A blog for students working in SDES2198 Advanced Typography and Publication Design, School of Design Studies, The College of Fine Arts (COFA), University of New South Wales
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
reflective josh.
Last minute add in.. Brian's Harmony piece
download from:
http://www.box.net/shared/hs0ut3kl6e
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Course Reflection
ATTN WEB (or whoever needs this): FINAL EDITED EDITORIAL BY BEC
Cheers, TJ
‘Type that sings’ by Rebecca Nekho
It doesn’t necessarily pop out at you, it sits in the back of your head and you wonder... “Hang on a minute... that’s... messing with me!” Oh yes indeed. The great thing about either the making of harmony or the execution of anti-harmony is that it evokes a certain emotion, a manufactured emotion; for the good of controversy or just plain allowing oneself to adhere to the overall sensual experience the type is conveying through its characters.
Legibility isn’t the main element I’m attracted to within typography, although creating a font that is legible is an art form in itself and a rather difficult skill to master. In my world typography as illustration is where it’s at because ‘everything else has been done before’.
Experimental typography plays with letterforms for what they are. Balance between arranged type has the ability to create perfect harmony between each negative and positive space generated by each shape. The beauty of these puzzle-like formations enhances visual capacity to a much higher level as opposed to regular text that can be read and possibly forgotten. A viewer won’t usually remember if something is legible due to the typeface – or is that the global description of good legible type? Something so easy to read and unobtrusive that it’s forgotten?
All I know is people are more inclined to remember what excites and moves them and for me that is type as image.
I want to draw attention to the message via the words rather than let it sink away into the background never to be contemplated or dreamt about. I want to subject people to sleepless nights, tossing and turning, ever wondering “But, how... that ‘H’... how did they... why did they..?” The unanswered questions of technicalities eating away for days, if not weeks. Distressful you say? Inhumane? It sure is.
Harmony in type can be perceived in many ways, but essentially just as in music, it is an important element regardless of its differences in medium and sensual experiences. It draws you in and keeps you wanting more until your eyes and ears bleed from the insatiable curiosities while the sounds and visuals speak to you personally from origins so epic as to move your soul and forever remain a part of your being.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
GOOGLE GROUP FILE LIMIT EXCEEDED?
TJ
ATTN PROMOS: INTRO EMAIL
The wait is over: FFI issue 2 is ready to rock ‘n roll!
Intermission has come to an end with COFA’s Advanced Typography Class of 2010 returning to the stage for an encore of typographical hits. Stamp and whistle to our sensational exploration of typography from an aural perspective as we utilise our skills around the page to make some musical matter clatter. Download a PDF version of FFI’s latest incarnation here or email ffipublication@gmail.com to get the lowdown on our musical type production.
I found this course an interesting choice, as I honestly did not know what to expect when I enrolled into it. It was certainly challenging in parts, though overall I do believe that I learned from my experiences.
The first project –letterpress was interesting. I enjoyed researching the history of a font, it made me think about all the thousands of people before me who dedicated time to creating something that we take for granted in written communication. I especially enjoyed learning about the personal life of John Baskerville, and later on Zuzana licko who renamed her font after his late wife in homage to her. The technical process was enjoyable, yet the lack of letters for a class of 20 was frustrating.
The second project was quite similar to others we have done in graphics; I did enjoy being able to indulge in my passion for illustrative typography. It was great that I could bring in my passion for drawing into this project.
The last project was quite challenging and confusing at times, working in a team was great, especially as all my team members were really awesome and hardworking. Collaborating with other teams was difficult at times as sometimes personal preferences were being pushed with a lack of constructive criticism, a good experience in learning how to work in a team in a successful manner.
I did not enjoy having online lectures. I much prefer having a time and place in which I could ask questions and I believe I learn better when being spoken to instead of reading. Honestly, I probably have not absorbed as much as I could have from the lectures.
course reflection
As a whole, I have really enjoyed this semester on typography & publication design. It has really opened my eyes to new ways to use typography, which I have found really interesting.
