Type Journal by shantanu suman

TYPE JOURNAL A design students collection of images and insights

Katherine Green Spring 2012

Table of Contents Type Journal

Reading Responses

Video Games 1

Kit Hinrich 14

Cereals 2

Doyald Young

Soap 3

Helvetica

Pizza 4

Artist Series with

Paint 5

Hillman Curtis

Bikes 6

Marian Bantjes

Animations

Margo Chase

Snacks 8

Troika Group

Rent Signs 9 Books 10 Bathroom Cleansers 11 Gas 12 Apartments 13

Introduction This â&#x20AC;&#x153;Type Journalâ&#x20AC;? offers a study of Typography as it is discovered in the everyday world of a college design student. It documents the evolving perception of an individual deepening her relationship with the visual appearance of words through research, typographic explorations within her own projects and the environment. It remains my sincerest hope that I might have learned something, and that the reader of this text may also become aware of something new within the ever changing world of Typography. ~Katherine Green

In my studies of game logos for recently released console games, I realized how formulated these designs are. They serve only to serve the larger purpose of the game, reflecting the setting, characters, and content of their product in the decoration of the letters as well as the chosen typefaces. Look at the red, green, yellow, and blue in the “Mario” title: we see the red of Mario’s clothing, the green grass and blue sky of the standard stages, and the yellow of the power stars. “Uncharted 3,” a cinematic action/ adventure game, is as rugged as some of the treasure you find within the game. “Portal 2” is as sleek and smooth as the games many test chambers.

VIDEO GAMES

Found /13/12 in my personal collection These designs are really extensions of the illustration on the game’s cover. It’s also important to notice that each title is written in ALL CAPS in every instance. If this is formula that feels familiar, it’s because movie titles share many of the same characteristics. It seems that designers might have turned to movies for a jumping off point for designing the game logos, as video games are a relatively new creation and do not yet have a large body of design work.

It is also interesting the note that all of these games are sequels in popular series; if a number is present, it’s HUGE, bigger than the rest of the title to indicate that yes, this is indeed a NEW Mario/Portal/Uncharted.

CEREALS Found 01/21/12 in personal kitchen

Although bold and ornamented in every case, I found that the typography for cereal brands is directly dependent on that particular brand’s demographic. Cereals for children like “Coca Crispies” use highly saturated complementary colors and excitable, bubbly font. But breakfast for adults comes in more sophisticated colors and typefaces, such as the fancy-yet-practical look of “Natural Granola” or the simplistic but effective “Special K.” “Cheerios” and “Whet Chex” are cereals that aim for both of these demographics, and thus have a look somewhere in-between the two types of designs with bright yellow and a playful but not over the top typeface.

Another interesting trait in these logos is the “health” messages forced into the designs, such as the “simply nutritious” label in “Wheat Chex.” Our countries recent obsession with health foods has clearly found its way into the designs of all types of food. In any case, I wish these designs where more creative about how they implement the idea of “breakfast food” and the shapes of their respective cereals into the typography. Many of them could be used for any type of generic food product.

“Herbal Essences” is very playful, while “Clean and Clear” also walks the route of practicality; it is of note that none of these designs attempt any “3D” modeling with shadows or painted details. They are also not cluttered with descriptive phrases or endorsements, as many products like these are. They try to stand out more with the look of the letters rather than words; something many other products I studied are not brave enough to try (such as the cereals, or cleaning products). Perhaps it is soaps connections with luxury that afford these types of designs.

SOAP Found 1/29/12 in my bathroom

Designs for Soap titles range from practical to flowery, but, as you might expect, always aim to be clean. “Soft Soap” is a simple hand soap, and so its uses a simple sans-serif typeface, but with slight curves to add a touch of elegance. “Skintimates” is a sweet smelling body soap for girls, so it goes out of its way to be as extravagant as possible with those curves! But what about “LOREAL”, which is square and rigid despite adorning a body soap? Here the aim seems to be sophistication, as if the soap where something very expensive and exclusive.

“Leonardo’s” uses faux sophistication to match it’s title, and “Gumbys” uses the look of the green, flexible mascot character instead of the product for inspiration. For me, all of them work on some level except for “Gumbys.” The use of the color red seems to be a must for pizza joints, as it reflects the main color of the product, and for Gumbys to lack any red or even yellow, it just gets washed out among the other stores in its strip mall. Oh, and I spy a type crime! Both Dominos and Hungry Howie’s use dumb quotes. And both of those companies are fairly large... embrassing.

