University of Houston Junior Graphic Design Art 3335 McGettigan/Fall 2016Project 1 : Field Guide (An Excerpt)

class www http://design.uh.edu/mcgettigan/email fmcgettigan@uh.edu

Project Introduction

Field Guide TopicsInsectsAnimalsPlantsTreesOcean LifeBirdsShellsArchitectural StylesMusical InstrumentsSolar SystemStarsFood (Cultural Foods)

SportsCarsToolsBeer/WineWaterPower SystemsEcosystemsToxic ChemicalsWeather SystemsCoffeeChocolateSpicesGeography

A field guide is a book designed to help the reader identify plants, animals or other objects of natu-ral occurrence (e.g. minerals). It is generally designed to be brought into the ‘field’ or local area where such objects exist to help distinguish between similar objects.

It will typically include a description of the objects covered, together with paintings or photographs and an index. More serious and scientific field identification books, including those intended for students, will probably include identification keys to assist with identification, but the publicly accessible field guide is more often a browsable picture guide organized by family, color, shape, location or other descriptors.

Project Choose a subject matter from the list or choose your own, as the basis for developing a field guide. The guide should include up to 10 objects, items, elements and include 1-2 paragraphs about the object, title, subtitle (or latin name), origin and location.

Process ( ) Choose a subject matter ( ) Gather all related content( ) Cover Title/subtitle to include “Field Guide”( ) Introductory paragraph, short quotation or

facts that relates to the theme to introduce the field guide.

( ) Choose 10 objects, items, elements which you will draw, illustrate, or use photography

( ) Gather 1-2 paragraphs about each object, along with a title, subtitle (or latin name), origin and locations etc. Any content you feel works on the page.

Work in Illustrator or InDesign for now.Page format : 5.75 x 8.5" folds to 5.75 x 4.25"

Part 1:In Illustrator, document page set up to 5.75 x 4.25" format. Review various typefaces from your research on classifications. Choose up to 2 type-faces that work in combination (contrast). One should be a larger family for use on text. Create the cover typographic identity/mark. Using the title subtitle as the basis for typographic explo-rations. Consider typeface, arrangement and hierarchy.

Part 2: In Illustrator, document page set up to 5.75 x 4.25” format. Use the quotation or short intro-duction to explore both on the letterpress and digitally.

Part 3: Using InDesign, > create a 28 pages > 5.75 x 4.25” page size.> Use 10 spreads in the middle and explore the text and image arrangement considering align-ment, hierarchy, placement and typography uniqueness and composition.

Part 4: Finalize a booklet (B+W) on interesting paper and binding.

University of Houston Junior Graphic Design Art 3335 McGettigan/Fall 2016Project 1 : Field Guide (An Excerpt)

class www http://design.uh.edu/mcgettigan/email fmcgettigan@uh.edu

Typefaces and their intrinsic forms directly relate to history and associated cultural stereotypes. It is imperative for a designer to understand the relationship of form and its underlaying con-notation. We will begin by continuing to examine the abstract formal qualities as they relate to letter designs while becoming aware of the dif-ferences between typefaces by studying type classification on the back.

Project Methodology/ScheduleDay 1 / T 23 AugustIntroduce SyllabusAssign : Collaborative Project

Assign : Project 1/Part 1Critically study, compare and contrast the differ-ences between in typefaces from each of the 12 clas-sifications on the handout. Begin by reviewing the typefaces found in the online foundries listed to the left. Find and print two typefaces from 8 of the 12 classifications that you feel might work well for your Field Guide topic and bring to class for discussion. Notate and present: Type designer, classification, history, date, one unique characteristic, usage, other etc. Find as many characteristics as possible. Make or purchase a small sketchbook no bigger than (8.5 x 11). Title the Sketchbook “Typography Journal”. Begin to organize all of your found research on typography in this book. (See Fig 1) Print, paste, draw or col-lage all of the classification research in your journal. Present a typeface from each of the assigned clas-sifications along with Type designer, classification, history, date, pick one unique characteristic, usage, other etc. One classification per page or spread with any notations. (Make sure the font size is large enough to review the details of the form).I will be reviewing this sketchbook throughout the semester. --> Read The Fundamentals of Typography, pp. 6 -29,--> Read A Type Primer, pp. 16 -47, --> http://www.thinkingwithtype.com/contents/letter/ Anatomy, Size, Scale, Type Classification, Type Families, Superfamilies

