Redesign Flight Ticket

Response to video Jonathan Hoefler: Typeface Design"

(200-300 words response)

I resonate a lot with Jonathan’s philosophy of “typeface designers focus not on the construction, but appearance”. To focus on appearance designers need to observe the subtle differences of the alignment, thickness, curve and be able to adjust with a different implementation plan. This philosophy also applied to the fundamental rules Jonathan mentioned at the beginning, overshoot, balance and contrast. To observe the subtle difference, and to construct creatively to fulfill the initial vision.

I also like his process of observation and framework of analysis. For example the ancient typography “blackletter”. I encountered Black Letter in many context but I didn’t abstract my observation into a theory about the dualism personality of this typeface. And I like how he went to the graveyard to understand how this typeface react under different lighting conditions. Bringing a 3D perspective to typography. I also like his observation on small watch surface typeface and old Guggenheim museum old decorative text. He also thinks a lot about the usage of the same typeface on different contexts and materials, and how these differences will influence the final presentation of the typeface. Through observation he understands the problem in depth and derives abstract philosophy, which guides the vision of the problem solving process of his new project. Looking at him walking around New York City observing and analyzing typography usage on the street reminds me how much details I missed while walking around and inspires me to pay closer attention in the typography choices in my daily life.

things I find interesting:

• his close attention to the typography on watch surface and noticed all the 4s have a platform at top, which he came up with a theory that characters displayed on small surface need more air to look nice.
• fundamentals of typeface design:
  • overshoot: C is slightly taller than T to look same
  • balance: B top and bottom match is bc top is slightly smaller than the bottom
  • contrast (T horizontal thickness < vertical thickness)
• “Papyrus” delivers futuristic tribal vibe, very accurate description
• the ancient typeface “blackletter” can be used in both religious and non-religious conditions (such as heavy metal music cover and prison tattoo)
• Guggenheim museum project: relate architecture to typography
  • old version: too decorative, want to push the new typography from a more decorative side to a more conservative face good for general text and headlines usage.
• designers focus not on the letter’s construction, but appearance
  • X: the lighter line need to be broken due to “Poggendorff illution”
  • “: two curves are actually the same “Jastrow’s illution”
  • type designed not for style, but for different size: small size - thick strokes and blunt corner, big size - delicate stroke and sharp point “Optical size”

Define Myself in Typography

https://fonts.google.com/?preview.text=vio&preview.text_type=custom&stroke=Serif