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Advanced Typography - Task 3: Type Exploration and Application

October 2025 (Week 8  - Week 12 )
Felice Lee (0381272)
Advanced Typography / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor's University
Task 3: Type Exploration & Application

TABLE OF CONTENT

LECTURES

INSTRUCTION


TASK 3 , TYPE EXPLORATION & APPLICATION (Week 8 - 11/11/2025) 

We were asked to create a font set for this task by 3 options:
  • Create a font that is intended to solve a larger problem or meant to be part of a solution in the area of your interest be it graphic design, animation, new media or entertainment design or any other related area not necessarily reflecting your specialisation. End result: a complete generated font (.ttf) with applications.
  • Explore the use of an existing letterform in an area of interest, understand its existing relationship, identify areas that could be improved upon, explore possible solutions or combinations that may add value to the existing letterform / lettering. End result: a complete generated font (.ttf) with applications.
  • Experiment. For your idea to qualify as an experiment it must be novel and unique — working with material that might be 3-dimensional, digitally augmented, edible, unusual, typographic music video or fine art. End result: defined by student.
Proposal :


Fig 3.1.1 Proposal (11/11/2025, Week 8)

I consult my idea to Mr.Vinod and all of my ideas doesn't really work and interesting, so I came out with an idea which is constructing a font inspired by tea leaves. This font is constructed for a tea farm i saw in my home town called "Kebun Teh Bahbutong"  in Sumatera Utara, Indonesia.

Reference / Research:

Before I begin my work, I go to Pinterest to look up for some references, so I can come out with some sketches and ideas.

 Fig 3.1.2 References (18/11/2025, Week 9)

Sketches: 

 Fig 3.1.3 Uppercase sketch (18/11/2025, Week 9)

Digitization: 

I proceed to digitalize my sketch in Adobe illustration by creating a new file size by 1000 x 1000 pt. 

 Fig 3.1.4 Construction (18/11/2025, Week 9)

Then, I proceed to construct one of my word and reuse it to make the others. My typeface mostly used the circle and oval shape to create the shapes of leaves.

 Fig 3.1.5 Uppercase attempt (18/11/2025, Week 10)

 Fig 3.1.6 Uppercase Outcome (18/11/2025, Week 10)

I improved and changed some letters from my sketches cause some of them looks inconsistent. After I consult with Mr.Vinod, he said it looks okay and ask me to proceed to do my lowercase and punctuation.

 Fig 3.1.7 Lowercase attempt (02/12/2025, Week 11)

On week 11, I try to construct lowercase and consult with Mr. Vinod, I'm quite struggling when doing the lowercase, it doesn't seem consistent or belong to the same typeface with the uppercase. Because of that, Mr. Vinod ask me to skip the lowercase and proceed to do my punctuations and numerals.

 Fig 3.1.8 Numerals & punctuations attempt (09/12/2025, Week 12)

In this week, I was absent and didn't attend class, so I just proceed to construct my numerals and punctuations to complete my typeface.

 Fig 3.1.9 Numerals & punctuations outcome (02/12/2025, Week 12)

After I done with my everything, I export every artboard into SVG so I can import it to Fontforge later.

Fontforge:

I used Fontforge to make my typeface as font.

Fig 3.1.10 Import SVG to fontforge (02/12/2025, Week 12)

First, I create a new file and go to file, import, search for my SVG file I had save from illustrator, and input it to fontforge. After everything are inputted, I start to do kerning to make sure the spacing between alphabet, numerals, and punctuation is okay.

Fig 3.1.11 Numeral Kerning (02/12/2025, Week 12)

Fig 3.1.12 Uppercase Kerning 1 (02/12/2025, Week 12)

Fig 3.1.13 Uppercase Kerning 2 (02/12/2025, Week 12)

After I feel everything is okay, I generate my font and export it as ttf font and named it Tea Leafy. 

Fig 3.1.14 Font testing (02/12/2025, Week 12)



Then, I download my font and try it on Microsoft word and see if it works. 

Font Presentation:

For font presentation, we need to make 5 artworks (1024 x 1024 px , 300 ppi) related to our typeface. Before I start to design, I choose color palette that I wanna use for my font presentation. I will create my font presentation artwork on adobe illustrator.

Fig 3.1.15 Color Palette (09/12/2025, Week 12)

Since my typeface is made for a tea farm, I decided to choose greenish leaf color together with beige and black to make contrast

Fig 3.1.16 Font presentation overview (09/12/2025, Week 12)

For my font presentation, I focus more on minimalist and clean design since it's for a traditional highland tea farm.  

