9/6/25 - 20/7/25 (Week 8 - Week 13)
Lim Jia Xuan 0371026
Typography
Task 3: Type Design & Communication
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Refer HERE to see all lecture notes.
2.0 INSTRUCTIONS
3.0 PROCESS WORK
3.1 Research
Deconstruction Exercise - Futura, Medium
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Figure 3.1 Letter Deconstruction
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3.2 Ideation
Mr. Max gave us a tutorial on how to begin sketching the
letters A, G, B, and T using the basic rules of typography—such as height, ascenders, and
descenders. I initially started sketching on graph paper during class, but
I found it a bit too freeform and hard to control. Later at home, I
switched to using the Procreate app, which allowed me to create more geometric and precise designs.
Features like perfectly circular shapes made it much easier compared to
manually sketching on graph paper.
After coming up with eight sketches, I showed them to Mr. Max. He
preferred Sketch 4 (bottom right from the first image) and Sketch 5 (upper left from the second image). However, he mentioned that
the letters G and T in both designs were unclear.
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Figure 3.2 Font design sketches on Procreate
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While refining the two font designs previously selected by Mr. Max, I
ended up developing a completely new font concept. After completing the
new design, I presented it to Mr. Max for feedback.
Figure 3.2.1 New sketches developed from refining earlier ones
Surprisingly, Mr. Max loved the design of the letter A and said I
could keep the letter T as well. So, I decided to use them as the basis
for my font family and began designing the rest of the letters
accordingly.
Then I started designing the letters B and G based on the approved
style, but I kept feeling that the letter B looked off. I continued
exploring ways to improve it.
Figure 3.2.2 Explored and refined the design of the letter Band G.
After several rounds of refinement, I finally got approval for all
four letters.
Figure 3.2.3 The designs for letters A, B, G, and T were approved
After getting approval for the four letters, I started designing the
remaining required letters.
Figure 3.2.4 Sketches for the remaining letters.
After showing the sketches to Mr. Max, he approved the letter I (the one
next to letter G) and the letter P (the one on the right side).
Figure 3.2.5 Refinement of the remaining letters and symbols
Progress of development and refinement (timelapse)
The final outcome
Figure 3.2.6 Final Outcome of digitalized sketch
3.3 Digitalisation
I used the Ellipse Tool to create the outlines and letterforms, then combined the shapes
using the Shape Builder Tool in Adobe Illustrator. After showing Mr. Max my digitalized
version, he approved all the letters with no changes required.
Figure 3.3 Digitalisation with guides
Figure 3.3.1Finalised digitalisation
Measurements:
- Caps Height: 678 px
- X- Height: 500 px
- Baseline: 0 px
Figure 3.3.2 Measurement
3.4 FontLab
During the process of digitisation on FontLab, I began by filling up the
measurement settings (family dimension) and preferences to set up
guidelines when importing each letter.
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Figure 3.4 Measurement settings &
preferences
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To adjust the side bearings, I referred to the guide provided by Mr.
Vinod to ensure consistent spacing between the letters.
Figure 3.4.1 Side bearing guide
Side Bearing & Kerning Measurements
Figure 3.4.2 Screen Grab of FontLab Process (Side bearings &
Kerning)
Figure 3.4.3 CAN-DE Regular Font preview on FontLab
3.5 B&W Poster
Figure 3.5 B&W Poster
The poster shown is the only version I created, as Mr. Max approved the
initial design from the start.
3.6 Final Outcome
Final Type Outcome — Can-De Regular
Can-De Typeface Download - Click HERE
Figure 3.6 Can-De Regular Final Type Construction(JPEG)
Figure 3.6.1 Can-De Regular Final Type Construction(PDF)
<Final B&W Poster Outcome>
Figure 3.6.2 Final B&W Poster (JPEG)
Figure 3.6.3 Final B&W Poster (PDF)
4.0 FEEDBACK
Week 8
General Feedback: Mr. Max explained the content of Task 3. We started drafting
the font design and received initial feedback.
Personal Feedback: I showed Mr. Max my final outcome of Task 2 and finally got his
approval after several improvements.
Week 9
General Feedback: Mr. Max guided us on how to construct the font framework using
Adobe Illustrator. He emphasized dissecting letters with lines and
circles to understand font structures.
Personal Feedback: My third design was approved. However, Mr. Max mentioned that
letters A and G needed more visual identity like letter B. I was
advised to proceed with designing other characters.
Week 10
General Feedback: Consultation on Task 3 continued. We focused on improving
structure, consistency, and details in our font designs.
Personal Feedback: Mr. Max approved my designs for the letters A, T, G, I, and P.
He also advised me to refine the remaining letters and symbols,
especially the inner spaces and curves, to ensure harmony across the
typeface.
Week 11
General Feedback: Ongoing feedback session for Task 3 with focus on
digitalization and preparation for submission.
Personal Feedback: After several iterations, Mr. Max approved all the required
letters. His consistent feedback helped shape the overall visual
identity of my font. I then began the digitalization process using
Adobe Illustrator, applying the Ellipse Tool and Shape Builder Tool to
finalize the letterforms.
Week 12
General Feedback: Consultation on Task 3 continued. Mr. Max also demonstrated
how to transfer our typeface designs from Adobe Illustrator into
FontLab, introducing the class to the essential workflow of font
compilation and technical adjustments.
Personal Feedback: I completed the digitalization of all my letterform sketches
in Illustrator. Afterward, I began compiling them in FontLab, where
I imported the outlines, adjusted alignments—particularly the side
bearings—and started refining the overall glyph spacing to ensure
better consistency across the font.
Week 13
General Feedback: Continued consultation on Task 3.
Personal Feedback: I completed the poster design to showcase my final typeface.
Afterward, I began compiling all the project components—including
design documentation, process reflection, and final outcomes—into my
Blogger portfolio for submission.
5.0 REFLECTION
Experience
The process of exploring and sketching my typeface was both challenging and
deeply rewarding. It demanded a strong understanding of the design
principles developed throughout the course, as well as the patience to
experiment, iterate, and refine each letterform. Mr. Max’s feedback played a
crucial role in guiding my improvements, helping me elevate the overall
quality of my typeface and expand my creative thinking beyond my initial
ideas.
Observations
During the digitalization process, I noticed that even minor
adjustments—sometimes just 1 or 2 millimeters or slight changes in
curvature—could dramatically affect the harmony and legibility of the
entire typeface. I also became more aware of how crucial consistency in
elements like stroke weight and spacing is to maintaining a cohesive
visual identity across all letterforms.
Findings
This task helped me understand the importance of balancing creativity with
practicality. While I wanted my typeface to be visually distinctive, it also
needed to remain legible, functional, and consistent across the entire font
family. Maintaining this balance was crucial to ensure the typeface could be
effectively used in various design applications.
6.0 FURTHER READING
Figure 5.0 Typographic system
Typographic Systems by Kimberly Elam is a book that focuses on different ways to organize layout in typography. Instead of just using traditional grids, the book introduces eight layout systems—like axial, radial, modular, and grid—to help designers explore creative ways to arrange text and visuals. Each system shows how layout can guide the eye, create balance, and make designs more engaging. The book is very visual and is great for learning how to structure design in a clear and interesting way.
Figure 5.1 Axial System, Thumbnail Variations
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