10/7 Class Follow-Up

Christina SharpLeave a comment

Hello everyone,


I hope you’re enjoying your day off. Here’s everything that’s due for next week’s class:

  • Complete your cover and three font spreads of your font specimen book. If you are also planning on creating a table of contents or have a few pages between your cover and first font spread, have those in a good place next week as well. Before you move into building out all three spreads, it would be a good idea to post one spread of a font (or page depending on your format) to the blog for feedback before moving into all three of your spreads. That way when you make adjustments, you’ll only have to make changes to that one page/spread instead of all three. 
  • For critique, we will go computer-to-computer so I recommend printing your pages to take notes for any edits.
  • If you have a poster or previous project in the flat-file drawer, please clear it out and bring it back to your dorm. People will start printing their books soon and will need a lot of space.
  • I left some font books and my own inspiration/examples in the flat-file for you to reference while building out your books. Please return the books when you’re done looking at them for other students.
  • For those of you printing a custom-sized book, trimming your pages by hand, and want to have text or images printed right to the edge you’ll want to set up your InDesign document’s “bleed settings”. Bleed is a printing term that is used to describe a document with images or elements that touch the edge of the page, extending beyond the trim edge and leaving no white margin. When a document has bleed, it must be printed on a larger sheet of paper and then trimmed down. Follow this link’s instructions to set that up. It’s very easy to do! 

Here are a few readings/talks I’d like to you also watch/read before class next week:

Matthew Carter’s TED talk takes elements of various readings and films we’ve read/watched in class and discusses them all together in a way that may help you understand them further. He also addresses Screen Fonts which will help you all understand those fonts more for your font specimen books. “The technology suggests something to me, but it did not force my hand.”

Emigre Type Foundry Pretty Much Designed the ‘90s—Here’s What it Looked Like – A little history behind the Type Specimens we’ve been looking at in class, and how Emigre has impacted design.

Google Wants to Make Web Fonts Accessible All Over The World – Discusses the Open Font License.

What These 4 Key Type Design Trends Mean for the Future of Fonts

This little quiz is just for fun: Which Typeface Are You, Really?

I plan on grading your paragraph assignments throughout the week and will be reaching out to each of you individually to let you know what your midterm grade is. Reach out with any questions!

Assignment 5 Process

mollybrownisloud1 Comment

Thus far, I’ve developed a few layouts and did some research.

I wanted to go with a wider layout, utilizing the horizontal length rather than vertical.
I contemplated on a circular or oval shaped book, but it’s just a consideration.
Though this isn’t my favorite layout, the idea of a radial illustration sitting on the binding of the book appealed to me.

9/30 Class Follow-up

Christina SharpLeave a comment

Hello everyone, 


Here is what’s due for next week:

  • Our Midterm is next week! To prepare review notes from readings, class discussions, films, as well as take a look through the presentations from class. They are all in the Google Drive Folder. Be familiar with classifications, and the list of approved typefaces you used on the last 2 assignments. The exam will be multiple-choice with a few written sections. 
  • Font-book. For your Font Book project, have a game plan for what you’ll be making. We will be talking about your ideas in class after your exam next week. Make sure you sketch out and develop your ideas regarding:
    • Book dimensions
    • Spread layouts (include some idea of a grid if you’re using one)
    • Know what fonts you will be using – there is a folder containing all print font options in Google Drive > Assignment Resources > 5. Font Specimen Book
    • Research your fonts and know what content you will be using in your book (page requirements and optional info about type, quotes, fun facts, etc…)
      • If you will be adding content about history, or any fun facts, be sure they are in your own voice. If you copy and paste its plagiarism. If you do copy and paste, consider how you will sight your sources throughout your book.
    • Have your content typed in a google doc so when we move to the computer you won’t have to think about researching anything
    • Don’t start working in InDesign yet. Focus on developing your layouts and ideas through sketches.

If you want any feedback before class, post on the blog – it’s not required for this week because you also have to study but feel free if you’re compelled for your classmates’ thoughts.

Good luck and I’ll see you all next week!