Typography / Task 3(B): Type Design and Communication

5.11.2021- 19.11.2021 (Week 11 - Week 13)
Cheryl Voo Yie Qi / 0349878
Typography / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media
Task 3(B) / Type Design and Communication

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LECTURES

Lectures are completed in:
Typography / Task 1: Exercises
Typography / Task 2: Typography Exploration and Communication 
Typography / Task 3(A): Type Design and Communication

Jumplinks:

• Instructions
  
• Exercise
• Feedback 
• Reflection
• Further Reading

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INSTRUCTIONS

Task 3(B) submissions:

• BW option (2048px)
• Colour option (2048px)
• PDF of (BW & Colour)
• Gif Sticker Animation (1024/ 800px)
• Screen Grab

EXERCISE
I chose two themes (Happy Weekend and Happy Birthday) for sketches to see how it turned out, then I started it with some sketches as shown below:

Fig 1.1, sketches, (1/11/2021)

Then, I tried to digitalize it in Adobe Illustrator:

Fig 1.2, first attempt, (8/11/2021)

After Mr.Vinod's feedback, I tried the suggestion from Mr.Vinod about the clipping mask and tried to make the balloon more oval in shape and makes the tie at the bottom of balloon more realistic. And at the same time, I'm trying different colours from different colour palettes. 

Fig 1.3, second attempt, (12/11/2021)

Fig 1.4, details, (12/11/2021)

Fig 1.5, colour palette, https://www.color-hex.com/color-palette/102665

Fig 1.6, colour palette, https://www.flerlagetwins.com/2021/06/datafam-colors-color-palette.html

Fig 1.7, colour palette, https://www.slideteam.net/color-palette-for-presentation-teal-and-red.html

After a few times trying, I think my work is very monotonous, then I searched on the internet on how to make my balloon more 3D and realistic. And I did it by using gradient mesh to add highlights and shadows to the balloon.

Fig 1.8, using gradient mesh, (13/11/2021)

Fig 1.9, using gradient mesh (detail for the bottom part), (13/11/2021)

Then I added shadow and highlight to the "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" words by using a darker shade of the balloon, light yellow colour and white stripes to create a solid highlight and shadow. Then I used envelope distort > make with top object to add "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" on the balloon with an effect like it is curved according to the balloon's shape.

Fig 1.10, solid shadow and highlight, (14/11/2021)

Fig 1.11, highlight, (14/11/2021)

Fig 1.12, envelope distort, (14/11/2021)

I chose the last one at the bottom with a teal colour and coral orange colour balloons (Fig 1.12). I think that the colour combination can bring out the happy emotion of "Happy Birthday" the most among my attempts. Then I added a white outline to it using the pen tool.

Below is how it turned out, but when I asked my family members and friends's opinions, they suggested me to make the "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" more easier to read. So I rearranged the alphabets from "HAP-PYBI-RTHD-AY" to "HA-PPY-BIRTH-DAY" (Fig1.14)

Fig 1.13, Coloured version PNG, (14/11/2021)

Fig 1.14, Revised Coloured version PNG, (15/11/2021)

B&W version

Fig 1.15, Revised B&W version PNG, (15/11/2021)

GIF sticker animation

For the GIF sticker I used After Effect to make the animation, I wanted to make the balloon float from bottom to the top. 
First, I move the file from Adobe Illustrator to Adobe After Effect. 

Fig 1.16, After effect, (16/11/2021)

Fig 1.17, Adjusting the path where the balloon floats, (16/11/2021)

Then I adjusted the position and rotation in different degrees to make the balloon float from the bottom to the top. I made the balloon float out the square a little to make it like someone drag it back to not let it float away.

Fig 1.18, After effect, (16/11/2021)

Here is how it turned out after adjusting it in Adobe After Effect and Adobe Photoshop.

Fig 1.19, GIF, (16/11/2021)

Converting Sticker

I send the two balloon PNG to the "Stickerator" bot for resizing and forward it to "Stickers" bot to convert them into stickers.

