Alphabet Soup - Further Development/Crit Response

Following the feedback that I got from the crit, I produced a digital version of my lowercase typeface. To do this I created it on Illustrator, using the skills and techniques I have learnt from the Illustrator inductions we have been having for the Alphabet Soup Illustrator brief.

Once I did this I experimented with spelling out different words and phrases using it.

Alphabet Soup -Final Crit Feedback

Here is the feedback I got from the final crit we had on 15/10/2010.

Issues Raised

• N/A

Action To Be Taken

• try using the typeface to spell out different words and sentences to see if it works like that.
• maybe try adding some elements of colour into the design.
• try producing a digital version.
• try out the same design that I did but on a different existing typeface.

Alphabet Soup - Final Outcomes

So because I have developed both the upper and lower case versions of my typeface, and because I have plenty of time left before the studio deadline for this, I produced both version onto an A1 poster.

As well as the A1 posters I produced the 90mm by 45mm name badge which was also required. For this in the end I produced it using the lowercase designs.

Alphabet Soup - Symbols.

As well as the letterforms we have to decide on 6 symbols to go with them. The ones that I have decided to design are ? ! * & $ @.

I chose:

? - because she is quirky and I think this symbol could (if you opened your mind to the idea) be a suggestion of quirkiness with the impression that there isn't yet an answer to what it is being used against.

! - because this would suggest that she is confident because it is a symbol that makes a line or word more assert.

* - because again I think this symbol could suggest quirkiness.

& - because she comes across as being quite elegant and this is an elegant form of symbol to use.

$ - because on the questionnaire where it asks if she could live anywhere in the world, she answered New York, and this is the sign for the currency they use.

@ - because one of the adjectives I used is well educated, and well everyone has an email address these days.


To design them, I used the same process as I did for the letterforms where I designed the basic form of them first.

Then coloured in the sections.

Then applied the line idea to them.

I think that the symbols I have selected have worked well with the designs I have used for this brief. They fit well against the letterforms, and don't just look stupid. The only thing that I would say is that the * symbol is left a little plain against the others because I couldn't really have a section of it using a block of colour because then it makes it less legible to what it is supposed to be. Even so, I like this fact because it makes it 'different', which is also an adjective I used to describe Charlotte.

Alphabet Soup - More Possible Development.

While I am still debating whether to actually go with the upper or lower case version of my designs, I came up with a few ideas that could be a possibility to use in place of the lines idea I am using.

The ideas don't really differ much from what I already have, but they are alternate ones for just incase I decide to change them for what ever reason. I am going to stick with the lines idea I do have for now, I just feel that it is a little reassuring to know that I have these for incase anything goes wrong.

Alphabet Soup - Crit Development

After coming to the conclusion that using the typeface for the name badge doesn't necessarily work because the letter T's and the L aren't completely legible, so my plan is to re design these letters and try the whole typeface using the lines idea I tried out during my development work, as well as using the same style to produce a lowercase version of the typeface.

I first developed my uppercase letters so that they now look better/more legible, as well as using the lines idea.

I think now that I have made these changes to the certain letters, and tried out the typeface with the lines idea it has improved it a lot, and makes it work better. The lines give it a different feel to the version without them: they make it look somewhat more glamourous and elegant, which is more like the feel I was looking to achieve.It also defines each of the letters more and helps a lot with making them more legible.

I then started doing the lowercase designs. I began the same as I did the uppercase ones by making the basic design and form of the letterforms first.

Then developed it further as I did perviously with the uppercase letters by making sections within the letters into blocks of colour.

And then did the designs including the lines.

Having both the uppercase and lowercase letters designed, I don't actually know which I prefer over the other one. There is certain elements and letters within each which makes them more favorable, so I will write out Charlotte's name using both sets of letters to see which works the best/is more legible.

As well as doing the name for each in a large scale, I also did both the actual size of the name badge to help me make a decision.

I think both the upper and lower case work for the name badge, although with the lowercase letterforms being that little bit smaller than the uppercase ones when using the same point size, it allowed me to use a bigger point size for them in order to fill the name badge space well. Therefor because of this it makes them seem that bit more legible and allows me to make the designs a little more intricate (which is what is needed for it to work and look effective.). I wont make a specific decision to use this until it comes to producing the name badge, even though I will probably end up using it anyway.

Alphabet Soup - Progress Crit Feedback

Here is the feedback I got from the progress crit we had on 08/10/2010.

Issues Raised

• The amount of work produced is good.
• The letter T's and the L aren't really legible enough to work for the name badge.
• The first step of the development is too simple and the second step is good but could be better.
• Everyone likes the line idea I experimented with in my development.

Action To Be Taken

• Redesign the letter T's and the L for the name to work better in the name badge area.
• Also alter any of the other letters that could do with a little adjustment.
• Maybe try out the same designs as lower case to see if that improves the idea.
• Try out the line idea on the letters as well.

Alphabet Soup - Idea Development

With the variety I have and decisions I have made, I sketched out 2 of the ideas as the full typeface (withou the symbols) to see how they look as a set.

I also tried out both these typefaces at the scale of the name badge that we are also to design to see how they would look and if they would be legible.

Alphabet Soup - Idea Experiments/Development

Taking into consideration the research and things that I have looked at in preparation for this brief, I then got out a pen and some design sheets and started to sketch out some ideas. They didn't go in order so I have organised them so that when you look through the decisions I made are a little clearer.

Alphabet Soup - Other Decisions

I think because the final A1 poster is to be produced as an A1 poster that is hand drawn using only black ink, the experiments that I make will also be in the same way so that I will have a clearer idea as to whether they will work as the final outcome also, rather than creating is straight on a Mac and not being able to draw it the same. Even so, I will probably experiment with some elements n them, and will digitise my final ideas.

One key answer that has really got my ideas flowing for the designs is the one that Charlotte put for the 'If you could go back in time, where would you go?'. Her answer was '1920's - Art Deco'. I think this will be an interesting starting point for what I could do, so I will research into some existing Art Deco fonts and possibly adapt some of the elements from them into my own designs.

I will also research into other things that I feel are relevant to help influence my ideas. The research I have made to help influence my ideas are here.

Alphabet Soup - Existing Font Decision

For my starting point to my designs, I need to choose an existing typeface to develop into my own designed typeface. I have decided to choose one now because I think it will help me concentrate more on developing the designs than I would considering whether the typeface is right or if I should have used a different one for a particular idea.

I used charlottes name when I typed out the examples because as well as the full typeface I am going to produce, I will also be designing her a 45mm x 90mm name badge.

The fonts that I have used for examples in order are:

1. Myrida Pro
2. Arial
3. Arial Bold
4. Andale Mono
5. Bell Gothic Std
6. Futura
7. Helvetica
8. Impact
9. Krungthep
10. Lithos Pro
11. Nueva Std
12. Optima
13. Tahoma

The font that I have decided to use as my existing one is Futura.

I have chose this because...

Here is the typeface set out as I will be having my final outcome poster. I have used the suggested symbols for now until I decide which ones to design with the typeface:

Alphabet Soup - Partners.

The partner that I got which was chosen from the randomiser is Charlotte.

To start off the brief we sat together and filled in a worksheet answering questions about ourselves for each other, as well as spending a little time asking each other questions we think were relevant to the brief that could help us throughout the design process.

Once this was done, we were to then write down 5 adjectives that we believe best describe out partners. My words are:

Quirky
Elegant
Confident
Different
Well educated.

To give me a better understanding of these I looked into the definitions for them.