MWA identity - Typeface No2

Inspired from the second MWA logo created, more defined letterforms were produced which lead to another typeface, again not as time consuming as expected, but work the investigation, a definite improvement over the first typeface, much more readable and experimental with diagonal lines.

 I feel much more successful, and has the potential to expand on.

MWA Identity - Typeface

During the initial day brief for Matthew Whatley Architecture identity, while creating the logo I felt scope for creating a typeface directed from the rules and restrictions of the MWA logo created. Withe the rules in place, applying them to different letterforms didn't take as long as I thought, with some obvious adjustments to be made, this is attempt number 1 of the typeface, both line-form and reversed out. Not quite a portfolio piece, but if I keep practicing with letterforms and restrictions in the same way, ill will hopefully make some progress.

The typeface in use with 'Matthew Whatley Architecture' more of a composition typeface instead of a body copy don't you think? 

Works in some cases, obviously stronger in others.

Change platforms, delayed, but still moving.

Long story short, I was not happy. With the other two resolutions near completion, I didn't think the train ticket type represented the quality and I decided to recapture the typefaces. Changes are subtle but the typeface this time was scanned instead of photographed to control the quality and eliminate variations between images. the process was suprisingly effective, only taking around 2/3 of the time of the original which was a bonus and is definitely worth it.

Playing with the formats once again, it had been recommended to me I change the layout of the letterforms as one continuous sentence to make it much more readable. This allowed for a variety of placements to let the typeface have its full potential.

Subtle additions

Had a wicked brainwave for the card distribution for a dusting layout. To add another dimension to keeping the business cards, including small cut outs on the cards to act as dusters for your own drinks. Not an essential piece to the design,  but hopefully to tie everything together a little better.

For placement of a dusting typeface, because the idea of gossiping and chatting is beginning to form with the coffee/dusting type, introducing the design to layout, as a supplement may be the right way to go, in magazines or newspapers found in coffee shops. The keep the cards included, I though about making them part of the design, possibly tear out cards to share among people you meet and know with your skype details, Thus, bringing a possible solution to the brief.

A possible layout, very simple, just advert one side, and cards the other. I think a small explanation next to the cards just to direct people will be required, but not to draw attention away from the designs.

All aboard.

New typeface. working with train tickets to encourage and promote travelling skype, possible mobile devices and how skype can be used on the move and not just on your home computer. This typeface was medium driven and arranged to a rough scale unlike the bottlecaps type, following a subtle template.

I'm a little undecided about the typeface as it is, the letterforms were photographed and then edited in PS to remove the background. In places it does look a little untidy and size of letters could be a little bit more consistent. Although not to waste the composition, I applied it to a variety of different locations in placement to see how it works in an environment. 

I'm quite happy with the placement. I feel the typeface itself will be enough to give the right impression across and where the composition will be place is key to the design. train stations, transport and other travel spots, including screen.

Set the scene.

Large scale?

Entire scenarios?

Individual segments?

Pre crit. Visuals to show.

The Typefaces! 4 typefaces so far in the development, I can see atleast one dropping from the lineup and more taken further. Heading to the crit with an open mind and ready from criticism. 

The bottlecap type is my favourite so far, and will be interesting to find out what people think.

Undecided between these two, very similar with technique but both with a slightly different approach.

99 _______ sitting on the wall.

From the previous crit and development work, I decided to try working with bottle caps as a form of type medium. As Dad and myself are partial to a few ales now and again when i'm home, he for some reason kept hold of the caps. I asked him to send them some over, so I got cracking! 

From previous attempts are recreating type in this way, I found it hard to judge the scale well and keep the typeface workable and consistent throughout the letterforms. To solve this, I used a template printed on the sheet of paper (around 5% opacity) with century gothic for its rounded counter quality to base the typeface on. One of the decisions I've had to make while creating the typefaces is where-the to keep to an existing typeface, or have a medium directed typeface, and if they should all be the same? I suppose it varies between the medium and whatever looks visually more effective.

Applying a montage of the caps allows for the skype logo to be restyled in the relevant form. 

A possible layout of the type composition. Really really happy with this.

Chop choc chunks chype skype.

Round 2 for melting chocolate.

Because a molten melted chocolate was hard to work with, I made more of a chocolate cream and made the chocolate into a more cuttable sheet. When working with chocolate chunks they were hard to cut into shapes you wanted and it was very restricted, and just broke and crumbled. Hopefully more progress with this.

I want to use the majority of this with a structure composition so firstly I want to test with a more handmade approach, to see how the medium works.

A much better material to work with and easy to cut and shape, I'm piecing together letterforms from outer off cuts and see what works and doesn't. Watching the composition form was quite enjoyable to see, (as was the initial dusting) but the overall quality seemed too handmade and rough. For the majority of the chocolate I want to try something with more control, maybe a stencil?

Face melter.

It was also suggested I work with melted type and melted chocolate. I was alittle unsure, but gave it ago. Working with the medium was interesting, I first attempted melting actual chocolate to write with but it didn't make it to a melted state.. (I may of over done it..) so instead i worked with chocolate sauce, of teh same consistancy, just to see how it writes.

You definitely don't have much control with the medium. letterforms vary in size, colour and style. The type looks a little untidy and wouldn't be very easy to apply to a theme/target audience.

For further development, I attempted to pour a sheet of the sauce to photograph and manipulate in photoshop. This again was much harder than planned, and results were disappointing. 

Although the fade does look quite nice on the logo treatment, you can't tell what the medium is, and again makes it obsolete. I feel another chocolate typeface needs to be done.

Dust context?

To re-enforce the type composition a little better, I wanted to apply a little more context to the composition. Just as a tester, Ive taken a cafetier'e with coffee cup and applied. where-the its strong enough still will decide on the crit.

One composition ready for the crit!

Another one bites the dust(ing)

Oh my, think I'm on to something here. When Emma (my sister) and I were younger, we had some tupperware stencils to use with crayons and pencils to draw around.. For some reason I brought them to uni when I started, and now I have a use for them! Trying out the dusting technique, I have a upper and lower case stencil to use, and so how the material reacts and if its easy to edit. Obviously has its flaws, its so easy to ruin when dusting, but it does leave a really nice effect.

The fade and weight of the letterforms change depending on the amount dusted. It leaves a really nice effect and makes the design look much more natural. 

I tried on top of a drink and came across a few problems. The type will have to be tiny and accurate in order to dust on a drink with the right consistancy. The drink subsides and the type loses readability quite quickly, which again makes it hard to photograph.

Using the stencil, I recreated the phrase by dusting individual letter. First impressions, I'm really impressed, how what was a kids art toy was used to create a pleasing little bit of typography. Aligning the type was quite difficult, and not disturbing the other dusted letters, at parts it leaves a nice quality, but the arrangement may be seen as childish? might need some feedback on this..

I tried 'skype' with the possibility of applying to a card of some kind, to share with other people, and a logo opportunity.

Screen experimentation

Experimentation with the current typefaces on the scale for screen based advertising.  Just applying the type in its current form onto the correct format, and how it works. Personally i see quite a few flaws with the designs currently. The Chocolate typeface currently looks like pixels arranged and not chocolate, defeating the object of using the chocolate in the first place. More work is needed.

Ill get some feedback in the crit and see how things go from here, no doubt the type may have to be changed before then anyway.