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Soap Type

Soap Type

“Soap Type” is both a journey into cutting letterforms and an assignment in design education authored by me for undergraduate students in graphic design. The project generates essential questions on the state of the craft, and in regard to metrics and typesetting.

The aim of the exercise is to draw a sans serif typeface starting from a given serif (Sabon LT). The hand made drawings of a few control characters are then edited on-screen and the final submission consists of two products: a specimen poster and a sample of twelve letters, each cut into a bar or block of soap.

The assignment was published in the book “Taking a Line for a Walk: Assignments in Design Education”(2016), edited by Nina Paim and Emilia Bergmark.

The project was presented at TypeCon 2017 Boston.

The learning that the process generates set the students to the side of the argument that there is no art without craft. I believe that education initiatives that determine the foundations upon which successful designs are built impact the way future designers understand their craft, and put more attention on learning how to learn.

https://typecon.com/conferences/typecon2017/education
https://twitter.com/asegalini/status/902214616356413441

Alessandro Segalini

August 24, 2017
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  1. Soap Type
    TypeCon 2017, Boston
    Alessandro Segalini

    View Slide

  2. Contents
    About the Project
    Publication
    Project Outline
    Process 1: tracing and drawing
    Process 2: editing on screen
    Process 3: preparing soap-size masks
    Process 4: specimen
    Process 5: carving soap
    Process overview
    Gallery
    End

    View Slide

  3. Project
    duration: 5 weeks
    Soap Type is both a journey into cutting
    letterforms and an assignment in design
    education authored by me for bfa students
    in graphic design. The project generates
    essential questions on the state of the craft,
    and in regard to metrics and typesetting.
    The aim of the exercise is to draw a sans serif
    typeface starting from a given serif (lt Sabon).
    The hand made drawings of a few control
    characters are then edited on-screen and the
    final submission consists of two products:
    a specimen poster and a sample of 12 letters,
    each cut into a bar or block of soap.

    View Slide

  4. Publication
    Taking a Line for a Walk:
    Assignments in design
    education (2016)
    spectorbooks.com/taking-a-line-for-a-walk
    designobserver.com/feature/required-reading/39497

