Mackenzie Smith Typography 1 Process Journal Fall 2019 by MackenzieSmith

ART 571

INTRODUCTION

Mackenzie Smith This process journal gives you a closer look into my journey through Art 571: Typography 1, a class I took my sophomore year during the fall of 2019 at the University of Louisville. Writing about my experiences this semester gave me the opportunity to reflect on many areas of growth. I want to thank my professor, Leslie Friesen, for her guidance on this project and throughout the course.

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WHAT IS TY POGR APHY

WHAT IS TYPOGRAPHY? Typography noun ty·pog·ra·phy Definition of typography 1 : letterpress printing 2 : the style, arrangement, or appearance of typeset matter Merriam-Webster

I first described typography as how text is styled in graphic design. During the discussion, I learned that typography is different from lettering in that typography refers to digital type, whereas lettering is only used when referring to print.

I Think We’re Alone Now - Tommy James & The Shondells I Got You Babe - Sonny & Cher Till There Was You - The Beatles Comeback Kid (That’s My Dog) - Brett Dennen Calico Skies - Paul McCartney Lucky - Jason Mraz, Colbie Caillat

GOOD VS BA D TYP OGRA PHY

GOOD VS. BAD TYPOGRAPHY This 1st exercise was a helpful way to start examining and evaluating typography in the real world. For me, the most important element of typography is the columns. Columns affect an article's readability as well as the layout, which also determines how much white space there is. White space is important because it ensures that there is breathing room within an article. A designer should also try to keep their choice of typography consistent throughout whatever they are creating. If there are too many

variations of text, then it is hard for the reader to take away a clear message. In addition, while looking at people’s bad examples, a common factor was not being able to decipher where the article began and ended. This is when hierarchy of text becomes important because the differentiation of type should signal where the reader’s attention should go first. A good way to determine if there is enough distinction between text is if you can separate the header from the body text from at least 10 feet away.

To Love Somebody - Bee Gees Take Care - Beach House You Are The Best Thing - Ray LaMontagne Rich Girl - Daryl Hall & John Oates Still - Seinabo Sey People Need A Melody - The Head and the Heart

Good One of the reasons I picked this for my good example is because I am a sucker for illustration, so I appreciate it when illustration is incorporated into the body text. I believe it enriches the article and is a great way to not only capture people’s attention but keep people’s attention. My example was successful because I think it exemplifies all the factors that I discussed in my first paragraph. There is an equal balance between image and text within the article and there is enough white space to prevent the article from being cluttered or distracting. The columns are also placed in such a way that breaks up the text effectively.

Bad This is the bad example I picked because the problems with this document really stuck out to me. For one, the rectangles in the background are poorly placed. The columns are also a problem because they are arranged in an unorganized way. The layout of this document, in general, is not well thought out. My first impression was that it was disorganized, and I had the opposite reaction to my good example.

SIX F ACTO RIAL

SIX FACTORIAL Six Factorial Type Specimens size, leading, x-height, line length, style/weight, letterspacing

Six Factorial Type Specimens

size, leading, x-height, line length, style/weight, letterspacing

Body text: 10/17 Avenir Book 4 columns Line length = 10p3

Body text: 8/14 ITC Avant Garde Gothic Book 4 columns Line length = 10p3

Body text: 11/16 Perpetua Regular

shapes that are obvious

in two lavors: legibility

communication. Some

and easy to recognize. The

serif typeface can

and readability. What’s

typefaces are just designed

most legible typefaces

beneit from large open

While virtually any

As long as the x-height is not

virtually no loss in character

Typographic clarity comes

So what makes a typeface

excessively large, this can also

legibility.

in two flavors: legibility and

legible? A long-standing

improve legibility in a typeface.

readability. What’s the

typographic maxim is that

Because over 95% of the letters

continues to rage about

difference? Legibility is a

the most legible typefaces

we read are lowercase, larger

whether sans serifs are easier

Legibility in typography

Three Aspects of Legibility

While the argument

the difference? Legibility

to stand out from the

are also restrained. They

counters, “Clarendons”

is a function of typeface

crowd. To the degree that

are not excessively light

like Nimrod or Scherzo

design. It’s an informal

a typeface has personality,

or bold, weight changes

and contemporary

from another in a particular

Additionally, the most legible

measure of how easy

spirit, or distinction,

within character strokes

interpretations of “Old

typeface. Readability, on the

typefaces contain big features

typeface can benefit

be slightly more legible than

it is to distinguish one

however, it almost always

are subtle, and serifs, if the

Style” designs, such as

other hand, is dependent

and have restrained design

from large open counters,

their serifed cousins.

letter from another in

suffers proportionally on

face has them, do not call

Monotype Bembo and ITC

upon how the typeface is

characteristics. While this

“Clarendons” like Nimrod or

a particular typeface.

the legibility scale.

attention to themselves.

