Advanced Typography - Task 3 : Type Exploration & Application

June 11, 2025

Advanced Typography - Task 3 : Type Exploration & Application

11 June 2025 - 16 July 2025 // Week 8 - Week 13

Racheal Tan Tze Rou // 0381005

Advanced Typography // Bachelor of Design (Hons) // Creative Media

Task 3 : Type Exploration & Application

1. Lecture Notes

2. Instructions

3. Type Exploration

4. Type Application

5. Final Outcome

6. Feedback

7. Reflection

8. Further Reading

LECTURES

Kindly refer to Task 1 & Task 2 for lecture notes

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INSTRUCTIONS

TASK 3
TYPE EXPLORATION & APPLICATION

Week 8

For our final task, we’re taking everything we’ve learned so far and putting it into this project. We get to choose how we want to approach it:

Create a brand‑new font that helps solve a problem or fits into something you’re interested in, like design, animation, games, or media.
Take an existing letterform and make it better, study how it’s used, see what could improve, and add your own twist.
Go experimental and try something completely different, maybe something 3D, interactive, or even something wild like using unusual materials.

The end result can be a finished font (.ttf) with examples of how it’s used, or any other format that makes sense for the idea.

TYPE EXPLORATION

Figure 1.1 ; PROPOSAL by Racheal Tan Tze Rou ; Week 8 (11/6/2025)

I have decided to proceed with my second idea, which is to further develop and expand the wordmark from my previous task.

Week 9

REFERENCES:

Figure 1.2 Wordmark design from Task 2 ; Week 9 (20/6/2025)

Figure 1.3 ; References ; Week 9 (20/6/2025)

Arial Black is my reference font. I also used the grid tool to maintain consistency in the width and height, applying the same method I used in Task 2.

UPPERCASE LETTERFORMS:

Below is the first attempt of my uppercase letters:

Figure 2.1.1 ; First Attempt of Uppercase Letters ; Week 9 (21/6/2025)

For my uppercase letterforms, i used 4x4 grid for most of the letters except for M and W which uses 5x4 of the grid.

At this step, I did not combined them into compound shape so it's easier for refinement.

I struggled with the uppercase letters J, N, Q, R, V, Z at first because they have slanted lines or curves

I tried to incorporate the trapezium-shaped elements as much as possible into my design. However, during feedback, Mr. Vinod advised me to appreciate the simplicity of my original wordmark. He suggested that I keep the original version beside as a reference so that I can maintain its essence while making refinements.

Week 10

SECOND ATTEMPT:

Figure 2.1.2 ; First Attempt(top) & Revised version(bottom) of AEFJMQW ; Week 10 (25/6/2025)

I only made minor adjustments to the following letters: A, E, F, J, M, Q, and W.

A & J: The original trapezium shapes were simplified into more block‑like forms for a cleaner, sturdier appearance.
E & F: The middle arms were extended to visually align with the proportions and rhythm of the letters 'M' and 'W'.
Q: The tail was simplified into a small square protrusion, giving it a more geometric look.
M & W: The shoulders were refined for a more consistent and harmonious structure with the rest of the typeface.

Figure 2.1.3 ; Second Attempt of Uppercase Letters & Outline View ; Week 10 (25/6/2025)

For my second attempt at designing the uppercase letters, I focused on refining the overall simplicity of the forms. One major changes I made was to reduce the use of the trapezium element that I initially explored in earlier drafts.

Figure 2.1.4 ; FINAL Uppercase Letters ; Week 10 (25/6/2025)

LOWERCASE LETTERFORMS:

Figure 2.2.1 ; Process of creating lowercase letters; Week 10 (25/6/2025)

I moved on to the lowercase letters. I placed my completed uppercase letters aside as a visual reference and began constructing the lowercase forms using 3×3 or 3×4 grid, depending on the structure and proportions of each letter.

Figure 2.2.2 ; Adjustment of s, e, y

The image above shows some of my iterations for letters that I found particularly challenging, 's', 'e', and 'y'. I struggled to balance the open counter of these letters. I placed alongside their uppercase counterparts for comparison.

FINAL UPPERCASE & LOWERCASE LETTERFORMS:

Figure 2.2.3 ; Final Uppercase & Lowercase Letters ; Week 10 (25/6/2025)

Figure 2.2.4 ; Lowercase letters alone ; Week 10 (25/6/2025)

NUMBERS:

Figure 2.3.1 ; Numbers ; Week 10 (27/6/2025)

When moving on to the numerals, I switched to a 4×4 grid system for most of them except for number 1 using 2x4. The extra grid space allowed me to shape curves and angles more smoothly, which was especially useful for numbers like 3, 5, and 8 that rely on balanced curves and counters. Using fewer horizontal divisions also kept number 1 clean and minimal without unnecessary weight.

