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On Typography: - Bitmapped Fonts - Postscript Fonts - Screen Fonts

This document discusses the history and principles of typography. It covers the evolution of type styles from Classical/Old Style to Contemporary styles. Key aspects of type design that impact readability such as font size, style, leading, tracking and kerning are explained. Modern typography developments like Gutenberg's press, photo typesetting, and computer-enhanced fonts are also summarized. The document stresses that choosing the right typeface and formatting can profoundly impact the design and that type is a creative medium that can be experimented with.

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Vijay Krishna R
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
15 views

On Typography: - Bitmapped Fonts - Postscript Fonts - Screen Fonts

This document discusses the history and principles of typography. It covers the evolution of type styles from Classical/Old Style to Contemporary styles. Key aspects of type design that impact readability such as font size, style, leading, tracking and kerning are explained. Modern typography developments like Gutenberg's press, photo typesetting, and computer-enhanced fonts are also summarized. The document stresses that choosing the right typeface and formatting can profoundly impact the design and that type is a creative medium that can be experimented with.

Uploaded by

Vijay Krishna R
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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On Typography

The study of Type


Type facilitates
Communication
Information Design

Choosing the right type can have


profound impact on the design

History of Type Styles



Classical/Old Style (Bookman): 1450-1700

Type sets based on handwriting/calligraphy styles

Transitional (Baskerville): 1700-1800


Greater contrast between thick and thin strokes


Increased type delicacy required improved letterpresses

Modern (Big Caslon): 1800-1900



Sharp contrast between thick and thin strokes
Hairline thin serifs

Bauhaus (Bauhaus 93): 1900-1960



Geometrically designed sans serifs

Contemporary (Trebuchet): 1960-Present



Development of fonts specific to purpose or medium (eg Adobe Postscript fonts)

Modern Typography

Gutenbergs Press
Photo typesetting
Bauhaus type movement
Computer-enhanced
Bitmapped fonts
Postscript fonts
Screen fonts
TrueType
ClearType

Readability vs. Legibility


Ease of reading is called Readability
The ability to recognize letters is legibility
Readability measures ease of reading
Issues affecting them:
Font Size
Font Style
Leading

Tracking/Kerning
Proportions Alignment
Word Spacing
Line length

size

Leading - distance from baseline to baseline


alignment

word and
letter spacing

style

Use of Type

Good type is often overlooked
Bad type is noticed by all
Traditional setting
Serif font
120% leading
Full use of page, equal
margins
Large to small data
hierarchy

Modern setting

Sans-Serif font
Lots of white space
Creative use of letters
Stretching the bounds of
type

Creative Use of Type



Letters are (also) graphics
Words are (also) images
Consider variation in
Direction
Contrast
Form (capital vs lowercase)
Edges of screen/paper

experimenting with the



baseline

experimenting with the



Line length

word as image

experiment,

familiarize yourself with the tools

Matching

text and image

icon

index

BUT remember...

symbol

just because you CAN do something...



...doesnt mean you SHOULD

metasymbol

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