Mastering Ligatures & Alternates in Typography: A Complete Guide Day 6

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the sixth part of this video which is most important so far. If you watch, not if you have not watched the five videos, please go back and watch the playlist called typography.

Okay.

Because we've been seeing from the basics of what is typography, types, technical terminologies and then we did some activities and today we are going to see something very interesting which is creating your own logos, creating your own type case, creating your own brand of how you can put it in your portfolio. And we are going to call it as ligacious and alternates. In this video we are going to see a detail and also I am going to give you a live activity where you can practice that and you can experiment it. If you are live with me in my classes, I would give the activity first and then I'll go for the lesson. But this is a YouTube video. This is the video format. So what I would highly recommend is follow this active, follow this theory first and then you can do an activity.

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Or maybe what I'll do is I'll give you an activity first. You can pause this video, you can do it and then you can jump back because 100 times. You will learn faster if you do the activity. Make the mistakes and learn. Okay, let's jump. So we're going to see in the so far we've been seeing introduction of typeface. We have been seeing technical aspects of typeface. We've been experimenting with unconventional medium. We have also seen the real time implementation. We also saw about the web based font scaling of typography. So in this video we are going to see advanced typography and towards how a portfolio development is important. Okay, First I'll give you an activity. Guys, design a typographic logo or a custom based treatment for you. Like let's say it could be your, let's say initial. It could be your own particular signature of your name. Whatever you have. Can you combine the two characteristics of your name? Like let's say your name is Kumar, K, U, M, A, R. You could combine K and U. You could combine U and M. You could also combine M A and R. That's okay. But try to make a meaning around it.

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It needs to have a proper meaning. It needs to have a character. Like you have to create a logo or a type of treatment for a portfolio. The objective is to develop advanced typographic skills. But it needs to have a clarity meaning. We are going to see case studies. Don't worry, I'm just giving you an activity first.

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It should Be having a character original, okay? It should have uniqueness, creativity in it.

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So I hope you are, you are clear with what is the activity. So your typeface, whatever you're going to combine the two typeface is actually going to create a very good unique meaning.

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That's what you're going to put it in your portfolio also. That's why I wanted to name this task as a portfolio task so that you can able to use it for your job application process, search process, resume in your behance in your website. It will create a great brand. Guys, trust me, this activity, what you're going to do is going to create a lot of impact in your design career, okay? Because people are not going to just view your profile like a normal portfolio. They're going to give a huge importance. They're going to create a very good unique character for you because you have already put that in your character in your portfolios.

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So this is. Okay, Jagdish, what is this? You're giving this activity, but I'm not understanding anything. Let me tell you guys, if you are pausing this video and then you're doing this activity, take three to five minutes. Try to write your name and try to bring some kind of a character joining. Try to bring some kind of a new style. Try to create a very good meaning and a character around your name and a logo.

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If you're doing that, then we'll go to this particular class. I believe you would have done it. Okay, so there is something called ligacious and alternates. If you have possibly done this activity, you could end up making something like cursive letters. You could make end up making something like a join letters. Or you could make serif and sans serif. That's what my students have also did that. Okay, so let me make you a clarity that ligatures are actually special characters in typography where two or more letters are combined in order to create a consistency and visually and aesthetically readable. And also it should have some kind of aesthetics. It should also have a meaning. It should also have a story built around it. If you're not building a story around it, if it is not aesthetic, if it's not readable, then you're not creating ligatures. You're just playing around and wasting your time. You need to have some meaning around it. It's not like, hey, Jagdish, I put my letters of K and U together. What does it mean if I invert it little bit? Is it conveying a meaning of a cup? Are You a nature of a guy who's receiving? Are you a nature of the guy who is giving? So can you associate a meaning around it? Is what is the main activity towards this class? Okay, so to improve aesthetics, readability, certain combinations. But common examples are something like this. Okay, I'll explain you what is alternates. If you would have taken a variation in a typeface, like let's say the typeface has a T like this. If you have used for your own variation, this is actually called alternates. Okay, so alternates are the variations of a character inside a typeface. They provide a different stylistic option on individual letters or group of letters. Alternate can be used as an add on unique flare to text and make it more visually interesting. I'll show you another interesting, guys.

