECTION

Experience
Over the course of these 14 weeks, I’ve gained a much deeper understanding and appreciation for typography. Although I’ve seen type everywhere in my daily life, I never realized how much thought and precision went into designing and using it until I joined this module. Starting from the fundamentals and gradually moving into more advanced practices like creating our own fonts gave me a well-rounded learning experience. While this class has definitely been one of the more challenging ones, it’s also been one of the most rewarding.

In fact, Typography has become one of my favourite classes ever not just because of the content, but because of the way it was taught. Mr. Max, in particular, made a huge difference in my learning experience. I honestly lost count of how many times I went back again and again to ask for feedback, and he was always incredibly patient, kind, and willing to guide us no matter how many questions we had. His consistent support and calm approach made the whole process so much more enjoyable and motivating.

I also got the opportunity to learn and work with tools like Adobe InDesign, Photoshop and FontLab, which at first seemed intimidating, but eventually became essential parts of my design process. I’m very grateful for the guidance from Mr. Vinod as well.

Observations
One of the biggest things I’ve noticed while working through this module is how much detail is involved in typography. Every small element; from the space between letters to the weight of the strokes, plays a huge role in how type is read and perceived. Before this module, I didn’t think much about things like alignment, leading, kerning, or even the shape of each individual letter. But now, I can see how powerful those subtle adjustments are. This experience has completely changed the way I look at text in everyday life, I find myself analyzing signboards, packaging, and even website layouts just to appreciate the typography choices made.

Findings
One of my key takeaways is that good typography isn’t just about making something look “cool” or trendy, it’s about balance, readability, and purpose. I used to assume more elaborate designs were always better, but I’ve learned that simplicity and clarity often lead to the most effective and timeless designs. Whether it was through formatting a layout or sketching letterforms, I discovered how important restraint and intention are in typography. This module taught me that even the smallest changes can have a huge impact, and that every design decision should be deliberate.

Overall, this journey has helped me grow a lot not just technically, but also creatively. Typography may be a quiet art, but it plays such a loud role in communication and I’m truly glad I got to experience that firsthand in such a supportive and inspiring environment.