It was great using the letterpress in project 1. Very interesting to learn about alternate methods for typographical design in the digital age that we live in. I have a greater respect now for the book publishers of the olden days!!
Project 2 I didn’t find all that inspiring as it was quite similar to a graphics/media project we did last year. However it was good to do some more work on book/magazine layouts and learn more about grids.
I have really enjoyed project 3. While it has been very stressful at times, it has been a really great experience working as a team. I agree that it is great insight into how the real design world works and nice to branch out from working by oneself. So overall, a great and beneficial experience for us all!
While I very much liked the convenience of the online lectures, I found it hard if there was something I couldn’t quite understand not having a lecturer to ask the question to immediately. And it would also have been good to have the visual aspect of an in-person lecture. But the topics were interesting and I learnt a fair bit from the lectures.
As a graphic designer it is great to get a better understanding of typography and how to make it work with our designs. This course has given me some great new skills and a good base knowledge on typography, which I hope to further in the future. Thanks Wing and Ian!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
LAST PIECE OF WRITING FOR PROMOTIONS TEAM
Anyway here's my piece for their piece.
Whenever I find myself in a bind I ask myself what would Maria do? (I refer of course to that wondrous beast of a phenomenon that is Maria Von Trapp – the completely lovable antagonist from my number one favourite film of all time, The Sound of Music.) The answer to the aforementioned question is naturally always: the right damn thing.
So, on that willowy windswept mountain how did Madame choose (very successfully) to teach her seven young charges to carry a tune? Here’s a hint: “Let’s start from the very beginning… a very good place to start… when you read you begin with ABC, when you sing you begin with DO RE MI!” You guessed it… she SANG!
Sadly in modern Aussie classrooms my (okay Maria’s) rather progressive idea is shot down as complete bovine excrement which is quite unfortunate when the status quo is examined. In our so-called ‘modern’ world students are still using the same system dinosaurs used way back even before the Whopper was invented! And that system is of course T.E.X.T (time-consuming, exacerbating, Xeroxed trash) books.
Text based learning is fine if you harbour a billion extra blood vessels running through THAT side of the brain but spare an exam mark for us creative folk! We ain’t wired like you funny accountant people and this renders us disadvantaged in the classroom. We need an alternate option and I reckon music is the answer. Try and follow me here ‘K?
Let’s use COSMOGRAMMA as a sample. Even just a half hearted listen (and lemme tell with this FlyLo ain’t no half nuthin’ coz boy commands complete ‘tensh yo) leaves you with lessons in history (Alice Coltrane and Jazz), religion (world religion and spirituality via the cosmos), music (how to count beats real easy) and pop culture (an A-Z of Nintendo generational hits) – and that’s just the bare basics.
To compliment the vocal lesson we add some visuals to pump up a rounded day of learning. For example the sample shown teaches us about the first ever printing block: a curled up hand, dipped in dye and pressed down to form the mark we now know as paisley. YOU DIDN’T KNOW THAT? Hesitate not class-dunce! Ditch the T.E.X.T books and sign up for my S.O.B, School of Beats, coz we are outta the dark ages and seriously off the book!
Course Refection
Overall i have found this course really enjoyable. The projects have been fun and have allowed us to explore a number of different aspects of typography and publication design. It has also been fun working as a team for the final project as it has felt more like something that would happen in the real world – when often projects seem pointless. The printing press project was also really good and meant we had to manage our time well in order to get it completed. The hands on approach to typography was really interesting as everything else I have done so far has been on the computer. Its good to get another perspective on this aspect of design.
I have found the lectures a little difficult – I would have preferred to come in and sit in the lecture theater and hear something because I find having the lectures online doesn’t give me much motivation to look at them. They are also a little less engaging because they lack the images a presentation would have. The lectures have been on useful topics and have helped me throughout the project, but I agree with Katherine that sometimes it is hard to understand some terms/concepts.
I think I have really developed my technical skills in typography and publication design throughout this course. My interest in this area has also grown as a previously didn’t know so much on it and I think it is something I will continue to read about to learn more.
Hollie :D
NEW EMAIL ADDRESS. WHO DECIDES THIS???????????
