Advanced Typography | Task 3: Type Exploration & Application
13/6/25 - 23/7/25 (Week 9 - Week 14)
Kimberly Miaw Jya Nee | 0366836
Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media | Taylor's University
Advanced Typography
Task 3: Type Exploration & Application (30%)
[Table of Contents]
1.
Lectures
2.
Instructions
3.
Task
4.
Feedback
5.
Reflection
7.
Quick Links
[Lectures]
[Instructions]
[Task]
For our final task, we were had the option to explore 3 choices of
project:
Create a font that is intended to solve a larger problem or meant to be part
of a solution in the area of your interest
End result: a complete generated font (.ttf) with applications.
OR
Explore the use of an existing letterform in an area of interest, understand
its existing relationship, identify areas that could be improved upon,
explore possible solutions or combinations that may add value to the
existing letterform / lettering.
End result: a complete generated font (.ttf) with applications.
OR
Experimental For your idea to qualify as an experiment it must be
novel and unique — working with material that might be 3-dimensional,
digitally augmented, edible, unusual, typographic music video or fine
art.
End result: defined by student.
Process Work
Proposal
Initial Ideas:
1. Expansion of Task 2 - Key Artwork
2. North Borneo Indigenous Motifs Inspired Font
3. North Borneo Indigenous Motifs Inspired Typographic
Ornaments
Fig. 1. Updated Idea Proposal (Week 9)
At first, I chose to proceed with Idea #2. However, Mr. Vinod suggested
that I transform the indigenous motifs into typographic ornaments instead of
letterforms.
Research
I began my research by looking into North Borneo indigenous motifs. I
explored various sources, from local tattoo artists and
metalsmith to genuine images of everyday objects commonly used in
Sabah, such as rattan rice trays. However, I found that there aren't many
resources that focus specifically on in-depth studies of indigenous motifs,
which made this part of the process quite time-consuming. While some sources
listed the names and meanings of the motifs, there were very few visual
references available, especially for the rarer ones.
Fig. 2. Reference & Research on North Borneo Motifs and Type
Ornaments (PDF)
At the same time, I explored typographic ornaments on Pinterest to get
a general idea of their forms, visual structure, and what elements are
typically included.
Fig. 3. Typographic Ornaments References from Pinterest
Ideation
For my ornaments, I chose to focus on three main themes as my main inspiration:
1. Pinakol motifs2. Nature motifs
3. Traditional textile motifs
Ornament Grids & Guides
- Body: 10 x 14 grid
- Top / Bottom: 10 x 8 grid
- Central: 10 x 10 grid
- Divider: 10 x 4 grid
Pinakol-Inspired Typographic Ornaments
Pinakol is a traditional beaded ornament worn by the Rungus
people of North Borneo. It consists of long, broad shoulder bands worn
diagonally across the chest. The designs are not only decorative but
also carry cultural significance. Variations of folk stories lie
behind the creation of Pinakol, many of which revolve around themes of
bravery, courage, love, and strength.
Fig. 4. Rungus Lady with her Pinakol
(Image Source: Periplus Editions - Sabah and Sarawak with Brunei Darussalam.)
Fig. 4. Main Pinakol Motifs: Tiningulung, Tinugarang, Inompuling,
Vinusak
I started with the body ornaments (10 × 14 grid) inspired from
Pinakol motifs. I began by constructing the base of each design
using squares and semi-triangles. From there, I explored different
ways to refine and enhance the design of motif. I added decorative
elements to fill in the negative space and give each ornament more
character. I also made sure to test them by stacking them vertically to see
if they created a smooth and balanced pattern.
Inompuling: Motif based on fish
spears
Vinusak: Motif based on
forest flowers
Inugarang: Motif resembling a
lizard or small monitor lizard
Tiningulung: Motif based on
human form
After completing the body ornaments, I moved on to creating the top and
bottom ornaments (10 x 8 grid). I made sure each piece complemented the
body ornament and aligned well when stacked together. I aimed to keep the
designs simple, yet distinctive enough to stand out on their own.
After finalising each set of designs, I compiled them onto a new
artboard for better presentation. I'm happy with all the designs for
this theme, since I spent most of my time refining them here, but the
Vinusak (Forest Flowers) ornament was particularly my favourite.
Fig. 7. Finalised Pinakol-Inspired Typographic Ornaments
Nature-Inspired Typographic Ornaments
Moving on, I decided to work on the nature motif-inspired ornaments.
Nature plays a significant role in indigenous cultures, especially due to
their animistic beliefs, where elements of nature were often seen as
sacred or spiritually powerful. This deep connection to nature is also
reflected in how they celebrate the Harvest Festival, which is one of the
most important cultural celebrations in Sabah.
Tabasan: Paddy field motif
Sungai, Gunung, Bintang: Motif based
on river, mountain, stars
Lijawan: Creeping fern motif
Parai: Paddy motif
All the motifs above (except Parai) are commonly found in Rungus textiles and Liwan sirungs (rattan hats). The
Lijawan motif is also sometimes used in Pinakol designs, often as a filler
motif.
