/ Title
/ Research Type
Example
Example
// Notes Example
Data Flux Sketch book This sketch book documents the ideas, thoughts and process associated with the beginning of a project which explores the theme of data flux. This project does not aim to solve a real world problem or provide a tangible, useful outcome. It is a journey into a set of ideas which have been explored through the medium of typography. The sketchbook has no definitive end point however to see where some of this research has led please see the attached DVD which contains a short documentary and a document entitled “Project Journey�.
1
/ Title
/ Research Type
// Notes
Introduction
Data Flux Research project Data flux is a design lead research project which considers future living in urban environments, where data is ever-increasingly present in our life cycles and routines. The project is not concerned with the technicalities of what will be possible in the future but rather an examination of one way typographic design could be used to solve problems in the future home.
This document contains 6 weeks worth of research and exploration which lead to a series of experiments regarding how type can be “designed� into the home. For a more structured picture of the project so far please see the short documentary or project story on attached cd.
The project spawned from an interest in the hierarchy of information and how this can be presented typographically. In the near future we will be over run by information and data, and with this encroaching into our homes it is important for that information to be accessible, useful and most importantly beautiful. Homes today are filled with endless data that is accessible and readily available. The titles of books and dvds, magazine covers, food packaging all of this information is staring us in the face. But it’s possible to imagine a world where our homes no longer contain information in a visible platform. With media increasingly being consumed through handheld devices one could easily picture a world where man sits in his white box, consumed with his media device which streams carefully selected data to him. Information, and in turn typography, will cease to be an element of surprise in our world. Not only will we be restricted by the platform on which information is presented to us but we will also be dealing with ever increasing amounts of data. In a world of interconnected devices simple activities such as boiling the kettle or running the tap will throw up large amounts of data into soft space. And we will be expected to interact with and act upon this information. In order for this to happen we need to have access to this data. But with such large amounts a creative solution is needed to present the data and integrate it with the home.
3
/ Title Starting point
/ Research Type
// Notes
Thoughts and feelings
Educate To Inform oneself about the best course of action.
Educate = Communicate = Information = Presentation = Language = Typography
5
/ Title Informative type Typefaces
/ Research Type Existing work
// Notes How can the typeface in itself be educational and provide more information than just the words it is used to write.
Actium A TypeMafia typeface Type Mafia has focussed on words with odd combinations of capital letters and numbers, such as product names and postal codes like WD40 and H1N5. They sit awkwardly together as the numerals have been designed to work with the lowercase, not the uppercase letters – affecting readability.
Key Features: Smart Capo Unusual Diagonal Stress Old Style and Lining numerals
The resulting typeface provides a solution to the problem of presenting awkward numerals which in turn helps present data and can help with educating a user.
7
/ Title
/ Research Type
Informative type Typefaces
Existing work
// Notes How can the typeface in itself be educational and provide more information than just the words it is used to write.
Gina A typeface by The Colour Grey Individual characters fit together easily to promote overall ease of reading, but they can also combine in equations, formulae, foreign terms, or precise technical language without ambiguity.
A wide range of characters mean presenting detailed multi layered information is easy.
Key Features: Vast set of scientific & mathematical symbols. Proportional and tabular spacing in figures. Distinct Letter forms
9
/ Title Emotional Typography
/ Research Type Discovering
// Notes Typography can communicate on two levels. There is the language that it is presenting as well as the shapes of the typeface which can give the face an emotion or feeling.
Emotional Typography -Introduction Emotional typography is a term which is widely used by the likes of Nevillie Brody, Jonathen Barnbrook and Jon Wozencroft. All of the above are founders or contributors to Fuse Magazine. Fuse was an influential magazine during the 1990s which explored the idea of experimental typography and typefaces which could communicate on a deeper level that just the words and language they were presenting. The typographic experiments in fuse magazine are famous and provide a classic example of introducing an element other than simple communication to typography
11
/ Title Emotional Typography
/ Research Type Existing Work
// Notes Looking at typefaces that can communicate on an emotional level
Jonathen Barnbrook Northern Ireland Barnrbooks Northern Ireland project looks at the emotions conveyed in political murals that are scattered all over Northern Ireland. His project sought to create a typeface based on the hand lettering in these murals so that he could then create new murals with the same emotional range as the originals.
The type retains a hand drawn feel which provides a lot of the raw emotion that went into these murals
Perhaps a bold downstroke indicates shouting or anger?
Flourishes indicate that thought went into the lettering of the murals. The typography was important to their communication.