PIZZA Found 12/04/12 around Gainesville

For a food as casual as Pizza, the designs of their restaurant signs need to work with the concepts of flavor, value, and family. These ideas are most clearly expressed in the rounded typeface of “Cicis” and thick, classic, fairly tacky look of “Hungry Howies.” “Dominos” takes a more modern route, using extra design elements around the type like the domino and fake rounded awning to create its brand.

PIANT Found 02/13/12 in my personal collection

Talk about cluttered packaging… with these paint bottles you’d think it was a contest to see how much information one can comfortably fit unto an awkward curving surface. All of these designs seem to try and balance circular and straight elements, fitting the logo into a circle or half circle seems to be a trend (all but “Golden” do this). The over the top kitschy look of “Americana” and school-teacher friendly appearance of “Apple Barrel” all use demographic targeting to guide their designs, while “Golden,” a more expensive brand, sets itself apart with minimal use of color and not a hint of illustration.

Sans-serif, standard typefaces are used in every instance for the detail information to aid readability, and the bottle create hierarchy with typeface and size.

BIKES Found 02/19/12 at my apartment

This served as interesting study on how to make typography work on a very restrictive canvas. The slim, awkwardly shaped bike bodies do not lend themselves well to words, but the designers make it work somehow. The titles are simply given a strong horizontal stretch and play off of this orientation by using lines to generate a sense of speed and power. For most of the designs, very “sporty” typefaces are used, such as the square “Roadmaster,” “Trek” and “Raliegh.” “Schwinn” is more modern and feminine, while the design that sets itself apart with flowing script is the other “Trek” bike. I know that this particular bike is much more expensive than the others, so this easily explains the difference. So often a products prize, nothing more or less, seems to determine the qualities of it’s design.

Animations always have strong personality, and so these titles all try to reflect the individual spirit of the film they represent.

ANIMATIONS Found 02/27/12 in my personal collection

Finding Nemo uses a logographic element with the little fish and wave, creating a rather design. “Princess Mononoke” is really the odd design out here, as it clearly had less time put into it (the Japense animation was released before anime had really become mainstream) and simply uses typical serif typeface and slight texturing to get a rugged fantasy feel. I think all of these designs work fairly well, but Pixar animation studios has the most powerful designs in my opinion, favoring clever typographic elements over the in-your-face rendering of the Dreamworks designs.

“Wall-E” uses a solid, square typeface that references the name of it’s lead character and the fact the films leads are robots; the red circle around the “E” recalls that stereotypical red button found on futuristic machines. “Megamind” uses a twisted font and color scheme to match the big blue head and even bigger ego of the title character, as well as using a typeface that references the comic books the film parodies. “How to Train your Dragon” also plays with the font shape, making the word “DRAGON” (the important word, after all) pop out.

SNACKS

Found 02/20/12 in my pantry Saturated colors and detailed illustrations define these kid friendly snack packs. The typefaces used here are all adorned with detail and depth, much like the Cereal titles studied earlier. “Teddy Grahams” offers the most complete example of this, but “Lorna Doones” is no slouch either, with drop shadows and that motherly R that cradles the N and A. The “Ritz” packaging is clever in how it plays off of the round shape of the crackers within the rectangular framework of the packaging. It squeezes the transparent area that reveals the cracker between the signature and description of the product to create a delicious packaging sandwich! Speaking of squeezing, the odd oval shape of the Pringles package is simply worked around, and not utilized in the design of the label, which is clearly made for a square package. The “Animal cracker” design used the package shape, fitting lavish animal illustrations into boxes (“cages”) with that children will be captivated (I know this was effective on me in the past).