Fig. 8. Design Development - Nature-Inspired Vertical Body Ornaments
Similar to the Pinakol set, I started with a base and slowly built
up each ornament by experimenting with different arrangements, while
still trying to maintain the original look of the motif.
Fig. 9. Design Development - Nature-Inspired Vertical Top / Bottom
Ornaments
I spent less time working on this set of ornaments, as I had finally
gotten the hang of the process. The Lijawan (Creeping Fern) ornament was
particularly interesting to work on.
Fig. 10. Finalised Nature-Inspired Typographic Ornaments
Pinakol-Inspired Filler Typographic Ornaments
I created two filler ornaments to pair with the Pinakol and Nature Set
ornaments. Both designs are mainly inspired by Pinakol patterns itself. It
serves as subtle connectors to support the more detailed ornaments.
Fig. 11. Design Development & Finalised Filler
Ornaments
Textile-Inspired Divider Typographic Ornaments
For the divider ornaments (10 × 4 grid), I based the designs on
traditional textile patterns such as Kain Dastar and Linangkit, a
needlework technique practiced by Indigenous groups on the west coast of
Sabah and in Kudat, with cultural roots linked to Mindanao in the
southern Philippines.
Fig. 12. Linangkit & Kain Dastar on Sigar (Traditional
Headpiece)
I mainly created geometric-based patterns for the dividers, as I
wanted them to appear simpler and more structured to balance out the
highly detailed nature of the main ornaments.
Fig. 13. Design Development - Textile-Inspired Divider
Ornaments
Textile-Inspired Central & Corner Typographic Ornaments
I started working on central and corner ornaments using 10 × 10 grid
bases. The corner ones are diamond-shaped, and the central ones are square
so they can be stacked horizontally to form a frame. Both can be used interchangeably, so I grouped them under the same
category.
Fig. 14. Design Development - Textile-Inspired Central / Corner
Ornaments
Fig. 15. Finalised Divider, Central / Corner Ornaments
Once all the ornaments were finalised, I compiled them onto a single
page for presentation. I decided to name the set “Below the Wind”,
inspired by Sabah’s nickname, Land Below the Wind.
Fig. 16. Finalised Ornaments
Fontlab
Before transferring the ornaments into FontLab, I scaled them to match
the artboard size to avoid the ornaments appearing too small when typed
out later.
Fig. 17. Before Transferring into Fontlab
I copied and pasted each ornament into FontLab + adjusted the size and
placement as I went. I used the preview type tester to check if the
ornaments were aligning correctly.
Fig. 18. Screenshot of Ornaments in Fontlab
Ascender: 900 pt
Cap Height: 700 pt
X-height: 500 pt
Descender: -100 pt
Width: 714
LSB & RSB: 0
Lastly, I created a reference table in Google Docs as a guide for users to
make the ornaments easier to use.
Fig. 19. Below The Wind - Ornament Guide (PDF)
Note: Make sure the ornament size and line spacing (leading) use the
same value for consistent alignment.
Application
For the application of my ornaments, I decided explored four formats: a
Harvest Festival greeting card, an art exhibition poster and decorative
banners and lastly, an Ornament Mini Zine as the method of
presentation.
Each format highlights a different aspect of the ornaments in use by
celebrating cultural identity through form, function and
meaning.
1. Ornament Presentation: Mini Zine
2. Harvest Festival Greeting Card
3. Indigenous Art Exhibition Poster
4. Vertical Decorative Banners
Ornament Presentation: Mini Zine
For the zine, I kept it minimal by using a three-colour palette (cream,
red, and blue) and a grid-based layout that focuses on negative
space.
.jpeg)
Fig. 20. Front Page of Zine
The ornaments are categorised by theme to enhance clarity and help
viewers visually differentiate each set more easily.
Fig. 21. Content Page of Zine
On the last page of the zine, I included a copyright note with an
acknowledgment of origins to attribute the Indigenous motifs
respectfully.
.jpeg)
Fig. 22. Ornament Presentation: Mini Zine
Risograph-styled Harvest Festival Greeting Card
I’ve always been fascinated by risograph printing techniques, so I
decided to create a digital greeting card with a risograph-inspired
effect. Rather than using the ornaments purely as decorative frames, I
explored their potential as illustrative elements instead.
Fig. 23. Ornament Application #1: Harvest Festival Greeting
Card
To create the risograph effect, I set the blending mode of both colours
to Hard Light in the Appearance panel, then applied the Colour Halftone
effect. I also slightly roughen up the text as well to give it an
ink-bleed look. The last step is transporting the design into Photoshop
to apply a paper texture in the background.
Indigenous Art Exhibition Poster
For my second application, I used the ornaments in the way they
were originally designed, which is to function as decorative frames.
I incorporated them into an art exhibition poster layout by placing
the ornaments around the borders to enhance the visual structure and
give the overall design a sense of cultural identity.
Fig. 24. Ornament Application #2: Exhibition Poster
I tried placing the poster into a poster mockup from Bendito Mockup
just to see how it might look in a real setting.