Letters appear to have been taken from different murals providing a mixed emotional response
13
/ Title
/ Research Type
Emotional Typography
Existing work
// Notes Looking at typefaces that can communicate on an emotional level
Herb Lubalin Logotypes Lubalin has a god like status amongst some graphic designers. He is famous for his use of type as visual metaphor. In this sample of some of his logos you can see examples of how typography can be used to communicate in a visual manor. He uses the simple forms to represent other iconic and recognisable imagery.
15
/ Title Communicating emotion
/ Research Type Existing Research
// Notes Research into how humans read emotional typography is limited but some people have made attempts to achieve this.
Kinetic Typography Study A Group of students at the Human-Computer Interaction Institute and School of Design, Carnegie Mellon University. Undertook an experiment to see if kinetic typography can communicate emotions when used in text based personal communication such as email or instant messaging.
To do so, we need to first know if kinetic typography effects can be used in a consistent and repeatable manner to convey emotion. To our knowledge, no studies have been undertaken to determine whether kinetic effects can convey a particular emotion reliably to a range of viewers. In this paper we present a study to answer this question. We also present design guidelines for a Kinetic Typography Instant Messenger (KTIM). Our guidelines build on several interactive systems for working with kinetic text. Some are professional, more general, time-based animation tools, and others are specific tools for kinetic typography. As shown in Figure 10, participants gave Angry and Sad lower mood ratings and Happy and Joyous higher mood ratings. The result is statistically significant.
The students thesis proved that a pre designed emotion received a uniform response indicating that across a broad spectrum of participants they all viewed the text as conveying a singular emotion.
17
/ Title Can typeface convey emotion?
/ Research Type Self conducted Survey
// Notes I conducted a small experiment to determine whether a typeface could convey an emotion through typeface design alone.
Emotional typeface Survey I had read research that stated emotion could be communicated through kinetic typography but I wanted to see if emotion could be communicated through typeface design alone. I chose a series of well renowned typefaces and presented them to a range of subjects. I then asked them to pick from a list of emotions for each typeface. In essence they were simply matching emotions to typeface with nothing more than an a-z specimen to look at.
To narrow down the broad range of emotional responses that could have been listed I chose to use Robert Plutchik’s psycho evolutionary theory of emotion. This theory states that there are only 7 basic human emotional responses; anger, fear, sadness, disgust, surprise, anticipation, trust, and joy.
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
19
/ Title Can typeface convey emotion?
/ Research Type Self conducted survey
// Notes I conducted a small experiment to determine whether a typeface could convey an emotion through the typeface alone.
Emotional typeface Survey Result
When gathering my results I decided to omit information such as which typeface I was looking at and which emotion was chosen. I crafted the data to obtain the results I was looking for, which was whether a uniform response would be achieved. As you can see in 4 of 5 cases a single response came out on top showing that a typeface in itself can indeed communicate a similar emotion to a range of subjects.
In 4 out of 5 cases the participants provided a uniform emotional response to the typefaces proving that a typeface can consistently represent an emotion.
21
/ Title Review
/ Research Type Thoughts and analysis
// Notes I will review my research at periods where I am stuck or taking a change in direction. This will allow me look back over the journey I have taken.
Review I have an interest in the communicative abilities of a typeface when words and language are removed from the equation. I have gone some way to proving that a typeface can communicate emotions or information but have no application for this theory to be applied to. I will next start to consider when a typeface needs to utalise these abilities.
23
/ Title
/ Research Type
When is emotion needed
// Notes
Thoughts and analysis
Throughout my research I took time to empty my brain onto paper. I have tried to visualise my thoughts into simplified mind maps
Typefaces have emotions but when does typography need a voice?
To show emotion
Communication of complex ideas or concepts.
When is emotion necessary? Messaging and conversing over text.
When is emotion unavailable?
Communicating through text
Communicating with machines
Human to machine
Machine to human
Instructions using pre determined emotions
How can we input emotion?
Communicating complex data and information
25
/ Title When is emotion needed
/ Research Type
// Notes
Information collection
Human to machine Interaction Introduction Most developments in human to machine interaction are currently looking at user interface, control techniques and instructing humans. All of these areas of research are looking at improving how we can control machines but in the future machines will take their own course of action based on our communication with them. In these cases a way to communicate with machines with more depth may be necessary. If machines could record our emotions in the type we already input then it would match our language with our emotions and could make decisions based on these. Perhaps a typeface that can convey human emotion could help us to communicate with machines and help machines read those communications?
27
/ Title Communicating with machines
/ Research Type
// Notes
Concurrent Activity
Machines could make better informed decisions if we could communicate emotions though our text input.
