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Typography - Task 3: Type Design and Communication

November 11th 2025 - December 15th 2025 / Week 08 - 13

Ayah Zaher Abdullah Al Harmally / ID No.0381658

Typography / Bachelors of Design in Creative Media / Taylor's University

 

Week 8: Typeface Construction (Shapes)

Research & Prep

  • Research existing typefaces before sketching.

  • Deconstruct letters to understand nuances.

  • Canvas: 1000pt × 1000pt.

  • X-height: 500pt × 500pt.

Guidelines Setup

  • Ctrl + R → Drag rulers to create guides.

Construction Techniques

  • Use shapes and/or Pen Tool.

  • Counter space: Space between strokes.

  • Duplicate: Option + drag object.


Week 9: Typeface Construction (Strokes + Brush)

Stroke Management

  • Cmd + Y: View actual strokes.

  • Check Stroke panel for consistent thickness.

Path Creation

  • Object → Path → Outline Stroke.

Dual Boards Setup

  • Board 1: Separate shapes.

  • Board 2: United shapes.

Retaining Imperfect Strokes

  1. Object → Path → Outline Stroke (unite first).

  2. Make compound path if needed.

  3. Apply brush (without selecting letterform).

  4. Outline stroke → Minus shapes.

Week 11: Illustrator to Fontlab Demos

Fontlab 5 Import

  1. Measure letter height with box.

  2. File → New Font File → Font Info.

  3. Name font → Metrics & Dimensions → Key Dimensions.

  4. Underline below descender.

  5. Double-click cell for grid.

  6. Drag X/Y coordinates → Copy to letterform.

  7. Metrics Window → Show letters.

  8. Side icon → Top info display.

  9. Set left/right bearings to 0.

  10. Bottom space between letters → Add minus bearing.

  11. Double-click space cell → Drag axis for spacing.

  12. File → Generate Font → Save.

Fontlab 7 Workflow

  1. Object → Path → Outline Strokes (combine).

  2. Drag X/Y axis to letter corner → Copy.

  3. Find letter → Paste (select Vector, Copy exact place).

  4. Window → New Metrics Tab.

  5. Right icon → Type bar display.

  6. Show metrics table → Fill side bearings.

 

 INSTRUCTIONS




Our font design adheres to key typography guidelines including baseline, median, ascender, and descender, as shown in the typography basics diagram above. While creating sketches, I focused especially on baseline, ascender, descender, and cap line before constructing letters.




Figure 1.0

Most typefaces fall into four basic categories: those with serifs, sans serifs, scripts, and decorative styles


Figure 1.1


I started off by researching different font styles. At first, I've taken an interest towards decorative text as I found them more stylized and expressive. They don't play by the rules.
Figure 1.3
Letter Design Sketches


Deconstruction of the Serif letter H.


Figure 1.4
Letter Annotation


I started designing my letter forms on Illustrator using shapes. I have chosen this style out of all my sketches due to it being a bit tricky to implement the other sketches digitally. I wouldn't have enough time to design them and alternate it enough to my liking. 


Figure 1.5
Typeface Structuring


Above is all the letterforms unrefined. Below are the refined letter forms. 


Figure 1.6
Typeface Refinement


The final outcome along with the guidelines shown. 


Figure 1.7
Typeface Final Letters



Figure 1.8
Typeface Guidelines 

Importing the letterforms into FontLab 7.


Figure 1.9
Importing Letterforms



Figure 1.10
Letterforms Imported and Aligned


Font testing by typing out the sentence "The Design School."


Figure 1.11
Letterforms Typeface


Implementing the typeface into Illustrator and designing posters with both the letters and the symbols.



Figure 1.12
Poster Draft


I decided to go ahead with this version as both texts are close to each other. The negative space doesn't separate them or make the composition look less appealing.


Figure 1.13
Final Poster


Click Here to Download the Font

Figure 2.0
Bubba Regular Font



Figure 2.1
Bubba Regular Font [PDF]


Figure 2.2
Final Poster [JPG]


Figure 2.3
Final Poster [PDF]


Feedbacks


Week 13: 
General feedback: Complete E-portfolio task 3 even further including a compilation of all final works. 

Week 12: 
General feedback: Complete E-portfolio task 3 with all the documetation. 
Specific feedback: Lessen the amount of kerning as the amount used is unneccesary. 

Week 11: 
General feedback: Refine letters some more and share them into FontLab.

Week 10: 
General feedback:  Refine digitlised letters further. 

Week 9: 
General feedback: Refine sketches.
Specific feedback: Sketches look alright and can be digitalised.

 Week 8: 
General feedback: Reseach fonts and sketch some down on graph paper. Understand whether you are writing or drawing the word.

 
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