    View Slide

  5. Project 2:
    SoapType
    ARTC 4305
    Type III
    Spring 2017
    PHASES
    1. Tracing and drafts
    Tools: tracing paper,
    pencil, ink
    Grade: 25%
    Due: 2/28
    2. Editing on screen
    Tools: Illustrator or
    FontLab
    Grade: 25%
    Due: 3/9
    3. Masks and specimen
    Tools: Illustrator
    Grade: 25%
    Due: 3/21
    4. Carving soap
    Tools: see ‘Process’
    Grade: 25%
    Due: 3/28 — final
    page 1 of 12
    e PROJECT OVERVIEW
    The aim of this project is to draw a sans serif typeface starting from
    a given serif (Sabon LT). The drawings will be edited on-screen and the
    final submission will consist of two products: a specimen poster of the
    whole sans (upper case, lower case, figures) and a sample of 12 types —
    OHvideospang — each cut into a block of soap.
    TECHNICAL INFORMATION
    Jan Tschichold designed Sabon in 1964, and it was produced jointly by
    three foundries: Stempel AG, Linotype, and Monotype. This was in response
    to a request from German master printers to make a font family of the
    same design for the three (metal) type technologies of the time: foundry
    type for hand composition, linecasting, & single-type machine composition.
    Jakob Sabon, whom the type is named after, was a student of the great
    French punchcutter Claude Garamont. Classic, elegant, and extremely
    legible, Sabon is one of the most beautiful Garamond variations.
    “It sounds simple: take a seriffed design, cut off the serifs, lower the contrast,
    and there you have a sans serif. But of course there is more to it than just that.
    I believe the most logical order when making such a family is to start with the
    seriffed design. From that basis a sans serif can be made.”
    — Martin Majoor
    This typographic design project is authored by myself and published
    in Taking a Line for a Walk, assignments in design education (p.45);
    Spector Books, Leipzig (Germany), 2016. ISBN: 978-3-95905-081-4
    http://spectorbooks.com/taking-a-line-for-a-walk
    PROCESS AND SPECS
    When un-seriffing, work Sabon at 184 pt, print out and use tracing paper.
    Once the drafts drawings for “O Hvideospang” are completed (by hand),
    continue drawing on the screen (vector) for all upper case, lower case,
    and figures. Besides incorporating the basic letter shapes and anatomy,
    keywords such as this are also useful for establishing letterspacing.
    The poster is a 11 × 17" specimen sheet in which you will display your
    sans serif creation. You have to give an original name to your sans
    serif concept; compose & set the name with your typeface in the poster.
    Other than black and white, the use of one spot color is allowed.
    12 letters are to be cut, forming the ‘word’ OHvideospang. Apply your
    understanding of typography to arrange the strokes, balance contrasts,
    scale and position the drawings onto the material or body. Drawings
    have to be transferred by perforating a printed mask properly sized and
    fixed to the soap bar.
    The brand of soap to use is Ivory;* the size of each block is 3 ¼ × 2 ¼ × 1",
    $ 4.96 for 12 pieces. The tools to be used are: masking tape, a nail, a
    large and a small flat cutter, a micro flat-head screwdriver, and black
    synthetic paint. * www.heb.com/product-detail/ivory-original-bar-soap/116814
    Project 2:
    SoapType
    ARTC 4305
    Type III
    Spring 2017
    PHASES
    1. Tracing and drafts
    Tools: tracing paper,
    pencil, ink
    Grade: 25%
    Due: 2/28
    2. Editing on screen
    Tools: Illustrator or
    FontLab
    Grade: 25%
    Due: 3/9
    3. Masks and specimen
    Tools: Illustrator
    Grade: 25%
    Due: 3/21
    4. Carving soap
    Tools: see ‘Process’
    Grade: 25%
    Due: 3/28 — final
    page 1 of 12
    e PROJECT OVERVIEW
    The aim of this project is to draw a sans serif typeface starting from
    a given serif (Sabon LT). The drawings will be edited on-screen and the
    final submission will consist of two products: a specimen poster of the
    whole sans (upper case, lower case, figures) and a sample of 12 types —
    OHvideospang — each cut into a block of soap.
    TECHNICAL INFORMATION
    Jan Tschichold designed Sabon in 1964, and it was produced jointly by
    three foundries: Stempel AG, Linotype, and Monotype. This was in response
    to a request from German master printers to make a font family of the
    same design for the three (metal) type technologies of the time: foundry
    type for hand composition, linecasting, & single-type machine composition.
    Jakob Sabon, whom the type is named after, was a student of the great
    French punchcutter Claude Garamont. Classic, elegant, and extremely
    legible, Sabon is one of the most beautiful Garamond variations.
    “It sounds simple: take a seriffed design, cut off the serifs, lower the contrast,
    and there you have a sans serif. But of course there is more to it than just that.
    I believe the most logical order when making such a family is to start with the
    seriffed design. From that basis a sans serif can be made.”
    — Martin Majoor
    This typographic design project is authored by myself and published
    in Taking a Line for a Walk, assignments in design education (p.45);
    Spector Books, Leipzig (Germany), 2016. ISBN: 978-3-95905-081-4
    http://spectorbooks.com/taking-a-line-for-a-walk
    PROCESS AND SPECS
    When un-seriffing, work Sabon at 184 pt, print out and use tracing paper.
    Once the drafts drawings for “O Hvideospang” are completed (by hand),
    continue drawing on the screen (vector) for all upper case, lower case,
    and figures. Besides incorporating the basic letter shapes and anatomy,
    keywords such as this are also useful for establishing letterspacing.
    The poster is a 11 × 17" specimen sheet in which you will display your
    sans serif creation. You have to give an original name to your sans
    serif concept; compose & set the name with your typeface in the poster.
    Other than black and white, the use of one spot color is allowed.
    12 letters are to be cut, forming the ‘word’ OHvideospang. Apply your
    understanding of typography to arrange the strokes, balance contrasts,
    scale and position the drawings onto the material or body. Drawings
    have to be transferred by perforating a printed mask properly sized and
    fixed to the soap bar.
    The brand of soap to use is Ivory;* the size of each block is 3 ¼ × 2 ¼ × 1",
    $ 4.96 for 12 pieces. The tools to be used are: masking tape, a nail, a
    large and a small flat cutter, a micro flat-head screwdriver, and black
    synthetic paint. * www.heb.com/product-detail/ivory-original-bar-soap/116814
    page 11 of 12
    e
    n
    g
    LT Sabon® 184 pt
    ascender
    ascender
    baseline
    baseline
    descender
    descender
    cap
    cap
    x-height
    x-height
    Project 2:
    SoapType
    ARTC 4305
    Type III
    Spring 2017
    PHASES
    1. Tracing and drafts
    Tools: tracing paper,
    pencil, ink
    Grade: 25%
    Due: 2/28
    2. Editing on screen
    Tools: Illustrator or
    FontLab
    Grade: 25%
    Due: 3/9
    3. Masks and specimen
    Tools: Illustrator
    Grade: 25%
    Due: 3/21
    4. Carving soap
    Tools: see ‘Process’
    Grade: 25%
    Due: 3/28 — final
    page 1 of 12
    e PROJECT OVERVIEW
    The aim of this project is to draw a sans serif typeface starting from
    a given serif (Sabon LT). The drawings will be edited on-screen and the
    final submission will consist of two products: a specimen poster of the
    whole sans (upper case, lower case, figures) and a sample of 12 types —
    OHvideospang — each cut into a block of soap.
    TECHNICAL INFORMATION
    Jan Tschichold designed Sabon in 1964, and it was produced jointly by
    three foundries: Stempel AG, Linotype, and Monotype. This was in response
    to a request from German master printers to make a font family of the
    same design for the three (metal) type technologies of the time: foundry
    type for hand composition, linecasting, & single-type machine composition.
    Jakob Sabon, whom the type is named after, was a student of the great
    French punchcutter Claude Garamont. Classic, elegant, and extremely
    legible, Sabon is one of the most beautiful Garamond variations.
    “It sounds simple: take a seriffed design, cut off the serifs, lower the contrast,
    and there you have a sans serif. But of course there is more to it than just that.
    I believe the most logical order when making such a family is to start with the
    seriffed design. From that basis a sans serif can be made.”
    — Martin Majoor
    This typographic design project is authored by myself and published
    in Taking a Line for a Walk, assignments in design education (p.45);
    Spector Books, Leipzig (Germany), 2016. ISBN: 978-3-95905-081-4
    http://spectorbooks.com/taking-a-line-for-a-walk
    PROCESS AND SPECS
    When un-seriffing, work Sabon at 184 pt, print out and use tracing paper.
    Once the drafts drawings for “O Hvideospang” are completed (by hand),
    continue drawing on the screen (vector) for all upper case, lower case,
    and figures. Besides incorporating the basic letter shapes and anatomy,
    keywords such as this are also useful for establishing letterspacing.
    The poster is a 11 × 17" specimen sheet in which you will display your
    sans serif creation. You have to give an original name to your sans
    serif concept; compose & set the name with your typeface in the poster.
    Other than black and white, the use of one spot color is allowed.
    12 letters are to be cut, forming the ‘word’ OHvideospang. Apply your
    understanding of typography to arrange the strokes, balance contrasts,
    scale and position the drawings onto the material or body. Drawings
    have to be transferred by perforating a printed mask properly sized and
    fixed to the soap bar.
    The brand of soap to use is Ivory;* the size of each block is 3 ¼ × 2 ¼ × 1",
    $ 4.96 for 12 pieces. The tools to be used are: masking tape, a nail, a
    large and a small flat cutter, a micro flat-head screwdriver, and black
    synthetic paint. * www.heb.com/product-detail/ivory-original-bar-soap/116814
    page 3 of 12
    e
    Project 2:
    SoapType
    ARTC 4305
    Type III
    Spring 2017
    SAMPLE
    Sabon LT, lc, 92 pt
    (50% of working size)
    abcdef
    ghijklm
    nopqrst
    uvwxyz
    Outline
    100 pt 3¼ × 2¼ in.
    50 pt