Human to machine Facial Recognition typeface Created by Mary Huang, TYPEFACE is a study of facial recognition and type design, creating a typeface that corresponds to each individual, like a typographic portrait. Somewhat similar to LAIKA project – interactive typeface, the challenge here were the limitations of geometric type system, being able to allow for a great amount of variation while maintaining a general level of quality in the letters. This was made especially harder by using lowercase letters.
The software gives a typeface individually tailored to the user by using their face as a variable. Although each outcome is different they don’t convey any specific emotions. Is there a way you could vary a typeface by emotional input?
“…people really wanted to do was make funny faces at the camera so they could watch the type change. So, I decided to encourage that. I also wanted to draw a closer connection to handwriting, so I added the ability to type in the program, which creates sentences with accumulated variation in the letters.”
29
/ Title Communicating with machines
/ Research Type
// Notes
Concurrent activity
Human to machine Laika Typeface In considering type we speak, for example, in terms of bold, thin, grotesque, classical, roman, italic: terms that all describe a defined variant of the font family. Thus we only ever see individual fixed points in what is actually an infinitely wide space of possibilities. With digitalization, however, typeface has left its manifest image – cast in lead – behind, and with it all the associated limitations. Computer-based applications, the Internet and new, fluid advertising media allow us to go beyond the existing, static view of typography.
Laika is an example of gving a user control over their typeface. It allows you to convey emotions or expressions by adjusting your type. It is dependant on the user knowing how to interpret an expression typographically. If different users interpret expressions in different ways it could lead to difficulties in communication. Overall adding an element of control to typography is an interesting approach for allowing the user to experience type in a way they like.
LAIKA is neither bold nor thin, but swings between these two extremes. Its form is no longer defined statically, but alters dynamically. As well as the font’s weight, the stroke contrast, serif lengths and italic angles of the font all behave dynamically too. All these parameters can be driven and influenced by a range of inputs, in order to create a typeface that changes constantly in real time. LAIKA requires a whole new, dynamic understanding of typography. Why should a typeface be rigidly set, if it is not going to be printed? In a dynamic medium, why shouldn’t the form and the character of the typeface be understood dynamically as well? Why shouldn’t its forms change, transform, and respond to circumstances? Prototypical applications show their potential in combination with interactive, audiovisual inputs, data requested from the Internet in real-time (RSS feeds), and electronic components such as sensors or simple switches. In this way, an advertising text could react to passers-by, stock market prices could influence a corporate typeface, or ECG measurements taken while writing could breathe new emotional life into digital love letters. With LAIKA, there is finally a font that can seamlessly use the whole spectrum of its cuts. A font that is able to move between its extremes in real time. An interactive font that is able to respond to its surroundings. A font that questions deadlocked dogmas and throws up completely new design questions, and thus has the potential to revolutionise the understanding of digital typography. http://laikafont.ch/About_eng.html
31
/ Title Communicating with machines
/ Research Type Concurrent Activity
// Notes Machines could make better informed decisions if we could communicate emotions though our text input.
Human to machine Laika Typeface Laika is an adjustable typeface which manipulates according to a stream of varying data or information. It can react to virtually any input, allowing it to communicate on multiple levels.
33
/ Title Review
/ Research Type Thoughts and analysis
// Notes I will also take a moment to review after I have looked at other peoples work to establish what I have gained from the research.
Review Adding an element of control to the typography allows for the user to adapt it to their needs. It is interesting how the tone of voice is dependant on both the user and the design of the typeface in these situations. Perhaps control could be utilised to adjust type to a users needs?
35
/ Title Machines communicating with us
/ Research Type Thoughts and analysis
// Notes When do machines need to talk to us on a deeper level.
Machine to human Interaction Introduction Machine to human interaction takes place everywhere today but when could informative or emotional typography play a part? Most machine to human interaction takes place when presenting data to humans. Data has become an integral part of human life and we are consuming vast amounts of it all the time. Perhaps there would be a way to better communicate data if machines used more adaptive typography when communicating with humans.
37
/ Title
/ Research Type
Machines communicating with us
Thoughts and analysis
// Notes I spent some time considering when we interact with machines
When Where & How Receiving information from machines.
When
Where
How
Consuming entertainment Searching for specific information Information boards Dials and displays Interactive machines Self service machines Notifications Warnings Playing games
Public spaces Supermarkets In the home Operating machines Artificial intelligence
Ambient information Checking a device Checking a specific location Interruptions Feedback from input Two way communication
39
/ Title
/ Research Type
Machines communicating in the home
// Notes
Thought and analysis
I decided to focus on one areas of machine in order to make my research more concise and give it more depth.