Font presentation final outcome:

Fig 3.1.17 Font presentation 1 (09/12/2025, Week 12)

Fig 3.1.18 Font presentation 2 (09/12/2025, Week 12)

Fig 3.1.19 Font presentation 3 (09/12/2025, Week 12)

Fig 3.1.20 Font presentation 4 (09/12/2025, Week 12)

Fig 3.1.21 Font presentation 4 (09/12/2025, Week 12)

Font Application: 

For font application, I choose to do application to tea cups, banner, tote bag, packaging, and pins. Before I begin, I go to some free platforms to download and look for some free mockups related to my application, then I download the psd file. After I have everything, I open the file and start editting in psd.

Fig 3.1.22 Font application 1 (09/12/2025, Week 12)

Fig 3.1.24 Font application 2 (09/12/2025, Week 12)

Fig 3.1.25 Font application 3 (09/12/2025, Week 12)

Fig 3.1.26 Font application 4 (09/12/2025, Week 12)

Fig 3.1.27 Font application 5 (09/12/2025, Week 12)

TASK 3 OUTCOME COMPILATION

Finalized Uppercase Letterform 

Finalized Punctuations & Numerals

Font presentation 1 

Font presentation 2 

Font presentation 3

Font presentation 4

 Font presentation 5

Font application 1

Font application 2

Font application 3

Font application 4

Font application 5

PDF SUBMISSION

FEEDBACK

Week 9 (18/11/2025)
General Feedback: Need to done uppercase by next week.

Personal Feedback: If you are confuse on what you wanna do, you can try make a font first and decide what it can be used later.

Week 10 (25/11/2025)
General Feedback: Please construct your font with the technique that we learn in last semester, the size should be 1000pt x 1000pt, so both Uppercase and lowercase will have the same size.

Personal Feedback: Font looks consistent except the letter K, and the font is not suitable for milk tea shop, instead could use it for like a farm.

Week 11 (02/12/2025)
General Feedback: Construct your uppercase and lowercase side by side so it's consistent and the size won't look weird

Personal Feedback: Lowercase don't really work. Instead, just leave the lower case and focus on punctuation. 

Week 12 (09/12/2025)
General Feedback: (-) Absent

Personal Feedback: (-) Absent

REFLECTION

EXPERIENCES
From my experience, the most challenging yet rewarding part of the task was translating the natural characteristics of a tea farm into a functional typeface. I had to balance decorative elements with readability, especially when incorporating leaf-like details into each character. Designing a complete set of uppercase letters, numerals, and punctuation required consistency in stroke weight, shape, and style so that the typeface felt unified rather than decorative only. This process helped me improve my patience, attention to detail, and understanding of typographic structure.

OBSERVATIONS
Through observation, I noticed that organic forms such as leaves and natural curves worked best when they were subtle rather than overly complex. When the leafy effect was too detailed or much, the characters became harder to read, especially in smaller applications like pins or packaging labels. How typeface appeared across different mediums also helped me understand the importance of scalability. The font looked expressive on large formats like posters and banners, while simpler details ensured clarity on smaller items such as tea cups and tote bags.

FINDINGS
The findings from this project showed that a well-designed typeface can effectively convey brand identity. The leafy typeface successfully reflected the natural and traditional, values of a highland tea farm. Applying the font to real-world items such as tea packaging and merchandise demonstrated its versatility and practical use in branding. 

FURTHER READINGS


Fig. 3.2 Typographic design: form and communication (09/12/2025, Week 12)

Typographic Design Process
1. the design process (5 main things, not super strict)

  • defining: figure out the problem, what the client wants, who it’s for, budgets, rules… basics.

  • gathering: collect info from anywhere—people, books, internet, random places. be curious.

  • ideating: think outside the box, sideways, weird. formulas are ok but don’t limit yourself.

  • synthesizing: pick the best ideas, refine them, see what works. criteria can change if needed.

  • realizing: actually make it happen. communicate with client, manage production, deadlines.

2. tools & ways to work

  • sketchbooks / process books: jot down every idea, doodle, photo, thought. sketchbooks = ongoing, process books = project-specific.

  • brainstorming: dump every idea, good or bad, no judging.

  • mind mapping: start with one word/concept, let ideas spread in all directions.

  • word lists & interaction matrix: mix words or images, look for unexpected combos. opposites often give the best ideas.

  • visual notations & comprehensives: sketch to make ideas real, then refine. start broad, end focused.

3. metaphor thinking

  • letters can be more than letters. they can suggest objects, sounds, vibes.

  • spacing, shape, rhythm, color—all can create meaning beyond the word itself.

  • a good metaphor = your brain makes that “ohhh” connection.

4. digital stuff

  • lots of designers mix hand-sketches + computer. some go full digital.

  • digital pasteboards = crazy big workspaces with tons of elements to play with.

  • save every version, file management + archiving is super important.



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