    View Slide

  6. 1. Tracing
    and drawing

    View Slide

  7. 2. Editing
    on-screen
    Equalizing weights
    while still keeping the
    width and height of
    the letters. Matching
    angles when possible. Using width of lowercase
    letters for cross bars.
    Use ‘o’ shape for
    consistent angles
    Equalizing weights
    while still keeping the
    width and height of
    the letters. Matching
    angles when possible.
    “Equalizing weights
    while still keeping the
    width and height of the
    letters. Matching angles
    when possible.”
    Lauren Godwin

    View Slide

  8. 3. Preparing
    soap-size
    masks

    View Slide

  9. 4. Specimen
    Left: Joan Hardt Right: Lauren Godwin
    wxyz
    UPPERCASE LETTERS
    NUMBERS
    uppercase letters
    LOWERCASE LETTERS
    abcdefghijklm
    opqrstuvwx
    LOWERCASE LETTERS
    abcdefghijklmn
    opqrstuvwxyz
    LOWERCASE LETTERS
    abcdefg
    opqrstu
    LOWERCASE LETTERS
    abcdefghijklmn
    opqrstuvwxyz
    lowercase letters
    UPPERCASE LETTERS
    NUMBERS
    numbers

    View Slide

  10. 5. Carving

    View Slide

  11. Process
    overview

    View Slide

  12. Gallery
    Student: Caner Dolgun

    View Slide

  13. View Slide

  14. Student: Elize Geldenhuys

    View Slide

  15. Student: Elize Geldenhuys

    View Slide

  16. Student: Emma Tovilla

    View Slide

  17. Student: Emma Tovilla

    View Slide

  18. Student: Eric Guzman

    View Slide

  19. Student: Eric Guzman

    View Slide

  20. Student: Joan Hardt

    View Slide

  21. Student: Joan Hardt

    View Slide

  22. Student: Jon Johnson

    View Slide

  23. Student: Jon Johnson

    View Slide

  24. Student: Kendall Mealey

    View Slide

  25. Student: Kendall Mealey

    View Slide

  26. Student: Kyle Ledezma

    View Slide

  27. Student: Kyle Ledezma

    View Slide

  28. Student: Lauren Godwin

    View Slide

  29. Student: Lauren Godwin

    View Slide

  30. Student: Victor Vasquez

    View Slide

  31. Student: Victor Vasquez

    View Slide

  32. Thank You — questions welcome
    [email protected]
    Soap Type
    TypeCon 2017, Boston
    Alessandro Segalini

    View Slide