Typography

Getting Ready

Check out this video which introduces the concept of typography:

Typography is the design of individual letters and the arrangement of them in print and/or digital media. For both print and digital media, visual communication professionals must consider fundamental issues of form and structure, design, message, content, and expression.

Until recent times, letterforms were written by hand or typed on a fixed format–like a page–whether it was a poster, label, or newspaper. The digital age has presented new issues for graphic designers. Now, type is seen in Windows and scrolling surfaces of pages that can seem quite endless.

Letterforms are an integral part of modern communication. Since the invention of the printing press, people have used printed —and more recently— electronic type to communicate. Could you imagine a newspaper or magazine where all the articles were handwritten and copied? Imagine how difficult it would be to compose an e-mail or use desktop publishing software to create party invitations without the existence of typefaces.

Typefaces are used in print and electronic media not just to communicate a legible message, but as an expressive tool of the author or designer. Each typeface can be used to convey a different style or atmosphere. There are typefaces evocative of Art Deco, the old American West, weddings and other traditionally formal ceremonies.

It is almost imperative as a graphic designer, and absolutely imperative as a typographer, to develop an appreciation and understanding of both modern and historic typography. In everyday life, one should pay attention to the stylistic and practical uses of typefaces in various kinds of media. Note what feelings the designer was hoping to convey, or what style they were attempting to mimic.

Prerequisites:

There are no prerequisites for this lesson

Lesson Outcomes:

By the end of Session 3: "Typography", students should be able to:

• discuss typography as it relates to the use of text in visual messages:

• explore the meanings of common terms used in typography; e.g., capline, topline, midline, baseline, beardline, serif, san serif, ascender, descender, bowl, counter.

• discuss the use of the elements and principles of design in purposeful text creation; e.g., attention-getting text versus readable text
• discuss the role of whitespace in the use of text