Day 2 / TH 25 AugustWork on Collaborative ProjectPresent Field Guide Theme/Topic and TitleContinue to work on typeface research and begin to organize in journal.-- Assign: 10 Field Guide Title Sketches Choose 1-2 typefaces based on your research that

reflect the personality of your topic and concept. Choose up to 2 typefaces that work in combina-tion (contrast). One should be a larger family for text purposes. Create up to 10 typographic identity/ Field Guide Title Sketches using the title/subtitle for your Field Guide (See Fig 2). Consider typeface(s), size, case, weight, arrangement and hierarchy. Compose within a 5.75 x 4.25” format

Part 1 : Word : Expression and Syntax (Field Guide Title Sketches)

Project Goals• to become familiar with various typefaces fonts, and

their classifications. • develop an awareness of the details and subtleties in

letterforms from various families.• develop an appreciation for the abstract formal

relationships that make up a letterform within a given family and note the nuances of the point, line, plane, surface, edge, stroke and curve.

• to collect and analyze these typographic forms to aid in your typographic decision-making for future assignments.

• to develop a critical and conceptual eye for typographic form, syntax and hierarchy

“�The�material�of�typography�is�black,�and�it�is�the�

designer’s�task�with�the�help�of�this�black�to

capture�space,�to�create�harmonious�whites�inside

the�letters�as�well�as�between�them.”�—Adrian Frutiger

ReadingThe Fundamentals of Typography (FT), by Gavin Ambrose and Paul HarrisA Type Primer (TP), by John KaneThinking with Type (TT), Ellen Lupton

Referenceshttp://www.adobe.com/type/browser/ classifications.htmlhttp://www.whoisaaronbloom.com/content/interactive/typography.html

Online Font Foundries (required)fontshop.commyfonts.com typography.com processtypefoundry.com commercialtype.com emigre.com

Figure 1 Typography JournalPlease keep a Typography Journal bought or made book that will house all of your typographic research and inspiration.

Figure 2 Typographic Identity/ Field Guide Title SketchesTypographic personality, identity and spatial hierarchy, (case, caps, weight, size, color)

Day 3 / T 30 AugustTypography History Slide PresentationReview: Typography Research and JournalDue: Min. 10 Field Guide title sketches on a 5.75 x 4.25” format. Print one per page with a frame and notate the typeface(s) and designer.Assign : Part 2 --> Read The Fundamentals of Typography, pp. 87-93,--> Read A Type Primer, pp. 48 -61,

Day 4 / TH 1 SeptemberDue: Min. 5 refined field guide title sketches on a 5.75 x 4.25” format. Print one per page with a frame and notate the typeface(s) and designer. --> Read The Fundamentals of Typography, pp. 40-49,--> Read A Type Primer, pp. 2 -9,

Day 5 / T 6 SeptemberDue: 1 Refined Field Guide title sketches on a

5.75 x 4.25” format.

houseind.comtype-together.comt26.comfonthaus.comfonts.com

University of Houston Junior Graphic Design Art 3335 McGettigan/Fall 2016Project 1 : Field Guide (An Excerpt)

class www http://design.uh.edu/mcgettigan/email fmcgettigan@uh.edu

Part 2 : Text : Measure and Alignment (Field Guide Paragraph Sketches)

ProjectUsing one of the Field Guide Object Descriptions, you will work on different alignments of text: jus-tified, flush left/ragged right, flush right/ragged left, and centered on a 5.75 x 4.25” format. Print all exercises on 8 1/2 x 11 with a .25pt frame and label all exercises. Use the same typefaces selected from Part 1 or continue to explore. Use only Regular weights for Part 2.1 of this proj-ect. Given the parameters, you will explore text settings that are critical to maintain for good readability.