Weidemann, tend to come

Readability, on the other

Three Aspects of Legibility

Counters, the white

by this trait most naturally. Individual letter shapes

function of typeface design.

are “transparent” to the

letter proportions usually result

to read than serif fonts in text

It’s an informal measure of how

reader–that is, they don’t call

in a more legible typeface.

copy, sans serif typefaces,

easy it is to distinguish one letter

undue attention to themselves.

because their letter shapes are While virtually any serif

simpler, have been proven to

used. Readability is about

may seem like a typographic

Scherzo and contemporary

Little Serifs and Light Weights

typography. It is a gauge of

oxymoron, it’s not. “Big

interpretations of “Old Style”

Another potential drawback

how easily words, phrases and

features” refers to things such

designs, such as Monotype

of serif typefaces is that

hand, is dependent upon

So what makes a typeface

space within letters such

blocks of copy can be read.

as large, open counters,

Bembo and ITC Weidemann,

the legibility of individual

how the typeface is used.

legible? A long-standing

as ‘o,’ ‘e,’ ‘c,’ etc., help

can also affect typeface

Legibility: A Trait, Not

ample lowercase x-heights,

tend to come by this trait most

letters suffers when serifs

Readability is about

typographic maxim is that

to deine a character.

legibility. For example:

Always a Goal

and character shapes that are

naturally.

have exaggerated shapes.

typography. It is a gauge of

the most legible typefaces

Typographers believe that

the two-story ‘a’ such as

First, not all typefaces are–

obvious and easy to recognize.

how easily words, phrases

are “transparent” to the

large counters are an aid

the one found in Stellar

or should be–created with

The most legible typefaces are

also affect typeface legibility.

exceptionally heavy and those

legibility as a primary design

also restrained. They are not

For example: the two-story

with unusual shapes all detract

and blocks of copy can be

reader–that is, they don’t

to character recognition.

or Exlibris is much more

function. Many faces are

excessively light or bold, weight

‘a’ such as the one found in

from legibility. Ideal serifs are

read.

call undue attention to

A byproduct of open

legible than the single-

drawn for the purpose of

changes within character

Stellar or Exlibris is much more

somewhat short and slightly

story ‘a’ found in Futura

creating a typographic

strokes are subtle, and serifs, if

legible than the single-story

bracketed. They are also heavy

statement, or for providing a

the face has them, do not call

‘a’ found in Futura or Erbar.

enough to be obvious yet not

particular spirit or feeling to

attention to themselves.

The lowercase ‘g’ based on

conspicuous. Typefaces such

themselves. Additionally,

counters is usually a large

Individual letter shapes can

Long serifs, those that are

Legibility: A Trait,

the most legible typefaces

lowercase x-height. As

or Erbar. The lowercase

Not Always a Goal

contain big features and

long as the x-height is not

‘g’ based on Roman letter

graphic communication. Some

Roman letter shapes is more

as Monotype Sabon and ITC

First, not all typefaces

have restrained design

excessively large, this can

shapes is more legible

typefaces are just designed to

within letters such as ‘o,’

legible then the simple ‘g’

Stone have great serifs.

are–or should be–created

characteristics. While

also improve legibility in

then the simple ‘g’ found

stand out from the crowd. To

‘e,’ ‘c,’ etc., help to define

found in Helvetica or Glypha.

with legibility as a primary

this may seem like a

a typeface. Because over

in Helvetica or Glypha. In

design function. Many

typographic oxymoron, it’s

95% of the letters we read

Old Style typefaces such as

faces are drawn for the

not. “Big features” refers to

are lowercase, larger letter

Monotype Plantin, Galena

purpose of creating a

things such as large, open

proportions usually result in

and ITC Berkeley Oldstyle,

typographic statement, or

counters, ample lowercase

a more legible typeface.

individual characters

Text from It’s About Legibility | A post by Allan Haley

Counters, the white space

Lighter typefaces are usually

the degree that a typeface

a character. Typographers

In Old Style typefaces such

more legible than heavier

has personality, spirit, or

believe that large counters

as Monotype Plantin, Galena

weights of type. They allow

distinction, however, it almost

are an aid to character

and ITC Berkeley Oldstyle,

for full, open counters and

always suffers proportionally on

recognition. A byproduct

individual characters have

unmodified character shapes.

the legibility scale.

of open counters is usually

more personality than those in

Studies have shown that the

a large lowercase x-height.

traditional “legibility” faces with

best character stroke thickness

Text from It’s About Legibility | A post by Allan Haley

4 columns

Line length = 10p3

Legibility in typography Typographic clarity comes in two flavors: legibility and readability. What’s the difference? Legibility is a function of typeface design. It’s an informal measure of how easy it is to distinguish one letter from another in a particular typeface. Readability, on the other hand, is dependent upon how the typeface is used. Readability is about typography. It is a gauge of how easily words, phrases and blocks of copy can be read. Legibility: A Trait, Not Always a Goal First, not all typefaces are–or should be–created with legibility as a primary design function. Many faces are drawn for the purpose of creating a typographic statement, or for providing a particular spirit or feeling to graphic communication. Some typefaces are just designed to stand out from the crowd. To the degree that a typeface

has personality, spirit, or distinction, however, it almost always suffers proportionally on the legibility scale. Three Aspects of Legibility So what makes a typeface legible? A long-standing typographic maxim is that the most legible typefaces are “transparent” to the reader– that is, they don’t call undue attention to themselves. Additionally, the most legible typefaces contain big features and have restrained design characteristics. While this may seem like a typographic oxymoron, it’s not. “Big features” refers to things such as large, open counters, ample lowercase x-heights, and character shapes that are obvious and easy to recognize. The most legible typefaces are also restrained. They are not excessively light or bold, weight changes within character strokes are subtle, and serifs, if the face has them, do not call attention to themselves.