I know we can't change the name from FFI because promo's have done their work already.
Arlene suggests ffipublication@gmail.com or hotmail.com or whatever.
Guys I don't know who organises this stuff. Please help. Arlene needs to know STAT.
TJ
wk12 talking point: Course Reflection
The projects themselves have also been quite eye-opening, however I think this has mainly come from hindsight, realising what would have been a better way(s) to approach the brief and project. For instance, the letterpress project – only after completing the project did I probably begin to understand the limitations of the letterpress, what compositions work and look best, and the best ways to physically set up the characters within the frame. At present I'm also finding the class-based publication project to be quite insightful. Predominantly in terms of what it's like to work on the one project as part of a large team sub-divided into smaller teams, the challenges that are faced in decision-making, and how the smaller teams tend to interact with each other. I'd say in both of these projects, due to the method and set-up involved, we will probably learn the most through the process itself.
Katherine (z3235050)
PROMOTIONS: WRITTEN PIECE FOR NEW YORK I LOVE YOU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JkBiP7rPt0
Promotions Group took inspiration for their artwork from a song entitled “New York I love you” by LCD Soundsystem. The following is my written dedication. Thanks for choosing such a sweet piece guys! xx tj.
New York Hymn
The sun screams loud as it dusty’s in,
the dusty louvres let him in.
If only they had kept at bay
that hymn that to this very day
can paint me black, lure me away,
force my heart to yesterday.
I can’t resist that fist, but then,
nor could you – and now again:
I am five and you are ten.
A can of coke as evidence,
your nobly meek confession.
An eternal moment’s sweet silence,
then we, are taught, a lesson.
We kneel before our brutal hymn
and sing in shame until Amen.
Outside the maid finds coke cans missing:
I took five and you took ten.
Blinking hard I return to now
with calm and dread I dial somehow.
She knows before I’ve even dared,
her babies fatally unpaired.
Your bruises hidden in sparkled snow,
the New York blizzard your final show.
I laugh out loud, my clever big bro!
For never again, shall you be ten.
ATTN: ALL TEAMS
Make sure all your typographic pieces are uploaded tonight on the Google Group.
Label them properly so that the Typographic team can access them and understand who they are from and what they are for.
Thanks.
Adrian.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
MORRISON’S END.
I had reached the end much too early,
Not late for once but still not on time.
We were so close but so far in this frame of mind.
You were on the highway into the sunset,
I cruised in the slow.
Less enjoyment, less pain,
Still had an open and powdery brain.
Junk up then collapse,
That was your thing.
It did such a good job of relieving your sting,
In the smack you were wrapped
The more restless you napped,
Was that how you watched me die?
Through a numb face
And a near closed eye?
You pulled the belt for me,
And told me I'd drown,
I was already more than coming down.
Further derailing my life,
Thinking Nirvana was close.
Pretty springtime, natural energy,
So many arms to make me a dose.
Your dead flowers brought genius
Of a million degrees,
Mind spilled into music
When we were just fusin'.
I'd dumped and snorted only hours ago,
It was then that you offered,
You needn't have bothered,
I had premonitions I'd be feeling abhorred.
(to go with Joanna's piece, hopefully to be changed to morrison..)
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
ATTN: Promotion/Style Guide Team
I didn't want to do this but I have decided to take a hard line.
I was going to take that 150mm by 150mm promotion piece to the printer, but honestly it's not worth getting everyone to spend their money on getting it printed.
So come Saturday at 8pm, I want you to send me your finished products that you have designed for this publication.
I will be printing ONE of each to hand in to Wing alongside this assessment task.
I expect you to think about what you have done so far, reference the style guide and in these next few days produce promotion collateral that:
a. People will be interested in picking up/looking at.
b. Is representative of the publication.
c. Something that both you and the class would be proud of.
Style Guide will look at your submission on Saturday and they will give you feedback. You will then have until Sunday 8pm to finalise your designs and submit them for me to print on Monday morning for Tuesday.
