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Finishing Up Bitmap Font

Typography 1 is now over and below is the result of finishing the last project for Michael of the semester. I successfully made a bit type out of pretzels to depict the following words: Pretzel, crunchy, and salty treat. After a little modification of my width, tracking, counter space, and x-height, I have cohesively presented the following final project below.

Creating Bitmap Fonts

In typography we are creating bitmap typefaces out of objects by placing these objects on 10 x 10 grids and photographing them. I have decided to use pretzels, to create three different bitmap type fonts.

Here are the sketches I did before taking my pictures. The red dot by any of the pictures indicate the x-height of the letter.

Web Layouts

We are learning Dreamweaver CS4 and turning some of our element layouts into web layouts. It's kind of hard understand but once I got the motives and how to execute the layout in Dreamweaver everything seemed to run very smoothly. Below is a screen grab of the layout of the programs and me working on my layout.

Monogram Development: From Start to Finish

Below is a screenshot of most of the iterations I have created since assigned to make a monogram for the symbol iron, who's abbreviation is Fe.

Towards the end of the process, we picked out and edited out final monogram. At one point, we then made the symbol a gif file to act as a liked button on a website. Then, I experimented with color to emphasize the "feel" of iron. Last, I thought it would be more defining to mask an image of rust iron onto the monogram.

Final Two Layouts; Ready for Presentation

Here are the two layouts that I have chosen for my final presentation. I have learned a lot about tracking, spacing, kerning, packages, leading, etc. and am very proud of the progression that these have made. I had never working on a layout before and am very appreciative to correct sizing, spacing and over all "feel" of a layout.

Items for New Typography Project

Here are the three items I am bringing in for our new typography project.

1) Cigarette butts

Also, if allowed I wanted to use tobacco and ashes too in the letterforms but didn't know if it would be okay to stick to more than one shape as long as it had the same theme. If that were the case, I would only have just the butts for my letterforms.

2)Colorburst All Purpose Plant Food Packs

I could not find a picture on short notice. They are small green, all different size packets that you put in with your plant to make it grow better. About 1.5 x 1.5 in size. They are a light, almost sea foam green.

3) Tools

I was planning on bringing in my tool kit from home. The kit includes everything from extra small wrenches to different head sizes for a normal and phillips screwdriver, a hammer, etc. All of the tools aren't super bit due to the kit being kind of a "quick household set".

4) Kitchen Ware

I was thinking about using, an another option, different kinds of knives, spoons, forks, and butter knives to try to make letter forms. I didn't know if using something of the same theme but not the exact same object would be appropriate.

5) Ice Cubes

I was thinking about putting the ice cubes down on paper with a dot of watercolor under each cube, that makes up the letterform. Then I would let the ice cube melt for a little and the water melting in a random patter would push the watercolor out and make an interesting form. This sounds a little abstract but think it could be very cool if it worked.

Iron [Fe] Layouts and Spreads

In Typography we are working out with designing layout spreads. We were told to revise five layouts. Here are how mine came out:

Then, I picked out three of my favorites I wanted to work on and to show Michael. This is what happens with Michael has a red Sharpie in his hand and wants you to make revisions (FAIL!) Haha:

Here are my final three layout revisions that I transfered from Illustrator to InDesign:

Vis Com/Typography Project i Documentation

Below are the documented pages from my first Vis Com & Typography assignment; the dot book, which I titled Above and Under the Skin. The title page must have come off in the grading process because it is lost and was not returned to me with my book. I was very pleased with the effect on the overall assignment. I finally got it documented, after about a month and a half, so take a look and enjoy.

Iron [Fe]

Iron [fe]
Atomic #: 26
Atomic mass: 55.845 amu
Melting point: 1535.0 °C (1808.15 K, 2795.0 °F)
Boiling point: 2750.0 °C (3023.15 K, 4982.0 °F)
# of protons/electrons: 26
# of neutrons: 30
Classification: transition metal
Crystal structure: cubic
Density @ 293 K: 7.86 g/cm3
Colour: silvery

Iron is a metallic chemical element. It’s atomic number is 26. It is the most common metal for everyday use but oxide in the air can turn the metallic surface into a rusty, red brown surface. It is rarely found in this form on the surface of the earth because it oxidizes.Thought it discolours, iron is the most abundant metal. It is rarely found in this form on the surface of the earth because it oxidizes. Iron is a metallic chemical element. The discoverer of iron is unknown. The first thought wrought iron used by mankind was during prehistory came from meteors. Since discovered, iron started being used, and still is used all over the world. It is the most abundant element on the Earth and comes from the Earth’s crust. It has also been used for military weapon making.

Below are 15 logo's I have created using the two letters F & E, that make of the symbol for iron. The fonts used were Futura Condensed ExtraBold and Utopia Std Bold Subhead Italic.

Narrative in Motion

This quick animation was produced in Adobe Flash CS4. This is the first animation I have ever done, and practically the first time I have ever opened Flash. My narrative started off by picking a letter and coming up with words that started with this letter. If it isn't obvious in the animation, my letter is "e" and my words are "earth" and "eclipse". I used these two words to creative a narrative of how the earth, sun, and moon, are effected by the crossing of each other's paths.

Original cropped ITC New Baskerville Std "e" & original cropped Helvetica Std "e"

Image integration brought a narrative to my animation and sequences. Some of the challenges of using imagery offline is the size of the images as well as the quality. It is hard, sometimes, to find the perfect image, at the right size and resolution. I didn't have too much trouble because both the earth, and an eclipse can not so easily be captured with just an everyday point and shoot camera

Cropped compositions with image integration

Rotation, cropping and scale were used in my animations at a slower rate to emphasize the movement in space and the feeling of being weightless. At the end of the animation there is an abrupt shake that is directed to emphasize the chaos of space as well as the balance.