Machine to human Interaction In the home After looking at when machines communicate to humans I latched onto the idea of machines communicating information to us in and around the home.
When Consuming entertainment Searching for specific information Information boards Dials and displays Interactive machines Self service machines Notifications Warnings Playing games
Where Public spaces Supermarkets In the home Operating machines Artificial intelligence
How Ambient information Checking a device Checking a specific location Interruptions Feedback from input Two way communication
41
/ Title
/ Research Type
Communicating with machines
Concurrent Activity
// Notes Information in and around the home is becoming an area of interest in future technologies
Machine to human Pachube Pachube (“patch-bay�) connects people to devices, applications, and the Internet of Things. As a web-based service built to manage the world’s real-time data, Pachube gives people the power to share, collaborate, and make use of information generated from the world around them.
<
Pachube utilises a theory known as the Internet of things which is concerned with all physical items being linked to the internet and generating data and information.
>
43
/ Title
/ Research Type
Communicating with machines
// Notes
Concurrent Activity
The Internet of things The internet of things ties in with Pachube. It is a theory that states that in the future EVERYTHING will be connected to the internet and generating information that we will be expected to interact with.
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>
“Imagine googling your home to find your childs lost toy” “Your plant tweeting you to be watered” “Or remotely turning on the tumble dryer for yet another cycle - after it has texted you that the clothes were still damp.”
45
/ Title Review
/ Research Type
// Notes
Thoughts and analysis
Review If I am going to look at data in the home I decided that I will use my home as the subject matter. This will allow me easily analyse my routines in and around the home and how I currently interact with data. The next stage will be to start examining how I interact with information in the home paying attention to typographic representations of information.
47
3
12
4
7
6
/ Title
/ Research Type
Machines communicating with us
// Notes
Sketching
Looking at what sort of data we can expect to see in our home.
Data My internet of things A floorplan of my home and â&#x20AC;&#x153;machinesâ&#x20AC;? it contains
5
8 12 91
01
1
49
13
3
4
7
6
/ Title
/ Research Type
Machines communicating with us
// Notes
Sketching
Data My internet of things Mapping possible areas where machines can communicate with each other
5
8 12
51
13
/ Title Data in the home
/ Research Type
// Notes
Sketching
Data Mapping data connections Mapping possible areas where machines can communicate with each other lead me to realise that all these interactions create consumable data. This data can be visualised as snipets of information that machines can communicate to humans. For example a new email has arrived and your laptop lets you know.
53
/ Title Review
/ Research Type Thoughts and analysis
// Notes Analysis of where I am so far
Review After originally exploring how a standalone typeface can communicate emotions or be informative I have ended up exploring information that is provided to us by computers and machines. My research into the internet of things has got me thinking about information in the home. It seems as though in the near future we will be using information a lot more so perhaps there is a way typography can be used to present this information in a more efficient manor.
55
/ Title Analysing my home
/ Research Type Collecting
// Notes To apply a typographic landscape to the home I decided to look at where type currently exists in the home.
Typography Type in the home
All type in the home is acting as some sort of information. We are surrounded by information and data which blends into the background of our routines.
57
/ Title Analysing my home
/ Research Type
// Notes
Collecting
Typography Type in the home
I decided to start looking at where type exists in the home. Type begins to appear in unlikely places such as remote controls or branding of electronics. I realised we actually live in a sea of typographic noise with typography everywhere.
59
During just one of many routines I undertake in a day involves me absorbing vast amounts of data. Simply waking up allows me to check emails, check the time and interact with several devices.
In our future home day to day devices such as the shower will be generating tangible data such as temperature and energy usage. We will be expected to interact with this information and act upon it.
/ Title Interacting with the home
/ Research Type User journey mapping
// Notes To figure out how we work with data in the home I started to map my journeys around the home.
Journey Mapping Waking Up
61
As well as information we interact with regularly there is also information that is available but that we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always interact with. This could be things such as the detailed information on food packaging
As well as items which contain or generate data there are also touch points we interact with, these could act as canvasses to display data. For example door ways and walls.
/ Title Interacting with the home
/ Research Type
// Notes
User journey mapping
63
/ Title Data in the home
/ Research Type Analysing
// Notes I decided I should look at all the information in my home.
Data in the home Having done several journey maps around my home I realised I needed to start mapping out the data that was present in the home. I realised that in short journeys I was interacting with vast quantities of information through several avenues such as computers, packaging, media and machines.