RENT SIGNS Found 03/24/12 in my Neighborhood

Here, we see some typography that is not simply unimaginative, it’s bad. Although most of these signs do establish some sort of hierarchy with size, different typefaces, and color, the result is so jumbled and ugly so often that you have to wonder if this is a lost advertising opportunity for the companies. Archer Woods Apartments uses awful neon colors and the “Jokerman” typeface, so apparently they were aiming for maximum kitsch. The rest of the signs, however readable with a single-coloron-white scheme, are just boring. The mix of different typefaces for Taylor Square Apartments and Trend reality don’t create any sort of interest or contrast, but at least Trend has some of logo that people passing by might remember. Trimark properties probably has the best sign, but the typefaces it uses for the smaller words is a bit hard to read (particularly at a distance) even if it lends the sign a smidgen of personality. Honestly, I do think these “For Rent” signs could be so much more. They offer the first impression of the apartment to renters in many instances. Why not dress them up in some classy graphic design to ensure a good reputation for your company and product?

BOOKS Found 03/13/12 in Books-A-Million

Shine, sparkle and the classic look of serif typefaces are popular for adolescent fantasy novels, as evidenced by this cross-section of books found at a local Books-A-Million. The typography aims to be harmonious with the illustrations (much like the video game titles) in shape and color. “Scumble” is the only example that uses a color in the title (blue) that contrasts with the illustration (which is orange), favoring an attention grabbing combination over balance. “Harry Potter” is the only title to use a logographic element, with the famous lightning bolt sewn into the P. “Inkspell” and “Narnia” use somewhat similar styles (thin, all capital serif letters) while “A Clockwork Three” stands out, with the title is in the center of the composition as opposed to the top. I don’t think there is much creative typography going on here, as the focus is in the lavish illustrations intended to capture the imaginations of young readers. The only exception is “Harry Potter,” that custom typeface, with its jagged edges and characteristic P, has become quite recognizable and is a part of the “HP” brand.

BATHROOM CLEANSERS Found 03/04/12 in my bathroom

Almost all of these bathroom cleaner practically glow, using so much fuzzy backlighting and lens flares that you might think your toilet will literally sparkle after using one of these fine products. They also overwhelm you with hyperbole about how powerful the solutions inside the bottles are (“EXTRA STRENGTH,” “Powers through tough stains”). Blue and green seem popular choices for colors, which makes sense for their associations with spring and cleanliness. What makes less sense to me is the choice of illustration for “Sno Bowl” and “Comet.” Toilets and bathtubs do not make for very romantic imagery, and completely lack any creativity. But I suppose they work. “Method antibac” to me, is clearly the most sophisticated design out of the products collected. It’s clean, to the point, and makes good use of negative space.

GAS Found 03/08/12 around Gainesville

Gas stations want simple logos and signatures that convey speed, strength and accessibility. It is easy to see this in all of the examples I collected, from the bold red and yellow theme of “Shell” to the patriotic red, white, and blue look of “Chevron” and “Marathon.” The companies have created all symbols that are easy to recognize from the street, with the exception of the lower quality “Kangaroo” station, which in my opinion has by far the weakest design scheme. The name, however unusual for a gas station, does not match up with a very strong logo. The kangaroo does not blend well with the typography; it’s just sort of been placed in the K and looks awkward more than anything else. The other companies have kept their logos and signatures separate, although Marathon does use a typographic logo that combines the name of the company and the title letter in the name. BP is interesting in how “green” (literally and figuratively) their logo is. They are using design as part of their push to be seen a more environmentally conscious company after recent pollution disasters tarnished their reputation. These types of designs show how a single idea simplified into an abstract image can be strong.

APARTMENTS

Found 03/09/12 in my neighborhood

These apartment signs, most other examples studied here, include three dimensional elements as part of their layout to create an identity. Many times design extends beyond it’s typical two dimensional realm. Script seems to be a popular choice of font, as cursive writing has strong associations with class and luxury. University Heights is the only example that does not use some sort of script, and this is because it is one of the cheaper options in the area and has an emphasis on value. “Sabal Palms,” with it’s thin typeface, open architectural design, and light, summery colors, feels the lightest of these designs.

The other all have heavy brick layouts and deep browns that suggest security, but I like the more carefree feel of “Sabal Palms.” I also think that the minimalist illustration of a leaf in the “Estates” offers the best use of an illustration. The golden tree in “University Heights” is just tacky, while “Camden Court” doesn’t really need an extra elements with the heavily decorative typeface it already has. These signs offer an immediate impression of the apartments they rest in front of, and clearly try to glorify the interiors.

