A small final project concerning a character study. Meet Kaeli, the garden coordinator for CASL, the University of Oregon’s Center for Advancement of Sustainable Living. As an architecture student, Kaeli hopes to use her knowledge learned from CASL in the future to help give back to the larger community.
Here is a short piece I created about a recent campaign the University of Oregon American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) chapter made. In order to revise the Learning Culture Policy Statement for the Architecture Department’s re-accreditation this coming winter term, we collected data with text based graphics The results were very pleasing.
SUBJECT: An inside look at the Center for Advancement of Sustainable Living (CASL) at the University of Oregon
THEME: Following Kaeli, an active member of CASL, the underlying theme is a Do It Yourself simple and sustainable living for the average person. The CASL house offers a variety of education in gardening, energy conservation, and healthy environmental interaction to those who work, will live, and visit in the house.
ANGLE: The focus of this piece is Kaeli’s growth and skill development acquired while working on the CASL site. Designing and constructing the house as well as maintaining the gardens has added many professional skills to her architectural resume that many students don’t acquire while simply attending class.
STORY: I plan to tell this story by spending the day at several CASL build parties while interacting with and following Kaeli around the work site.
WHAT KIND OF STORY: This will be a character story that depicts passion for human growth, education, and environmentally friendly living. Kaeli will heavily narrate this story because she is a main passion behind the larger project at hand.
KEY SCENES AND THE POINTS THEY ILLUSTRATE:
Here is something that peeked my interest: Kinetic Typography. This form of letter-setting first appeared in 1899 in George Melies’ advertising work. Since then, it has evolved from simple scrolling temporal Typography to fast moving, emotion expressing text often featured in advertising and film.
What is Kinetic Typography? Well, it’s exactly what it sounds like–moving text. That’s the beauty of this subject, it animates the static typeface in order to provoke an idea or emotion. Yes, it is used in film credits–it’s as simple as an actor’s name flying in from the bottom left of the screen and then fading out. But as of late, it has evolved into something that is much more exciting.
Kinetic Typography has become something of a dance within the last few years. With software like Adobe Aftereffects, Adobe Flash, or Apple Move, a fascination with choreographing text and audio has created a slue of great media pieces.
Take a look at this V for Vendetta animation by Chris Silich.
Did you notice how the text is a vessel for emotion? In the end it becomes a visual expression set within the audio clip. In many cases, the text is illegible as it runs off the screen. The words amplify the excitement and passion in the speakers voice because it becomes too big for the media board. If one was to turn off the volume and watch the video again, the emotion is still captured.
Bogdan Macoviciuc’s Citizen Cope takes the animation to the next level with some extra graphics. The play of color and typeface adds a style and visual feel to the audio lyrics.
http://vimeo.com/3661352
Research has shown that animating text stimulates the viewer’s attention and increases comprehension as well as reading rate. Because they text moves, the viewer automatically focuses all attention on the written word. Apparently, kinetics adds some interest to the textual communication.
Did this grab your attention? Check out Johnny Lee’s applications for choreographing your own text. Here are some additional example of the subject at hand for some inspiration. I highly suggest checking out 18 Creative Examples of Typography in Motion for great ideas.
Graffiti Text in Train Song Park. October 2012
Typography is everywhere. It is a significant factor in the design world and it lends a mood to written communication. As an architecture student, Wesley Thompson realizes the critical role that any typeface can play in his presentation, conceptual intentions, and overall design statement. Even though the focus of Wes’ major leads him far from the study of typography, he maintains an understanding of typeface and its aesthetics as an important design tool. Thus, he carefully considers typographic qualities no matter how minimal or extravagant.
For the upcoming First Person Narrative Assignment, I want to explore the role of typeface in the design world. Using Wes as a guide, the story will elaborate the significant role that typography plays in his design’s success or failure as well as how the text communicates with the viewing audience. Filled with snap shots of the subject’s work, comments about text use and examples of typeface’s effect on a design statement, this short piece will provide a glance into the world of typography in design.
