Class Info

  • Date: Friday, 9/6
  • Meeting Info: In-Person, Pearl 112

Topic

  • What are variations of type and what are variable typefaces?
    • Weight (Bold, light, etc.)
    • Width (Extended, Expanded, Condensed, etc.)
    • Posture/ Slant (Regular or Roman, italic, oblique)
    • Contrast (High, low)
    • Serif (brackets, angled, others)

Objectives

  • Basic type variations in width, weight, posture, contrast, and serif (here’s a quick reference guide by Prof. Giuliani)
    • Weight (Bold, light, etc)
    • Width (Extended, Expanded, Condensed, etc)
      • Examples of Variation in Width. Notice that the weight of the letters are all the same.
    • Posture/ Slant (Regular or Roman, Italic, Oblique)
    • Contrast (High, low)
    • Serif (brackets, angled, others)
      • Serif description based on classification. Brackets refers to a curved or angled stroke that connects the serif or terminal of a letterform to its main stem.
      • Let’s also look at some variable typefaces. These are becoming more popular each day. Soon we will start seeing many typefaces designed this way, allowing quick flexibility and adjustments to type as layout change.
      • So we have both: Variable Fonts and Static Typefaces with Variations (fonts)

Activities

  • Type Challenge Select Variables
    • Typeface Selection by Classification:
      • Create a new document in InDesign with the following specs:
        • Document Size: 8.5″ x 11″
        • Margins: .75″ margins all around
        • no facing pages
      • SAVE AS YOU GO
      • Select three (3) typefaces from Adobe Fonts based on the following classifications and activate them. If you wish to use Google Fonts, you will have to install typefaces.
        • One Serif
        • One Sans Serif
        • One Script (or Handwriting).
      • Create a text box and add the name of your three typefaces, followed by Serif, Sans Serif, Script
        • With text still highlighted, apply the actual typeface and category to each of the name
        • Increase the pt size to approximately 30 to 36 pt
    • Variable Typeface:
      • On the same page you’ll work experiment with Variable Typefaces. Most often they are used for for design layouts and web.
        • First add either the typeface Acumin Variable Concept or Source Code Variable from Adobe Fonts.
      • Use your name (set in either Acumin Variable Concept or Source Code Variable Regular/ approx 36 pt size), copy/paste it so that is it now on your page five times
      • Keep your first name/ line as is. Go to the second one, highlight it and go to the variable font type slider (depending on the typeface you might see a width, weight or slant slider), and bring the WEIGHT slider it all the way to the left.
      • Go to the third one, highlight the and go to the WEIGHT variable font type slider, and bring it all the way to the right.
      • Go to the fourth one, highlight the word and go to the WIDTH variable font type slider and place as you wish.
      • Go to the fifth one, highlight the word and go to the SLANT variable font type slider and place as you wish.
      • Save your work in InDesign and export as PDF: “Last Name_First Initial_TC_select_variables.pdf”.
      • Place in Dropbox
  • Graphic Assignment 2 (part of Project 1): Start during class. Select a word related to your invention
    • Open your Project 1 InDesign File. On pages 3 to 5 you will identify weight, width, and posture in the following format:
    • For this activity, you cannot use the same typefaces used in any of the provided examples or Quick Reference Materials.
    • Page 3: WEIGHT
      • Use same typeface family for all main words on this page, and always identify the typeface and font
      • Title: Type Variations: Weight (type in 5th column)
        • 1st column leave blank
        • 2nd column = a word with a light font
        • 3rd column = a word with a regular font
        • 4th column = a word with a bold font
    • Page 4: WIDTH
      • Use same typeface family for all main words on this page and always identify the typeface and font
      • Title: Type Variations: Width (type this in 5th column). Will have the same weight.
        • 1st column leave blank
        • 2nd column = a word with a condensed/narrow or compressed font
        • 3rd column = a word with a regular font
        • 4th column = a word with a an extended or expanded or wide font
    • Page 5: POSTURE
      • Use LOWERCASE characters
      • Use same typeface family for all characters on this page and always identify the typeface and font
      • Title: Type Variations: Posture (type in 5th column)
        • 1st column leave blank
        • 2rd column = a word with a regular font
        • 3rd column = blank
        • 4th column = a word with a real/true italic font
  • Save your InDesign file
  • Export pages 3 to 5 as a PDF: Lastname_firstname_variations_wwp.pdf
  • Place PDF file only in Dropbox

To-Do After Class

  • Complete Graphic Assignment 2 (weight, width, and posture) that was started in class. This WILL be graded along with Graphic Assignment 1 (assigned during Class 3)
    • Save your InDesign File and create a PDF file (FILE> EXPORT> PDF)
    • ONLY export PAGES 3-5
    • Save file: Lastname_firstname_variations_wwp.pdf NOTE: Assignments not following naming convention will be marked as not done.
    • Place only the PDF file in our class Dropbox
  • Found Alphabet
    • Letters A, Number 1
      • Post Due: 11 PM 9/10. Comments Due: 11 PM 9/12

 

USE THIS LINK TO ACCESS CLASS DROPBOX!!!!!!!!!!!

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