Reflecting on B and N: Typography Book by Rebecca Cravatta

Reflecting on Reflecting on

Reflecting on B & N, Rebecca Cravatta Visual Communications Design Department of Art & Design School of Visual and Performing Arts Purdue University West Lafayette, Indiana A publication of the School of Visual and Performing Arts All content is copyright in the name of Rebecca Cravatta November 2015

Rebecca Cravatta 1

I dedicate this book to... My caring grandma, who always reminds me to stop and absorb all the beauty in this world.

A typographic contemplation between two letter forms Rebecca Cravatta 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

p. 6

Project Introduction

Reflect v: To think deeply or

form. It was important that

p. 9

Part 1 Hand Drawn Sketches

carefully about.

we maintained a balance between the two forms,

p. 37

Part 2 Computer Refined Sketches

Synonyms: give thought to,

p. 50

Part 3 Narrowing Down Designs

p. 53

Final Design

p. 57

Concluding Reflections

consider, review, mull over, contemplate, turn over in one’s mind. The word reflect and its synonyms are very fitting to my process in completing this project. The prompt we were given early in the semester was to create a typographic composition of two letters from the alphabet given to us at random. I received ‘B’ and ‘N.’ By integrating and combining those two assigned letters, it was up to me to create a new design through the manipulation of each

so that one was not more dominant than the other. Another challenge was maintaining the readability and integrity of each letter form. There were 8 available typefaces and their families to use for this project; four serif typefaces: Baskerville, Bodoni, Caslon and Times New Roman, and four sansserif typefaces: Futura, Gill Sans, Helvetica, Optima and Univers.

Baskerville Bodoni Caslon Times New Roman

Futura Gill Sans Helvetica Optima Univers

PART 1: HAND DRAWN SKETCHES It was very important to

moved on to developing

use a pencil and paper

more refined sketches with

in the beginning weeks

different thicknesses of

of this project. Sketching

black markers. This was

out the letters helped me

helpful because when

get to know their form

critiquing the designs were

due to quick repetition. I

bold and strong. There is

got an idea of the straight

also a spread of sketches

and diagonal lines in the

demonstrating when I used

capital N, the two big bowl

spray paint to see my letters

curves in the capital B, and

differently. Although I did

the curves and stem of a

not use any solutions from

lowercase n and b. In the

spray painting, being able

sketching stage I just let

to physically hold and layer

my hand hold my pencil

my letters was a helpful

and freely and loosely

activity to do early on in my

draw ideas. After pencil I

process.

PART 2: COMPUTER REFINED SKETCHES After developing a couple

different typefaces for the

hundred hand sketches

same design. There were

of many variations, it was

countless styles to try, but

time to take my ideas to the

I started leaning towards a

computer. I scanned in my

bold block letter with a cut

pencil and ink drawings and

out of the second letter.

made the loose sketches into clean marks. Using Adobe Illustrator I was also able to develop new ideas because of the programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to quickly layer letters and remove shapes. When using Illustrator it was easier to experiment with the 8 typefaces we were given and switch out

PART 3: NARROWING DOWN DESIGNS The following page includes

analyzing these 3 different

my top 3 choices for the

ideas to try and choose a

final design and their close

final, I looked closely at the

variations. I chose these

mark that did the best job

marks because I thought

of smoothly blending the

they were designs that had

two letters together without

the best contrast, balance,

loosing one form over

and use of letter form. All of

another.

the designs that made it into the last rounds for my final consideration are a thick bold letter in the back, and a cut out letter in white. I found this style to be the most attractive and functional in terms of composition out of all my sketches. When

FINAL DESIGN My final typographic mark

outside of the capital ‘B’ and

is composed of a capital

the sharp points created by

‘B’ in Univers Extra Black

the cutout of the lowercase

Oblique, and a lowercase ‘n’

‘n.’ I also chose this design

in Bodoni Book Italic. I had

because of its continuity

to choose a final design that

and movement due to both

was balanced and didn’t

typefaces being set in

predominately favor one

oblique. A simple design,

letter. I thought this design

yet I wouldn’t have come to

did the best job of that

this conclusion if it weren’t

because the negative space

for the many sketches and

of the lowercase ‘n’ takes

eliminations beforehand.

place of the space where the counters of the capital ‘B’ would appear. I enjoy the contrast of style between the two curved edges on the

Capital Univers Extra Black Oblique

Lowercase Bodoni Book Italic

Overlapping forms Using varied typefaces Maintaining balance

A composition

Contrasting negative space Caps and lowercase

Closely refining Eliminating designs Two letters unite

Outlining out the counters of the B

Filling the counters in to make a solid shape

Placing the ‘n’ in the shape

Cutting the ‘n’ out and filling in the space

CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS After working with 2/26

with my class mates and

letters of the alphabet for

professor, to doing the

8 weeks, I can say that

photography for my cover

I know these two letters

design, I am satisfied with

much more intimately than

my experience. I liked the

ever before. B and N, or N

pyramid-style format of the

and B, became part of my

process: Starting out with

every day thoughts. If I saw

hundreds of loose sketches,

something that inspired me

and narrowing them down

for a possible combination

closer and closer until

I immediately would make

refining my favorite merge

the absence of complexity.”

a sketch of it. It was a

of the two letter forms. The

constant challenge, and an

possibilities for this type

-Anonymous

enjoyable one at that. As

project are endless, and it’s

I reflect on the semester’s

going to take time for any of

activities from posting up

my future doodles to veer

beginning pencil drawings

away from involving a B and

on the wall, hours of talking

an N.

“Design is not the abundance of simplicity. It is

and critiquing about details

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

COLOPHON

Scot Benham, Haywood Printing Co. Inc. Lafayette, Indiana

Paper

Cougar 80# cover and 70# text

Type

Helvetica size 9 &10 pt

Anthony Hayden, Purdue Print & Digital Services delivered by Xerox

Binding

Perfect bound

Printing

Purdue Print & Digital Services Delivered by Xerox,

West Lafayette, Indiana

Bindery

Haywood Printing Co. Inc. Lafayette, Indiana

Printer

Xerox iGen 4 Diamond Edition

Edition

6-7 copies

Whitney Fry, Purdue Print & Digital Services delivered by Xerox Sherry Swank, Purdue Print & digital Services delivered by Xerox Dennis Y Ichiyama, My wise and experienced professor Wendy Olmstead Our knowledgeable and supportive substitute Matias Ferrari, My AD 105 teaching assistant and peer Adi Goodrich, Inspiring Art Director & Set Designer My helpful AD 332 classmates, Cheyanne Geidman Allison Smith Dan Merrell David Peck Emily Sigg Monica Farag Melanie Montemayor Zoe Lang Nancy Sells Katie Pino