Advanced Typography - Task 1: Exercises
23 September 2025 - 14 October 2025 (Week 1 - Week 4)
Advanced Typography / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor's University
Task 1: Exercises
TABLE OF CONTENT
LECTURES
Lecture 1: AdTypo_1_Typographic Systems
Week 1 (23/09/2025)
- In design, everything is based on structural system. There are 8 major variations:
Fig 1.1.1 Axial System (23/10/2025, Week 1) Axial: elements are organized to left or right of a single axis
Fig 1.1.2 Radial System (23/10/2025, Week 1)
Fig 1.1.3 Dilatational System (23/10/2025, Week 1) Dilatational: elements are extended from a central point in a circular fashion
Fig 1.1.4 Dilatational System (23/10/2025, Week 1)
Random: elements appear to have no specific pattern
Fig 1.1.5 Grid System (23/10/2025, Week 1)
Grid: system of vertical and horizontal divisions
Fig 1.1.6 Modular System (23/10/2025, Week 1)
Modular: series of non-objective elements constructed in a standardized units
Fig 1.1.7 Transitional System (23/10/2025, Week 1)
Transitional: informal system of layered banding
Fig 1.1.8 Bilateral System (23/10/2025, Week 1) Bilateral: all text is organized symmetrically on a single axis
- Typographical organization is complex because the element are dependent on communication to function.
- Additional criteria : hierarchy, order of reading, legibility, and contrast.
- The typographic system purpose is to provide focuses and directs decision making
Lecture 2: AdTypo_2_Typographic Composition
Week 2 (30/09/2025)
- Typographic composition is about arranging type to communicate clearly and beautifully.
- Alignment keeps the layout balanced and organized.
- Grid is used to structure the placement of text and visual.
- Proper spacing (leading or kerning) improves readability.
- Balance between text and blocks creates visual harmony
- Contrast in font size, weight, or style adds visual interest and focus.
- Rhythm is created through repetition and variation in text layout.
- Typography must match the context and tone of the design.
- Small changes in spacing or alignment can change design's mood.
- Good composition of typography combines clarity, consistency, and emotion.
Lecture 3: AdTypo_3_Context&Creativity
Week 3 (07/10/2025)
- Early scripts like cuneiform and hieroglyphs mixed visuals and phonetic meaning.
- Greek & Roman writing shaped the foundation of western typography.
- The development of serifs and consistent stroke weight improved legibility.
- Carolingian Minuscule introduced word spacing and punctuation.
- Gothic or Blackletter styles showed dense and dramatic visual rhythm.
- Different cultures developed unique writing systems influenced by tools, materials, and traditions
- Typography reflects its historical and cultural context, each era's needs shape its style.
- Creativity in typography means reinterpreting old forms into new, relevant designs.
- Designer must consider context, like who the audience is, where it will appear, and what's the message.
- Good typography connects history, culture, and creativity.
INSTRUCTION
TASK 1 - EXERCISE 1 , TYPOGRAPHIC SYSTEM (Week 1 - 23/09/2025)
In this task, we were assigned to make typographic design based on the 8 typographic system (axial, radial, dilatational, random, grid, modular, transitional, and bilateral).
Design rules:
- Software: InDesign
- Size: 200 x 200 mm
- Color: Black and 1 additional color
- Graphical elements: (Line, dot, etc.) can be used but limitedly.
Text I choose:
The Design School,
Taylor’s University
All Ripped Up: Punk Influences on Design
Open Public Lectures:
June 24, 2021
Lew Pik Svonn, 9AM-10AM
Ezrena Mohd., 10AM-11AM
Suzy Sulaiman, 11AM-12PM
June 25, 2021
Lim Whay Yin, 9AM-10AM
Fahmi Reza, 10 AM-11AM
Manish Acharia, 11AM-12PM
Lecture Theatre 12
The color I use:
- Black (#000000)
- White (#ffffff)
- Pink (#f7729c)
Font used mostly: Futura Std
Research:
Before I design, I look for some examples of each typographic system and punk aesthetics.
Fig 2.1.1 Typographic System examples (27/09/2025, Week 1)
After looking up on punk's aesthetics, I realized that punk style mainly use pink colors, spikey elements, with bold, wild, and expressive style.
Progress:
I start to do it in In Design, I made more than 1 design in some typographic system to try and see possible and different designs.
Fig 2.1.3 First attempt (30/09/2025, Week 2)
1. Axial system
In week 2, I decided to go with the right design and consult to Mr. Vinod.
Week 2 feedback (30/09/2025):
- In Axial we usually should avoid 45 degree angle, but since I managed to make it looks good and nice, it can work.
- It looks good, but too much elements, if the composition looks off without elements, that means I need to rearrange and find another way to make it looks good.
- Elements shouldn't be used to balance your design.