Counters, the white space within letters such as ‘o,’ ‘e,’ ‘c,’ etc., help to define a character. Typographers believe that large counters are an aid to character recognition. A byproduct of open counters is usually a large lowercase x-height. As long as the x-height is not excessively large, this can also improve legibility in a typeface. Because over 95% of the letters we read are lowercase, larger letter proportions usually result in a more legible typeface. While virtually any serif typeface can benefit from large open counters, “Clarendons” like Nimrod or Scherzo and contemporary interpretations of “Old Style” designs, such as Monotype Bembo and ITC Weidemann, tend to come by this trait most naturally. Individual letter shapes can also affect typeface legibility. For example: the two-story ‘a’ such as the one found in Stellar

or Exlibris is much more legible than the single-story ‘a’ found in Futura or Erbar. The lowercase ‘g’ based on Roman letter shapes is more legible then the simple ‘g’ found in Helvetica or Glypha. In Old Style typefaces such as Monotype Plantin, Galena and ITC Berkeley Oldstyle, individual characters have more personality than those in traditional “legibility” faces with virtually no loss in character legibility. While the argument continues to rage about whether sans serifs are easier to read than serif fonts in text copy, sans serif typefaces, because their letter shapes are simpler, have been proven to be slightly more legible than their serifed cousins. Little Serifs and Light Weights Another potential drawback of serif typefaces is that the legibility of individual letters suffers when serifs have exaggerated shapes. Long serifs, those that are

Explorations by Mackenzie Smith

x-heights, and character

spirit or feeling to graphic

Explorations by Mackenzie Smith

for providing a particular

Typographic clarity comes

Explorations by Mackenzie Smith

Legibility in typography

Text from It’s About Legibility | A post by Allan Haley

This assignment is all about juggling six factors that influence the overall readability and feel of long-form body text. These six factors include point size, leading, line length, letter spacing, x-height, and structure/ weight/style. When looking through a magazine, book, or newspaper, I didn’t use to stop and think, “Wow, this body text has great letter spacing!” All of the writing I would see on a daily basis just looked standard. I didn’t realize how many decisions were being made about body text alone. This exercise showed me how much work goes into making body text look “standard.”

Shake - The Head and the Heart Olalla - Blanco White I Want To Break Free - Queen Silhouettes - Colony House Crimson And Clover - Tommy James & The Shondells Dog Days Are Over - Florence + The Machine

PAIR ING T YPEF ACES

PAIRING TYPEFACES

Subhead Rockwell Regular 13/13.5 Body text Athelas Regular 9.5/13.5

Fluid Typography | An Essay by Ellen Lupton

with additional subheads inserted for the exercise

Visual Expression of Language Liquidity, saturation, and overlow are words that describe the information surplus that besets us at the start of the twenty-irst century. Images proliferate in this media-rich environment, and so too does the written word. Far from diminishing in inluence, text has continued to expand its power and pervasiveness. The visual expression of language has grown increasingly diverse, as new fonts and formats evolve to accommodate the relentless display of the word.

WHAT IS TYPOGRAPHY

Subhead Frutiger 77 Black Condensed 13/13.5 Body text Adobe Caslon Pro, regular, 9.5/13.5

Typography is the art of designing letterforms and arranging them in space and time. Since its invention during the Renaissance, typography has been animated by the conlict between ixed architectural elements-such as the page and its margins-and the luid substance of written words. Evolutions in the life of the letter arise from dialogs between wet and dry, soft and hard, slack and taut, amorphous and geometric, ragged and lush, planned and unpredicted. With unprecedented force, these conlicts are driving typographic innovation today. Typography is going under water as designers submerge themselves in the textures and transitions that bond letter, word, and surface. As rigid formats become open and pliant, the architectural hardware of typographic systems is melting down. he lush, full page of the classical book is dominated by a single block of justiied text, its characters mechanically spaced to completely occupy the designated volume. he page is like a glass into which text is poured, spilling over from one leaf to the next. By the early twentieth century, the classical page had given way to the multicolumned, mixed-media structures of the modern newspaper, magazine, and illustrated book.

Explorations by Mackenzie Smith

Print and Digital — The New Paradigm Today, the simultaneity of diverse content streams is a given. Alongside the archetype of the printed page, the new digital archetype of the window has taken hold. The window is a scrolling surface of unlimited length, whose width adjusts at the will of reader or writer. In both print and digital media, graphic designers devise ways to navigate bodies of information by exploring the structural possibilities of pages and windows, boxes and frames, edges and margins.

Subhead Avenir medium, 13/13.5 Body text Adobe Myungjo Std, medium 9.5/13.5

Soft Copy — A Chameleon In 1978, Nicholas Negroponte and Muriel Cooper, working at mit’s Media Lab, published a seminal essay on the notion of “soft copy,” the linguistic raw material of the digital age. The bastard offspring of hard copy, soft text lacks a fixed typographic identity. Owing allegiance to no font or format, it is willingly pasted, pirated, output, or repurposed in countless contexts. It is the ubiquitous medium of word-processing, desk-top publishing, e-mail, and the Internet. The burgeoning of soft copy had an enormous impact on graphic design in the 1980s and 1990s. In design for print, soft copy largely eliminated the mediation of the typesetter, the technician previously charged with converting the manuscript—which had been painstakingly marked up by hand with instructions from the designer-into galleys, or formal pages of type. Soft copy flows directly to designers in digital form from authors and editors. The designer is free to directly manipulate the text-without relying on the typesetter-and to adjust typographic details up to the final moments of production. The soft copy revolution led designers to plunge from an objective aerial view into the moving waters of text, where they shape it from within.

Subhead ITC Avant Garde Gothic, demi, 13/13.5 Body text bembo, regular 9.5/13.5

Explorations by Mackenzie Smith

As we continue to build on our fundamental knowledge of typography, pairing typefaces is next on our list. When you pair two typefaces together correctly it creates visual hierarchy, enhances readability, and provides variety. During this assignment, a couple of things I learned was that it is important to match x-heights and to not pair two serifs or sans-serif fonts together unless they are drastically different. The goal is to find a happy medium between variety and consistency.