Fig 1.20, "Stickerator" bot , (15/11/2021)

Fig 1.21, "Stickers" bot , (15/11/2021)

Fig 1.22, preview (classic background theme), (18/11/2021)

Fig 1.23, preview ( Night mode ), (18/11/2021)

Final Submission
PNG files
B&W and colored version

Fig 1.24, Final PNG (B&W), (17/11/2021)

Fig 1.25, Final PNG (colored), (17/11/2021)

PDF files
This PDF file has transparent background, so it does not show the white outline.

Fig 1.26, Final PDF, (17/11/2021)

This PDF file with the black background can easily see the white outline.

Fig 1.27, Final PDF (black background), (17/11/2021)

GIF 

Fig 1.28, Final GIF, (17/11/2021)

Screen Grab
Telegram

Fig 1.29, Classic theme, (17/11/2021)

Fig 1.30, Dark theme, (17/11/2021)

Links to download
Telegram sticker : https://t.me/addstickers/Taylors_CV

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FEEDBACK

Week 11

General feedback: Make your design bigger to fit the whole square. If not, your sticker would be very small.

Specific feedback: For the beer design, try to make it vertical.

Week 12

General feedback: Taylor's logo can't be distorted.

Specific feedback: Balloon design looks too simple. Get reference from real balloons, should be more oval in shape and a little narrow at the bottom.

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REFLECTION

Experience:

I think that creating our own stickers is fun because we do use a lot of stickers in our daily life since we are using our phones to send messages to others very often. So having our own sticker is quite fun and it is exciting when I shared it with some of my friends, they said that they will use it whenever someone's birthday is coming. It does make me feel a great sense of achievement.

Observation:

A sticker that makes everyone want to use it's not just about the design, I think that color is also very important. Colors that are used appropriately on a sticker can attract people to look at it and make them want to use the sticker. In this task, I'm using an online color palette, I also tried a lot of different color palettes to make my birthday balloon more lively and joyful. Using bright colors can really bring out a joyful vibe, but not all of them. So I think that colors are important too.

Findings:

I found out that when we design a sticker, adding graphical elements that are not matching the topic is quite distracting. It makes the focus point not to focus on the topic. And I found out that making a black and white version first can make the process easier because we can decide the different shades like the shadows and the highlights first then add in the same shades of colors.

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FURTHER READING
The Vignelli Canon by Massimo Vignelli

Fig 2.1, Cover of the book

Scale

• Essential element of the design vocabulary.
• Scale is the most appropriate size of an object in its natural context.
• Scale applies to everything. It can be right or it can be wrong; it can be appropriate or inappropriate; too big or too small for the task at hand. 
• In design the issue of scale is continuously present and we have to master it regardless of the subject because it doesn’t allow mistakes.

Fig 2.2, Scale (pg74)

Texture

• Light is the master of form and texture. It is by mastering light that we can achieve the expression of any artifact.
  
• Example: a silver object, when polished, reflects light and when engraved, will trap the light.
• It has an infinite range of tactile or visual experiences and it is essential for designers to sharpen their perception in order to articulate and master the media. 
• It is through the choice of materials and their finishes that we articulate the shape of an object to express its content, to celebrate its appropriateness, to reveal its soul.
• Texture and color in a mutually supporting dialogue define any creative artifact.

Fig 2.3, Texture (pg76)

Color

• Most of the time we use color as a Signifier, or as an Identifier.
• We tend to prefer a primary palette of Red, Blue, and Yellow. This may seem restrictive (But this doesn’t mean that we do not like colors or that we are not sensitive to them.)
• We like to use color to convey a specific message, we tend to use it more as symbol or as an identifier.
• We have used the entire spectrum of colors to express moods, feelings, passions, connotations.
• Appropriateness is one of the rules we use in choosing colors knowing how effective it can be to use the right color at the right time.

Fig 2.4, Color (pg78)