65
/ Title Data Map
/ Research Type Analysing
// Notes Example
67
/ Title Review
/ Research Type Thoughts and analysis
// Notes Data in the home is a huge concept
Review I realised whilst collecting information in the home that there was vast amounts of areas where data could be generated. I listed touch points where data could be collected and created a map of the home which acts a pie chart. The size of the room corresponds with how much time is spent there rather than physical size. The length of the paragraphs is the size of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;cloud spaceâ&#x20AC;? or the ammount of data touch point a room contains. The living room and kitchen dominate this map so I will focus my attention on these from now on. Many of my touch points focused on media and packaging, two areas of design that in the future will be in decline due to expensive printing and compact media devices which contain all media.
69
/ Title The weird future
/ Research Type Thoughts
// Notes You can imagine a future where all typography is gone from the home and man sits in his white box with nothing but his small device. Data will be hard to access in this world.
71
/ Title Actual Data
/ Research Type Collecting
// Notes I expanded on one of the many touch points by collecting real data from this touch point
Information Gathering info I started to gather the kind of information I would be visualising. This is a list of all my incoming email subjects for one day. Once I had this information I could start exploring how I could present this in a flowing fashion inside the home.
73
/ Title Visualising information
/ Research Type Concurrent activity
// Notes How can I visualise varying data through typography?
Adapting Typefaces Marvin Boiko Marvin Boiko’s diploma-project »Typography, time, reaction« concerns itself with the question if it would be possible to use »time« as an visual parameter to implement it in typography. How much illustrative information can you adapt to a letter? How far can you max the style of a letter without loosing his typical form or make it unreadable? It it possible to read the time by the help of the originated form? Marvin shows six different approaches tests that combine the aspects seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months with a self-designed font. Each test includes: a printed documentation, three posters and an animation which documents the timeline of the test. http://www.open-output.org/marvinboiko/project/19169
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/ Title Digital typography
/ Research Type Concurrent activity
// Notes How can I visualise varying data with type.
Electro Aesthetic Florian Poschold Florians project explores the aesthetics of data through a book entitled Raw Data Experiments. The experiments vary including some experiments with electronics however there is a section exploring typography. The aesthetic he gets from varying data represents a classic interpretation of data which we have adopted from sci-fi films of the 21st century. http://www.open-output.org/fposchlod/project/14806
77
/ Title Digital typography
/ Research Type Concurrent activity
// Notes Example
Typography Zhenxhing XI The project is an experimentation of an ambient display for participatory reading experience. Topic-specific lyrics are excerpted from the songs by Lady Gaga and Madonna, triggered by the dancing movements of two participants that encounter the space. The interface uses the spatial relationship between the dancers to determine what type of content to be pulled out. The schema is designed in such way that the closer the participants are to each other, the greater the lyrics share in common under that specific topic, while a bigger distance between the participants reveals lyrics of different or opposed attitudes. The intention behind this is a more dynamic and impersonated reading of the cultural shift through the songs of two American idols. http://www.open-output.org/inaxi/project/11726
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/ Title
/ Research Type
Projections
Concurrent Activity
// Notes How can projections be used with typography
Projections La Cinémathèque française This project utilises projections in order to create a modular identity. Projecting type is a great way to overlay information in a transparent way, leaving the building visible. You can create a multi layered experience in this way.
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>
81
/ Title Review
/ Research Type
// Notes
Thoughts
Review Data can be structured in a variety of experimental ways. For me, the best examples of utilising data and information make use of a clear typographic structure. This can still then be distorted or manipulated but a clear start point is essential. Interesting designs make use of a digital aesthetic to create a link between computer information and typography. This clearly identifies what the type is representing. I will start to look at typefaces next.
83
/ Title Modular type
/ Research Type
// Notes
Sketching
Modular type Pixel fonts Pixel fonts make use of pixels in their construction. If a home was split into modules you could construct large scale pixel fonts using these modules. Perhaps these could be a useful tool for structuring data in a modular fashion?
85
ABCDEFGHIJKLN MOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklm nopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789 MagdaClean Mono
/ Title
/ Research Type
Typeface choice
Exploring
// Notes I started to look at typefaces with a suitable aesthetic for the home
Typefaces Monospaced I started looking at monospaced typefaces. I was drawn to these because of their use in compter coding. There are many styles inside the monospaced catagory of typefaces. Here you can see the structured computer forms of Magda compared with the slightly more humanist Monosten.
ABCDEFGHIJKLN MOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklm nopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789 Monosten A 87
ABCDEFGHIJKLN MOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklm nopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789 OCR A
/ Title Typeface choice
/ Research Type Exploring
// Notes I started to look at typefaces with a suitable aesthetic for the home
Typefaces Revisiting my typeface Below is a sketch of a typeface I designed. The typeface utilises monospaced aesthetics whilst adjusting some characters to become a proportional typeface. This allows me to strike a balance between humanist style and computer or digital aesthetic.