***Style: Give honest, critical feedback and make sure it is up to your standards.
Adrian.
CLICKER TEXT FOR ARLENE AND EDITORIAL
Arlene here you go my sweet:
LIFE INSIDE THE MUSIC BOX AIN’T EASY
- Well Regina Spektor it’s a hell smoother ride than living here within the strict confines of the typographic grid, with all its rules and regulation – ‘don’t show emotion/avoid sensation’ - a virtual dictatorship nation. So baby fly from your radio station while I stage a page evasion, and together: a revelation.
For Twenty ten’s ‘revelation’ we’ve worked typography into paying homage to that thing that sounds better with you, it makes the sound of the city disappear, ABBA thanked us for it, the Village People warned us we couldn’t stop it and remember what it did to the bourgoise and the rebels?
MUSIC and typography are a complementary marriage of opposites. Where kerning turns, a yearning note burns. Where plain lowercase fills visual space, its heavy weight plays pure deep bass. And so, what copy cannot express alone, typography brings to life with deafening resonance.
ATTENTION ARLENE
Listen sugar I just want to keep communication open for us and let you know I just hit myself up with some of the good beans so you'll have your "click" information in about a half hour.
I have a site visit this morning, home about... 1pm? So I'll have the rest of the main introduction to you by the afternoon.
After that I won't check my computer until Thursday arvo as I have a funeral in the morning.
I'm quite excited about my clicker copy - I've got some deadlies bouncing as we speak!
TILL THEN
tj
THE CRIME OF GRAFFITI APPROPRIATION.
Young kids making cops run like mental patients
Don't they know that graffiti can't be stopped
Writers unlike rappers can't go pop
So they stay underground till the day graff is legalized
Civil eyes look upon us as evil guys" - Looptroop's 'Ambush In The Night'
As a summation of society, advertising sucks the soul out of subcultures such as hip hop as they appropriate the work or actions for the masses, in order to sell a product while completely ignoring what has caused the mindset, act, or the art produced. For example, various advertisements for vehicles feature graffiti inspired type and animation seen initially on the streets of L.A and New York and featured as video in the graffiti documentary Wild Style (1983). The four elements of hip hop culture are seen in the video, including MCing (including vocals like rap or beat boxing), break dancing, DJ’ing and graffiti. The combination of these elements makes up a lifestyle, somewhere to fit in outside the square, and most importantly, various avenues of self expression. The lyrics above explain the graffiti experience of hip hop and the inseparable relationship between not only MC’ing and graffiti, but in the song the DJ’s beat is present and together, they provide music to break dance to. Clearly, there is more history to graffiti than kids scribbling on walls.
The differences between the work produced on the streets and those seen in adverts are beyond comprehension unless one has experienced painting the streets. The first and foremost is the reasoning behind the creation of such work: advertisers attempt to use graffiti style to sell a product, while graffiti artists (or ‘writers’) actively painting the streets can be doing it from a variety of reasons, including the exact opposite – an act against the law and what is deemed ‘right’ by general society, for the adrenaline rush, “fame, artistic expression, power and rebellion” (Brewer, 188).
Writers may go through months or years of drawing and painting practice to produce something original in preparation of a ‘piece’ (a three or more colour work, usually type based which may include characters). From there, buying or stealing paint, knowing where and when to paint streets, tracksides or trains, the fear and adrenaline of a police chase, improvisation, quick talking and quick thinking are all parts of graffiti that those appropriating it for different reasons miss out on. The fact that someone could create a graffiti style artwork on their computer in a sterile office, on thousands of dollars worth of software and computer equipment, insert it into the background of an advertisement and have it printed billboard size and pasted into the community is hardly artwork nor interesting to many if not all involved in the real deal. Without knowledge or understanding of the history and surrounding elements, its meaning is not only lost but gradually crushed as it enters the mainstream. Complaints will arise if trains or walls are coloured, however no one seems to mind an advertiser’s poor and demeaning appropriation.
"A child sometimes is a product of his invirment and some time a childs invirment is a produckt of him" - Mark Gonzales.