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I'll show you another tab where I can open and show you. See, this is example of it. See how they have combined this? Yes. And T beautifully. How they have combined this gallons. In fact, it's a brand, right? It's a modern ligature typeface. So they have combined this gna. And you can see there is a loft continuity here. There is a circle inches inherently inbuilt in it.

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And then they have exactly blended this N and S. See, this is how the ligations are done in real time. If you would have done the real activity, you will know what I'm talking about. If you're just watching this as a theory, I'm sure, guys, you will not understand it much clearer.

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And you can see a logo, like let's say lg. LG logo. Look, they have interacted this LNG inside and then they've created a face. Also you can see a dot, you can see a face, you can see a character, right? And also you could see something like a button switching on. Mostly they are in the electronic equipments and appliances. So your meaning of the logo should have a proper clarity on what you're trying to say. The story should be there. It's not like randomly you're combining two, three letters. Okay, then I'll show you another later. Then I'll show you another logo.

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Volkswagen. Look at this. They have combined the V and W of the Volkswagen.

Right?

And then they have combined it. And you can see the logo transition, how it happened. But in the 67 itself, they've started but in the 39 itself, they've started putting this on them. They have not changed pretty much because they are a legendary brand. They wanted to keep it that way. Okay, so you can see another example. Like let's say gm. Look at this, right? They have not combined, but they have created a style for it. They have not combined. It's not necessarily always needs to be combined. Okay, it could be also combined. It may not have to be combined. It can also have some variations. See, they have combined it here. G and M. There is some brand I don't know. Okay, this is exactly called ligaciousness. If you're understanding this, probably you will get a clarity. What is mean by ligacious and alternate? Okay, there are some two different types of ligacious available. So one is standard ligations, most commonly used in Latin alphabets. Normal typeface which you're joining. Another is discretionary, which I've shown you some examples as well. Right, so you can see that example of what I told you. Lng. So these are most decorative, less common, often used for stylistic purposes in specific types of text. And the history the method of this letter combination have tracked back to Egyptians and Greek inscriptions. Guys. In fact, Berlin, Germany okay, this is an Egyptian museum. I really got mind blown. The way in which they have created a typeface, the way in which they have combined what you call typefaces and they have created a new meaning of it. They have created a new pattern of education in which this particular typeface have been built. They have created scriptures, they have created architecture, they have created mathematics, they have created geometry. In fact, they are the pioneers in the architecture. I would say because these people have invented a lot of things which people have not known because of that only we are having a basics and then we are building on top of it. If in your nearby vicinity, if you can't find a very good Egyptian museum, I would highly recommend to go and visit that. Being a designer, you will get a lot of inspiration. It's primarily used in formal elegant typography such as serif base to improve visual flow and harmony of the text. They can also add a type of a touch of sophistication and sophistication for formal documents, books and advertisements. Have you seen in many magazines and many typographies. You can see these are beautifully blended because when people are seeing this, they have to get an association for that. They have to understand the meaning of it. It's not like I'll read through everything if I get a glance. I have to understand what this brand is doing. What is the meaning of this brand? What is the character of this brand? What is this particular brand is trying to convey? That particular ligation or the alternate should tell me that that is the exact success of a particular Typeface? Yes. When you T and alternate or these are the alternate styles in which to match a particular character and a style. They're used to add a personality and uniqueness to a text, which is what you're going to do in your portfolio activity also.

Okay.

Which is in the contextual alternates. These alternates change based on context of the surrounding character, ensuring that the text flows smooth, smooth, smoothly and visually appealing. It has to match with the sans serif. It has to match with the serif based whatever you are designing. It has to exactly match. Okay, so that is the meaning behind it. That is the meaning of the types, that is the meaning of the ligatures and alternates. There is something called drop caps, which I'll show you guys.

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Which is very, very easy. I'll just help you.

Okay, look.

