Exercise: A typographic jigsaw (Graphic Design 1. pg 89)
Using the deconstructed typeface provided try to put the elements together to create the phrase:
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
Typeface jigsaw puzzle
As instructed I drew a baseline and a median line and then traced the various elements provided to see if I could construct the sentence. I also printed a larger version of the sentence to help me identify the shapes. This was fascinating in that it really highlighted the nuances of the typeface construction and was more difficult than I thought it would be. I used all but two of the pieces provided which I was pretty pleased with. There were a couple of points where I felt like I was looking for a shape I couldn’t find which was a bit confusing.
This was a very absorbing means of looking at the anatomy of a typeface and showed the importance of its construction. Things I might otherwise have taken for granted. In some ways it reminded me of doing calligraphy classes at school, not something I especially excelled at because it required an attention to detail I was not good at. I distinctly remember discussions about the pen strokes and creating particular bowl shapes.