ABCDEFGHIJKLN MOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklm nopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789 Tim Janes Reg (not mono) 89
/ Title Applying type
/ Research Type Experimenting
// Notes I looked at typefaces in situations that I would be using them
91
AaBb AaBb
/ Title
/ Research Type
Typeface choice
// Notes
Exploring
Typefaces Proportional I decided that perhaps the â&#x20AC;&#x153;codeâ&#x20AC;? aesthetic was a little obvious and ugly so decided to explore more conventional proportional typefaces. I only examined open type typefaces because I realised that when presenting information the extra features are essential.
Frutiger Din Meta Fedra Info
Frutiger - Adrian Frutiger
Din
Meta - Erik Spiekermann
Fedra
Info - Erik Spiekermann
93
/ Title Typeface choice
/ Research Type
// Notes
Exploring
Typeface Variable by MADtype One typeface that struck me was Variable. The broad range of carefully crafted weights would allow for a great system of to be established when presenting data or information.
Variable Variable Variable Variable Variable 0123456 95
v
/ Title
/ Research Type
Typeface choice
// Notes
Analysis
Variable Pros and Cons
Variableâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latin alphabet is perfect however the numerals utalise monospaced principles. As a result they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really fit in with rest of the typeface. This means that displaying numerical information may be a bit tedious or ugly.
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AaBb AaBb
/ Title Typeface choice
/ Research Type
// Notes
Decisions
Numbers Proportional or Tabular I decided to examine the proportional typefaces I had chosen to see how their numerals worked. Many of them had a broad character set but some of them on used tabular numerals. This means that setting numbers proved a little ugly. I decided the best option would be Din due to its large set of weights and it containing 4 sets of numerals. Proportional lining, proportional old style, Tabular lining and tabular old style.
516.82 516.82 516.82 516.82 516.82
Frutiger - Adrian Frutiger
Din
Meta - Erik Spiekermann
Fedra
Info - Erik Spiekermann
99
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP Typeface Din Rounded Din Rounded offers an alternative to Din with a little more character and friendliness. This has all the usefull features of Din whilst adding a friendlier characteristic.
/ Title Typeface choice
/ Research Type
// Notes
Decisions
Typeface Din Din offers a typeface constructed of simplified forms to fit into any environment. It utilises straight edges which makes it perfect for fitting into a grid like or modular structure. It contains both Tabular and Proportional style numerals.
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP QRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrs tuvwxyz 0123456789
101
/ Title Type One
/ Research Type Texts and Books
// Notes A great book on contemporary typography
Type One Resource After looking at more experimental use of type and then typefaces themselves I found myself being drawn towards more conventional typefaces such as Din. I decided to look at more typography with a home that it would provide inspiration as to how I could utilise type in the home.
103
/ Title Type One
/ Research Type Texts and Books
// Notes Structuring information
Type One M端ller+Hess M端ller+Hess utalise typography for displaying data and information. Their work is often based on a grid or structure which can simply contain large quantities of data.
105
/ Title
/ Research Type
Type One
Texts and Books
// Notes Inspiration
Type One General work There are lots of examples of type being used in a structured or hierachial way. The image below shows how I could use scale to create a structure of information in the home.
107
/ Title Type One
/ Research Type Texts and Books
// Notes Integrating type into architecture
Type One RE-P This piece of work utilizes projections to display type and information. The type creates a pathway from the doorway enticing users to interact with it and read it.
If you use type correctly it can be used as part of the architecture of the building.
109
/ Title Review
/ Research Type
// Notes
Thoughts
Review I realised that the key way I could utilises typography was with fitting it into the â&#x20AC;&#x153;canvas of the homeâ&#x20AC;? To do this I would need a typeface which is very flexible. It would need lots of weights and the ability to be clearly presented in large spaces. Projection seemed to be the obvious way I could apply my typography to the home.
111
/ Title Testing type
/ Research Type Testing
// Notes Although I had settled on din I thought I should do a few more tests with real data.
Projecting data Typeface Typeface choice is a huge element of the project. With my aims in mind I had to choose a balance between legibility and character. I looked at typeface with a digital coding aesthetic such as magda, a mono spaced typeface. However I think the clean sans serif faces are more representative of information and my home.
1. Helvetica 2. Gravur 3. Magda
113
Courier Monospaced Courier is used in many coding programs so provides a digital code like aesthetic.
Magda mono Monospaced
Din Proportional
/ Title Testing Type
/ Research Type Testing
// Notes It was important to check the legibility of the type.
