Advanced Typography: Final Compilation & Reflection
TANG LILIN (0376668)
Advanced Typography
Final Compilation & Reflection
21/4/2025 - 24/7/2025 （ Week 1 - Week 14 ）
Bachelor OF DESIGN (HONERS) IN CREATIVE MEDIA
LIST
INSTRUCTION
TASK 1 FINAL SUBMISSION
TASK 1 E-PORTFOLIO LINK:
Exercise 1 Final
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| fig 1.1.9 Final Typographic Systems (PDF) Week 2 30/4/2025 |
| fig 1.1.10 Final Typographic Systems - Grid (PDF) Week 2 30/4/2025 |
Exercise 2 Final
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fig 1.2.7 Final Poster Progress - PDF Week 4 11/5/2025
fig 1.2.8 Final Poster - PDF Week 4 11/5/2025
TASK 2 FINAL SUBMISSION
TASK 2 E-PORTFOLIO LINK:
Task 2 （A）FINAL
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| Fig 2.1.4 Word Mark in Actual Colors on lightest shade of My Color Palette Week 07 6/06/2024 |
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Fig 2.1.7 Final Task 2 (A) - PDF Week 07 6/06/2024
Task 2 （B）FINAL
Instagram Link：https://www.instagram.com/luna_tlll?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
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| Fig 2.2.2 Word Mark in Actual Colors on lightest shade of My Color Palette Week 07 6/06/2024 |
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Fig 2.2.12 Final Task 2 (B) - PDF Week 07 6/06/2024
TASK 3 FINAL SUBMISSION
TASK 3 E-PORTFOLIO LINK:
Font Download Link & ttf File
"Techline-Regular" Font download link:
Fontlab Screenshot
fig 3.1.1 Fontlab Screenshot fot Uppercase
fig 3.1.2 Fontlab Screenshot fot Lowercase
fig 3.1.3 Fontlab Screenshot fot Numerals &
Punctuations
fig 3.2.1 FInal Presentation 1
fig 3.2.2 FInal Presentation 2
fig 3.2.3 FInal Presentation 3
fig 3.2.4 FInal Presentation 4
fig 3.2.5 FInal Presentation 5
fig 3.2.6 FInal Application 1
fig 3.2.7 FInal Application 2
fig 3.2.8 FInal Application 3
fig 3.2.9 FInal Application 4
fig 3.2.10 FInal Application 5
fig 3.2.11 FInal Presentations & Applications
HONOR Competition Submission
fig 3.3.1 HONOR Competition Submission
REFLECTION
Experience
Throughout the entire semester, I went from knowing almost nothing about type systems at the beginning to completing a typeface project with a full set of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and punctuation marks, as well as brand extension applications. In these three tasks (Task 1–3), I gradually went through a process of “learning the rules → breaking the rules → establishing my own style.”
In Task 1, I was first introduced to the eight major typography systems. Initially, I had a vague understanding of these concepts, and my typography was rigid. Through continuous reading, case analysis, and design experimentation, I began to grasp the importance of “information contrast,” “white space,” and “hierarchy.”
The letter extension task in Task 2 was a significant challenge. I misunderstood the definition of a wordmark, leading to the need to redo the initial work. Especially in the expansion part, my thinking was very limited. At first, I only thought of “name + background image,” but later realized that typographic expansion requires a balance of spatial sense, material texture, and information communication.
Task 3 was the most rewarding part for me. I decided to address the issue of “technology companies lacking a systematic typeface” by creating a technology typeface called “Techline,” based on a grid system with a unified design logic. During the design process, I attempted to establish a style system starting from the letter O and extended the design to brand applications, completing a series of applications including PowerPoint presentations, main visual posters, business cards, ID badges, light boxes, and clothing.
In each weekly class, Mr. Vinod provided me with specific and targeted feedback, helping me gradually clarify the issues in my design and guiding me to develop a more logical and extensible design language.
Observation
Through continuous experimentation and refinement, I observed and recognized several key issues and areas for growth:
Shifting from “form” to ‘systematicity’: Initially, I focused more on whether the letterforms were “aesthetically pleasing,” but soon realized that without systematic guidelines (such as stroke thickness, corner radius ratios, and grid proportions), consistency in style was difficult to achieve. Especially in Task 3, the grid system became a key tool for me to solve the issues of style consistency and efficiency.
Fonts cannot exist in isolation: When designing lowercase letters or punctuation marks, designing them separately can easily lead to inconsistencies. Mr. Vinod reminded me to pair uppercase and lowercase letters in layout and observe paragraph structures, which helped me realize that the relationship between lowercase and uppercase letters in terms of structural language and visual tension is crucial.
Expanding design is not about filling space but conveying ideas: In the application demonstrations of Task 2 and 3, I initially fell into the mindset of “placing materials and logos,” but gradually realized that excellent font displays and brand visuals are not just about visual richness but also about expressing the brand's spirit.
Learning to deconstruct and reconstruct from others' work: Weekly reviews of classmates' work by the instructor helped me develop a systematic approach to deconstructing typeface design, such as how to derive an entire style from the structure of a single letter and how to ensure works are interconnected rather than isolated aesthetic elements.
Finding
Over the course of this semester, I gained not only technical skills but also established the following key insights about font design:
“Systematicity” itself is a style
Fonts are an art defined by rules. The stylistic consistency of the Techline font is built on strict grids, uniform stroke thickness, and rounded corner proportions. These “invisible rules” behind the design are the strongest identifying features of the font.
“Aesthetic appeal” is not the ultimate goal; “practicality” is
Whether it was the letter expansion in Task 2 or the font presentation and application in Task 3, I gradually came to realize: design ultimately serves communication and usage scenarios. If a font cannot demonstrate its logic, style, and functionality in practical applications, it is merely a “graphic,” not a “font.”
“Typography” is the ultimate destination of fonts
Font design cannot be separated from the typographic context. Task 1 made me realize that the logic of information arrangement directly affects the effectiveness of font communication. Typography is both the stage for showcasing font style and the only way to test its readability, tension, and rhythm.
“Feedback” is an indispensable part of design
Weekly classroom critiques became the driving force behind my iterative design process. Whether it was inconsistent M/W widths, mismatched lowercase and uppercase letters, or text that was too small to have visual impact, this feedback helped me break free from my own habitual thinking and re-examine my work from an external perspective.
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