Part 2.1For your text setting experiments consider line length, line breaks, type size, leading, and wordspacing. Follow the protocol below to experiment with text settings and different variables:

1: Flush right By experiment, find an ideal line length and explore different solutions for an exemplary rag.Count the characters per line and write it on each print out. Experiment with two type sizes, between 8 and 12 points.

2: Centered By experiment, find ideal line breaks for a cen-tered setting. Consider 1 (line length)Experiment with two type sizes, between 8 and 12 points. Mark which line breaks create issues in the symmetry or create text shapes.

3: Flush leftBy experiment, find the ideal type size for reading in conjunction with appropriate leading. Experiment with two type sizes, between 8 and 12 points. Also consider 1 (line length).Mark each print-out with the text point size and leading. Mark which text has the most successful texture. Type is massed together best when it cre-ates an even, regular block of gray color. 4:Justified By experiment, find an ideal text setting which considers ideal type size, leading, line length, and wordspacing.Mark each print out with the text point size and leading. Avoid ‘rivers’ and more than three hyphenations in a row. Careful with the line breaks.

Part 2.2Once you developed the four ideal settings for each alignment, work through the following list of experiments with expressive text variables:

1 Paragraph Indicator: Indent2 Paragraph Indicator: Exdent3 Paragraph Indicator: Rule4 Paragraph Indicator: Initial Capital5 Paragraph Indicator: Drop Capital6 Paragraph Indicator: Weight7 Paragraph Indicator: Tracking8 Paragraph Indicator: Overlap9 Paragraph Indicator: Interlock10 Paragraph Indicator: Direction

MethodDevelop a format (portrait) for the type set-ting experiments (see sample on back). Begin by choosing an appropriate typeface, type size and leading for each alignment exercise. Consider placement and composition. Continue from there and explore expressive syntax arrangements, but start simple gradually increasing the complexity. Next: Consider heads, subheads, other labels and text hierarchy. Consider placement, flow, grouping and clustering. Use Adobe InDesign and work your way through the protocol. Print out the different settings, typographic micro details are best experienced when looked at on white paper. Care with syntax. Print out the final text settings for each, Flush right, Centered, Flush left and Justified. Collect all sketches (type setting experiments). Print all exercises and produce a sketch process/book.

Part 2.3Choose one exploration from your experiments above. Refine the object title, text, subheads and other related content on a 5.75 x 8.5" page spread. Consider the margins.Final page format is : 5.75 x 4.25". Finalize 10 drawings, stylizations or images of objects and compose on the opposite page (See Fig 3)

Objectives - experimentation with text formatting- develop a typographic sensibility- recognize successful typography- familiarize yourself with InDesign software

Schedule Day 3 / T 30 AugustDue: Min. 10 Field Guide title sketches on a 5.75 x 4.25” format. Print one per page with a frame and notate the typeface(s) and designer.Assign : Part 2 --> Read A Type Primer, pp. 89 -105,48 -61--> Read The Fundamentals of Typography, pp. 87-93

Day 4 / TH 1 SeptemberDue: 1 Refined Field Guide title sketches on a

5.75 x 4.25” format. Present 2.1 the following print-outs of Flush right, Centered, Flush left, Justified (5 each)--> Read The Fundamentals of Typography, pp. 68-86,--> Read A Type Primer, pp. 106 -136,

Day 5 / T 6 SeptemberDue: 1 Refined Field Guide title sketches on a

5.75 x 4.25” format. Present revised and finalized: Flush right, Centered, Flush left, Justified (2 each). Revise and choose 1 final each alignment.

