Typography II, Journal: March 10
Stop Stealing Sheep and Find Out How Type Works chapter summaries
1: Type is everywhere
Type is ubiquitous. It surrounds us, bombards us, whispers to us, encourages us, mocks us, startles us, or just prattles on and on, blithely unaware that we don't give a damn about what it has to say. Type is a method of conveying ideas, and it is one which is used extensively in our culture. Type design is important in facilitating clear, effective communication.
2: What is type
The methods of type creation and the styles and trends in type faces have changed drastically over time, but it is all fundamentally rooted in common ground.
3: Looking at type
In order to use type effectively, you must have an eye for it — you must train yourself to notice a font's shape and details.
4: Type with a purpose
Different type faces have different strengths and meanings, so choosing the right one becomes an important factor in design.
5: Type builds character
All typefaces have a tone that may or may not be appropriate for your project. Training yourself to become sensitive to the character of typefaces will help you make better decisions.
6: Types of type
There are some broad categories that typefaces fall into which can help identify them.
7: How it works
Spacing is also important. Be sure to utilize appropriate leading, tracking and kerning for a typeface. Also, it should be noted that different typefaces work best at different line lengths and sizes.
8: Putting it to work
Placement of type into logical, yet dynamic arrangements can hook the reader and keep him interested.
9: There is no bad type
Typefaces come into and fall out of favor. Fonts are almost never inherently good or bad. For every ugly font, there may very well be a situation in which it could be used quite effectively.
Showing posts with label book summary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book summary. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
Type Heresey
Commandments | Perversions
I
Thou shalt not apply more than three typeface in a document.
Break the fetters imposed by the use of only three typefaces.
II
Thou shalt lay headlines large at the top of the page.
Let thine eyes be seduced by the hierarchy of type.
III
Thou shalt employ no other type size than 8pt to 10pt for body copy.
Do not forsake smaller or bigger sizes.
IV
Remember that a typeface that is not legible is not truly a typeface.
Be seduced into trying new and expressive typefaces.
V
Honour thy kerning, so that white space becomes visually equalized between characters.
Treat kerning and tracking with total irreverence.
VI
Thou shalt lay stress discreetly upon elements within text.
Entice the reader to sample the delights of your text.
VII
Thou shat not use only capitals when setting vast body copy.
Do not forgo the liberal use of capitals within your text.
VIII
Thou shalt always align letters and word on a baseline.
The Lord designed letterforms to stand side by side, but there is no harm in their being lured away from one another.
IX
Thou shalt use flush-left, ragged-right type alignment.
Yield to the temptation to align text in unusual ways.
X
Thou shalt not make lines too short or too long.
Lure the reader down unfamiliar paths.
I
Thou shalt not apply more than three typeface in a document.
Break the fetters imposed by the use of only three typefaces.
II
Thou shalt lay headlines large at the top of the page.
Let thine eyes be seduced by the hierarchy of type.
III
Thou shalt employ no other type size than 8pt to 10pt for body copy.
Do not forsake smaller or bigger sizes.
IV
Remember that a typeface that is not legible is not truly a typeface.
Be seduced into trying new and expressive typefaces.
V
Honour thy kerning, so that white space becomes visually equalized between characters.
Treat kerning and tracking with total irreverence.
VI
Thou shalt lay stress discreetly upon elements within text.
Entice the reader to sample the delights of your text.
VII
Thou shat not use only capitals when setting vast body copy.
Do not forgo the liberal use of capitals within your text.
VIII
Thou shalt always align letters and word on a baseline.
The Lord designed letterforms to stand side by side, but there is no harm in their being lured away from one another.
IX
Thou shalt use flush-left, ragged-right type alignment.
Yield to the temptation to align text in unusual ways.
X
Thou shalt not make lines too short or too long.
Lure the reader down unfamiliar paths.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
The History of Type, pg12
This section of the reading is basically just an introduction, so very little information is actually given...
Type is defined as the way ideas are given a concrete, visual form to facilitate communication. It's origins are derived from ancient times and many written languages used today have evolved from markings that were symbolic of specific objects rather than arbitrary characters.
Another point made is that the history of type is hazy due to advancements being made in different areas of the world during roughly the same time period. For example, though Guttenberg is generally credited with the invention of movable type in the 1440s, similar creations were produced by Italian, Netherlandic, and Chinese inventors, the earliest of which is credited to the Chinese Bi Sheng in the 1040s.
Also mentioned is the phenomenon of type of a certain style being directly associated with specific historic events, such as the script used to pen the Declaration of Independence.
Question - Is the history of typographical technology concrete? Copy and paste Cite at least one example to support your answer!
Type is defined as the way ideas are given a concrete, visual form to facilitate communication. It's origins are derived from ancient times and many written languages used today have evolved from markings that were symbolic of specific objects rather than arbitrary characters.
Another point made is that the history of type is hazy due to advancements being made in different areas of the world during roughly the same time period. For example, though Guttenberg is generally credited with the invention of movable type in the 1440s, similar creations were produced by Italian, Netherlandic, and Chinese inventors, the earliest of which is credited to the Chinese Bi Sheng in the 1040s.
Also mentioned is the phenomenon of type of a certain style being directly associated with specific historic events, such as the script used to pen the Declaration of Independence.
Question - Is the history of typographical technology concrete? Copy and paste Cite at least one example to support your answer!
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