review

There are 2 posts tagged review (this is page 1 of 1).

Typography I: On The Elements of Typographic Style

On The Elements of Typographic Style

(Chapter 1 page 17-25)

The text gives a good start and breakdown on how to approach designing text. I especially appreciate “1.2.2 Discover the outer logic of the typography in the inner logic of the text.”

My own ‘Good Practice Checklist’
  1. Understand your content and make a decision
    (To give your design a voice)
  2. Decide on a treatment
    (What are some appropriate looks for your content? What is suitable for the company and client?)
  3. Respect your content, do your research
    (What’s the agenda? Check if there are any rules or sensitivities regarding your given content, and check if there are any existing graphics that are similar to what you have in mind)
  4. Dress your content
    (The technical aspects of design: What medium are you using? What colors and typefaces? What’s the layout like?)
About the text: ‘Well-chosen words deserve well-chosen letters’

To expand on certain aspects of ‘On The Elements of Typographic Style’, it’s definitely the job of typography to help words be expressed in their best form, with many factors considered.

If the content is meant to disturb, then perhaps a cold, unfeeling font or design should be selected for that purpose.

If the content is meant for digital platform, the design must take advantage of what the platform has to offer to give viewers the best and most correct experience.

I definitely think that priority should be about what fits good, rather than what looks good. Mismatching design and content would be doing a disservice to the efforts put into both. I think it’s definitely a good reflection for myself as well as it’s something I have to remember while working on my personal works.

About the text: Color as an ancient metaphor

This is definitely the first time I have heard of color used to refer to ‘the darkness or blackness of the letterforms in mass’. I have never looked at it in this way and it’s interesting to consider, along with its different criteria.

As I usually looked at letterforms by considering thickness (width), roundness (edges) and its superficial characteristics, it’s fresh to think about how the text sees the letterforms as a mass, something that is filled in with solid weight with more dimensions to it.

Overall

I have definitely learnt alot from this reading. It is a good step-by-step written list of factors to consider when approaching a text to make it less daunting, and a good reminder to treat words carefully during your work/project.

Typography I: Thinking with Type (Letter)

THINKING WITH TYPE: LETTER

The article on typographic practice, “Thinking with Type – Letter”, was definitely a very informative expansion to the handout given a couple of weeks before. In addition to type anatomy and classification, it talks about punctuation, font formats and even programs and applications that could be used in designing fonts. It also gives examples on type applications, such as a specific font that would work well in a calendar, and would not work in modern financial data.

On top of that, the article also prompts insight into multiple fonts – such as a brief description of the fonts Mrs and Mr Eaves. It breaks down how the fonts work in detail, chalking it down to the very proportions of a font’s anatomy, such as how the size of the x-height would play a role in the visual impression and impact that a font gives off.

This makes for a very interesting read as it goes beyond just what is practiced, but the idea behind why certain traditions in typography is practiced and why certain terminologies are used as well.

It also gives character and breathes personality to the system and functions of the letter and type, in order to justify the role they play when putting together different fonts and sizes.

Type crimes are also highlighted and they’re always interesting to know about/look at.

Crime regarding scale

Crime regarding italics

I admit, I’ve definitely guilty of committing type crimes. One of which I can recall is the the incorrect use of hyphens back in Year 1 as I’ve never given it much thought until I was corrected. I think I’ve just never quite realized that a keen eye could definitely tell that I used the incorrect dash (but now I know better).

Overall, the document had been an extremely concise yet interesting read that very effectively summarizes the fundamentals of type. Like mentioned previously, I’ll be likely to revisit this article often in the upcoming weeks as it seems to be a really good basic guiding tool. The type crime notes and typeface mixing sections would definitely be the sections I’ll revisit often!