OUGD603 - Calendar - Test Print/Type Size

Never worked on a scale over A2 so I researched into the industry standard point sizes to inform my decision.

A2:Title 35pt, sub-headings 20pt, body text 16pt.
A1:Title 50pt, sub-headings 26pt, body text 20pt.

Massimo Vignelli's Stendig Calendar uses large point size in a minimalist style to provide clarity however its function is limited by the fact that the user cannot annotate or add events.

The current point size is 42pt which is double the advised size for sub-headings therefore I changed the pt size:

42pt:

26pt:

My research into contemporary calendars informed me to make the weekend titles angular in order to make them easier to identify.

Test Print

Printed my outcome in order to determine considered type size that I can work from.

Month Title

42pt: Highly legible however I am concerned the type will dominate the page too much which will make it hard to interpret once all 12 months are combined.

26pt: More white space provides more room for the type to breath.
Concerned that the large spacing and small numbers will get lost

Entire year

Aiming to present the calendar as portrait in order to be dominant.
Printed it out on A3

Large point size for the title creates a hierarchy
Need something between both compositions


Large Scale Test Print

To make an informed decision about the optimum type size and overall layout, I printed the composition on both A1 and A2:

A2:
Titles: 24pt
Numbers: 12pt

A1:
Titles: 34pt
Numbers: 18pt

Due to the large amount of content and white space that is required to separate each element, I printed variations of the composition on A1:

Left:
Titles: 34pt
Numbers: 18pt

Middle:
Titles: 34pt
Numbers: 28pt

Right:
(Same type size as left)
Took the opportunity to see how the shapes could be utilised for aesthetic or functional purposes:
Opportunity to look at the concept of leap year during February which is why I angled the month to illustrate the disruption to the year.

 REFLECTION + FEEDBACK:

Mixed feedback on the size of the type - Large was legible and unified each month into a clear block however there is little room for the user to add annotations. Small point type provides white space for annotations however legibility is sacrificed. It was highlighted that the small point type was aesthetically pleasing from a distance as the numbers looked like dots which could accommodate an illustration behind it.

The block shapes informed by each month provide contrast and focal points however I am yet to find an objective reason to use them. At this stage I am struggling to find a layout that is both aesthetically pleasing and meets the briefs criteria to be objective and functional. One of the main concerns that my research has informed is the ability to write in quick notes and events onto the calendar therefore I aim to rethink the composition.