Figure 2.3.2 ; '0' & 'O' ; Week 10 (27/6/2025)

One important detail I paid attention to was distinguishing the number 0 from the uppercase 'O'. At a glance, they can easily be mistaken for each other, so to improve legibility I increased the weight of the vertical stems on the zero.

FINAL NUMERALS:

Figure 2.3.3 ; FINAL Numbers(top) & Outline(bottom) ; Week 10 (27/6/2025)

Week 11

PUNCTUATIONS:

Figure 2.4.1 ; Process of creating punctuation ; Week 11 (1/7/2025)

I struggled quite a bit with designing the ampersand (&). Honestly, I’m still not completely satisfied with the version I have now, but I feel that it’s the strongest and most refined among all the attempts I’ve made so far.

Figure 2.4.2 ; FINAL Punctuation(top) & Outline(bottom) ; Week 11 (3/7/2025)

FINAL CHARACTER SET

Figure 2.5 ; FINAL Character Set ; Week 11 (3/7/2025)

Figure 2.6 ; FINAL Character Set (Outline) ; Week 11 (3/7/2025)

FONTLAB

After finishing the digitalization in illustrator, I exported all of the created character set into FontLab.

Figure 3.1 ; Finalized Imported Character Set ; Week 11 (3/7/2025)

KERNING:

Figure 3.2 ; Sidebearing measurement table ; Week 11 (3/7/2025)

Side bearings of the Uppercase & Lowercase Letters:

Figure 3.3 ; Letters Kerning ; Week 11 (3/7/2025)

Side bearings of the Punctuation:

Figure 3.4 ; Punctuation Kerning ; Week 11 (3/7/2025)

Side bearings of the Numbers:

Figure 3.5 ; Numbers Kerning ; Week 11 (3/7/2025)

TYPE APPLICATION

Week 12

FONT PRESENTATION:

For my font presentation posters, Mr Vinod suggested that I can refer to Russian Constructivism Posters

Figure 4.1 ; Font Presentation References ; Week 12 (9/7/2025)

Figure 5.1 ; Color Palette ; Week 12 (9/7/2025)

Color Palette: #231F20. #E21F26, #DCD904

I noticed that many Russian Constructivist posters often use these core colors, but I chose a brighter red and a softer, grey‑beige tone instead. This subtle shift gives my posters a fresher, more modern look while still echoing the bold energy of the original style.

FIRST ATTEMPT OF FONT PRESENTATION:

Figure 6.1 ; Process of Font Presentation ; Week 12 (12/7/2025)

Initially, I experimented with other color palettes for the design, but in the end, I decided to stick with the three colors, which is red, black and beige.

Figure 6.2 ; First Attempt of Font Presentation ; Week 12 (12/7/2025)

Font presentation #1: To showcase my typeface, I typed all the letters, and punctuation in this poster.

Font presentation #2: I was inspired by the nutrition label reference and realized that my typeface could work well on food packaging nutrition label, particularly for sports and performance food products.

Font presentation #3: This poster uses the font in a bold, attention‑grabbing composition. The large exclamation mark and dramatic contrast with background textures show how the typeface can carry strong visual weight in advertising contexts.

Font presentation #4: The typeface is tested in a creative title setting, combining bold blocks of text and vertical orientation. It could be used as album covers or book titles.

Font presentation #5 : I took the title "TRIGGER" and scattered the letters around the composition in a playful way. By rotating and shifting them, it highlighted each letterform individually.

Font presentation #6: A clean, minimal layout with subtle texture demonstrates the font in a modern, gallery‑style application.

Mr Vinod gave feedback saying that my font is good but font presentation could be improved, so I worked on refining several of them.

SECOND ATTEMPT OF FONT PRESENTATION :

Font presentation #1:

Figure 6.3.1 ; Font Presentation #1 (Second Attempt) ; JPEG ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

For the second attempt of my Font Presentation #1, I simplified the overall layout compared to my first attempt while still showcasing all of my punctuations and letterforms.

Font presentation #2:

Figure 6.3.2 ; Font Presentation #2 (Second Attempt) ; JPEG ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

For this design, I wanted to highlight the size difference between uppercase and lowercase. I focused on the letter A because I particularly like the shape of its counters in both forms.

Font presentation #3:

Figure 6.4.1 ; More Attempts of FP#3 ; JPEG ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

Figure 6.4.2 ; Font Presentation #3 (Second Attempt); JPEG ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

This design is mainly created to showcase the numbers. The arrangement of each element forms a pyramid‑like composition that points upward, symbolizing progress and aspiration, perfectly echoing the constructivist spirit of revolution and the drive to create something better.