Yes, this is highly off topic, but still a bit of good information. For class this week, my group members and I compiled a short audio, slide, and video piece about Environmental Racism. Initiating some research on the University of Oregon student group, Coalition Against Environmental Racism (CAER), Dan, Alyssa, and I were able to film and interview one very informed student and a professor of Environmental Studies. Then with my camera, we ventured over to West Eugene for some B roll video and stills. After some editing and sifting through all the information gathered, we ended up with a nice short piece that sums up an issue that is rather unfamiliar to many people.
Enjoy.
http://youtu.be/vWTMjq9qYXQ
Ever wonder why Times New Roman was such a popular default font for nearly everything? And why Helvetica is everywhere?
It’s simple.
These two typefaces follow a few rules that make them lovely to read. They know the basics of a good tasting font and go from there.
Ascender, Decender, Baseline, Stem, Kerning. The basic lingo of typography is quite important when determining typefaces and fonts, legibility, and design. A little bit of terminology will go a long way when it comes to your future font decisions.
To put it simply, there are two typeface categories, Serif and Sans Serif. Yes, serifs, as most people know, are those little curly cue accents on the ends of the letters. So, if a serif font comes with the bedazzled ends, then how is a Sans Serif font different? It lacks the extra flare. Sans Serif, meaning without serif takes after its name. It’s a font family without the extra strokes and gallantry.
Serif: Times New Roman
Sans Serif: Century Gothic
When it comes to typography understanding the basic families of typeface is not enough. There are several other components that play in the shape, appearance, and legibility of every font. Here are the “good to know” terms that make a difference.
A few need to know terms found on none other than a stop sign in Sans Serif.
Serif example
Understanding the vocabulary really impacts your design choices when it comes to fonts and lettering. It also opens the door to typeface design. With extensive time and serious studying, anyone can take these rules and invent their own typeface.
Knowing this, I’ve been doing some studying myself. I just so happen to stubble across a bit of fun that gives an excellent overview of the subject at hand. A hearty round of applause for the Vancouver Film School students, please because they created a wonderful bit of animation that sums up Typography in a very visual way.
On a side note, if you have an interest in type development, check out this typography timeline for a stylized history lesson. And if you are itching for some new fonts, check out DaFont.com for some free revamped classics and crazy trends. Who knows, you might learn a little something by collecting typefaces.
With a bit of research, I’ve uncovered some excellent sites concerning Typography. They come in all shapes and sizes and cover a variety of subjects within the theme. With myriads of font blogs, letter blogs, and design blogs, these two sites caught my eye and earned a placed in my top five.
Strengths: I Love Typography, or ILT as its readers affectionately label it, is a highly versatile blog that offers its audience various topics. Whether you are looking for a history lesson or simply want to look up new fonts, this site has a little bit of something for everyone. The writing is well done and filled with honest passion and interest concerning the topic of typeface, lettering, text design and more. As a source, this blog is a necessary read for anyone interested in typography.
Weaknesses: Unfortunately, finding this information can be somewhat daunting. With a side bar, a top bar, an add bar, and the recent posts all lined up next to each other, the page can be a bit overwhelming. Overall, the visual stimulation is a bit much when it comes to the home page. However, once you settle into an article these problems seem to disappear.
Opportunities: With a bit of reorganization, the site could be extremely effective. A regular follower of the blog may have no problem navigating the site, but a newbie will experience a bit of confusion at first. The opening page is jumbled, thus cleaning it up might help. Having less text or widening the space in which the posts appear could clarify the layout. It needs to make a statement about the typefaces used by giving them space to breath. Then, not only will the text talk about typography, but the site design will as well.
Tensions: Typographica, a site dedicated to type reviews, books, and commentaries concerning the world of typography, is a definite competitor of I Love Typography. Although ILT covers a variety of different topics, both sites contain commentaries and histories of fonts. The advantage that Typographica has over ILT is its organization and graphic appeal. The design is simple, straightforward, and easy to navigate. It even sorts text by designer, foundry, and classification.
While ILT covers everything to know about Typography, let us take a quick look at a more specialized blog.