Day 6 / TH 8 SeptemberPresent: Part 2.2 expressive variables, apply 1-3 with alignment of your choice, 3 each--> Read The Fundamentals of Typography, pp. 102-121,--> Read A Type Primer, pp. 80 -81,

Day 7 / T 13 SeptemberPresent: Part 2.3 all layouts + drawings.

Day 8 / TH 15 SeptemberPresent: Part 2.3 all layouts + drawings.

Day 9 / T 20 SeptemberFinal BookletReview InDesign layout practice, Cover, Title, 10 Objects and TExt pages..

Day 10 / TH 22 SeptemberRefine Final Booklet

Day 11 / T 27 SeptemberDue Final Booklet 24 pages (Including Cover)Due Sketches (Journal)

5.75"

4.25" 4.25"

Heads

Paragraphs

Secondary Information

BlackletterBlackletter is the earliest printed type, and is based on hand-copied texts. It is traditionally associated with medieval German and English (Old English). Blacklet-ter was revived as a ‘pure German’ form in Nazi Germany, and is extensively used by (particularly) Latino gangs as implying officialness or deep seriousness. Blackletter dates from around 1450.

Humanist or OldstyleHumanist, humanistic, or humanes include the first Roman typefaces created during the 15th century by Venetian printers, such as Nicolas Jenson. Oldstyle has uppercase letter forms based on Roman inscriptions, and lowercase based on Italian humanist book copying. It is typified by a gradual thick-to-thin stroke, gracefully bracketed serifs, and slanted stress, as indicted by the line through the uppercase ‘O’, and as measured through the thinnest parts of a letter form. It remains one of the most readable classes for text, due to the moderate stroke variations and good distinction between letter forms. Oldstyle dates from around 1475. > Garamond, Jenson, Caslon, Sabon, Palatino, Bembo, Hoefler Text.

ItalicUsually considered a component of the roman family of a font, italic really deserves its own class. Based on Renaissance Italian Humanist handwriting, italics are casual as opposed to the more formal roman forms of a font. Italics are generally used for emphasis, captions, and the like, and not for body text. It is important to remember to use true italics as opposed to digitally generated versions. Italics for sans-serif (and occasionally other) fonts are often called obliques. Date from around 1500.

ScriptAs mentioned above, oftentimes anything seemingly based on handwriting is lumped under script. To be more precise, script is a formal replication of calligraphy. Script may also be based on engraved forms. As type, script is unsuitable for text, but is widely used to lend a formal element to a layout. Dates from 1550.

TransitionalAs the name implies, transitional bridges the gap between oldstyle and modern. Largely due to technological advances in casting type and printing, transitional embodies greater thick-to-thin strokes, and smaller brackets on serifs. Stress moves to be more vertical. Dates around 1750. > Baskerville, Times Roman, Perpetua, Caledonia, Bookman, Century, Georgia, Plantin.

Didone or ModernDidone or Modern serif typefaces, which first emerged in the late 18th century, are characterized by extreme contrast between thick and thin lines. These typefaces have a vertical stress, long and fine serifs, with minimal brackets. Serifs tend to be very thin and vertical lines are very heavy. Most modern fonts are less readable than transition-al or old style serif typefaces. Furthering the trends started with transitional, modern pushes to extreme thick-to-thin strokes, and unbracketed (square) serifs. Many modern typefaces lose readability if set too tight, or at too small a size, particularly with strong vertical stress. Dates from 1775. > Bodoni, Didot, and Walbaum.

Type Classification University of Houston ART 4395 / 6395 / 3330

Slab (Square) SerifSlab or square serif was developed for heavy type in advertising. Also known as Egyptian (it appeared during the Egyptology craze in Europe), slab serif generally has little variation in stroke weight: it’s generally uniformly heavy. Also with slab serif, letter forms are becoming more geometric, and less calligraphic. Dates from 1825.