- Avoid using too much elements
2. Radial system
Fig 2.1.5 First attempt of Radial (30/09/2025, Week 2)
In week 2, I decided to go with the right design and consult to Mr. Vinod.
Week 2 feedback (30/09/2025):
- Too much elements, remove the element
- Stars didn't resemble as my point.
3. Dilatational system
Fig 2.1.6 First attempt of Dilatational (30/09/2025, Week 2)
In week 2, I decided to go with the right design and consult to Mr. Vinod.
Week 2 feedback (30/09/2025):
- Composition looks nice.
- Star in the middle steal your focus, change it or try to remove it.
4. Random system
Fig 2.1.7 First attempt of Dilatational (30/09/2025, Week 2)
In week 2, I decided to go with the right design and consult to Mr. Vinod.
Week 2 feedback (30/09/2025):
- Reduce use of element.
- Change background color, Avoid black backgrounds especially when the thickness of text is very thin, it will make the text hard to read when you print it.
5. Grid system
Fig 2.1.8 First attempt of Grid (30/09/2025, Week 2)
In week 2, I decided to go with this design and consult to Mr. Vinod.
Week 2 feedback (30/09/2025):
- Need to rearrange the texts and composition, since it has no starting point to read, might be confusing.
7. Modular system
Fig 2.1.10 First attempt of Modular (30/09/2025, Week 2)
In week 2, I decided to go with this design and consult to Mr. Vinod.
Week 2 feedback (30/09/2025):
- Modular system looks good. Nothing to change.
8. Bilateral system
Fig 2.1.11 First attempt of Bilateral (30/09/2025, Week 2
In week 2, I decided to go with this design and consult to Mr. Vinod.
Week 2 feedback (30/09/2025):
- Bilateral system is right, but the sub topic need a little changes, maybe put the text box as pink like the main topic, so it looks like it belongs together when people read it.
Final Outcome:
After got these feedbacks from Mr. Vinod, I came out with these final outcome.
Fig 2.1.12 Final Outcome (07/10/2025, Week 3)
1. Axial
Fig 2.1.13 Final Outcome Axial (07/10/2025, Week 3)
2. Radial
Fig 2.1.14 Final Outcome Radial (07/10/2025, Week 3)
3. Dilatational
Fig 2.1.15 Final Outcome Dilatational (07/10/2025, Week 3)
4. Random
Fig 2.1.16 Final Outcome Random (07/10/2025, Week 3)
5. Grid
Fig 2.1.17 Final Outcome Grid (07/10/2025, Week 3)
6. Transitional
Fig 2.1.18 Final Outcome Transitional (07/10/2025, Week 3)
7. Modular
Fig 2.1.19 Final Outcome Modular (07/10/2025, Week 3)
8. Bilateral
Fig 2.1.20 Final Outcome Bilateral (07/10/2025, Week 3)
Submission:
Fig 2.1.21 8 Typographic System Without Grid (07/10/2025, Week 3)
Fig 2.1.22 8 Typographic System With Grid (07/10/2025, Week 3)
TASK 1 - EXERCISE 2, TYPE & PLAY (Week 2 - 30/09/2025)
Week 2:
In this task, we were asked to select an image of a man-made object (chair, glass, etc.) or structures (buildings), or something from nature to be analyze, dissect, and identify potential letterforms.
Design rules:
- Dissect and trace possible letterforms in Illustrator
- Analyze and discover 5 letterforms
- Letterforms must still retain its original object and characteristics
Picture I choose:
Fig 2.2.1 Butterfly (30/09/2025, Week 2)
In this exercise, the font that I choose to blend with is Gill Sans Std Regular
First Attempt Process :
Fig 2.2.2 First attempt of tracing (30/09/2025, Week 2)
Fig 2.2.3 Blending the forms into the chosen font (30/09/2025, Week 2)
First Outcome:
Fig 2.2.4 First Outcome (30/09/2025, Week 2)
In week 3 I decided to go with this design and consult to Mr. Vinod.
Week 3 feedback (07/10/2025):
- This font doesn't have the characteristic of butterfly, fonts need to have the vibes of real object.
- Instead of taking a small part of the objects, try take a bigger chunk so I can have the characteristic of the wings (Butterfly creases on wings)
- Font needs to maintain repetitive patterns of the real object.
- Size of letters should be consistent.
Second Attempt (revise) Process:
Fig 2.2.5 First attempt of tracing (07/10/2025, Week 3)
In week 4 I decided to consult to Mr. Vinod.
Week 4 feedback (14/10/2025):
- Font is okay, acceptable.
Final Outcome:
Fig 2.2.9 Final Outcome (07/10/2025, Week 3)
Fig 2.2.11 Collage of image, dissection and extraction, reference, refinement (07/10/2025, Week 3)
POSTER DESIGN (Week 3 - 07/10/2025):
Design rules:
- Create a poster in 1024px x 1024px.
