Our first task in IXD102 Communications Design is to create a type specimen for an iPad screen. A Typeface Specimen refers to the presentation of a certain typeface to showcase a fonts characters to a potential client. To begin this task, I decided to first research the typefaces to better understand their origins and purpose to create an exciting specimen poster. The below shows some interesting typefaces that I thought were really interesting. Each clearly features the typeface title, a short paragraph.
Futura is a geometric sans-serif (does not contain extending features called serifs at the end of strokes) font designed by Paul Renner, a German typeface designer, in 1927. Futura became the most popular sans-serif typeface of the twentieth century due to its clean, progressive aesthetic which was even featured on a plaque left on the moon by the astronauts of the Apollo 11 mission.
It was commissioned as a typeface by the Bauer Type Foundry for the New Frankfurt project, an affordable modernist housing project. The typeface was based on the geometric Bauhaus design style. While Renner did not associate with the Bauhaus School, their ideology which revolved around creating simple, modern, functional and geometric designs did appeal to the designer. Function over form resulted in a typeface that didn’t include unnecessary ornamental elements. The font uses simple shapes and even-width strokes to eliminate contrast. I liked this design as it is timeless and neat. I also think it would be really exciting to create a typeface specimen poster which incorporated the fonts history into its composition.
(left) Futura featured in a Volkswagon magazine advert (1970) (Right) The plaque left on the moon by the Apollo 11 team in 1969
Having chosen to focus my poster on the typeface Futura, I decided to brainstorm what design features I would like to experiment with to create a successful final outcome. I started to moodboard different designs and imagery inspired the iconic Apollo 11 mission as I want my poster emulate the sense of possibility and innovation which the typeface came to symbolise. I found the lemniscate or figure eight shape created by the Apollo 11’s shuttle path really interesting as it reflected the abstract shapes that Bauhaus designers working at the same time as Renner were creating in the 1920s. I would like to explore how I could incorporate this shape into my poster design. As seen below, there’s a methodical sense of construction and mechanics in the composition of Bauhaus shapes that is also presented in the space shuttle diagram and flight path.
(left) Bauhaus exhibit poster, Herbert Bayer (1923) (right) Staatliches Bauhaus exhibit poster, Joost Schmidt (1923)
Following my research, I decided that I was really interesting in conveying Futura’s involvement in the Apollo 11 mission as I think that it best represents the typeface’s modernist values, reaching as far as the moon. I began to sketch several designs, considering important elements like geometric shapes which where motifs among my images of inspiration. Ellipsis’ and line appeared the most, as they were symbolic of the planets and paths involved with achieving the moon landing. My first sketches focused on presenting the composition of the solar systems, with lines being used to create a sense of distance and orbit. However, as I began to develop these early designs I found I was really interested in altering and manipulating the flight path which Apollo 11 space. From my research, I learned that the space craft did a figure of eight around the earth and its moon before returning. I thought this was a really exciting, geometric shape that mirrored the unusual elements that I found throughout Bauhaus designs. I decided to explore how this figure of eight, reminiscent of an infinity sign, could be altered, resized and cut to create an interesting space for my text.