WK 13-14 Reflection Task
Task 2 of my Visual Communication Design major has finally come to a close, but not without its struggles and wins. The task’s criteria seemed quite restrictive at first, however, my opinion soon changed. The task outlined that I had to create an A5 booklet. This booklet had to contain an individualised monogram with my initials, 2 pieces of set text, and a ransom quote, quoting a design icon. No images were to be used and I could only use two fonts.
When designing a monogram, I learned that the most appealing ones tend to interconnect the letterforms. This creates a flow and makes the monogram interesting to decode or even look at. Without some form of connection, the letterforms can look very mundane. A key element when designing a monogram is to consider its character or identity. I learnt to include a typographic personality and context of identity within my monogram to build a connotative character. I crafted my ‘KM’ to form an image. The ‘M’ looked like a crown sort of shape or flag, however, it can be interpreted as the viewers see fit. The most important thing is that the letterforms don’t get lost, are clearly legible and in the correct hierarchical order.
For me, the most challenging part of constructing a monogram was finding the best possible arrangement of the letterforms. I drafted around 30 monograms before I designed my final one. It’s also hard to pinpoint a typographic personality when there are so many different design aesthetics I connect with.
Setting text was definitely a unique experience for me, however, this task really broadened my understanding of the anatomy of type and typography as a definition for what language looks like. I learnt that several factors need to be considered when setting text such as grid structure, alignment, signals, and text. These factors involve choices about leading, kerning, margins, bleed, drop capitals, visual path, mixing typefaces, and the like. I learnt that how you choose to incorporate these elements can make or break a text. If you go too crazy and use all different variations of design the text can look unattractive and hard to read. It is best to stay consistent and stick to a small range of techniques.
I found it hard to stick to my margins, simply because I am not used to it. I also struggled to find the best arrangement for text boxes, however, I think it turned out quite well. The alignment is also something I haven’t thoroughly considered before and how that links with hyphenation and certain types of text, such as poems. I am also used to relying on images to create interest, so emphasising colour, placement and shape instead was difficult.
Designing the ransom quote taught me to be experiential and patient. It was a matter of testing different layouts and letterforms in order to get something visually aesthetic. I learnt that it’s good to have an overall yet broad idea of what you want the end product to be, whilst not being too picky. Having a colour palette or theme in mind will make the design cohesive and complimentary. I found starting with the background, leaving room for negative space was the best approach.
The fact that I wasn’t creating every element of the ransom quote myself was the most challenging part as, if I wanted something specific, I had to find it or make it work. Finding and searching for the right piece was a time-consuming process, which was also a challenging and materialistic process, rather than computerised. I am used to working with a computer rather than material.
All of the above factors have made this whole experience very insightful, as the task has taught me a lot about typography and design principles. It has provided me with greater knowledge and skills in the field of type and composition, which I will continue to apply to my design work beyond this task. However, my biggest take away is that trial and error is the best way to break through any challenges.
By Kayla Mathew
Capture By Kayla 