KIT HINRICH SOLVE Use Collections as Stimuli Draw on your childhood

Make it function better

EXPLORE Find symbols

Widen your Experience

Find out who people are, how they react

TRUST SPEAK Learn from others

Have a Team

Use simpler, stronger, messages

Make it clear

Doyald Young

“Drawing letters is hard.” Doyle Young says this at the opening of this documnetary, and his words couldn’t be truer. I find it difficult to relate to his adoration of letters- I just can’t grasp how he gauges the tiny differences in thickness of curves, or the slight change in the seperation of letters. I can see how these details make a better design, but the very idea feels so tedious it makes my hands itch just thinking about it. I do find the assertion that typeography is an ancient art very intriguing, because I never really thought about it that way. It’s true that the letters of the alphabet are the same as they where hundreds of years ago. We may have new tools to create them (aka computers) but all fonts are built from the same exact mold. In that sense, typeography is a basic part of the normal human experience, as basic as clothing or cooking. We don’t think about it, but type can define much of our thought, color our experience, illustrate our memories. When I think about typeography in this way, it becomes a much more romantic and worthwhile endeavor. Young’s first rule for type was that it must be legiable, which is somethingI’ll try to never forget. It seems like such as obvious rule, but it’s so easy to violate it when you don’t think enough about what your creating. But more important is his final rule: How does it look? This is a designer who clearly values intuition over technical rules. Does it look right, does it feel right? With this in mind, being a designer of type takes some inborn sense of taste. You just know when it is finished, when those letters form a word that at last looks as perfect as it possibly can. That’s what typography seems to be all about: the endless tweaking of ideas into a single image that looks so good it feels effortless.

Helvectica

“A font for the ages.” Helvetica is, according to the 2007 film by the same name, a font for the ages. Smooth, clean, and famously ubiquitous, Helvetica remains ever-popular in a world where companies and signs want to send messages using a vehicle that is as neutral as possible. Designed way back in 1957 by the Swiss designer Max Miedinger with Edward Hoffman, the typeface was created in the idealistic, hopeful spirit of a world recovering from the horrors of World War Two. Today, Helvetica is everywhere all over earth, from street signs to tax forms to company logotypes. But popularity really does breed contempt, and the law of diminishing returns does apply to Helvetica. Sure, it does have nice curves and exude sensations of confidence and safety, but it’s kind of boring. It’s just… there, and everywhere, which is exactly what it sets out to do, but in the end what is that worth? You want to communicate a message in a design, so why not have the letters help spell out that message instead of just existing? Typeface should be meaningful to the design, even if it’s in subtle ways. Helvetica’s attempt to nullify the meanings of letters and its enduring popularity simply makes it feel dull and cooperate in many instances; I agree with some of the disgruntled designers in the film who voiced this opinion. In some designs, the shape, color, and details on the letters can be the focus of the image! Helvetica has a place in design, but I’m surprised that after all these years designers have not found a suitable replacement, or that they haven’t been imaginative enough to come up with a new trend. Designers, to me, have a responsibility not only to satisfy their client and sell services and products, but to make the visual pollution of our world that much more attractive. The work of designers fills the eyes of modern humanity almost all day and night, and those images should not only be effective, but somehow entertaining or intriguing. Maybe that view is a little naïve, but that’s how I feel. I think designers should aim to make the world a little bit nicer to look at. And Helvetica, while it is “nice,” is also plain. I enjoyed how this film offered various opinions on Helvectica, offering both a neutral history and cross section of ideas, uses, and influences of the typeface. In a way, it was just like the subject it was exploring- clean, neutral, easy to understand, but a little bit boring. Watching it gave me a better idea on how typefaces affect design, and how trends in design are no different from trends in the rest of history: they are circular. It makes me hope that new designers can challenge the reign of Helvetica and create more and more designs that use bold, meaningful typefaces. The film also offered a nice surface glance at the world of designers. They seem to be practical people with practical jobs, but their passion for typefacesand designs is intense. They are artists in the truest sense, and will one day be studied byart historians as a driving force behind the expansion of commerce and industry. And Helvetica, regardless of how people feel about it, has secured a place in the legacy of design.

