coursework for typography I (for non-majors) at RISD
logotypes book
Layout design with a grid, typography, photography, photo editing
Our assignment was to design a book showcasing 24 logotypes (which we had already developed in a previous assignment). We also got our designs printed as physical books!
I chose to incorporate the American Sign Language alphabet, shooting and editing photos of my own hand in addition to designing the book. If I could do the project again, the first thing I would do is run the concept by Deaf/HoH individuals—whether it’s acceptable in the first place, and if so, how it could be better. If I ended up pursuing the idea, I would showcase the hands of native signers instead of my own.
This assignment focused on designing in a system—we got practice designing and following a grid, so that our books would be cohesive across 104 pages and a cover. Since the content is somewhat repetitive with 24 logotypes/typefaces, we also focused on creating a “rhythm” with our page designs. The idea was for layouts to vary across pages but cohere across the book—see my plates at the bottom right for how my layouts achieved this. You can see that there is variety, but you might notice that w/y and G/L have the same layout, for example.
script redesign
I designed the Fantastic Mr. Fox movie script (one of my favorite movies)! Here’s a small excerpt.
This assignment focused on making a system and then breaking it. The first step was to decide on font sizes and cases, spacing and indents, document margins, etc. Then I went back in to “break” my system, usually to convey the excitement of an action-packed sequence.
In this excerpt, the first couple of pages are a chaotic chase scene, conveyed through oversized font, margin violations, and inconsistent indentation. The next few pages have their fair share of excitement, but the action calms down significantly and the script returns mostly to its original design.