Fig. 25. Ornament Application #2: Exhibition Poster
Mockup
Vertical Decorative Banner
I can also visualise the ornaments being used in various real-world
applications beyond print.
For event settings, they would work well as vertical banners or
hanging scrolls for cultural festivals, exhibitions, or pop-up spaces.
They add visual rhythm and cultural character. Interior places such as
retail spaces, the ornaments could enhance storefront displays or be
applied to vertical signage panels for seasonal / festive
promotions.
Fig. 26. Ornament Application #3: Decorative Vertical Banner
Mockup
Final Compilation
Ornament Information
Fig. 27. Below the Wind - Ornament Information (JPEG)
Fig. 28. Below the Wind - Ornament Information (PDF)
Measurements:
Ascender: 900 pt
Cap Height: 700 pt
X-height: 500 pt
Descender: -100 pt
Ascender: 900 pt
Cap Height: 700 pt
X-height: 500 pt
Descender: -100 pt
Width: 714
LSB & RSB: 0
Download my ornaments
here!
Ornament Guide
Fig. 29. Below The Wind - Ornament Guide (PDF)
Note: Make sure the ornament size and line spacing (leading) use the
same value for consistent alignment.
Application
Fig. 31. Ornament Application #1: Harvest Festival Greeting
Card
Fig. 32. Ornament Application #2: Exhibition Poster
Fig. 33. Ornament Application #2: Exhibition Poster
Mockup
Fig. 34. Ornament Application #3: Decorative Vertical Banner
Mockup
Fig. 35. Ornament Presentation (PDF)
Fig. 36. Ornament Application #1, #2, #3 (PDF)
[Feedback]
Week 9 (17/6/25)
General Feedback:
[Absent for Class] Task 3 started this week.
Specific Feedback:
This week I worked on the proposal. I brainstormed for different concepts
and ideas based on my own interest.
Week 10 (24/6/25)
General Feedback:
This week I started working on the sketches for my indigenous
motif-inspired font.
Specific Feedback:
N/A
Week 11 (1/7/25)
General Feedback:
My progress is a little slow, as I only have some sketch for the
indigenous motifs-inspired font. Mr Vinod suggested that I can turn the
indigenous motifs into a typographic ornaments instead, which is
interesting.
Specific Feedback:
Notes from class:
- Don't go blindly into creating word by not referencing the lettering size
- Make use the artboard size (make sure letters are big enough within the artboard)
- D704 lab to use FontLab
- Use Font Forge (free) but slightly different the way to import
Week 12 (8/7/25)
General Feedback:
I finalised the designs for the ornaments. I have also started transporting ornaments into FontLab + adjustments
Specific Feedback:
N/A
Week 13 (14/7/25)
General Feedback:
Finished ornaments and exported as a font. but the sizing and space is
weird when typed out in Illustrator so it has to be readjusted. Task 3
& 4 is extended until the next class in Week 14.
Specific Feedback:
Feedback by Mr. Vinod: When exporting the ornaments, make sure the ornaments are as big as the artboard size to avoid the ornaments looking small when typed out.
Week 14 (22/7/25)
General Feedback:
Readjusted the ornament size and spacings in FontLab and continued
working on application.
Specific Feedback:
Finalised Task 3 & Task 4 blog.
[Reflection]
Experience
Overall, this task was my favourite among the others. Although my
progress was a bit slow, I’m happy with how the ornaments turned out. I do
wish I had more time to design additional ones for the divider, central,
and corner ornaments. As a Sino native, I’ve mostly been exposed to the
Chinese side of my family growing up, so this project gave me a chance to explore the other side of my
heritage. The motifs I worked with have always been visually familiar to me. I’ve
seen them in Sunday morning markets, artisan stalls, and cultural
festivals, but I never really knew what they represented. Through this
project, I finally learned the stories and meanings behind these designs.
It made me appreciate them on a deeper level, and I’m now actually
considering to further expand this series to explore more Indigenous
themes and narratives.
Observation
I noticed that many traditional motifs are constructed using grid-based
structures. Even though the surface details may vary, they often follow a
consistent underlying system of repetition and symmetry. While there are different variations in their appearance, they still
follow a consistent underlying structure. Once broken down, the designs
felt more approachable and intuitive to work with.
Findings
It is important to understand the cultural context and significance of
something before using it in a design. Learning the background behind each
motif allowed me to approach the process with more thoughtfulness and
intention.
[Further Readings]
Type Ornaments: Building Blocks of Design
Type ornaments are individual elements that can be combined and arranged in any way the typesetter likes to create designs and patterns.A special font (or variant type style) with pictorial rather than text characters. Such characters are used to embellish/decorate the text, e.g. as a divider between sections in a chapter.
Types of Typography Ornaments
There are several types of typography ornaments, each with its own unique characteristics and uses. Some of the most common types of typography ornaments include:
Flourishes: decorative strokes or
lines that extend from the ends of letterforms or other typographic
elements
Borders: decorative frames or edges
that surround a block of text or other design elements
Vignettes: small, intricate designs
that are used to add visual interest to a page or other design element
Dingbats: small, decorative characters
or symbols that are used to add visual interest to a design
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