One Fine Day - The Chiffons Gloria - The Lumineers Baseball - Hippo Campus Honeybee - The Head and the Heart I'll Follow The Sun - The Beatles In My Life - The Beatles

VISU AL SY STEM

VISUAL SYSTEM This exercise targets visual systems and what makes them tick. A visual system consists of overarching themes as well as small details that make a layout unique. We were asked to pick two books and identify their visual systems.

Let’s Be Still - The Head and the Heart Wanderer - Mogli Island In The Sun - Weezer Rockaway - Summer Salt Junk Of The Heart (Happy) - The Kooks Sleep Alone - Two Door Cinema Club

Publication source: https://www.pentagram.com/work/365-aiga-year-in-design-29/story

Publication Title: 365: AIGA Year in Design 29

Feel/tonality

System elements » Blue, green, and pink color scheme » Photo collages in background › All photos have range of colors

› Images are mixture of collage and illustration › Pictures on title pages relate to what section is about

» Titles are vertical » Left sides of title spreads have rectangle with white text inside that summarizes section » Color of rectangle and title match

» Grid system used › On pages with pictures, the descriptions are placed in the top outer corners of the page › Descriptions are same color as title slide

» White space is used effectively throughout every spread

» » » »

Colorful Modern Cohesive Clear

The first book I chose is called, “365: AIGA Year in Design 29.” I was drawn to this book’s layout because of the playful colors and bold titles. Its visual system creates an energetic yet organized tone, which is actually the kind of feel I strived for in this process journal. Sometimes I can get carried away with my bold design concepts, so my ongoing goal has been to try to restrain myself a bit and achieve a balance of playfulness and sophistication.

Publication source: Art Library: Z 271 .S63 2007

Publication Title: How To Make Books

Feel/tonality

System elements » Steps illustrated in playful style » Visual Hierarchy › Variety of fonts used on title page › Instructions numbered in red

› Pictures on white background › Red, pink, and orange color scheme

» Headers consist of script font, subheaders consist of all cap font - both are red to signal start of new section

» Page numbers centered and placed at bottom of page » Bold typeface used for “A, B, C” steps » Dotted red lines used to separate columns

» Page numbers in red › Images throughout section that show real pictures of things you are making

» » » »

Fun Organized Detailed Crafty

The second book I chose is called, “How To Make Books.” Again, the playfulness of this book’s layout really caught my eye. I love the hand-drawn illustrations; they align perfectly with the crafty feel of the book and provide a level of authenticity. Elements like that are one of the reasons its visual system is so cohesive and successful. Details like the way the letters of the chapter name, “Accordions” are arranged to mimic accordion folds, really add to the lightheartedness of the book.

DISC ERNI NG A G RID

DISCERNING A GRID

Photos: -Somewhat follow the grid -No background -Displayed in variety of ways

Body Text: 6/7 Microsoft Sans Serif Bold

Body Text: 6/7 Microsoft Sans Serif Regular

Folios: 6/7 Microsoft Sans Serif Regular

What You Know - Two Door Cinema Club Sleep On The Floor - The Lumineers Angela - The Lumineers Brazil - Declan McKenna Cleopatra - The Lumineers Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John

Overview This exploration is all about breaking down a layout to its most basic form. As I look back to when we were first introduced to grids during this project, I had no idea how big of a role grids have played in the history of graphic design. During my History & Issues of Graphic Design class, I learned about “Swiss Style” and designers like Josef Müller-Brockman who’s signature style revolves around grids. We even did a Brockman inspired project in my Introduction to Graphic Design class to get us more comfortable working with grids. Fast forward to the end of the semester, the idea of not working with a gird makes me break out in a cold sweat! Especially being the detail-oriented designer that I am. Long story short, my appreciation for grids has grown exponentially this semester and this assignment was the first step towards that appreciation.

As a whole, these first few mini assignments have felt like a whirlwind. My life outside of my design classes has been very hectic since school started and I’ve been finding myself struggling. I want to get the most out of these assignments, but the turnaround time is so fast that I don’t feel as though I’m retaining all the information. We are focusing on the building blocks of a successful design with these projects. I almost wish they were treated as such and had been allotted more time, then again, maybe my busy schedule was the main issue. I probably wasn’t giving myself enough time to complete the assignments to the best of my ability. I have to remember though that there will be plenty of time to practice these skills on all my design projects moving forward.

A p na e rog nn B xpe ram ua A row rim o l Lo mp n en f F h u J is it o ta F une vil he rem l m m ree 4 le ate a us P o us fo th wa r n ic K rog M f all ic lo r a 202 te S arlh ra ge ad ag ve dve 2 7 rfro e n H toc ein m B n p es rs ntu :30 t Q eli kh z U row ero os ro (H ua cop au us L niv n- us sib pr eli rtet ter sen Sc ouis ers Fo su le c o r p Str th b v o P h vil ity em p y N e K ide pte in F RS ool le of an ort th g of: e Ha atio en d b rs U ord Fo of PS M u M B rr na tu y oto nd us L ars y P l G ck H aur tow artc ua y A r C atio ic om ie ir r n N om h d) Fla ico ela And pa la n F m s d er ny so (e lam m L n A xc m a ens Te vro erp a D Pa ts) eu rt m

m us ic

d’ vi lle

Music D’Ville Poster Project inspired by Josef Müller-Brockman

VISU AL HI ERAR CHY

VISUAL HIERARCHY This project is all about combining the things we’ve learned this semester and applying it to a brochure layout. I am really excited to jump in and I have also really enjoyed reading the material we are using for the brochure. It’s called “After School Special: Advice for Emerging Designers.” Fitting, no?