Strengths: Typography-Daily focuses purely on the use of text in design. The site itself uses few words, but like its subject, focuses on the graphic use of typography. Each article or post is a thumbnail instead of a title. The visitor sees the use of text first rather than reading about the topic.
Weaknesses: The site has a lovely layout, but it lacks exactly what lends it strength—text. Although, the use of graphics is effective, there is, what some might call, a lack of description. The site is not completely void of links to information about the art displayed on the blog, but most links are broken. Therefore, if any one wanted to explore the design further there is little hope of finding information without a title or reference.
Opportunities: Typography-Daily does a decent job of citing sources, but it could definitely bump it up a notch. As a user, it would be helpful to have more links or background information on the graphics.
Tensions: A similar blog based on the expression of type through design is Typography Served. There are several writers for this blog, thus a larger source income. Therefore, this site may very well overtake Typography-Daily when it comes to finding innovative text use and design. However, this blog too suffers from lack of description and source links. Ultimately, it comes down to who posts the more pleasing pictures.
Rain is rare in Colorado. Naturally, this meant mandatory puddle jumping for the local kids. Spring’s traditional three o’clock thunderstorm rolled around just in time for school’s release and sent the children home soaking wet—a daily ritual the weather practiced through mid-July. My mother swore that God had a personal vendetta against her every time my brother and I submerged the kitchen floor under piles of sopping shoes and coats. We, on the other hand, enjoyed every raindrop.
It was rain. We needed it. We loved it.
Rain was the stuff that greened the grass in the summer and made hot July and August much more bearable in the arid climate. Stormy skies over Pikes Peak and the foothills meant thunder and lightning—a show not to be missed. Rain meant gutter flooding and Popsicle boat racing. Rain meant mud. Mud meant fun. Mud made my mother crazy.
When the storms grew too vicious, my brother and I had to stay inside. The weather forced us to find new forms of entertainment. On those gloomy afternoons, my mother would hand us scrap paper and paintbrushes to keep us occupied. One summer, she lugged home a roll of butcher paper especially for the stormy afternoon. Every day she would trace my silhouette and I would dress my paper likeness in different costumes. By the end of August, colorful, paper silhouettes plastered the basement walls and we needed a new medium.
That was the best summer.
After that, every year I beg for art supplies and reviled in the thought of new pens and pencils. There is no doubt that I owe my creative interest to those rainy afternoons. They may have been rare, but in the summer, like clockwork, the thunder would roll over the mountains, and I would roll out the art supplies.
The rain inspired me to create. Yet, I desired something more challenging than brushing paint onto a canvas. I began to look for other creative outlets. As I grew older, I developed an interest in architecture and design. I wanted to know more about construction, so I took drafting in high school, an activity that encouraged me to pursue structural design in
Architecture Studio Pin up and Review Spring 2011
college. Now, as an architecture student, I have found a wonderful combination of a creative and intellectual outlet.
What I was unaware of at the time of my admittance, is that every aspect of the major called for thoughtfully planned design. Students are required to not only create structures and understand their inner workings, but they must present them in a beautiful manner. Not just the building design is important to the final project, but the presentation style, the colors, and the text is crucial—especially the text.
If there is one thing that I have discovered during my schooling, it is
the beauty of Typography. Words are a vital component to not only the design world, but to every profession. Text is everywhere. From road signs to magazines, every font size and graphic lettering adds emotion to readable communication.Text is design, and an important design at that. Typography has given us the ability
Potter Street sign. Eugene, Oregon
to communicate sentiments, feeling, and ideas with just its aesthetic appeal. The craft’s shift from print to digital has allowed not only typesetters to control the forms text take, but others who dabble in the art of text use as well. Typography is truly something that all people see on a daily basis. Thus, it is surprising how little people understand or even know about it.
I knew very little about the subject when I first encountered it. However, on some small level I have begun to remedy my ignorance on the subject. With this in mind, I can honestly say I appreciate Oregon’s weather because all those rainy days are good for appreciating Typography.