Bibliography
Brewer, Devon D. "Hip Hop Graffiti Writers' Evaluation of Strategies to Control Illegal Graffiti." Human Organization 2 (1992): 188- 9.
TO GO (ironically) WITH NATALIE'S KILLER PIECE (check it large size in the Files section). Let me know what you think. Coffee hasn't kicked in yet, its still a draft.
And I'm claiming BDO tickets thanks, close enough to 2 hours.
Intro to the Intro
Jay-Z, Ice T, NOFX, MGMT
MJ, JK, Karen O, Run DMC
R.E.M, JMJ, U2, LCD
2PAC, INXS, UB40, Do-Re-Mi
They just don’t ‘sing’ without Typography.
OK so imagine the first four lines in massive size and then the downstairs line heaps smaller; not sure if it will show on the Bog.
I made the assumption that you've all referenced 'recent' music for your works because you're all too busy watching the commies to post your homework up for me to have a geez. Wing you have my permission to spank them all into submission.
Okay so now I go and write the serious bit and in the meantime FEEL FREE TO SEND ME YOUR CRITIQUES/SUGGESTIONS/ANY CHANGES YOU THINK I SHOULD MAKE/TELL ME IF YOU HATE IT and in return I shall promptly burn down your house.
TJ
FREE BIG DAY OUT TICKETS!!!
Thanks, tj
POST YOUR STUFF!
In the words of our commercial shoe manufacturers.
Just do it. please....
Adrian.
Monday, October 11, 2010
FINAL WEBSITE

Sunday, October 10, 2010
Lyrics and Type
The second installment on the ongoing type and music exhibit.
http://www.lyricsandtype.com/index.php?id=3
Phonts
http://www.typotheque.com/blog/phonts
EDITORIAL TEAM
TJ
Saturday, October 9, 2010
ATTN: New Deadlines
All material is to be posted in Google groups, or emailed to Rebecca or myself to post up.
***STYLE GUIDE TEAM: It is now your job to oversee all promotion
collateral, website material and typographic progression to ensure the
continuity of your vision for FFI. Give appropriate and constructive
feedback in relation to draft material that is submitted, sending it
to the relevant team leader.
Tuesday 12th:
All Teams - Typographic Artworks are due. (Hard Copy in class, Digital Copy by 5pm)
Web Design - Proposal of web page design (Class feedback will be given in-class)
Promotion - Final design for printers will be submitted. (Digital Copy in-class)
Wednesday 13th:
Editorial - Drafts for written piece to be submitted. (Posted in Groups by 8pm).
Typographic - Begin with what you have.
Friday 15th:
Editorial - Final Copy to be submitted. (Post on Google Group by 8pm).
Web Design - Polished Draft to be completed. (Screen shots posted by 8pm)
Saturday 16th:
Typographic - Draft Copy to be submitted. (8pm)
Monday 18th:
Typographic - Finalised Copy to be submitted. (12 noon)
Web Design - Website finalised and functional. (8pm)
Promotion - All relevant promotion distributed. (8pm)
Thank You.
Adrian.
adrian.jr.moore@gmail.com
EDITORIAL TEAM: Ado, Bec, Alexis
Monday 2pm at 3 weeds
Tuesday 11am or midday at fringe or 3 weeds depending on time
THE ABOVE ARE PREFERRED TIMES but if we're desperate:
Wednesday 1pm at 3 weeds
Thursday I'm at a funeral
Friday whenever.
Guys I woke up this morning (dusted the beer cans off my face) and thought 'I would like to try and collaborate on this one', as in, sit down with you and write TOGETHER. I am speaking about the starting page(s) - the intro etc or whatever it is we decide to do, I'm not talking about the individual contributions. If it doesn't work out we'll work something else out! But I want to give it a try. Just for a couple of hours. Nothing epic.
Bec and Adrian please can you email me your digits if that's okay? runawaytj@yahoo.com.au
TJ
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Attention: All teams
So lets just keep steaming ahead and we can use that extra time to submit, critique and then re-submit based on group feedback, making sure we are genuinely happy with the final result.
