Wild Type: Typography ex Natura
Werkmodul/Fachmodul
Lecturer: Martin Schneider
Credits: 6 ECTS, 4 SWS
Date: Donnerstag, 17:00 - 20:30 Uhr
Venue: MAC-Pool Fak. G, Marienstrasse 1
First meeting: Donnerstag, 22. Oktober 2015
NEWS: New repo on github: https://github.com/bitcraftlab/Wild-Type/
Description
Typography plays a huge role in media art and design. But the tools typographers use on their computers still imitate the 15th century printing press. In "Wild Type" we will get to know tools and programming languages for generative typography. We will learn how to apply parametric design principles to font design, how to evolve fonts with genetic algorithms inside the computer, how to animate them and make them come alive.
We will also learn how to use methods of machine learning and image recognition to identify and generate typographical structures. As part of this course we will also touch upon the field of speculative typography, and develop writing systems that plants and other nonhumans might use in their communication.
Beschreibung
Typographie spielt in Medienkunst und -gestaltung eine große Rolle. Allerdings imitieren die Werkzeuge der Schriftgestaltung am Computer noch immer die Druckerpresse aus dem 15. Jahrhundert. In "Wild Type" lernen die Studenten wie man Prinzipen des parametrischen Designs auf Buchstaben anwendet, wie man mit genetischen Algorithmen Fonts im Computer züchten kann, und wie man Buchstaben animieren und zu interaktivem Leben erwecken kann.
Außerdem lernen sie Methoden der automatischen Bilderkennung kennen, mit denen man typographische Strukturen in der Natur entdecken kann. Im Rahmen des Kurses werden wir auch mit spekulativer Typographie in Berührung kommen, und dabei Schriften für die Kommunikation zwischen Pflanzen und anderen nicht-menschlichen Wesen und Mechanismen entwickeln.
Language
The course will be in English, unless all participants are speaking German.
Eligible Participants
Undergraduates and graduates enrolled in the faculties of Media and Design.
Requirements
- Basic knowledge of typography
- Basic knowledge of programming in processing or python
Application
NOTE: Deadline for application to this course is October 18th 2015.
You need to provide links to previous work to be elligible to this course.
To: Martin Schneider
Subject: Wild Type /// Application
Content:
- Please provide samples of your work:
- Links to previous graphical or typography related work
- Links to at least one computer generated work
- Please tell us about you:
- Program and semester (Studienprogramm und Fachsemester)
- Matriculation number (Matrikelnummer)
- Valid email address @uni-weimar.de (no other mailing addresses will be accepted) Why?
Schedule
| Theme | Topic | Date |
|---|---|---|
| I. Fonts in Processing | From Point to Line to Letter | 22. October 2015 |
| Generating Fonts (Fontastic, Geomerative) | 29. October 2015 | |
| II. Fonts in Python | Intro to DrawBot, Robofab & Robofont (Block-Course) | 27. November 2015 (Friday afternoon) |
| III. Future Fonts | Animated Fonts | 19. November 2015 |
| Writing Systems | 3. December 2015 | |
| Font Recognition and OCR | 10. December 2015 | |
| Physical Fonts (3D-Printing, Bio-Art ...) | 17. December 2015 | |
| IV. Growing Fonts | Cellular Automata, Neural Nets and Evolutionary Design | 29. - 31. Januar 2016 |