TYPOGRAPHY - Task 2: Editorial Text
LECTURES DURATION: Week 5 - Week 8
NAME: SITI NUR HASYIMAH ISMAIL
STUDENT ID: 0348369
PROGRAM: BACHELOR IN FASHION DESIGN TECHNOLOGYTABLE OF CONTENTS: 1. Lectures & Lecture Summary
2. Instructions
3. Task
4. Feedback
5. Reflection
6. Further Readings
LECTURES
Week 5
LECTURE SUMMARY
Week 5: Understanding Letterform
Optical Illusions and Subtleties in Letterforms
This week we dove into the surprisingly asymmetrical reality of “symmetrical” letters and the hidden refinements that give every typeface its personality. We discovered that even classic serif A is never perfectly mirrored—its left and right legs usually
have different stroke thicknesses, and the curve of the bowls or terminals is intentionally uneven to appear balanced to the human eye. Even ultra-clean sans-serifs like Helvetica and Univers are full of tiny calculated differences in stroke weight and apex shape.
We also examined x-height in depth: while it’s the defining height of flat lowercase letters (n, x, m), rounded letters such as o, c, e, and a deliberately overshoot the baseline and x-height line by a few units so they don’t look smaller than their flat counterparts.
Key takeaways:
- Perfect symmetry almost never exists in quality type design—optical corrections are essential.
Subtle stroke modulation and overshoot/undershoot are what make type look even and lively rather than mechanical.
These micro-adjustments are the difference between generic and world-class typefaces.
1. Watch Typo_Task 2_Process Demo
2. Submit your final T2:
- JPEG 300ppi, grayscale (with grid visible and without)
- PDF (with grid visible and without)
4. Submit formatting details:
HEAD
- Font/s:
- Type Size/s:
- Leading:
- Paragraph spacing:
BODY
- Font/s:
- Type Size/s:
- Leading:
- Paragraph spacing:
- Characters per-line:
- Alignment:
PAGE MARGINS
- top + left + right + bottom
- Columns:
- Gutter:
TASK
-First Layout-
HEAD
- Font/s: Futura Std Bold (Main Title) / Bembo Std Regular (Sub Title)
- Type Size/s: 84 pt (Punk's Design) 105 pt (Revolution) / 136 (Sub Title)
- Leading:
- Paragraph spacing: 0mm
BODY
- Font/s: Minion Pro Regular
- Type Size/s: 9 pt
- Leading: 11 pt
- Paragraph spacing: 0mm
- Characters per-line: 40 - 43
- Alignment: Align Left
PAGE MARGINS
- top + left + right + bottom
- Columns: 10mm + 10mm +10mm + 10mm
- Gutter: 5mm
-Second Layout-
HEAD
- Font/s: Futura Std Bold (Main Title) / Bembo Std Regular (Sub Title)
- Type Size/s: 77 pt (Main Title) / 136 (Sub Title)
- Leading:
- Paragraph spacing: 0mm
BODY
- Font/s: Minion Pro Regular
- Type Size/s: 9 pt
- Leading: 11 pt
- Paragraph spacing: 0mm
- Characters per-line: 55 - 57
- Alignment: Align Left
PAGE MARGINS
- top + left + right + bottom
- Columns: 10mm + 10mm +10mm + 10mm
- Gutter: 5mm
-Third Layout-
HEAD
- Font/s: Futura Std Bold (Main Title) / Bembo Std Regular (Sub Title)
- Type Size/s: 98 pt (Main Title) / 80 pt (Sub Title)
- Leading:
- Paragraph spacing: 0mm
BODY
- Font/s: Minion Pro Regular
- Type Size/s: 9 pt
- Leading: 11 pt
- Paragraph spacing: 0mm
- Characters per-line: 50 - 56
- Alignment: Align Left
PAGE MARGINS
- top + left + right + bottom
- Columns: 10mm + 10mm +10mm + 10mm
- Gutter: 5mm
-PDF File-
FEEDBACK
Week 10
General Feedback: Getting feedback on Task 2.
Specific Feedback: I showed my layout designs to Miss Vitiya, and they were approved. I even asked her about the cross alignment and the overall layout for each design, and she didn't have any issue with it.
REFELECTION
Experience
At this stage of the course, working in InDesign no longer feels foreign—my workflow has become noticeably smoother and more intuitive. Navigating panels, applying paragraph and character styles, and making precise adjustments now happen quickly and without second-guessing, whereas just a few weeks ago the same tasks required constant reference to tutorials or notes.
Observation
I’ve started to truly “see” alignment issues that I previously overlooked. Cross-alignment between different typefaces or weights is now obvious when it’s off, and getting every element to sit perfectly on the baseline (or intentionally hang with proper overshoot) has shifted from guesswork to something I can control almost instinctively. Small refinements that used to take minutes now take seconds.
Findings
The biggest realization is how much confidence changes everything: when I feel in control of the software and the typographic rules, my layouts look significantly more polished and professional. Mastering these technical details—baseline alignment, optical alignment, consistent spacing—directly translates to higher accuracy and faster iteration. I now approach new projects with the assurance that I can execute clean, intentional typography from the start rather than fixing problems later. This growing comfort level has made the entire design process more enjoyable and efficient.
FURTHER READINGS
1. The Stroke: Theory of Writing by Gerrit Noordzij
The Stroke: Theory of Writing by Gerrit Noordzij is a super-short (just 50 pages!) but game-changing book that explains every typeface in history with one simple idea: all letters are made by either dragging a wide pen across the page (translation) or pushing and pulling a pointed tool (interruption). In clear, no-nonsense language, Noordzij shows why serif and sans-serif letters look the way they do, why strokes get thick and thin, and why even “neutral” fonts like Helvetica follow hidden rules from ancient calligraphy. It has almost no pictures, yet after reading it you’ll suddenly notice the logic behind every curve and corner in any font. If you want to truly understand type instead of just using it, this little book is pure gold.
2. Pacing & Flow in Magazine Layout
This article talks about the crucial role of pacing and flow in magazine layouts, breaking down how skilled designers control a reader’s experience from cover to cover. It explores practical tools like grid systems, white space, visual hierarchy, repetition, and variation, leading lines, and strategic transitions (pull quotes, breakout boxes, faull-bleed images) to create rhythm, build anticipation, and guide the eye smoothly from one spread to the next. It also covers common pacing pitfalls—like overcrowded pages or abrupt shifts—and shows how intentional contrast, scale changes, and breathing room, and subtle directional cues keep readers hooked without feeling rushed or lost. Perfect for anyone studying advanced editorial design who wants their layouts to feel effortless yet perfectly orchestrated.
3. Thinking With Type by Eden Lupton
This book talks about type as a living, breathing force in design—far beyond just picking pretty fonts—and shows how letters shape meaning, rhythm, and human connection on the page and screen. Ellen Lupton (not Eden) breaks it all down with sharp wit and crystal-clear examples: the anatomy of letterforms, the hidden power of grids and hierarchy, the drama of scale and spacing, the secret rules (and joyful rule-breaking) of texture, and how type builds voice in everything from posters to websites. Part history lesson, part practical toolkit, and part manifesto, Thinking with Type remains the essential guide for anyone who wants words to not only be read, but truly felt. Perfect for students, working designers, or anyone obsessed with why certain layouts just hit different.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Comments
Post a Comment