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Advanced Typography - Task 2: Key Artwork & Collateral

14 October 2025 - 11 November 2025 (Week 4  - Week 8)
Felice Lee (0381272)
Advanced Typography / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor's University
Task 2: Key Artwork & Collateral

TABLE OF CONTENT

LECTURES

Week 4 (14/10/2025) 

  • Design typefaces purpose: for social responsibility (readability) or artistic expression.

  • Adrian Frutiger: Swiss, digital typography pioneer; fonts: Frutiger, Univers, Avenir; Frutiger font for signage; blurred-letter legibility tests; designed Devanagari font.

  • Matthew Carter: British, trained in punch-cutting, phototypesetting, digital; fonts: Verdana (screen readability), Georgia, Bell Centennial (ink traps for newspapers).

  • Edward Johnston: Created London Underground typeface; readable, modern, inspired by Roman proportions; influenced Eric Gill (Gill Sans).

  • Typeface design process: research history/anatomy, sketching (paper/digital), digitalization (FontLab/Glyphs), testing/prototyping, deployment & revision.

  • Key considerations: readability, visual corrections (overshoot, spacing, white space), group letters by shape for efficiency, design purpose intrinsic or extrinsic.

Lecture 5: AdTypo_5_PerceptionAndOrganisation

Week 5 (21/10/2025)

  • Perception: How something is seen, understood, or interpreted; in design/advertising, often manipulated to guide understanding.

  • Typography & perception: Visual navigation of content (text, visuals, color), contrast helps readers recognize information.

  • Contrast methods: Size, weight, form, structure, texture, direction, color; creates visual hierarchy and emphasis.

  • Form in typography: Overall look/feel; attracts attention, memorable, balances function and visual impact.

  • Gestalt psychology: Whole is greater than parts; understanding visual perception helps organize the design.

  • Organization principles:

    • Similarity: Similar elements in a group.

    • Proximity: Closely placed elements perceived together.

    • Closure: Mind completes incomplete forms.

    • Continuation: Alignment creates smooth visual flow.

    • Other principles: Symmetry, simplicity, hierarchy.

  • Information hierarchy: Organize complex content (headlines, subheads, body, visuals) clearly; essential for readability and communication.

  • Social responsibility: Designers’ choices impact understanding and knowledge transfer. Proper typography and layout improve readability and effectiveness.

  • Practice & application: Understanding principles is not enough, it must be applied repeatedly to develop skill and memory.

INSTRUCTION


TASK 2A , KEY ARTWORK (Week 4 - 14/10/2025) 

In this task, we were assigned to make a Key artwork that is a wordmark/lettering that is used to identify a person but also used as an artwork that might adorn a lapel pin/T-shirt/poster (collateral)

Mindmap:

First, I begin by creating a mindmap of myself  by putting information of like what i like or want to do, hobbies, colors, etc.

Fig 2.1.1 Mindmap (14/10/2025, Week 4)

After I done with my mindmap, I decided to create gothic makeup brand with mysterious yet feminine vibes.

Moodboard / Research:

Fig 2.1.2 First Moodboard (14/10/2025, Week 4)

At first I wanted to go for something related to fantasy-mystery game, but Mr.Vinod said it's not relevant and I seem to not understood what I'm doing here, so he suggest me to study and do research more on my keywords and moodboard.


Fig 2.1.3 Final Moodboard (21/10/2025, Week 5)

After I redo, I decided to choose gothic, mystery, and makeup as my keywords and I came out with something like gothic font references and some color scheme that still consist my favorite color: black & pink.

Sketches: 

Fig 2.1.4 Failed sketches (14/10/2025, Week 4)

This is my first fail sketches (keywords: fantasy, mystery, game)

Fig 2.1.5 First attempt (21/10/2025, Week 5)

This is my first attempt on the keyword: gothic, mystery, makeup. I consulted to Mr.Vinod and he didn't really like what I did here. He said it didn't really resemble the vibes of any of my keywords, maybe a little bit of mystery but not with gothic and especially makeup. So he suggest to me to go look up and study gothic fonts from my moodboard by recreating gothic existing fonts, so in that way I know how to construct my own gothic wordmark and know how gothic characteristics are. 