Sequences that led up to final animation

Using Adobe Flash CS4

Here is a screen shot of working on one of the three practice animations. Adobe CS4 Flash was used for the following three sequences. Click on the picture to enlarge and help get a clearer idea of the layout of the program.

There are a couple other animation exercise that were made last week. They're super short but they were a key building block to expanding my knowledge of keynotes, frames, frame speed, motion tweets, etc.

Crossfade from Julie Sikonski on Vimeo.

"Crossfade"

Smash My Head from Julie Sikonski on Vimeo.

"Smash My Head"

E With Image

The Letter E

E Words:

E-mail

Eyes

Eagle

Earl Gray

Earlobes

Earmuffs

Earth

Earwax

Easels

Easter

Eat

Ebony

Ecstasy

Edibles

Eggs

Esophagus

Enzyme

Escalator

Elevator

Engine

Elm

Excretion

Earthworm

Elk

Environment

Word Groups:

E-mail; Earl Grey

Easter; Eat

Embryo; Enzyme

Eagle; Eggs

Evergreen; Elm

Edibles; Easter

Ecstasy; Edibles

Elm; Earth

Ecstasy; Esophagus

Earwax; Earmuffs

Eagle; Elm

Earthworm; Enzyme

Eyeglass; Earl Grey

Earth; Eclipse

Eat; Esophagus

Ebony; Elm

Esophagus; Excretion

Earth; Ecosystem

Easter; Eggs

Earlobes; Earwax

Elk; Environment

Final Statement

My finished book is titled “Above and Under the Skin”, which fits perfectly for my book. The subject matter of my book deals with deformities and the way they affect one with them—not only physically but mentally and emotionally as well. The project was a project of special placing and meticulous placing, cutting, and overall craft, but also had a combination of a little spontaneity.

The final project was a combination of recent project mentioned below in Visual Communication class and part Typography class. First, we composed dot compositions, which were decided from mind mapping and collecting 9 words. Once the compositions were in the making, we started another phase in Typography class. We took the nine words and made compositions from them to display the words. After the long process of copying the type on transparencies, cutting out pages, cutting out dots, and binding the book with a wire o-ring the book was completed.

Mind map routing from the word "Population"

Throughout the process of the book, many principles were involved. For the type and dot compositions, I used principles to communicate and support my concept of deformities for the book. I did this by thinking using motion in my letters and dots to convey the different feelings my words brought. When incorporating images, I stayed in the happy middle of being literal and metaphorical. By communicating both in a literal and metaphorical sense, it brought strength to my dot compositions and ideas which then sparked something and continued to strengthen the communication of my words in the type aspect of my book, as well.

When putting the type and dots together, it pushes the feeling of my words to a whole new level. I could not be more pleased with how spontaneous they turned out and how cohesive they actually were.

Over the course of the project, I incorporated many objectives over the course of the project. I worked through a series of designs, which came about through exploring different process, images, compositions, etc. All of which were developed with purpose and messing around with each compositions. I visually communicated my words with design principles, which was practiced in previous Vis Com assignments. Each composition was strong individually and made even more of an impact when working cohesively together. I learned that the first composition is never the best, nor the one you stick with for a final product. Each composition, and thought, just gets better and better as the process moves a long. I have also learned that there is always room for improvement and that hard work, in the long run, produces a better result than just “trying”.

Everyone knows that nothing is perfect and there is always room for improvement, especially when you’re just starting off. As far as craft is concerned, my cutting skills could have been better. I am not a machine, I am human, and flawless handwork is both stunning and humbling. I could have somehow figured out how to cut my pages better. Also, I had trouble finding images. I couldn’t find anything, with in the time frame allowed, to perfectly display what I was looking for. The images I used were, for about 85%, were pulled from the Internet. I didn’t realize how hard it was to find images online, at high quality, that are exactly what you’re looking for (angle, shot, color, resolution, etc.)

Overall, I am very proud of my book. I didn’t realize how difficult the subject matter would be to look at and image until I started the process. When looking at my book, I hope one gets a feeling of, not disgust, sorrow, or regret, but just a piece of mind for those around them and what’s it’s like to be imperfect. What it’s like to be a human.

The Anatomy of the Letter O

The parts of the letter O are of the following:

• Bowl
• Counter
• Stroke
• Median
• Baseline

Dear futura O,

You are so perfectly well rounded. Even thought you were produced in 1930, you're still looking smooth and strong. Do you drink milk everyday? Paul Renner raised you right. Don't worry, I'll see you around.

Love,

Julie

Ohh Gee

Our next assignment in Typography, taught by Michael Eppelheimer, is to draw out "a perfect letter". I was assigned the letter "g". Here is a preview below of the sketch that is to be painted with black gauche.

On a side note, I thought it was just completely appropriate that I was first assigned the letter "o" and the next letter is a "g". You know what o.g. stands for? Original gangster. H0lla.

UPDATE:

I have finished painting my letter "g" and here is the almost, not quite perfect, product:

Like I said, some parts are still to be worked on and balanced. This "g" doesn't know it yet but it's on it's way to perfection. I had a dream the other night and this is kind of what it looked like:

And what a beautiful dream it was.

O, Typography

I was given the letter "o" and had to display the form in three different ways. Below, are the following results:

View in studio: