aw3soM3 Us3 of tYp3 in An uNConv3ntioNal wAy :)

image via NFG

mOR3 fOUnd Typ3fAC3S

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Via www.ignant.de

aW3soME ‘fOUnd’ tyPograPHY!

What a great example of ‘found’ unconventional typography!

 Rhett Dashwood, Creative Director based in Melbourn, spent some of his spare time searching Google Maps hoping to discover land formations or buildings resembling letter forms. Via SwissLegacy

oN a rOLl… loGOtYp3 d3sIgn

On the heels of designing my own typefaces, I looked into logotypes and considered, would popular brand names convey a different message about their brands if they were to be designed in a unconventional typeface? My outcome, I would say it would depend on just how much you deviate from the original typeface. What are your thoughts? 

Below are my two examples…

d3SigN YOur OwN tYP3fAC3

After looking at unconventional typography and the various applications, I have decided to design my own. One, which I have called ‘lagos” is legible and made up for legos and the other I’ve called ‘Olie’ and is in my opinion a little illegible – Why not try design your own

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

iS tH3 iNT3rVentIOn wORkinG?

I received a rather pleasant email from graphic designer, Martin Hiller. He is the designer in charge of the media magazine as well as being responsible for some other exciting clients such as Nedbank and the Mail & Guardian. He told me that after reading my blog, he found that although the context in which he was designing did not allow for much ‘unconventional typography’ to be used, he was playing around with how ‘conventional’ typefaces could be used in more ‘unconventional applications’.

Martin went on to say that he was more aware of the typography he was using and found that he wanted to come up with more ‘typographic solutions’ as aposed to just ‘normal’ image & typography layouts! 

Below is an example of a layout he has done for the Mail & Guardian, using ‘conventional’ typography in an ‘unconventional’ way!

iNt3rAcTIV3 posT3rs

In order to create an awareness around ‘unconventional’ typographic applications I created two interactive posters. One which went up in the Greenside Design Center, and the other at my offices in Parktown North. Even though it showcased one ‘unconventional’ typographic application, it was meant as a ‘STOP, LOOK & SEE – this can be considered a good typographic solution’ devise. In many cases it has been a success. It has created an awareness as well as an interest for people to come visit this blog. However there are still some logistics I have to work out.

Such as, how do I know where the flow of traffic to this site is coming from? Is it coming from the college or from my office? How can I monitor this? How interested are the people visiting my blog, in learning about ‘unconventional’ typographic applications? In many cases, the pictures I have taken of the interactive posters, have shown that people are playing around – so if anything! At least I’m sparking some sort of interest around typography!

aLt3rNative mEdia

iNt3rVieW WitH mIa vAn D3r H33v3r

1.Do you think designers coming out of colleges have a good understanding of typography?

I think designers coming out of colleges still have a lot to learn about everything, not just typography. They have a basic understanding, but once in the industry applications and uses become more apparent. It’s something that cannot be taught as much as understood through personal repeated experience.

 2.What should young designers be taught in you opinion?

 I think colleges need to teach a better, comprehensive understanding of software and the client/designer relationship.

 3. What is your most important ‘rule’ of typography?

All rules can be bent, so I think it is important to have more than one “rule” and always be open to amend it to suit a design. So, I guess the rule would be to never be set in any rule. How can you be innovative in a box?

 4. How important do you think the rules of typography are to creating a good design?

 As stated, rules can be bent. It depends on the whole design – if the typography works and something else doesn’t it is still not a “good design”.

 5. How would you distinguish between Readability & Legibility?

 Legibility is being able to distinguish characters. Readability is to be able to read the characters in consecutive order to make a word/phrase.

 6. What would you consider an unconventional typeface?

 Is there such a thing? Unconventional is a point of view… Any typeface can be used “conventionally” in the right design…?

 7. How do you experiment with type and different layouts?

 I usually consider the message of the design and then I choose a direction/style I would like to follow. Then I go through fonts and decide which fonts are suitable, then I play around with font size, case, colour and placement.

 8. How do you think the typographic meaning is affected when an unconventional type or an unusual typographic application is used?

 It’s not the typographic meaning that is affected, but the message. Just like anything you can dress it up to change the meaning, the impact, the voice.

 9. How influenced is your design work by typography?

 Being interested in corporate design more than advertising etc, I think my work is more influenced by typography than imagery. I take my time to pick fonts, and then the rest seems to fall into place. I am driven by the message.

 10. How aware to you think the general public is of typography and it’s various applications?

 The general public isn’t even aware of design and it’s various applications. To expect them to be aware of one aspect/element of it is highly hopeful. Everyone with a PC these days think they are a designer of sorts, and the worst is that they “design” with Windows fonts… in WORD or PAINT!!!!!

 11. Any last words on unconventional typography and unconventional typographic applications?

Again this word “unconventional”.  If something works it works. My (un)conventional won’t be the same as yours, so I really think it is just a point of view, an opinion… And yes, I am aware that academics have argued this way and that, I just don’t think everyone can always agree on the same point.

iTnt3rVI3w wiTh marTIn HiL3r

1.Do you think designers coming out of colleges have a good understanding of typography?

No. The trend for a lot of designers nowadays is to use images to convey. There is no actual thought when choosing a font. Designers have forgotten that typography is a visual element as well and can be used to convey messages. I love Horizons, British Airways in-flight magazine, as typography is used effectively as a visual point of interest.

2.What should young designers be taught in your opinion?

That typography can be used as a visual element. You can make images out of text. There needs to be a focus on how typography can be integrated with visuals in order to create an outstanding design.

3. What is your most important ‘rule’ of typography?

If its not readable and legible, start over again. Design is about conveying a message and if the message gets lost, then clearly the design has failed. Let’s take a billboard – you have five seconds to grab somebody’s attention and even they design looks good you got them, but you lose them if they cannot make out what you are trying to convey. The MiWay billboards are a prefect example. At first glance I cannot read their message.

4. How important do you think the rules of typography are to creating a good design?

All rules are meant to be broken but within reason. If David Carter did not break the rules I would be doing some pretty boring magazine design. So I still go by my design mantra “if its readable and legible go with it”

5. How would you distinguish between Readability & Legibility?

I do not think that there should be a distinction. Legibility and readability should be viewed as one. A typeface needs to be legible in order to be readable. Otherwise it just another ‘picture’

6. What would you consider an unconventional typeface?

I have used many in my designs but I stick to my design mantra.

7. How do you experiment with type and different layouts?

The magazines I work on do not allow much experimentation, however when I was doing the redesign for The Media I tried various designs. It is important to create visual interest with type so you need to look at various typefaces that work well together. A different headline font paired with a different blurb and body copy font creates that visual interest as the reader will not feel like he is looking at a solid block of text. You will be surprised what can be created with a drop cap.

8. How do you think the typographic meaning is affected when an unconventional type or an unusual typographic application is used?

I not think it is affected.

9. How influenced is your design work by typography?

Working on magazine layouts, very. Every layout needs to be of visual interest to readers and I sometimes only have text to work with. A pull quote works wonders and The Media uses different text sizes in the pull quote to create that visual interest.

10. How aware to you think the general public is of typography and it’s various applications? 

They are aware but they do not have the tools to effectively communicate their thoughts. They will not like something but they cannot explain exactly why.

11. Any last words on unconventional typography and unconventional typographic applications?

If it is readable and legible, bend the rules.