Projecting type Adhesion test The word adhesion provides a good test for what text is going to look like due to it providing a broad spectrum of characters. I tested several of the typefaces in a projection setting. With the restrictions of pixels when projecting on a low res projector I found that the simpler the better. Din was by far the most legible typeface.
Variable Proportional
115
/ Title
/ Research Type
Final choice of type
Explanation
DIN Rounded
Light
DIN Rounded
Regular
DIN Rounded
Medium
DIN Rounded
Bold
1578
Tabular
1578
Proportional
1578
Proportional old style
1578
Tabular old style
34
34
56
56
78
78
12
12
45
45
// Notes
Din rounded contains many weights which allow me to create in my designs.
The 4 number systems allow you to create character when using numerals as well as ensuring they blend perfectly with little contrast
Proportional numbers look better in text but when structuring information in a grid or table tabular numbers are essential.
Tabular left Proportional right
117
/ Title Form + Code
/ Research Type Texts and Books
// Notes Designing with data has many more routes and paths than designing for the page.
Form + Code Resource With coding and design being a fairly new subject area it is sometimes difficult to pick out text which suit your needs. I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t interested in the coding for this project however this book contained several sources of inspiration.
119
/ Title Form + Code
/ Research Type Texts and Books
// Notes Grids in structures
Form + Code Pablo Valbuena Pablo Valbuena utilizes the architecture of spaces to construct interesting light shows. This project highlights how a space is made of many surfaces which combine to create one canvas.. This canvas can then receive many different treatments.
121
/ Title Form + Code
/ Research Type Texts and Books
// Notes Breaking physical spaces into canvas
Form + Code Rector Street Bridge The Rector street bridge also makes use of architecture in order to put on a light show. This time they have integrated it with day to day architecture. For example stairs contain a light source.
123
/ Title
/ Research Type
// Notes
Review
Review After reading form and code I started to think about how you can integrate design with the architecture of a building. I found it interesting how many of the projects looked at ways to utilise space by applying work to multiple surfaces. Perhaps this could be a way I can cram large quantities of information into the home?
125
/ Title Integrating information in the home
/ Research Type Analysis
// Notes Analysing my home allows me to spot ways I could present information in the home.
The home as a canvas Depth When designing with type layout, grids and are the first decisions you need to take. In the 3d environment the rules differ from the page. One element is depth which adds another way to control in your designs. I started by analysing canvases in the home which allowed me to start considering depth as an element in my designs.
127
/ Title Analysing the home
/ Research Type Tests
// Notes Projection mapping test to sperate surfaces in the home
The home as a canvas Depth I developed a technique which would allow me to apply my computer screen to a canvas. This would then let me mask off different sections of the architecture and turn them into canvases each with their own treatment
129
/ Title Modular canvas
/ Research Type Experimenting
// Notes How can modular design be integrated into a home?
The home as a canvas Modules As well as depth I started to notice â&#x20AC;&#x153;modulesâ&#x20AC;? which could act as individual canvases. For example the kitchen tiles create a perfect grid ready for information to be overlaid and this can be extended onto the wall space above. A grid allows for information to be modular meaning certain information can take prominence.
131
/ Title Modular canvas
/ Research Type Experimenting
// Notes How can modular design be integrated into a home?
133
/ Title
/ Research Type
Modular canvas
// Notes
Experimenting
Incoming Your Video is now online! RE: Show Your Amazon.co.uk order has been dispatched Your order is confirmed RE: Show Google Analytics Update Receipt for your payment Up to 75% off in mid season sale Your order with Amazon.co.uk Password Reset Confirmation
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135
/ Title Applying grid systems
/ Research Type Experimenting
// Notes How can a grid system be used in architecture as it would in the home
137
/ Title Applying grid systems
/ Research Type Experimenting
// Notes How can a grid system be used in architecture as it would in the home
139
/ Title Applying grid systems
/ Research Type Experimenting
// Notes How can a grid system be used in architecture as it would in the home
The home as a canvas Layers I realised that treating the home like a page with a grid was not enough. Every part of the home can be broken down into multiple layers or modules and each of these requires a different structure. You have to first analyse the separate canvases and then apply a typographic treatment to each of these individually.
141
/ Title Responsive Environments
/ Research Type
// Notes
Texts and Books
Responsive Environments Resource Responsive environments focuses on design where the users actions directly effect the design or visa versa. I am interested in how the way I present data in the home can alter our behaviour.
143
/ Title Responsive Environments
/ Research Type Texts and Books
// Notes Data can be beautiful
Responsive Environments Mediated Ecologies â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are using the reality that contemporary environments are dense with data and pollution. Living with the consequences can be made into something positiveâ&#x20AC;?
