Experimentation - Fonts.

Fonts

 In addition to the experimentation I will produce with photoshoots I am also able to experiment with font and layout. Firstly I was able to use the website 'Dafont' to explore all the available fonts. After researching FAULT Magazine I was really drawn in by the use of their font, so I am taking inspiration from them and intend to use a similar font. To discover this I was able to define the fonts I like into the categories 'Bold , Block and under the Metal' category. I am aiming to go for a similar font to this for my cover page (main title) to grab readers in, so in addition to this I will also explore possible fonts for the texts inside, such as subheadings, body and more.

   This is some experimentation I did using Photoshop, Google images and the site 'Da font'. Firstly I added a background of watercolour (ensuring it was 4MP+) then changed the colour balance and levels to achieve a black and white effect. This gave the moodpboard texture and interest. Next I hand selected multiple fonts in which I particularly liked the look of, initially typing in 'Volt' in preview mode, this enabled me to see what the font would look like on my magazine if I were to use it.

  I used a large selection of fonts, some more 'blocked' than others, this being that I really like the aesthetic of thick, block letters with a gothic/metal look for my magazine, however upon researching I also quite liked the juxtaposition of the fonts in which don't necessarily link to the word 'Volt' (i.e. meaning bolt of lightning) which is read as quite a powerful word. I found that the 'dainty' and more 'calming' fonts also looked really nice with my magazine name, despite this I want to have a consistent magazine, meaning everything from layout, fonts and photographs, should have a consistent theme and link, both aesthetically and literally.

 The font that stood out to me the most was the one in the top left corner, the reason for this being that when I added a lighting bold to either side, I think it really tied everything together and gave a professional look to it. A result I decided to sample that font twice, once with it all filled in, and again with the stroke larger and no fill. I discovered this is what I preferred as opposed to the filled in version, as when layered on top of my front cover photograph, it will be able to fit nicely in ( layered on top for e.g.)

Here are some of my font sketches and experiments I done by hand in my sketch book, prior to crating the photoshop document

  After I had chosen my front cover font I briefly went on to experiment with the other possible ways to make the font stand out. I went to photoshop and added some text onto a background of white brick. From here I adjusted the Colour Overlay, Outer Shadow and Drop Shadow. I selected colours, started with a faint pink, then increasing the brightness as I layered up. I went to Select > Modify > Contract (or Expand). By doing these steps and adding highlight where necessary I was able to create a 'Neon Tube' type of effect that can not only be used on text, but images too.
 This will defiantly come in handy as the neon signs is something I really like, therefore I will be able to apply this new technique for a heading for example in my magazine.

Review

 This was an important experiment to do because when creating a project (like a magazine) you need to take every detail into deep consideration. By researching fonts and the different things I can do to them helped me as I now know the font to use for my title on the font page, one of the few things in the magazine that might 'jump out' and make it look unique on a shelf.

 Not only did I look at fonts but I looked at sized and layout of them, I discovered that the main size for the body of a text can vary from size 10-13 (generally speaking) and it all vary on the target audience, for example older audiences may prefer larger, more simple text (font) so that it is easier to read. For me, the size of my title will vary and be 'trial and error' if you will, I will need to see the different arrangements I can do on the page when I have my final images ready. I also want to keep it fairly traditional and have it top and centre, however this is something I can think more in depth about later on in the project, as seeing the font on top of an image is what will really make me decide how I want to have it!