I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues - Elton John Sedona - Houndmouth Falling In Love At A Coffee Shop - Landon Pigg I Get Around (Mono) - The Beach Boys Crocodile Rock - Elton John Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles

Experimentation The first stage of this project is to explore a bunch of possibilities layout-wise. A design brainstorm, if you will. This is one of many pages of experimentation. p r o f e s s i o n a l e n v ir o n m e n t e v e r y t h i n g c h a n g e s , a n d t h e r e ’s n o r o o m f o r b e i n g a n i s o l a ti o n i s t , o r d e m o n s t r a ti n g t h a t y o u a l o n e a r e t e r m i n a ll y u n i q u e . Y o u Building a career is not something that happens overnight. It requires patience a r e n o w e x p e c t e d t o u n d e r s t a n d y o u r c li e n t s a n d t h e ir o b j e c ti v e s . I n o r d e r t o and tenacity, and it involves more d o s o , y o u m a y w o r k in a t e a m , a n d t h e than raw talent. A career demands an e m p h a s i s i s o n h o w y o u — c o ll e c ti v e l y , overarching curiosity about the world n o t s i n g u l a rl y — a r e g o i n g t o m e e t and how things work, topped off with t h e a i m s o f t h e c li e n t a n d t h e c li e n t ’ s well-honed people skills. To rise to the b u si n e s s . S u d d e n ly y o u a r e o n e o f top in your profession, you have to have the guts to be self-aware, to know m a n y , a n d n o o n e m i g h t e v e n c a r e w h a t y o u t hin k . your own strengths while trying to D e s i g n fi r m s a r e b u s i n e s s e s . T h e y improve upon your weaknesses. And, a r e n o t c r e a t e d t o t e a c h a n d n u rt u r e , come to think of it, raw talent doesn’t a lt h o u g h b o t h s o m e ti m e s h a p p e n a l o n g hurt. t h e w a y if y o u fi n d a g r e a t m e n t o r . The great thing about a career in A d e s i g n fi r m ’ s o b j e c ti v e i s t o b e a design is that you can deine success s u c c e s s f ul c o m p a n y . Y o u w alk in t o a in a number of ways. You can strive fi r m a n d a c q u ir e t h e p r o c e s s e s , c u lt u r e to be a renowned creative director at a n d t h e v a ri o u s s t y li s ti c m e t h o d s o f t h e a big irm, to create a small boutique studio, or to savor both your profession fi r m . Y o u a r e a p a r t o f a g r o u p , a n d y o u b e g i n t o r e a li z e t h a t y o u t h o u g h t y o u and parenthood by working out of k n e w a l o t six m o n t h s a g o , b u t n o w y o u your home while raising children. This o n l y k n o w a fr a c ti o n o f w h a t e v e r y o n e industry isn’t just about savvy insight e ls e s e e m s t o k n o w . T h e l e a r n i n g c u r v e and fresh aesthetic perspectives; it’s c h a n g e s . also largely built from lexibility and potential. In the beginning of a career, the transition from school to work is Develop Really Great Habits dificult, to put it mildly. The irst thing A great deal of success is about fostering you learn is that there is more to learn. good habits early. This is the time to start; A lot more. it’s harder to break a habit than it is to practice a new one. Also, as you get older, your daily obligations are greater, and you will have less time and energy to make new actions routine. Get those mental Respect the Difference muscles toned now and it will become easy Between Theory and to maintain them. Practice D o n ’t g e t m e w r o n g , s c h o o l i s g r e a t , Be Positive a n d b y a ll m e a n s r e v e l i n y o u r t r e k Having a can-do attitude makes people t h r o u g h a c a d e mia , b e c a u s e n o t hin g want to work with you. There’s an old w ill e v e r b e t h e s a m e . A p p r e c i a t e t h e adage that says, “People work with ti m e y o u h a v e b e e n g i v e n t o l e a r n a b o u t people they like to work with.” Believe y o u r s e lf , a n d g e t a n e d u c a ti o n t h a t y o u me, it’s true. Who wants to be around c a n a p p l y t o y o u r w h o l e lif e , n o t o n l y someone who is negative or complains y o u rjo b . about everything? I n s c h o o l , y o u r i n s tr u c t o r s p u s h y o u t o e x p r e s s y o u r s e lf , t h e y i n s i s t o n y o u r d e v elo pin g t h e e s s e n c e o f y o u r d e s i g n p e r s p e c ti v e . T h e y w a n t y o u t o b e a b l e t o a r ti c u l a t e w h y y o u b e li e v e i n y o u r w o r k . E v e r y d a y y o u t r y t o fi n d a u niq u e w a y t o e x p r e s s y o u r id e a s , s o , i n t h a t w a y , s c h o o l i s c r e a ti v e n ir v a n a . A t e a c h e r ’ s o b j e c ti v e i s t o d e v e l o p s t u d e n t s ’ s k ill s a n d t o n u r t u r e c r e a ti v it y b efo re y o u s et o ut o n y o u r o w n u p o n g r a d u a ti o n . O n c e y o u ’ r e o u t i n t h e r e a l w o rl d , h o w e v e r , it ’ s a w h o l e n e w g a m e ; i n a After School Special: Advice for Emerging Designers