Go team!
Adrian.
Monday, October 4, 2010
ATTN: Editorial Team take 2
Guys if you have any examples of inspirational stuff by all means please bring it in. Like I said to Adrian, I am no authority on writing by any stretch of the imaginings so my ideas are just that: my own ideas! They might not be the best thing going so I'm open to any inspiration / craziness from your side of the tracks. We'll take some time tomorrow to chat about it.
seeyaz
tj
Sunday, October 3, 2010
ATTN: Editorial Team
TJ
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Web Design Team.cept

Monday, September 27, 2010
Style team
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Typographic Team
1. Harmony
Relationships in typography within each other, conceptual
2. Interpretation
Context, connotations, expressions, impression, mood
3. Covers
Appropriation, building on existing forms
4. Structure
Hierarchy, composition, rules, technicalities
5. Piracy-illegal
Freedom, authorship, venue (where), value, awareness
Web Design
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Att: Promotions Team.
Team Allocation - ffi Online Publication
Head Managers:
Rebecca & Adrian
Style Guide.
1. Yerevan
2. Jocelyn
3. Hollie
4. Katherine
Typographic.
1. Natalie
2. Nat L.
3. Joanna
4. Rachel
Editorial.
1. TJ
2. Alex
3. Rebecca
4. Adrian
Web Design.
1. LeighAnna
2. Brian
3. Arlene
Promotion.
1. Angela
2. Josh
3. Belinda
4. Emma
*Team leaders are underlined.
Monday, September 20, 2010
wk8 talking point
Colour Spaces: CMYK vs RGB
RGB is the colour space used for electronic devices such as computer screens and TVs. As an ‘additive’ colour model, RGB functions in the opposite way to CMYK – it generates varying combinations of red, green and blue light to create colour.
When it comes to printing, it’s important to check with your printer which colour space they would prefer you to have the document set up in - CMYK, or RGB with ICC profiles attached for them to be able to control the colour conversion to CMYK. Likewise, it is important to note that RGB is capable of generating a much larger range of colours than CMYK and thus if you have your document set to RGB, to check that the colours are not outside the CMYK range.
- Katherine (z3235050)
Colour Space Fundamentals, DigitalExpert by the Sheridan Group , accessed 21 September 2010, http://dx.sheridan.com/advisor/cmyk_color.html.
CMYK Color Model, Wikipedia, accessed 21 September 2010, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CMYK_color_model
RGB Color Model, Wikipedia, accessed 21 September 2010, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RGB.
Week 8 Talking Point - B. O'Brien 3253712
In offset lithography, the print image is burnt onto a plate which is then offset (or transferred) from the plate to a rubber blanket and then onto the printing surface (e.g. paper, wood, cloth, metal, leather, plastic). This process uses the repulsion of oil and water. The image is printed by ink on ink rollers, whilst the blank space is covered with a film of water, making it ink- free. It uses CMYK and PMS (Pantone spot colour). Offset printing is high- quality and is the most common commercial printing technology, as it is only cost- effective for high- quantity print runs. Newer offset presses now use computer-to-plate systems over computer-to-film work flows, producing even higher quality prints.
In digital printing, the image is digitalised and is directly printed to the media. There are no printing plates required, which means there is less waste, time and cost involved with this kind of printing. It also has a much quicker turnaround. This type of printing is more common for low- volume printing, as it is more cost- effective.
Clearly, there are benefits to both types of printing, but deciding on which process to use is important to the production workflow as it could heavily affect time, cost, and quality of a print. Therefore it is important to weigh up the pros and cons of each when deciding which process is best for your specific print job.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
ffi online publication
I have posted some details of what we Rebecca and I would like for you to have done by Tuesdays class, if you could please check the Google group that would be awesome.
Thank you.
Yours Sincerely,
Adrian & Rebecca
Monday, September 13, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010

"Illustrator and artist Keitaro Sugihara presents a collection of his works, including his latest project that takes the form of a children's book."
http://pecha-kucha.org/presentations/202
Thought it might interest some.













