OUGD501 Evaluation

Initially, I struggled with deciding on a topic for my essay and had changed the idea multiple times however I am satisfied with the topic I ended on as it's reflective of a possible option for my dissertation. I think throughout the research process, I found a lot of interesting points on the purpose of type, and I'm actually quite glad I couldn't come to a firm conclusive answer towards the end of my essay as it leaves room for more exploration.

I definitely struggled with time management, not only throughout the term but also due to extenuating circumstances and lockdown. I'm glad I was prepared beforehand by taking books out of the library as I feel my bibliography and research is varied enough that I explored many perspectives and theories. My time management issues meant I did not engage with the module as much as I wish I had, especially with topics like triangulation which I'm not sure I fully achieved throughout the essay.

I am happy with the outcome of my practical, however I definitely think I could have done more. Although I feel that I've formed a discussion through the process of creating my type, and understand my own personal response to my essay question a lot more, (I personally believe Expressive type is much more effective however understand the important of historical, semantic references) I still think this could have been pushed further with better time management. I could have formed a focus group (online due to circumstances) to question their opinion on my practical outcomes and include that in my investigation. However, instead, I got some general feedback which allowed me to dictate whether my type design was evoking the emotional responses I wanted.

Overall this module was really interesting, and I felt engaged with the research and investigation I put forward, but wish I had managed my time better throughout the year as extenuating circumstances really affected my outcome.

Final Design in Context

I placed the text within the existing 1977 and 2018 posters for Suspiria as a way of concluding my investigation into Expressive type. Although 2018 Suspiria font was already Expressive, I approached my type design using a much more emotional process instead of historically referential, although I made subconscious semantic associations with Blackletter and Gothic type. I feel as though both the original fonts and my font explore similar themes - movement and inconsistent letters, however I believe I pushed the idea of Expressive design being based on personal intuition and emotional response rather than functional forms. The dismissal of the idea of legibility, and favouring emotional forms/shape.

Angles and Perspective

From the screencaps, I noticed the centring of the shots with the centre focusing on the most important detail. The angles within all shots reference one-point perspectives which create a sense of movement and anxiety as its forcing the viewer to focus in on the horror. I wanted to reflect these angles of movement or focus within my type design.

Using perspective warp to explore the wave shape as it's similar to the forms illustrated and therefore connotes movement, and using the squeeze warp as it imitates the one-point perspective.

I felt as though using the available/automatic processes to create these angles wasn't representative of the process of creating this type and not as expressive - it's too functional whereas I'm exploring emotionality. I used a tracing of a form and reorganised the text to fit within it.

Legibility

Changing the weight of the "p" descender - evoked better responses from peers which shows that legibility seems to be important even when constructing expressive type - contradicts statement that experimental visual language is an accepted language - the need to understand text is apparent from my peers although i acknowledge this is a small group of people with their own opinions

Font Development and Research

Due to the adjectives I developed as focal points for the type design generation, I began to subconsciously reference Blackletter and Gothic fonts due to the sharp finals. This suggests the importance of historical references in not only creating semantic understandings of type, but also creating it.

I redrew a figure from my initial sketches and included the sketches as a guide of exploring heavy and light stroke weights. The areas shaded would have the bulk of the heavy weight, whereas the non-shaded free space can include clashing, light strokes that can take up as much space. This contrast is to communicate the feeling of unease throughout the film as the non-consistent strokes aren't as pleasing to the eye.

RESEARCH - How much can you read with each letter cut in half? Type Snap investigates

This typeface was created as a result of Masato Nakada's experimental typography website called Type Snap, which explores how legible type can be when split in half.  “I propose to cut letters in half to achieve better efficiency in the evolution of web-based typography,”

I really enjoy the clash between the heavy and thin strokes, however I think one of the more interesting developments is the centring of the counter within the "p" glyph. The height of all the strokes towards the counter imitates the one-point perspective and centring shown within the screencaps and captures the idea of focusing on detail.

Digitalising font

Similar to Leah Maldonado's process of creating Glyphworld, I traced the figures on Illustrator and then organised them into sections of emotional responses to then associate within the type design.

• Anxiety - the shapes are unidentifiable, however are all based on tensed hands which suggest personal and individual stress in the character, and reflected by the audience.
• Disjointed/unease - the shapes collected here are all based on faces, however as they are circles and ovals, their sharp / jagged edges can reflect the idea of unease as it's not flowing/recognisable as a circle which is often used as a comforting shape.
• Movement - This shape conveys a flow which represents the use of dance as physical and emotional expression within the film.
• Fear - These jagged shapes convey fear to me as within the illustrations, they are very isolated from the other figures. Their points and corners connote closing in and claustrophobia. 

Suspiria - Screencap Analysis [Font Development]

• Themes of centring
• Crowding around the centre to the sides
• Crowds
• Claustraphobia
• Motion (dancing within the film)
• Witchcraft
• Femininity

as seen in

But let’s get back to the new film. The peculiar S from Dan Perri’s logo becomes a reference point throughout Suspiria’s marketing campaign. It brands this series of brooding teaser images, which treat the film’s settings as actual characters. This unusual approach foreshadows how the architecture of the locale plays an essential role in the story, to the point that it almost becomes a sentient creature.

https://www.typenetwork.com/news/article/screenfonts-january-2019

Generating a font

Based on Maldonado's approach to creating form from image, I used tracing paper over the screencaps to record forms, spacial understanding, and then highlight the emotions that need to be captured within the typeface.

First I began by placing tracing paper over the screencap. The screencaps are dark, and the tracing paper is quite opaque which made it difficult to see the image but this allowed me to illustrate the most important forms that stand out, and allow me to try not to be as exact to the form depicted in the image and instead capture a shape that can be used within my type development.

The shapes conveyed a sense of disjointedness; the important forms were only depicted partially due to the strong chiaroscuro. There were many organic shapes that clashed with the general angle of the screencap - the sharp, centred perspective. This is a running theme throughout the whole of the Suspiria film that was also reflected in their advertising.

 I then used the same tracing paper to capture the forms within the next screencap to create layers of information to work on.

The initial idea of the font is not too different to the already existing 2018 Suspiria font, however I highlight the feeling of disjointedness that I responded to the most throughout analysing the screencaps and the illustrations. I explored the idea of organic bold shapes clashing with angular, thin-weighted strokes. I did not focus on legibility, especially when illustrating the "r" glyph as even with the screencap and within the film, understanding all details and following the storyline clearly is not precedented. The movie focuses on emotional expressions, movement and music which I feel I am beginning to explore.