Font Presentation #4:

Figure 6.5.1 ; More Attempts of FP#4 ; JPEG ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

Figure 6.5.2 ; Font Presentation #4 (Second Attempt) ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

I chose this design to present my font because of its bold structure. My typeface itself is bold, and from the start, one of my goals was to create both uppercase and lowercase letters. During my research, I noticed that most bold typefaces focus only on uppercase. In this presentation, I wanted to highlight that bold quality by showcasing both upper and lowercase forms together.

Font presentation #5:

Figure 6.6.1 ; More Attempts of Font Presentation #5

Figure 6.6.2 ; Font Presentation #5 (Second Attempt) ; JPEG ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

I chose Design #2 because it offers more negative space, making the overall composition cleaner and easier to read, whereas #1 felt a bit cramped and its readability was lower. In #2, the overlapping and extended gray forms create a stronger interplay between positive and negative space, giving the layout a more dynamic, experimental, and graphic quality that better showcases the bold character of my typeface.

FINAL FONT PRESENTATION :

Figure 7.1 ; FINAL Font Presentation #1 ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

Figure 7.2 ; FINAL Font Presentation #2 ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

Figure 7.3 ; FINAL Font Presentation #3 ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

Figure 7.4 ; FINAL Font Presentation #4 ; JPEG ; Week 14 (23/5/2025)

Figure 7.5 ; FINAL Font Presentation #5 ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

FONT APPLICATION:

FIRST ATTEMPT:

Figure 8.1 ; First Attempt of Font Application ; Week 13 (14/7/2025)

Font Application #1 (Storefront Signage) :For this mockup, I took the composition from my font presentation #5 from first attempt and applied it to a storefront signage. Seeing the scattered letters of “TRIGGER” in a real environment shows how the typeface can work as bold, eye‑catching branding in public spaces.
Font Application #2 (Street Pole Sign) : I applied the font to a cube sign that feels like it belongs to a racing brand. The clean geometry and strong letterforms stand out against the bright red background, making it feel modern and futuristic while still highly legible from a distance.
Font Application #3 (Key cap) : In this mockup, I applied my typeface on keyboard keycaps

After receiving feedback from Mr. Vinod, I decided to refine my font application as well, since I also felt that my first attempt could be improved.

SECOND ATTEMPT OF FONT APPLICATION:

Font Application #1:

Figure 8.1.1 ; Font Application (Second Attempt) ; JPEG ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

I reused this design from my first attempt at Font Presentation #3 because I was satisfied with its striking composition, especially the large red exclamation mark that grabs attention. However, the realistic background texture gives it more of a font application feel than a presentation, so I placed it into a mockup and showcased it as an art exhibition poster.

Font Application #2:

Figure 8.1.2 ; Font Application (Second Attempt) ; JPEG ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

I reused Font Application #3 from my first attempt but adjusted the scale and enlarged the design to make the overall layout feel more balanced.

FINAL FONT APPLICATION :

Figure 8.2 ; FINAL Font Application #1 ; JPEG ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

Figure 8.3 ; FINAL Font Application #2 : JPEG ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

HONOR TALENTS COMPETITION

For the HONOR Talents competition, we are tasked to create a unique standby by exploring clock and signature templates with our own visual style and creative content.

Requirements:

1. Clock Design

2. Personalized Signature Design

3. Overall Visual Design

4. Animation Design

There were several themes to choose from, and I decided to go with Genesis · The Future.

REFERENCES:

Figure 9.1 ; References ; Week 13 (14/7/2025)

For references, I explored visuals and designs by searching for “futuristic” inspiration, as it closely relates to the theme I selected.

CLOCK DESIGN :

BACKGROUND:

Figure 9.2.1 ; Process of background ; Week 13 (14/7/2025)

First, I created the background using the same color palette from my font presentation, applying the Mesh Tool to build a gradient backdrop. To enhance the futuristic vibe, I added extra graphic elements. I then used the Blend Tool to create flowing lines that symbolize the movement of technology. Also, I constructed a rectangular grid and adjusted it with the Perspective Grid Tool, stretching and angling it to give the composition a dynamic, futuristic feel.

TEXT :

For standby design, I converted the text by going to Expand > Compound Path > Gradient. Initially, I planned to use all three colors from my palette, but I later decided to keep it simple, using only red and beige for the clock numbers.

Figure 9.2.2 ; Process of clock ; Week 13 (14/7/2025)

FIRST ATTEMPT :

Figure 9.2.3 ; First attempt of Standby ; Week 13 (14/7/2025)

After completing the clock design, I tried applying the standby layout onto the template to see how it would look in context.

FINAL OUTCOME (CLOCK DESIGN) :

Figure 9.2.4 ; FINAL Clock Design ; Week 13 (15/7/2025)

PERSONALIZED SIGNATURE DESIGN :

Figure 9.3.1 ; Personalized Signature Design ; Week 13 (15/7/2025)

I chose “Supernova” as my personalized signature design because its name and energy reflect the futuristic theme. A supernova symbolizes a powerful burst of light and creation, which ties in perfectly with the idea of innovation and new beginnings.

