Vertex Typography
When I first started this assignment, I knew I wanted my alphabet to contain straight, sharp edges with the exception of curved and mixed letters. I wanted this theme for my font because I enjoy the sleek appearance and also because it was simpler to cut with a scalpel. The name ‘Vertex’ came to mind as it means a corner or point where a line meets. Considering my alphabet is full of intersecting lines, I thought this name was appropriate. I would describe the main characteristics of my alphabet as a bold, sans serif font with a modern approach. The sans serif font gives off a minimalist aesthetic while also appearing very thick due to the bold outline outside each individual letter. I feel this is particularly obvious with the letter J. Its thick bold outline really draws in attention while also appearing quite simple in shape.
I was able to achieve contrast when working with type by making each individual line within the letters different widths and lengths. A particular example of this would be the letter O. This letter contains a variety of both thick and thin strokes. This was unintentional as I was adjusting to cutting with a scalpel and made plenty of mistakes along the way. However, I felt this ironically adds a uniqueness to it as it acts as a prime example of contrast in my alphabet. That being said, there are some examples were my work was less successful when achieving contrast. The letter D is a prime example for this. The letter maintains consistent width measurements for the lines throughout the letter. This makes it somewhat boring when compared to others.
Letter spacing can make a huge impact on presentation. When displaying letters, you should be aware not to space letters too close together to avoid clusterness and not too far apart to appear distant. I applied the same rules to my own letter spacing when displaying my alphabet. I used a ruler to evenly space each letter from each other. I also used the ruler to ensure that each line was straight to avoid any letter appearing crooked.
If I were to chose a favourite letter out of my font, I would have to choose the letter Z. This is because I felt this type of font best suits that letter the best out of the entire alphabet. I was also very pleased with how Z turned out in terms of cutting. I felt as if my skills were improving after each individual letter. By the time I got to Z, I felt I had finally perfected my craft.