Have you ever read many magazines and editorial design articles? You will see there is a page something like this where the page will have a heading but the first letter will be very big, right? That's exactly called drop caps. Okay, why is the drop caps used like this? Drop caps is used to emphasize the strong meaning of this context. Even without reading this type of typograph, even without reading this big, big sentences, what I could understand, this is a fashion brand. Say F big, right? And also French connection, which is happening. Even the language is also not. I don't know this language, French language, but I can see they are the most established brand. And you can see there is a serif based, what you call base, which they have exactly kept. And they wanted to add a styling element to it because it's a trending, it's a fashion and it's also a black and white. That means it's an evergreen. They wanted to build a very supremacy brand, which is like an evergreen. And they wanted to show that this is the exact space in which the typeface has been exactly put around. So they wanted to emphasize that this is the exact heading subheading and this is the text info. It's a fashion brand, it's an ever trending brand, it's a styling brand. It's like a supremacy built around this brand. See, just by looking at this, if I got so much of meaning behind it and mostly it will be true because people who are designing it very carefully, the drop caps, they will know what exactly they wanted to attract the customers for. If you are a designer, you need to have that consciousness. You need to understand the science behind doing this.

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There are many ways to do it. There are many ornamental typeface also, as you can see, see this is ornamental.

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You can use this also. And you can use something like this. See, you can see accessible drop caps. You've seen, right? In many editorial, design and magazines. You can see the Z. Everyone I know, in fact that's the first letter of that character. But the thing is that particular meaning of that particular drop cap will be exactly based on that context. And it should be based on that context if you're writing it. If you're not, then there is no big difference. Okay, so you can see I'm just taking a reference of Google image which you can see.

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This is like most, most classical. It's like a king, it's like a kingdom, it's like supreme. I see. That's what I can say. So it's like more ornamental, more renaissance in style, more symmetric, more balanced. So you can see there is a good harmony which is also around it. That's the reason why people are able to do it. Okay, so this is exactly called drop caps. So now you understood ligacious alternate and drop caps, right? Why don't you now create a custom typeface in your name? That's what the activity I've given you, right? Imagine you're designing a logo for your portfolio for your brand. You might use ligations to combine FB into a single element character. Or you might even use what you call styling elements. That's totally, totally up to you guys. I wanted you to experiment it. I wanted you to try it out, okay? And choose a styling characters for a look of your character and give a very unique and a sophisticated look. If you're able to create that unique and sophisticated look, that becomes a great add on in your portfolio. I believe you will understand and do this activity. Okay, so I'll give you some tips also. You can showcase your skills in this particular video. You can share me that link. I'll be going through that work also. And then I'll definitely read each and every comment and every message what you posted and give you the critique. I'll give you the feedback.

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Yes. So design a type flographic logo or a custom type treatment which can be used in your portfolio. And it should have a kind of characteristic and it should be very clear in the meaning. It should be original, it should be very unique and it should be created. So this is the exact activity which I'm giving you guys. If you do this activity, probably you will understand what is gaseous and alternates. You will understand the depth of typograph, you will understand why it is very relevant for you, you'll also understand how you can create your own typeface in a logo style, in a unique style, which you can snap it in your portfolio and showcase yourself moment. When you do it, people will try to understand this guy is trying to do something unique. It's not like he's taking some case study and then he's taking some problem. I'll put problem statement, I'll put ideation, prototype testing. I'll submit the portfolio. You will never get a designer's role. Even if you're getting into design role. You'll be getting a substandard salary. You'll be adding no value in that organization unless you bring a creativity and uniqueness in your design which starts from this particular activity. What you're doing. You will not see a big difference in the design career. You will not see a big light in here. Your design career will be very sloppy, very boring. You will wait for holidays, you will wait for vacations, you will wait for some salaries and then your energy will be something like that. But if you are resonating in a very creative and a unique energy, where you will start creating more elements, where you will start creating new typeface, which is what is going to make you very. I hope this activity is very clear for you. Okay, in the last video, you're going to see AI tools, which is most, most interesting. Okay, I'm going to show you live demos of the AI tools and I'm going to show you how you can demonstrate it and scale it up a little faster when you are a designer. Okay, so go for the next video and complete this video and come for that. If you're not doing this, you will not see the big difference there. Because how you do anything, how you do everything. My mentor, Blair Singer always says that if you do one thing, attitude and character and a behavior in one thing, and that's what you'll exhibit in every part of your life. You will not be a two different person. We are not fit personality. That's not our case. Okay, so how do you do anything? How you do everything? I believe you would have done this activity. Now let's see in the next video. Bye bye.