Design Decisions: Design: Projects: Create a Font

  • How do the shape and proportions of the letters create a personality or mood for a type face?

What am I making?

  • An A-Z or a-z font with all capital letters using Adobe Illustrator or Gravit Designer

  • example Create a Font page you would put on your Google Site;

    • all the characters, plus an example product using the characters of your font!

  • See lots of examples of unique fonts at Font Meme

How do I make it?

Steps

  1. Strong Start: Type a sentence, and use Spark or Canva to see how it looks with different fonts!

  2. Research: do some independent research on fonts - see the resources above and below. Find some inspiration in your learning!

  3. Decide on a Mood/Vibe/Atmosphere/Personality/Attitude for your Font: What will your font be like? Happy? Serious? Crazy? Edgy? Curvy? Come up with a few qualities

  4. Prototype: write down a few of the personality words you picked with some of your font ideas

  5. Design: use the "handwriting template" provided, and start by sketching letters A-Z or a-z.

    • Mr. W. will scan your designs and send you .jpg files you can use to trace over digitally!

  6. Import your font drawings into Adobe Illustrator or Gravit Designer

    • Then, lock your .jpg image and reduce its opacity to about 30%

  7. Create an object over each letter. It's okay if your digital letters are a little different. Make sure they are completely grouped/joined.

    • In Adobe Illustrator, use the Blob Brush, it will automatically join when you paint into something. Double click the brush icon to change sizes. Also set the Smoothness to the highest setting

    • In Gravit Designer, there is no Blob Brush. You can use shapes and bezier curves, then Group things.

  8. File:Save and Export:Selection... (as a PNG) each page of characters, and at least get A-Z or a-z done.

  9. Think of a word you can spell with your font, or a phrase, and create a product with it. Like a Flyer, Postcard, Meme, Business Card, Invitation, Sign, Banner, or an Ad.

    • You can copy and paste letters from Illustrator into Canva, Photopea, Illustrator, and Photoshop.

    • If you use Adobe Spark, you have to File:Export Selection... from Illustrator as PNG, then upload into Adobe Spark (Adobe Express)

  10. On Google Sites, under Pages, create a new page called Font.

  11. Add all the PNG images of your letters (A-Z or a-z) and also add an image of your product.

  12. Write about what you learned doing this assignment, mention skills and techniques.

    • Also write about the story of your font - its purpose and personality.

  13. When done, push the Publish button, review the settings, and publish.

  14. Then click the chain-link button, Copy the link for your page, and paste it into Google Classroom to "turn in."

Grading

  • Font has a consistent look

  • Font has a detectable personality

  • Font has at least A-Z or a-z

  • Product made with Font flexes its personality

Career Connections

  • Graphic design, Marketing

Resources