People working in many industries apply the skills and knowledge outlined in this unit. They may work as individuals providing administrative support within an enterprise, or they may work in specialist design and printing companies where print jobs vary from brochures and corporate stationery to the artwork for billboards, display banners and textile products.
At this level, work would be undertaken independently but within established parameters. Supervision or guidance is available as required.
Not applicable.
1. Prepare to undertake typographic work | 1.1 With reference to briefing documentation, clarify design requirements for typographic work in consultation with relevant personnel 1.2 Source reference material on typography pertinent to the brief 1.3 Confirm equipment, materials and work space requirements 1.4 Take account of the requirements for different publication processes when planning work 1.5 Set up work space and equipment with due regard to safety considerations and organisational procedures |
2. Test and explore a range of typographical techniques | 2.1 Identify possible approaches to typography design and establish criteria for the selection of a final approach 2.2 Select appropriate materials, tools and equipment for the testing of approaches and techniques 2.3 Trial typography techniques that may meet the requirements of the brief 2.4 Evaluate trialling against criteria and select the preferred design approach |
3. Complete typographic work | 3.1 Develop the typographic work ensuring consistency with the selected approach and the brief 3.2 Review work in progress against project objectives and specifications 3.3 Seek and use feedback on work in progress to make adjustments to typographic work as required |
4. Ensure quality of typographic output | 4.1 Check that typography meets the requirements of the brief, including grammar and technical production and/or printing requirements 4.2 Finalise operations in line with organisational procedures 4.3 Present completed work within agreed time and quality parameters |
Required skills
communication skills to:
clarify written and verbal instructions
complete routine workplace documentation
initiative and enterprise skills to experiment with typographical elements and techniques that best respond to design specifications
learning skills to improve own skills in using typography based on feedback and experimentation
literacy skills to:
interpret specifications and briefs for typographic work
apply a knowledge of spelling and grammar to proofreading text
numeracy skills to calculate layout requirements, font sizes and enlargement factors
planning and organising skills to:
plan work tasks in a logical sequence
organise resources
problem-solving skills to adjust fit and fonts to ensure best possible results
self-management skills to prioritise work tasks and complete work within time and quality parameters
technology skills to use a broad range of typographical features of industry-standard software.
Required knowledge
evolution and history of type at an overview level
characteristics of, and uses for, a range of typefaces
work space requirements for typographic work, including selection and set-up of work space
physical properties and capabilities of a range of materials, tools and equipment used for typographic work
typographic output devices and processes
elements and principles of design and how they may be used in the development of ideas for typographic work
intellectual property issues and legislation associated with typographic work
sustainability issues associated with the materials, tools and equipment used in typographic work
OHS requirements relevant to typographic work.
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the ability to: apply typography in line with design concepts and briefs produce typography that can be reproduced and transferred across design and pre-press sectors. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure access to: a range of products that require the application of typographic techniques computers and industry-standard software. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: evaluation of typography work produced by the candidate in response to particular brief questioning and discussion about candidate’s intentions and the work outcome review of portfolios of evidence review of third-party reports from experienced practitioners. Assessment methods should closely reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy) and the needs of particular groups (e.g. people with disabilities and people who may have literacy or numeracy difficulties, such as speakers of languages other than English, remote communities and those with interrupted schooling). |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: CUFDIG304A Create visual design components CUVGRD301A Prepare files for publication. |
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Briefing documentation may contain information, such as: | aesthetic considerations background information about clients clients’ needs constraints: budget end use for typographical work timeframe availability of support services copy creative and design objectives details of type fonts required legal, contractual, ethical and copyright considerations equipment materials medium personnel involved in the project purpose of or audience for final product relevant statutory requirements scope for making adjustments technical objectives technology timeframe. |
Typographic work may be generated by manual or electronic means and can be targeted towards: | advertising or promotion for large or small scale projects, such as: banners billboards brochures identity and branding labelling packaging publishing websites. |
Relevant personnel may include: | art department client creative director designer director manager mentor other technical or specialist personnel producer production manager project manager representative of organisation commissioning the work supervisor technical director. |
Reference material may include: | functions, practice and use of typeface in historical and contemporary contexts information on the main typefaces legal, ethical contractual and copyright considerations market analysis and strategies moral issues new technology role of text (copy) in visual communication. |
Equipment may include: | brushes calligraphy pens CDs computer discs DVDs printer scanner software. |
Materials may include: | a range of: papers board plastics textiles drawing materials, such as: pencils pens inks. |
Work space requirements may include: | consideration of OHS issues, including: ergonomics lighting ventilation process space specific needs, such as: equipment materials tools wet and dry areas. |
Publication processes may include: | any hard copy printing process electronic platforms, such as: CD DVD games console internet kiosk mobile phone other video playback devices personal digital assistant (PDA) video players (iPods). |
Criteria may include: | access to materials, tools and equipment required for typographic work choice of typography that is consistent with specifications in the brief ease of production or outputting personal affinity with materials, tools and equipment. |
Techniques may include: | applying colour for specific effects applying variations to the display of typeface, such as: bold captions headlines scale titles applying variations to the properties of a given typeface composing type with overlays and tints kerning positioning typeface and images serif or sans serif size slope techniques that accentuate the message, such as: font size and position font type use of images use of white space weight use of typesetting technology. |
Organisational procedures may relate to: | completing routine workplace documentation cost control making backup copies of files managing typographic work to facilitate effective storage, retrieval and output by manual or digital means process-specific procedures recycling removing debris replacing protective covers and lids reporting safety use of materials washing and drying tools. |
Visual communication – graphic design
This unit contains employability skills.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.