Sans Serif HumanistAlthough appearing earlier, sans (sans = without in French)serif gained much popu-larity in the twentieth century, mainly as a move towards an international aesthetic in typography. Sans serif can be strictly geometric, as in Futura, or more humanist, as with Gill Sans. Designed by Eric Gill in 1928 it has humanist characteristics. Note the small, lilting counter in the letter a, and the calligraphic variations in line weight.

Sans Serif GeometricSome sans-serif forms are built around geometric forms. In Futura, designed by Paul Renner in 1927, the Os are seemingly perfect circles, and the peaks of the A and M are sharp triangles. It is based on geometric shapes that became representative of visual elements of the Bauhaus design style of 1919–33.

Sans Serif TransitionalHelvetica was developed in 1957 by Max Miedinger with Eduard Hoffmann. It is one the world’s most widely used typefaces. Its uniform, upright character makes it similar to transitional serif letters. The aim of the new design was to create a neutral typeface that had great clarity, no intrinsic meaning in its form, and could be used on a wide variety including for signage. These fonts are also referred to as “anony-mous sans serif”.

Grunge, Postmodernism, DigitalGrunge typography was a development spring from postmodernism and deconstruc-tionism. It was developed as primarily image, and less for its readability. Grunge typography was a big enough movement to rate its own category, and encompasses a wide variety of ‘decomposed’ typefaces. Postmodern is another catch-all category, encompassing a wide variety of styles. Many, fall into display faces, as they are unsuitable for text. Around 1995 to present.

Handwritten, Brush, LetteringSeemingly a contradiction in terms, these fonts actually harken back to the original idea: mimicry of handwriting, brush, or lettering. These can be considered scripts, but their generally informal nature tends to separate them out.

With the advent of digital typography, we have been inundated with typefaces. Face it (pun intended), most are of poor quality or design, and often both. But even discounting the losers, there remains an overwhelming amount of very good contem-porary typefaces to be added to traditional standards. It is even more important for a designer to be discerning, and really consider what faces are being used, and how.

Futura

Helvetica

OxFaOxFa

University of Houston Junior Graphic Design Art 3335 McGettigan/Fall 2016Project 1 : Field Guide (An Excerpt)

class www http://design.uh.edu/mcgettigan/email fmcgettigan@uh.edu

Justified text

Flush left/ragged right text

Centered text

Flush right/ragged left text

Part 2 : Text : Measure and Alignment (Field Guide Paragraph Sketches)

Set up an 8.5 x 11 inches file, come up with a labeling notation for your typographic experiments

Flush Right Ideal line length

Type size in pts 10

Character count 60

Conservation statusStill very common in parts of its limited range.

Could be vulnerable to loss of streamside habitat.

FamilyNew World Sparrows

HabitatDesert streams, brush, mesquite. Typically found in dense

brush near water in arid lowlands, as in streamside thickets, edges of ponds or irrigation ditches, understory of cotton-

wood-willow groves, even riverside marshes. In some areas (such as around Phoenix), comes into yards in well-watered

suburbs. Overlaps in habitat with Canyon Towhee in some places, but Abert’s stays closer to water in dense cover,

avoiding dry open hillsides.

Along streams in the desert Southwest, a sharp pinging note in the thickets announces the presence of Abert’s Towhee. If an observer tries to approach, a pair of these towhees may stay just ahead and out of sight, calling in an odd squealing

duet when pressed too closely. When undisturbed, they feed on the ground under dense bushes, scratching among the leaf-litter. Many southwestern “specialty birds” have exten-

sive ranges in the tropics, but this towhee barely gets across the border into northwestern Mexico.

University of Houston Junior Graphic Design Art 3335 McGettigan/Fall 2016Project 1 : Field Guide (An Excerpt)

class www http://design.uh.edu/mcgettigan/email fmcgettigan@uh.edu

Part 2 : Text : Measure and Alignment/Experimentation (Field Guide Paragraph Sketches)