Learn tow Write Writing is hard. Really hard. Personally, I struggle with constructing and perfecting sentence after sentence, even though I can write a nice headline. Among my daily duties, I have to write proposals, letters and all sorts of text related to press and correspondence. I don’t feel particularly good at it, I simply slog through. In retrospect, I wish I had focused on honing the technical elements of my writing earlier because I think it would make things easier now. The ability to write gives you power. A designer who can structure content can communicate visual ideas more effectively. Clients tend to be word oriented, and when designers can communicate on their level, they gain trust. That trust is what leads to getting more work approved. Work Harder Than Anyone Else

I hate to say this, b but if you really want to be succes successful, you have to rethink the concept of the so-called work/life balance. he most successful creative people I know do not segregate their “work” and their “play”—it’s all the same. hey love what they do, and do it all the time. If you look at design as a job that you do between 9 and 5 every day, you will earn a paycheck...and that’s all. Talent will take you far, but determination will take you further. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve heard moan about how they could have started a business, gotten the great assignment, scored a better position or whatever. The truth is, most people aren’t willing to put the time and effort into accomplishing their goals. It’s easier to just live their dreams inside of their heads instead of putting in the sweat equity. I look at successful people and I see the same patterns. I know a

photographer who, when starting his career, worked literally around the clock, and even spent his own money to make shots memorable. He never looked at an assignment as a job, but as an opportunity to do something outstanding. He is still pushing himself today and branching out into new areas. His renowned career is nothing if not enviable. When I started my business, I had no clients and very little money. The irst year I worked until midnight most nights, almost seven days a week. Not only did I work past the point of endurance on my design, I learned how to do basic billing. I wired my own network. I wrote copy. I steeled myself and made cold calls. All of the long nights paid off, I built a client base, and now, years later, I have a thriving practice. You can achieve great things, if you’re willing to put in the effort.

Ignore the Naysayers If you craft a good game plan, stay focused and work incredibly hard, you can accomplish just about anything. As a friend of mine says, “It’s all about the follow through.” Remember that the most important person to believe in your work is you—then you’ll prove any who doubt you wrong.

Try to Make Every Assignment Better Than the Last

When you inish a project, look at it, hard. Scrutinize. Nitpick. Be critical. Do more. Do better. Don’t become complacent. Ever. Complacency is death. 8. Get Involved This is a great way to continue your education at the beginning of your career. Reach out. Cultivate relationships with your peers and contacts in the ield. Learn from what you see and what you’re told. As you mature, you will have the opportunity to give back to the profession. If you’re lucky enough and work hard enough to make it to the highest levels, you may even be given the ability to affect policy. There is strength in numbers. Every accomplished professional that

you encounter has an immeasurably large volume of knowledge that you can learn from, free of tuition. Be Kind Non-designers often feel that designers are arrogant, that they don’t listen, and that they are intent on loudly bullying them on issues of taste and intellect. A wise man once told me to observe people that I thought were really smart. He then said, “The ones who don’t feel a need to put anyone down are the ones who are most secure in their own ability. They don’t feel they have to prove anything.” It’s true. Your clients, your colleagues and your vendors will all have their separate points of view. And, hey, that’s great, because you are so hardworking, smart and talented, you will use all of your inesse to convert them to your way of thinking. In the end, if they still disagree, you might realize a) the other guy might actually have a point or b) that you can ind a happy middle ground. 10. Have Passion

Have passion. It seems like the inscription on a greeting card, but it’s true, everything is meaningless unless you love what you do, both in the sanctuary of school and out in the real world. Life is too short to spend years acquiring skills for a career you aren’t completely passionate about. So if you woke up this morning and didn’t feel excited about what you are striving towards, then change something. Change your attitude, change your environment, change your profession, or change your direction. You deserve to wake up every day with enthusiasm. That’s it. Oh, wait. One more thing... 11. Don’t Lie Tell the truth if you make a mistake. Don’t lie to clients, vendors or bosses, and, most importantly, don’t lie to yourself. Taking credit for someone else’s work—that’s called stealing. And misrepresenting your qualiications is called cheating. The funny thing about dishonesty is that people always ind out, and you will lose something invaluable: trust. If you mess up, ’fess up. From https://www.aiga.org/general/

Round Robin Written Review

This style of critique is different from the post-it critiques we’ve had in the past. I like this process because it is much more individualized which allows us to give more thoughtful feedback. For me, post-it critiques can be a little overwhelming. There are so many contrasting designs up on the wall at once that it can be hard to focus on just one. This often leads to me leaving fewer comments. As far as the feedback I received from this critique, I don’t find the comments super helpful because I’m not far enough along on the project. The suggestions I got were things I had already planned on doing. I wasn’t satisfied with how my brochure looked going into

the critique. Unfortunately, the project is due next class, so this was my only chance to get feedback. I am definitely going to be more prepared for critiques in the upcoming projects because I hated missing out on helpful feedback. As I continued working, I realized the reason I was unhappy with my design was that I was missing color. I have always been very color driven when it comes to art. I am also very driven to graphic qualities in design. In order to make these two things the forefront of my layout, I added some bold colors and the bounding boxes. I kept the bones of the design and elevated it.

Overview I think this project turned out to be a success. Because my design had undergone such a drastic change in just two days when that class walked around to see how everyone’s brochures turned out, Leslie had to ask who’s mine was because she didn’t recognize it. I felt like I hadn’t put enough effort into the first stages of the project, so I knew I had to make up for it in the end. I’m proud that I didn’t settle on my first design because I think it improved greatly from how it looked during the written review.

