Advanced Typography: Task 3 - Project 2: Type Exploration and Application

18.6.2025 - 16.7.2025 / Week 9 - Week 12
Omar bin Shafik / 0371439
Advanced Typography / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media
Task 3 / Type Exploration and Application

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INSTRUCTIONS

Fig 1, Advance Typography MIB (PDF), Week 9 (18.6.2025)

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TASK 3

For Task 3, we were tasked to either design a typeface to solve a problem within an are of interest (Graphic Design, UI/UX, Animation, Entertainment Design) or explore the use of a typeface within our own area of interest. 

Ideation

I came up with 3 ideas for this task, game UI, exploration off of Task 2 or a font similar to the calligraphic letter written in medieval books

Idea 1: Game UI

For this idea, I wanted to make something inspired by game UI, specifically something sci-fi or simplistic like the font used in Cyberpunk 2077 or Minecraft.

Fig 2, Cyberpunk Mission Menu UI, Week 9 (20.6.2025)

Fig 3, The Font used in Minecraft, Week 9 (20.6.2025)

Idea 2: Exploration off of Task 2

For this idea, I would have further explored the shapes I used for my key artwork in Task 2 and develop a full font based off of that.

Fig 4, Task 2 Key Artwork, Week 9 (20.6.2025)

Idea 3: Medieval calligraphy

For this idea, I remembered the opening to Shrek, with the book flipping open and words being written down. I would have made a typeface based off of the calligraphic letters from medieval times.

Fig 5, Medieval-esque Calligraphy Example, Week 9 (20.6.2025)

Exploration of Chosen Idea

I decided to go further with Idea 1, mostly because I have had some thoughts about making a game or something game related that I could use this for. Ever since I played Cyberpunk 2077, I fell in love with its dystopian, futuristic, aesthetic from the prop designs, to the characters and how they implemented cybernetic augmentations to the characters. Another big part of the game was the UI. A lot of the gameplay aspects used the UI to its advantage from hacking minigames to communication platforms. The UI felt like it was a part of the world because technology was so integrated in the world, it would just make sense for captions to appear whenever someone was talking or when someone is taking a call like in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.

Fig 6, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Character on a Call, Week 9 (20.6.2025)

Fig 7, Cyberpunk 2077 Hacking Minigame, Week 9 (20.6.2025)

Because of this, I have always had a thought in the back of my mind about making something sci-fi esque, a game, a story, something. And I would want to include dialogue in it. That would be where this font would come in. Something clean and easy to read.

Further Development

I planned to make every letter within the same dimensions. In a grid, 5 sections horizontally, 11.5 sections vertically, each section having divisions of 8. 

Fig 8, Letter A for use as a base, Week 10 (24.6.2025)

I referenced the Minecraft font while making the font so that I could have a reference on how to do this.

Fig 9, Lowercase experimentation, Week 11 (3.7.2025)

Fig 10, Ampersand Experimentation, Week 11 (3.7.2025)

I experimented with the look of a few characters, I especially struggled with the ampersand as making something with that many loops in this chunky grid I chose was tough.

Fig 11, Week 11 Progress, Week 11 (3.7.2025)

Fig 12,Week 11 Progress Skeletons, Week 11 (3.7.2025)

I finished up the font in Illustrator and started transferring it into FontLab.

Fig 13, FontLab ScreenGrab, Week 11 (3.7.2025)

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APPLICATIONS

Font Presentations

Fig 14, Font Presentation 1, Week 13 (22.7.2025)

Fig 15, Font Presentation 2, Week 13 (22.7.2025)

Fig 16, Font Presentation 3, Week 13 (22.7.2025)

Fig 17, Font Presentation 4, Week 13 (22.7.2025)

Fig 18, Font Presentation 5, Week 13 (22.7.2025)

Fig 19, Font Presentation PDF, Week 13 (22.7.2025)

Font Applications

After exporting the font, I drew up a rough game and inserted the font. 

Fig 20, Dialogue Rough, Week 12 (15.7.2025)

Fig 21, Inventory Rough, Week 12 (15.7.2025)

Fig 22, Inventory Rough, Week 12 (15.7.2025)

Fig 23, Inventory Rough, Week 12 (15.7.2025)

Fig 24, Inventory Rough, Week 12 (15.7.2025)

Fig 25, Font Applications PDF, Week 12 (15.7.2025)

Honor Competition 

I also had to make three designs for the Honor Competition.

Fig 26, Clock, Week 12 (20.7.2025)

Fig 27, Personalized Signature Design, Week 12 (20.7.2025)

Fig 28, Overall Visual Design, Week 12 (20.7.2025)

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FEEDBACK

Week 9:

General:

Make sure the blog is complete with all of the tasks, process images, dates and other things that have been mentioned in previous classes.

Week 10:

Feedback got deleted.

Week 11:

General:

when importing to apps like FontForger or FontLab, make sure to use the appropriate settings as mentioned in class, point height set to 1000, set x-height, descender, and ascender properly.

Week 12:

General: 

If you don't have access to FontLab, use the computers in D7.04.

Specific: 

Get to transferring my typeface and start working on the applications.

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REFLECTIONS

Experience

This task was fun to do. I was able to apply what I learnt from regular typography in advanced typography and improve further as well. 

Observations

The font I made was very simple. I initially wanted to make it a monospace font but the way some letters left gaps that were too big made it look too awkward as a monospace font.

Findings

I found that the process of digitizing the font went much smoother than in regular typography and that I was able to optimize the process as well.