Then, I applied the design onto the template, using the overall visual design as the background.

Figure 9.3.2 ; FINAL Personalized Signature Design ; Week 13 (15/7/2025)

OVERALL VISUAL DESIGN :

Using the same backdrop, I added numbers while continuing to use my own font to maintain consistency and reinforce the identity of my typeface. I also applied a gradient to the numbers like what I did to the clock design that makes it look like it’s shining.

Figure 9.4 ; FINAL Overall Visual Design ; Week 13 (15/7/2025)

ANIMATION DESIGN :

Figure 9.5 ; FINAL Animation Design ; Week 13 (15/7/2025)

Figure 9.6 ; HONOR Talents Competition Design Elaboration ; Week 13 (15/7/2025)

TASK 3 FINAL OUTCOME COMPILATION:

Click here to download: TRIGGER.ttf

Figure 10.1 ; TRIGGER Font Information ; PDF ; Week 11 (3/7/2025)

Figure 10.2 ; Finalized Letterforms; PDF ; Week 11 (3/7/2025)

Figure 10.3; FontLab ScreenGrab ; PNG ; Week 11 (5/7/2025)

Figure 10.4 ; Font Presentation #1 ; JPEG ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

Figure 10.5 ; Font Presentation #2 ; JPEG ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

Figure 10.6 ; Font Presentation #3 ; JPEG ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

Figure 10.7 ; Font Presentation #4 ; JPEG ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

Figure 10.8 ; Font Presentation #5 ; JPEG ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

Figure 10.9 ; Font Application #1 ; JPEG ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

Figure 10.10 ; Font Application #2 ; JPEG ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

Figure 10.11 ; Clock Design ; JPEG ; Week 13 (15/7/2025)

Figure 10.12 ; Personalized Signature Design ; Week 13 (15/7/2025)

Figure 10.13 ; Overall Visual Design ; Week 13 (15/7/2025)

Figure 10.14 ; Animation ; MP4 ; Week 13 (15/7/2025)

Figure 10.15 ; HONOR Talents Design Elaboration; PDF ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

Figure 10.16 ; FINAL Task 3 Compilation ; PDF ; Week 14 (23/7/2025)

FEEDBACK

Week 9

General feedback

-Process of work must be sufficient or there will be marks deduction

-Highlight the "final submission" in blogs so it’s easier for viewers

-Always copy paste so we have backup if lost the new work

-For task 3, first build the uppercase letter, then create the lowercase letter beside the uppercase letter. Never build lowercase letter by itself.

-Artboard size should be1000 pts in height

Specific feedback:

-Mr Vinod checked my submission of eportfolio and mentioned that the final submission of task 1 is not following the right format.

-For task 3, all three proposal ideas are fine, I can choose whatever idea I want.

-Idea #1 is meaningful but needs tons of research in order to do well. Idea #2 will be the most easiest since it’s what I created earlier in task 2. Idea #3 is interesting. Mr Vinod also showed us the work of his own created Blackletter type.

Week 10

General feedback

When creating lowercase letters, we should develop them side by side with the uppercase to ensure proportion and consistency. For symbols and punctuation, it’s best to refer to an existing font to guide the size and placement rather than constructing blindly.

Specific feedback

Week 11

General feedback

Type out the reference letters so we know the actual size of the letters and punctuation, especially for the comma, its always easily to refer

Specific feedback

Mr Vinod approved my work and asked me to finish up the punctuation. then start putting them into fontlab

Week 12

General feedback

We learned about preparing our fonts in FontLab or FontForge and exporting them correctly. Afterwards, we needed to create five font presentation showcasing our font.

Specific feedback

Mr Vinod said that to finish all the font presentation by today.

Week 13

General feedback

Mr Vinod extended the due date

write short explaination for every font presentation/application

mr vinod told us that he will check with the pic of honor and tell us if the standby submit entry is open

Specific feedback

Week 14

Specific feedback

Good font but font presnt can be better

REFLECTION

Experience

Working on this project felt like putting all my learning into action. The biggest problem i faced was because i am super indecisive and always overthink about my design. i created many different versions and always struggled to choose the final one.

Creating TRIGGER from scratch and then applying it in different ways was challenging but also really exciting.

Observations

I realized how much consistency matters. Using my own font across all the designs instantly tied everything together and gave it a clear identity. Playing with colors, grids, and gradients showed me how small visual choices can completely change the mood and push the design toward that futuristic vibe I wanted.

Findings

Through this process, I found that designing type is not just technical, it’s also about expression. Every curve, angle, and weight affects how the font feels. Applying it in real contexts helped me understand how type can tell a story, and that’s something I want to keep exploring in future projects.

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Racheal Tan Tze Rou (0381005)