by ali macdonald

typographic compositions

As part of the Pratt Institute Graduate Communications Design program, this Typography I class was an introduction to the concrete and conceptual aspects of typography as a visual medium.

The first half of the semester was a review of the technical requirements of typography. The second half was an exploration of the abstract compositional uses for typography, integrating hand skills and the computer as a way to render type. Historical and current forms of alphabetic communications were also explored, along with the relationship to modern image-based communications.

This book was the final assignment, and incorporates the steps taken in the process of composition exploration, while the book format functions as an introduction to the complexities of editorial design.

1 neighborhoods of type2 letterforms3 letterforms + words4 letterforms, words, text + graphic elements5 texture + positive/negative6 image

ali macdonaldDES-618-01professor dollefall 2009

neighborhoods of type

1The neighborhoods of New York are diverse and rich with character. This character can be seen in the buildings, the shops and restaurants, the public space and the people who make the neighborhood what it is. In this assignment, I explored four neighborhoods: Times Square, Central Park, Soho and Williamsburg (Brooklyn). I made observations about the mood,

pulse, visual attributes and overall impressions of each area.

Once the essence of the neighborhood was captured, I looked through magazines to find examples of common typographic letterforms that represent the qualities of that neighborhood. The typography was limited to several letters and cut out, scanned and/or copied from magazine covers, ads or layouts. The letterforms convey the aspects I have identified through their visual attributes alone-this isnt about words, but merely

letterforms and the feelings they evoke.

Times Square

Central Park

Soho

Williamsburg

concepts of composition

Composition is the organization or grouping of the different parts of a work of art so as to achieve a unified whole.

Although typographic composition utilizes the same basic compositional concepts that are part of all visual arts, there are unique ways that typography relates to each of these concepts. By forming relationships between the elements, and incorporating visual concepts in abstract ways, a new and more open

relationship with typography is achieved.

Shown on the following pages, the exploration of typographic composition started with simple elements--three letterforms--and became a process of identifying abstract concepts as they became visualized. Additional elements were added each week, and new relationships evolved as we explored positive/negative,

texture and image use.

ScaleSizeBalanceTension/HarmonyContrastContextMeaningFocusFormStructureDirectionRhythmColorDepthDetailTextureDrama

composition: letterforms

These compositions feature three letters from the alphabet, set in any of the following typefaces: Helvetica, Univers, Futura, Garamond, Times Roman, Century, Baskerville and/or Bodoni. By using size, scale, spacial relationships, bleeds and positioning as the variables, I created six compositions using only the three letterforms. The final compositions are

8.5x 8.5 (standard format throughout).

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composition: letterforms +wordsKeeping the three letters from the previous assignment, I have now included three words. The words do not have to have any particular meaning or association with each other. Each letter and word is set in one of the following typefaces: Helvetica, Univers, Futura, Garamond, Times Roman, Century, and/or Bodoni. Using only the three letters and three words, I created the following compositions.

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composition: letterforms, words, text +graphic elements

Starting with the same three letters and three words from the previous assignments, I am now adding some text and a graphic element. I am setting the text in one of the approved typefaces from before, adjusting the leading, column width, type size, etc. to achieve different results. As abstract compositions, it is not necessary that the text or other typographic elements be readable. I also included graphic elements: lines, circles, triangles or squares in any size or configuration, either solid or outlined. Screens of black could be employed, white type could

be used, and structure was to be considered.

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As a safety feature, this product is equipped with a grounded plug, which will only fitinto a three-prong outlet. Do not attempt to defeat this safety feature. Improperconnection of the grounding conductor may result in the risk of electric shock.Consult a qualified electrician if you are in doubt as to whether the outlet is properlyg r o u n d e d .

As a safety feature, this product is equipped with a grounded plug, which will only fitinto a three-prong outlet. Do not attempt to defeat this safety feature. Improperconnection of the grounding conductor may result in the risk of electric shock.Consult a qualified electrician if you are in doubt as to whether the outlet is properlygrounded.

composition: texture + positive/negativePositive/negative is the relationship between figure and ground. Are there black elements on a white ground, or white elements on a black ground? Does the ground interchange from black to white? Just making a composition negative does not deal with those issues.

Texture is the ability to render type in ways other than just hard edge black and white. Combining hand effects (drawing, painting), machined effects (photocopying, scanning), computer effects (PhotoShop, Illustrator) and/or accidental effects (spills, crumples, rips) allows you to define type in unusual and unique ways-challenging you to see it differently.

Typography exists in our world in many forms - this was an opportunity to explore non-traditional representations of typographic form.

Starting with the same three letters, three words and text used in the last assignments, I incorporated positive/negative and texture as major design components. Graphic elements were optional.

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composition: image

The final addition to the compositional process was the incorporation of an image. With the same three levels of typography--letters, words and text--an image of a simple object was introduced to the mix. The image could be cropped, silhouetted, texturized or changed in other ways in the course of creating the compositions. Texture could now be a part of the image, or continue as a separate element. Positive/negative, graphic elements and structure could be incorporated as needed.

The resulting compositions are still abstract, but hint at the richness that can be incorporated into even the simplest realistic project. The complex relationships between typographic elements and the concepts of scale, balance, focus, etc. are all exhibited in these engaging works that become expressive

works of art and communicate on multiple levels.

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This process taught me to see the potential for typography as more than a group of words placed neatly on a page. I learned to think outside of the box in my approach to the placement of letters and text in compositions where the consideration for arrangement was challenged by the incorporation of texture and images.

Type for this book is set in Garamond 8.5pt and Berthold Akzidenz Grotesk medium sizes 36pt and 56pt.