Artist Series with Subject 1: David Carson A designer who started his design career making layouts for magazines, David Carson uses a powerful, emotional style when arranging his type, often destroying legibility in the process. He says that his “lack of training” was helpful, as it allowed him to unwittingly break the lawsof type to create fresh designs. He wisely asserts that the use of computers in design is going to call for an even more personal approach to the designs themselves, because computers erase the “touch” of the artist. I think that Carson’s designs are invigorating in a world of helvetica and sterile simplicity.

Subject 2: Milton Glaser “None of us can understand our path until it’s over” says Glaser, a man who describes design as something caught between the business man and the artist. Glaser desires to “continue to be astonished” by the world and his work. He asserts that design should not only sell commodities but provide “commonality” for the people of the world.” Design should act as a positive force that unites. Such sentiments are reflected in his work, including the famous “I (heart) NY” slogan. Glaser’s idealistic notions about the greater purpose of design really resonate with me. I also want to remain awed by the world, and hope at design can serve mankind beyond aiding business.

Subject 3: Pentagram Pentagram is an international group of designers hailing from various disciplines. It began as a “family of men,” with the intent of blending having designers and architects work together. It wasn’t always a simple affair (the group had a high turn over rate) but the group still exists today under a “socialistcapitalist” model in which no single person or group of people lead the group. Pentagramhopes to impact culture with fresh ideas from many minds from many different areas of design. The idealistic, collaborative style of the group almost reminds me of the Bauhuas. To be part of a creative think tank like this one must be a great experience for the people involved. Branching out to other cultures, disciplines and people is an excellent way to improve your work and the people that are part of Pentagram seem lucky to be there.

Hil man Curtis Subject 4: Paula Scher The refreshing thing about Scher is that she relies on her first instinct in designs. If she can’t get it on the first or second “crack,” she usually won’t ever “get it.” I have found in my years working as an artist that my first few “cracks” are almost always my best ideas. Working an idea over until it stinks like a dead horse that’s been beaten into a pulp doesn’t work too well for me. You either figure it out quickly, or you don’t. Scher may just be puffing up a bit when she tells her story of how she designed the citibank logo on a napkin, but there no doubt that those first intuitions about something are always very strong.

Subject 5: Sagmeister Sagmeister seems more like a true fine artist than a designer to me. His highly conceptual design process, emphasis on process (he has a book and had a show titled “things I have learned”) and solid confidence all suggest a man who has found success in the fickle fine art world. As he states “Everything I do always comes back to me,” his work is personal and often very powerful. Even if he does seem a bit egotistical. Some of the “things he learned”in the show offered good advice though,all of them where elegant but I liked “worrying solves nothing” the best.

Subject 6: James Victore Now this is one angry designer. His politically charged, inflammatory works (one poster features an incomplete game of hangman with the word “nigger” not quite spelled out yet) attack racisms, poverty, and the evils of Disney. He enjoys the “immediacy of paper and pen,” and I can agree with this. Holding a pencil in your hand and running across a slice of paper is so much more visceral than typing on a computer. Could Victore’s art bejust as intense if it where created on a screen? Perhaps not. I think hand made works retain a powerful lang ague of their own, and I hope that computers do not completely replace design by hand. But at the same time, computers have a place in accelerating and facilitating the design process.

Marian Bantjes Shock, Awe, Wonder: Design Marian Bantjes has a strong sense of wonder. Both in the sense of being in awe of something,and in terms of curiosity. Some designers are good at doing the same thing over and over, but Marian is one of those who makes something new every time. She creates “beauty the hard way,” and uses it to create compelling designs that demand attention and then hold it. Her methods have become more akin to illustration than design, giving commissioners what they want and not just what they ask for. I can relate to such an illustrative style, as I like to work in this more intuitive manner instead of treating my work as a puzzle to be solved in some specific way. But since I don’t have nearly as much talent or experience as Mrs. Bantjes, I understand that I need to work with the strategies that de singers most commonly rely upon. You have to walk before can run, and so on.