DESI GN HE ROES

DESIGN HEROES

Paper Rep Visit: Karen Weaver I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I heard that we were having a “paper rep” coming to talk to us about paper. I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a paper rep! It’s one of those jobs that you know must exist but doesn’t get a lot of attention or recognition. As I write this, I realize that graphic design might be seen as one of those kinds of jobs for some people. Like paper, people come into contact with graphic design every day, yet it’s importance often gets lost in the midst of the hustle and bustle of life. Moreover, it is frequently forgotten that careers are built solely around things like paper and design. Another semi-off topic thought I’d like to add is that things regularly go unnoticed when they work as they are supposed to. Leslie proposed earlier this semester that design is like being a server at a restaurant. It’s a thankless job that goes unnoticed most of the time as long as everything goes accordingly. If the meal runs smoothly, you might not notice the server as much. However, if it takes

an hour for the server to take your order, you better believe you’ll notice. The same can be said with design, if the magazine you’re reading, for example, is well-organized and the content is placed where you expect it to be, no one questions it. Little do they know that we as graphic design students spend hours upon hours learning how to make our designs look “natural” so you…won’t notice them? I’ve been thinking about this metaphor all semester and think it’s an interesting concept to think about. Alright, now that my philosophical rant is over, back to my main point that this paper rep visit really opened my eyes to all the ways that paper can enhance design when it is used properly/ effectively. The paper that stuck out to me the most was the mirror-like paper that is literally used as a mirror in prisons. It fascinated me how paper could be used in such an unexpected way. The idea that paper is used in prisons to replace mirrors because glass isn’t aloud is such a creative solution.

Research & Content Gathering My first concept for my process journal was a superhero theme. When I say a superhero theme, I'm talking bold colors, infographics, etc. Picture something similar to a graphic novel. I thought the superhero idea was a clever play on design heroes, but when I tried to sit down and sketch layout ideas, the concept wasn’t really coming to fruition. So, for the most part, I went back to the drawing board, keeping in mind some of the original elements I had thought were successful.

Idea Development (Forced Fit Prompts)

The forced fit prompt exercise consisted of Leslie giving us a ton of different themes that we had to design a layout for. We were given themes like travel, board games, favorite food, etc., and with just those ideas in mind, we had about 30 seconds to draw a thumbnail layout. The purpose of this exercise was to create as many ideas as possible to get our design juices flowing, quantity over quality. Let’s just say I struggled. When I looked around it seemed like everyone was generating ideas so much faster than me. I think my problem is not being able to loosen up when it comes to design. I am usually very precise, even in the beginning stages which definitely hurts me in the long run. Idea generating is one of the hardest parts of the design process for me and I’m sure a lot of designers out there. Design is so subjective and there are so many elements to consider. It can be overwhelming to make sure that these elements stay cohesive throughout the design process.

WARNING--Artist rant coming up: Something I’ve realized throughout my life as an artist is that people rarely appreciate or understand how much goes into creating. Even as a high schooler at duPont Manual, the Visual Arts magnet that I attended was seen as the “easy” magnet. Being around my friends in college, who’s majors mainly consist of nursing, biology, and engineering, its easy to feel like I have it easy in my major. I could never imagine taking so much as a chemistry class, but I know that graphic design comes with its own set of challenges. I think about how the problems my friends are solving in their classes often have a straight-forward answer, whereas, in design, there are infinite ways to find a “solution.” Jobs in other fields often consist of memorizing information and applying it. While a designer’s job relies on being able to come up with an endless amount of fresh, original ideas, which can be a daunting task. What I’m trying to say is that graphic designers are bada**es and we deserve respect! *mic drop*

Editing/Selection: Thumbnail Peer Review, Wall Critiques & Sticky Note Reviews

During initial reviews of this project, my peers suggested that I continue developing the arrangement of my text in relation to my images. This has definitely been the hardest part of my book so far because there are so many elements that need to be included. I think my main issue is that I am trying too hard to make the text and images mimic the title pages. I need to start thinking of alternative layouts.

Something funny that I’ve realized during postit critiques is that I am both delighted and disappointed by the large number of post-its I see on my work by the end. Happy because people care enough to comment and give feedback, but disappointed because that means people saw a bunch of problems with my design. I know the point of a critique is to get lots of feedback, but I can’t shake this feeling! Does anyone else feel this way, or is it just me? Well anyway, this is how I was feeling after

this critique. Though to my surprise, when I met with Leslie to go over the feedback, she disagreed with almost everything that was said on the post-its. She even disagreed on a couple of the comments I agreed with. Leslie suggested minor changes and told me to keep going. Not only did this outcome boost my confidence, but it also taught me that even though I am a new designer, I should stand up for my designs and believe in my decisions.

Travelin’ Man - Ricky Nelson Mr. Blue Sky - Electric Light Orchestra I Can’t Get Started - Ella Fitzgerald La Vie En Rose - Daniela Andrade My Way - Frank Sinatra Penny Lane - The Beatles

Cover Design

design

HEROES

3 5

CONTENTS I had an odd relationship with my cover design during this assignment. About 80% into the project, I changed my mind almost entirely from the idea that I had the whole time. The cover wasn’t working out as I had hoped. It felt forced, like I was trying too hard to make it match the inside layout. I knew I still wanted to include rectangles, my chosen colors, and the designer’s faces in my cover. I also kept the idea of having their faces be in the rectangles but made the rectangle’s placement less structured to counteract the strictness of my inside layout. I incorporated my colors by putting them overtop the faces and playing with the transparency.