But besides, he like my bottom right sketch. He then suggest me to work on that and try to improve it into gothic style. 

Fig 2.1.6 Recreation of existing gothic font (28/10/2025, Week 6)

From recreating this font, I start to understand what and how gothic fonts are constructed.

Fig 2.1.7 Constructing wordmark in Illustrator (28/10/2025, Week 6)

Next, I construct my wordmark in Illustrator based on my own gothic font I have sketched.

Fig 2.1.8 Rough mockup & color scheme (28/10/2025, Week 6)

After I done constructing my wordmark, I try to put it in a mockups together with big and small box to see the how it would look in different size & object (is it readable, visible, etc.). I also try to experiment on different color such as black on white, white on black, darkest color with the lightest color, and vice versa to see roughly if the color scheme works. 

Fig 2.1.9 More color options (28/10/2025, Week 6)

I'm quite curious and wanted to see what works and not, so i decided to combine every color from the palette I choose and came out with 25 different options.

Fig 2.1.10 Final wordmark color (28/10/2025, Week 6)

I decided to pick 2 out of 25 colors that I had. Color was too flat before, so I decided to add gradient and personally I think it looks better.

TASK 2A FINAL OUTCOME: 

Fig 2.1.11 White wordmark on black background (28/10/2025, Week 6)

Fig 2.1.11 Black wordmark on white background (28/10/2025, Week 6)

Fig 2.1.12 Color palette (28/10/2025, Week 6)

Fig 2.1.12 Dark shade wordmark on the light shade background (28/10/2025, Week 6)

Fig 2.1.12 Light shade wordmark on the dark shade background (28/10/2025, Week 6)

TASK 2A PDF SUBMISSION:

Fig 2.1.13 TASK 2A PDF (28/10/2025, Week 6)

TASK 2B, COLLATERAL  (Week 6 - 28/10/2025)

In this task, we were assigned to design 3 collaterals, an animated key artwork, and Instagram account transforming the key artwork into a brand.  

Collateral: 

I begin to find some free mockups on websites like freepik then i go for lipsticks, cushion, and mascara as my products. I then download the pictures and edit them in photoshop. 

Fig. 2.2.1 Collateral 1 - Mascara (04/11/2025, Week 7)

First mockup is mascara. The original picture is too plain and light, so i decided to add my wordmark and adjust the color darker. Lastly, I put vignette effect.

Fig. 2.2.2 Collateral 2 - Lipsticks (04/11/2025, Week 7)

Second mockup is lipstick. I add my wordmark and shadows to make it look real, I also change the lipstick color similar to the color palette I choose 

Fig. 2.2.3 Collateral 3 - Cushion (04/11/2025, Week 7)

Last mockup is cushion. I expand the background so it fits Instagram post, then I add my wordmark, shadows, and adjust the color darker. Lastly, I put vignette effect.

Collateral Outcome:

Fig. 2.2.4 Collateral Outcome 1 (04/11/2025, Week 7)

Fig. 2.2.5 Collateral Outcome 2 (04/11/2025, Week 7)

Fig 2.2.6 Collateral Outcome 3 (04/11/2025, Week 7)

Self Portrait:

For the self portrait, I use my existing photo and import it to photoshop for some editing.  

Fig 2.2.7 Self portrait BnW (04/11/2025, Week 7)
  
I then polish my background and adjust the picture into black and white, so it gives mysterious vibes.

Fig. 2.2.8 Self portrait with wordmark (04/11/2025, Week 7)

Lastly, I import my wordmark with red pinkish color and set it into hard light blending mode.

Self portrait outcome:

Fig. 2.2.9 Self portrait outcome (04/11/2025, Week 7)

Pattern: 

After I'm done with my collateral and self portrait, I create a pattern to complete my Instagram post.
 
Fig. 2.2.10 Pattern (04/11/2025, Week 7)

Color palette:

Fig. 2.2.11 Color palette (04/11/2025, Week 7)

Instead of putting the color palette directly, I try something different. I extract the dot of i in my wordmark then I assemble and change the color.