How can I create something positive from the vast ammount of data in the home?
Shona Kitchen
145
/ Title Review
/ Research Type
// Notes
Analysis
Review Having analysed the home as a canvas, looking at responsive environments lead me to start looking at how information can be integrated into these canvases. I have realised that in the future home a enormous ammount of information will be available for us to interact with so I needed to start considering how this could be integrated into the canvasses I had analysed.
147
/ Title Integrating information
/ Research Type Experimenting
// Notes I started sketching ways I could use modules to display type.
Integrating Data Kitchen I started to look at how I can integrate information into the architecture of my home. I experimented with an example where I visualise the information connected to devices in the kitchen. In the second photo I focused on how the information could be built into existing architecture.
A grid on a wall can contain lots of different information and the tiles can be utilised as â&#x20AC;&#x153;modulesâ&#x20AC;? containing data
149
/ Title Integrating information
/ Research Type Experimenting
// Notes I looked at several ways to integrate information into the home. One of them was using a minimalist approach.
Integrating data Minimalism A minimalist approach to presenting data allows for the information to blend into our daily life cycles. It is there if you want to access it, but can be ignored. Having data this pared back doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t allow for much room when trying to adapt and change data. If the user is to have control of data all they can do is increase the size or quantity. However the benefit of the minimalist approach is that the data can be subtle. Therefore large amounts of data can sit in harmony.
151
/ Title Modular Grids
/ Research Type Testing
// Notes I decided to test the modular system with real live data
Projecting data Modular Grids A modular grid system would allow me to change and adapt the presentation of data depending on the purpose. The grids could scale and change depending upon the users preferences. For example you could turn information “up” or “down”. Different kinds of modular grids could be applied to different “canvases” in the home.
153
/ Title Modules
/ Research Type Experimenting
// Notes How can modules become part of the architecture
Modules Structuring Modules You can structure information by importance. In this example I utilise the picture frame to construct a â&#x20AC;&#x153;moduleâ&#x20AC;? which can be used to store ambient information. The temperature and soft space data of the room can be viewed large or it can be moved to above the photo so it is always available for viewing whilst other information takes the main modules place.v
155
/ Title
/ Research Type
Using type
Testing
// Notes How is type setting effected in projections
Projection type Kerning Monospaced typefaces are easy to use and scale in projections but they suffer from kerning difficulties. With projected type people may be viewing at multiple angles. When viewing type on an angle the nearer characters appear stretched and the kerning compressed.
157
/ Title
/ Research Type
Using type
Testing
// Notes How is type setting effected in projections
Projection type Kerning A proportional typeface allows for suitable kerning to be applied which can be used to make visual corrections when viewing at an angle. The bottom of these images has been adjusted to allow for these situations
159
/ Title Using type
/ Research Type Testing
// Notes How is type setting effected in projections
Projection type Contrast At small sizes type needs increased contrast to be legible. Low contrast type doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a defined edge so is illegible at small sizes. This means once at a small size you are restricted in what you can do to alter the type.
161
/ Title Using type
/ Research Type Testing
// Notes How is type setting effected in projections
Projection type Contrast With differing contrast increasing type size doesn’t necessarily mean increasing . To increase the importance of information you could increase the size. But if you then decrease the contrast of the type this becomes less important again. You could decrease contrast in a number of ways such as decreasing opacity or using a lighter weight of type.
“The smaller and more delicate the type, the more contrast is needed to ensure adequate legibility”
163
Incoming Emails //
02
/ Title
/ Research Type Testing
Incoming Emails //
Using type
// Notes How is type setting effected in projections
02 165
Incoming Emails //
02
/
/
//
02 Incoming
Amazon
Your amazon order has been dispatched Twitter YavinJ is now following you on twitter
167
/ Title
/ Research Type
Adjusting Hierarchy
Example
// Notes How can you adjust in projections
Projection type Weight When projecting type at such large scales you have other option to decrease the of information. As well as changing the modular grid that the information sits on you can also adjust the weight or the brightness to reduce the â&#x20AC;&#x153;importantnessâ&#x20AC;? of typography
169
/ Title End
/ Research Type End
// Notes End
Research End This sketchbook has been used to gather the findings behind the beginning of a project which currently has no end point. The information in this sketchbook was for personal use in order to gather thoughts and experiment. The thoughts, ideas and tools developed and explored in this sketchbook have been further developed through the creation of a set of scenarios in the home. To see where this went next please refer to DVD containing a short documentary and the project story pdf.
171