- Poster must be relevant to our font.
Picture I use for poster:
Fig 2.2.12 Blue butterfly (07/10/2025, Week 3)
Progress:
I want to design something that feels calm and emotional, so I go with blue. I had this idea to make a poster movie of a butterfly's life that had extinct long ago, and named the butterfly as AICEY. I made the poster with simple and minimalized style, so the viewer will focus on the butterfly in the center, giving the sense of quiet, emptiness, and the loneliness feeling of the creature that had extinct..
Font used for texts: Gill Sans Std
Fig 2.2.13 First attempt poster (07/10/2025, Week 3)
In week 4 I decided to consult to Mr. Vinod.
Week 4 feedback (14/10/2025):
- Delete the box line in poster.
- Shorten the line between the coming soon or can also delete it, so far is good.
Final Outcome:
After got these feedbacks from Mr. Vinod, I came out with this final outcome.
Submission:
Fig 2.2.15 Butterfly Font Dissection Submission (14/10/2025, Week 4)
Fig 2.2.16 Poster Submission (14/10/2025, Week 4)
FEEDBACK
Week 1 (23/09/2025)
General Feedback: Mr. Vinod ask us to join Facebook group, show us how to make a proper e-portfolio, and brief us about task 1 (the 8 typographic system needs to be done by the second week)
Week 2 (30/09/2025)
General Feedback: Mr. Vinod ask us to update every process and our work that we have done for task 1 exercises in e portfolio as soon as possible, the he brief us about the next task. The next task is suppose to be constructing letters by natural elements. We don't need to exactly use the 10 fonts provided as the guide, we can also search those similar or neutral in the links provided or browsing.
Personal Feedback: Some elements are too much and should be deleted, try not to use elements since it makes the readers not focusing on the headline and information. Information size normally should be (8-12 pt). Avoid putting information with black backgrounds since it makes it hard to read, especially if it's being printed. Axial system should avoid 45 degree but if you manage to make it looks good and interesting, it should be fine.
Week 3 (07/10/2025)
General Feedback: After done with the typeface, design a poster with the typeface. Use picture that is relevant or same with the object that we choose.
Personal Feedback: Typeface didn't look like the real object (butterfly), instead of taking small parts of the objects, take a bigger chunk so I can include the characteristic (wing's crease). Font needs to maintain repetitive pattern of the real object, size of letters should be consistent.
Week 4 (14/10/2025)
General Feedback: Make sure text in poster is readable, don't put too less texts in poster, names should be specific either if its the director or actors, etc. poster should have the real object of the font we made, so it's related. Dont put too much objects, it distracts viewer's focus. Color between object, background, and text shouldn't be using similar shade, it will look boring and hard to read.
Personal Feedback: Delete the box line in poster, shorten the line between the coming soon or can also delete it, so far is good.
REFLECTION
EXPERIENCES
During this task, I learned many new things, one of them is the 8 typographic systems. From this, I understand how type can be arranged or constructed in many different ways to communicate. At first I quite struggle in managing the white space, but after some try and consultation, I managed to understand how it works. For Type & Play exercise, I found it quite hard, I was struggling transforming the letterforms since the natural elements I chose is butterfly. But this exercise trains my imagination, it force me too look for possible letters in their wings, and blend it into existing font.
OBSERVATIONS
I noticed how small decision like scale, spacing, color, and direction can change how we read and feel about the design. I also observed how visual texture could bring characteristics to the font I create, so it looks like it belongs or related to the object chosen.
FINDINGS
From this exercise I found out that typography have so much power, it can carry emotion, movement, and stories behind it. Each typographic system have different way to guide viewer's eyes and their feelings. I also found that using typographic system isn't enough without knowing how to create a good balance, contrast, and maintain negative space. In type & play, I finally knew how people make their own font for those movie posters.
FURTHER READINGS
Fig 3.1 Just My Type by Simon Garfield (10/10/2025, Week 3)
Can a font make me popular?
This chapter explores about if the choice of font can affect our popularity or how people see us.
- People Notices fonts. Non-designers reacts to font subconsciously
- They realize something feels off when we use the wrong font in a context.
- Fonts carry emotions and meaning - sometimes can be playful, serious, friendly, and also elegant
- Choosing the right font make the design more professional and approachable.
- Garfield said that there is no one font that can work for everything.
- What matter is how appropriate the font is for the message.
- Some fonts become trendy because big brands use them
- People may use fonts that seem modern or stylish but trends can change very fast.
- The reality, fonts can help make us popular by improving how others see our work, but the real popularity still depends on the context, design, and meaning behind it, not only font alone.
- A font can make something look popular, but when it only fits the audience and story behind it.
- Good design isn't just about choosing nice and pretty fonts, but it's all about matching emotion, purpose, story, and message.
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