Color palette outcome: 
Fig. 2.2.12 Color palette with white background (04/11/2025, Week 7)

Fig. 2.2.13 Color palette with black background (04/11/2025, Week 7)

I came out with 2 options, but after I try to arrange it with other collateral and posts, black works better so I ended up choosing black.

Animated key artwork:

I did animation frame by frame by using illustrator and photoshop.

Fig. 2.2.14 Frame by frame in illustrator (04/11/2025, Week 7)

First I trace out my animation from my wordmark frame by frame.

Fig. 2.2.15 Frame by frame in photoshop (04/11/2025, Week 7)

Next, I export and import it to photoshop, adjust the time, and export it as a gif.

Animation Gif:

Fig. 2.2.16 ANIMATION GIF (04/11/2025, Week 7)
Instagram:

Done with everything, I proceed to post them into a new Instagram account.


Fig 2.2.17 Instagram feed design (11/11/2025, Week 8)

Fig 2.2.18 Instagram page (11/11/2025, Week 8)

TASK 2B PDF SUBMISSION:

Fig 2.2.19 ANIMATION GIF (11/11/2025, Week 8)

Fig. 2.2.20 TASK 2B PDF (11/11/2025, Week 8)

TASK 2 OUTCOME COMPILATION


Fig 3.1 White wordmark on black background (28/10/2025, Week 6)

Fig 3.2 Black wordmark on white background (28/10/2025, Week 6)

Fig 3.3 Color palette (28/10/2025, Week 6)

Fig 3.4 Dark shade wordmark on the light shade background (28/10/2025, Week 6)

Fig 3.5 Light shade wordmark on the dark shade background (28/10/2025, Week 6)

Fig 3.6 TASK 2A PDF (28/10/2025, Week 6)

Fig. 3.7 Collateral Outcome 1 (04/11/2025, Week 7)

Fig. 3.8 Collateral Outcome 2 (04/11/2025, Week 7)

Fig 3.9 Collateral Outcome 3 (04/11/2025, Week 7)

Fig. 3.10 ANIMATION GIF (04/11/2025, Week 7)

Fig 3.11 Instagram feed design (11/11/2025, Week 8)


Fig 3.12 Instagram page (11/11/2025, Week 8)

Fig. 3.13 TASK 2B PDF (11/11/2025, Week 8)


FEEDBACK

Week 5 (21/10/2025)
General Feedback: Keyword should be in positive meaning & approachable for everyone

Specific Feedback: Too many keyword, should have choose some specific keywords, ketch doesn't really relate to the keyword.

Week 6 (28/10/2025)
General Feedback: maintain consistency, use grid too make your wordmarks look balance and neat. Try to compare the view of wordmark on big and small box.

Specific Feedback: Try to learn how to construct gothic fonts. if using existing fonts, do some changes so it has its own unique style and won't plagiarized people's font.

Week 7 (04/11/2025)
General Feedback: refer to senior's work to get inspiration & to know if we are doing it in the right way.

Specific Feedback: the wordmark letters look better when placed overlapping and closer to each other.

Week 8 (11/11/2025)
General Feedback: -

Specific Feedback: It's okay to change color palette, color palette doesn't need to be the same as the one you find on pinterest, what you find is suppose to guide you.

REFLECTION

EXPERIENCES
The process of doing mindmap allowed me to identify my interests, favorite colors, and personal style. This helped me identify the direction that I wanted to take and gave me a foundation to start building my brand identity. I experimented with some styles such as fantasy-mystery game themes & gothic-mystery makeups. At first my approach were lacked relevance to the core task. Although this was discouraging at first, it was an important moment, it taught me the value of research.

OBSERVATIONS
I observed that typography is not just about visual style, it carries emotion, mood, and personality. Gothic fonts, when executed properly, can bring a mysterious yet feminine vibe that aligns with my brand identity. I also realized the importance of color choices. By experimenting with 25 variations, it showed me how subtle differences in gradient, contrast, and shade can significantly affect the brand.

FINDINGS
I learned that inspiration and references are guides, not constraints, and that adapting from it allows us to create something original. Additionally, I discovered that a consistent & well-constructed wordmark  can create a strong, recognizable brand identity, even in a personal project.

FURTHER READINGS


Fig. 4.1 Typographic design: form and communication (11/11/2025, Week 8)

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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