Marian’s overwhelming confidence in her own work is also amazing. She ohhs and ahhs at her own designs as if she had never seen thembefore! I don’t know if this is a result of simple pride or that strong sense of wonder she so desires. I usually groan at my work, and that seems to be response that I am taught to expect of myself... I mean, who actually thinks to themselves “Everything I do I do for love?” Who does that? Who “deconstructs the alphabet?” This women is presented as something of a wonderful enigma. Her work is certainly worthy of admiration, but I feel that shes putting on show to fit a persona she’s crafted. She’s either not being honest or being too honest. On that same token, I feel like her work gives some a similar aura. It’s easy to look at, yet it almost seems to be hiding something. Something deeper and more cynical. That, or it’s me who’s being cynical.

Margo Chase Chase The Sky Margo Chase does not make designs that are just “pretty and cool.” She makes designs that are “pretty and cool for a reason.” Chase, who has worked for brands as well known as Starbucks and Polly Pocket, got her start in the design industry creating album covers. Inspired by designs in real books and magazines, Chase cultivates her creative space in a manner that will “reflect the work”and uses real, moldy old books and magazines as references and inspiration for her designs. I can see the value in these tomes; I’m one of those people who loves the smell and touch of a real publication. The more I learn about digital art, the more important “real” art becomes! Without reality, the digital realm of design is lost in a floating, uncertain space because it’s well, not real. It’s almost imaginary, but in the most linear, flat way. Surpisingly, Chase originally went to school to pursue a degree in veterinary medicine, but this obviously did not work out. Finding your own path is difficult for everyone. Chase earned a reputation for being a master of the “Gothic” design style after creating the famous bloody poster for a “Dracula” film, proving that just like actors, designers c an be type cast! On the upside this gives you a job, but on the downside it limits a personscreative freedom and opportunities. I think having a certain “brand” for yourself is good, but the brand can’t overpower the designer as a person. Otherwise, they will have no room to growin different directions, and venturing into unknown territory is essential for any artists if they are to ream in a creative field of work. The method that Chase laid out for creating designs was valuable for me to see. The importance of research; of understanding your subject inside and outside out, on bad days and good days, who and what a company or logo or audience really IS... that’s so important. I see now how guilty I am of justwanting to make beautiful things. I didn’t try to understand my work, just make it look nice. And what is that worth? Not much. You have to invest time not only in your craft, but your idea. The idea is paramount! Chase showed me that more than any of the other designers we have studied so far. Chase’s accounts of the earlier versions of Photoshop and the transition for design into the digital realm was also interesting. Computers have revolutionized the tools people use to make designs, but not much has actually changed. People are still the same, regardless of whether they make a logo with markers and paintbrush or on Illustrator. And people are also the same whether they see a sign in on the roadside or on a web page. Understand how people work, and you can make excellent designs. But to be honest, if I really did know how human beings think and why they do what they do, I’d be doing more with my time than designing logos so companies can make money. As it is though, I suppose studying design is one way to try and understand the human con dition better.

Troika Group Who They Are Troika is a Hollywood based design group that does branding for television. Through collaboration between conceptual designers and skilled artists,the firm has created identities for well-known channels like Oxygen, Starz, and Fox. The ultimate goal of this “branding”is to create a connection between the channel and audience, and accomplish this lofty goal in the brief split of time allowed by the commercial/content transitions that Trokia creates.

How They Do It Troika tries to maintain a fun and efficient workplace that fosters creatithinking and collaboration. The aim is to keep the design teams “feed” and energized, while also nurturing the individual. The firm is paid for its process, not the product- uncertainty can be a sign that innovation is happening and that the final work will be strong. The teams conquer their assignments step by step, working on smaller problems in order to solve the large one. Troika also approaches technology strictly as a tool to bring life into the ideas of the designers, and likes to stay a bit behind the curve to ensure that every tool will work correctly. From designer to artist to the screen- Troika tries to work as a well-oiled machine.

What I can Learn from Them The distinction made in the video from “artists” as workers and “designers” as thinkers is a frustrating divide I have found in my artistic life. Why can’t you be both? The answer of course is that no one has time for both. My fear is that I will attempt to straddle both worlds and as a result fall short of them. Then I will have nothing left. Of course, someone in the video was keen on this point: “artists are insecure.” How very true! I suppose I just have to accept this, taking my projects step by step, hoping that if my process is inspired, so will the final product. Don’t rush, don’t freak out. Just take this one step at a time, and you’ll be fine. Find other creative people and surround yourself with them. Live your work. If only this was as easy to accomplish as it is to describe!