This then sprung me into a whole new path where I played with transparency throughout all of my spreads. For example, with the rectangles on the right sides of my spreads, I had all of their opacities down to 50% except for the one that went with the main color for that hero. I also played with the opacities of the designer’s names and added a transparent rectangle underneath their names in the body text as a nod to the cover design. Transparency became a binding element of the design and one of my favorite parts. When I changed my cover, the whole project evolved and came together in a way that I wasn’t expecting.

FirstBuild Field Trip

I found the FirstBuild field trip very informative and eye-opening. It felt like yet another veil had been lifted on the inner workings of the design world. In the end, I decided not to use FirstBuild to cut my cover because I had a simple die-cut concept

in mind since the beginning of the project. I wanted rectangles to be incorporated in my cover to mimic my layout design and rectangles are pretty easy to cut with an x-acto knife. Though, I am looking forward to utilizing FirstBuild’s resources in projects to come.

Final Production & Self Evaluation One problem I faced during the final production had to do with exporting the project file. For some reason, my transparent letters wouldn’t show up as transparent in every instance. If you look at the designer’s last names on the next page, you can’t see where the parts of the letters overlap each other like you are supposed to, but you can see it on the numbers on the contents page. Even with Leslie’s help, I couldn’t figure out what was causing this. Besides that, the final production went very smoothly. Part of the assignment involved binding the book ourselves and luckily I didn’t have any trouble with that. I am very proud of how this project turned out. I am most satisfied with my color pallet and my cover. The colors fit so well with the designer’s artwork and I think a big reason I am fond of my cover is because of the process that went along with it. The cover is what got me thinking about playing with transparency, which is one of my favorite aspects of the layout. Overall, I think my design is cohesive and I did a good job of keeping all of my design elements consistent. My copy was lacking a bit, I could have worked harder on writing it. I got so caught up on designing my layout that the actual text ended up taking a backseat.

My knowledge of InDesign expanded greatly during this project. One tool in particular that I utilized a lot was the align tool and the distribute tool. Without it, the construction of my layout would have taken much longer and would have been a lot less precise. The most challenging aspect of the project was figuring out my spread layout. I went through so many variations of text and image placement because it was tricky trying to make all the elements work together. It was also difficult because, during the peer critiques, all the suggestions I was receiving contradicted what Leslie was telling me to do. For example, some of my peers thought the colorful rectangles at the bottom of my spreads were too distracting and took away from the designer’s work, whereas Leslie really liked them. At the end of the day, I came up with a way to have the best of both worlds. As I explained in my cover design entry, I set all the rectangles at 50% opacity except for the one that went with the main color for that hero. This made the colors less distracting, worked in my transparency element, and helped show a progression through the pages by putting an emphasis on which design hero the reader is on.

Daﬁ Kühne Workshop

The Dafi Kühne workshop was incredible! It was so cool to go from watching his YouTube videos and admiring his work to seeing him in person and actually getting to interact with him. It is always so inspiring to hear an artist talk about his or her work. You could just hear the passion in his voice. I really enjoyed hearing from a graphic designer who doesn’t rely on a computer to create art but on old school printing techniques instead. It is so brave of him to follow his passion even though the world is so driven by technology. I love when he acknowledged that his quality of work has to be able to measure up to digitally produced work in order to be successful. He knows what he’s doing is challenging, but that doesn't stop him. His confidence is what inspires me the most, and I am so glad I got the chance to meet him.

COLOPHON 13

PAIR ING T YPEF ACES

PAIRING TYPEFACES

Subhead Rockwell Regular 13/13.5 Body text Athelas Regular 9.5/13.5

Fluid Typography | An Essay by Ellen Lupton

with additional subheads inserted for the exercise

WHAT IS TYPOGRAPHY

Subhead Frutiger 77 Black Condensed 13/13.5 Body text Adobe Caslon Pro, regular, 9.5/13.5

Explorations by Mackenzie Smith

Subhead Avenir medium, 13/13.5 Body text Adobe Myungjo Std, medium 9.5/13.5

Subhead ITC Avant Garde Gothic, demi, 13/13.5 Body text bembo, regular 9.5/13.5

Explorations by Mackenzie Smith

As we continue to build on our fundamental knowledge of typography, pairing typefaces is next on our list. When you pair two typefaces together correctly it creates visual hierarchy, enhances readability, and provides variety. During this assignment, a couple of things I learned was that it is important to match x-heights and to not pair two serifs or sans-serif fonts together unless they are drastically diferent. he goal is to ind a happy medium between variety and consistency.

One Fine Day - he Chifons Gloria - he Lumineers Baseball - Hippo Campus Honeybee - he Head and the Heart I'll Follow he Sun - he Beatles In My Life - he Beatles

Header | Gill Sans Bold 20/23 Subhead | Gill Sans SemiBold 18/23 Body Text | Adobe Garamond Pro Regular 9.5/14 Page Number | Gill Sans Bold 18/23 Gill Sans was designed by the English artist and type designer Eric Gill and issued by Monotype in 1928 to 1930. The roots of Gill Sans can be traced to the typeface that Gill's teacher, Edward Johnston, designed for the signage of the London Underground Railway in 1918. The Adobe Garamond font family is based upon the typefaces first created by the famed French printer Claude Garamond in the sixteenth century. This serif face was created by Robert Slimbach and released by Adobe in 1989; its italics are influenced by the designs of Garamond's assistant, Robert Granjon. fonts.com