Typography Basics
Debby CiccarelliCCBC | ADiM
Typography
• Typography - the study of type
• Type choices have a huge impact on our designs, and can often make or break a design
• Type choices convey the style and feel of the design
Type Classification
Typeface Selection
• When and where should a display font be used?
• When should a script NOT be used?
• What typefaces should be avoided?
• Are there any typefaces that are overused?
Basic Properties of Type
• Font Family/Typefacee.g. Futura
• Fonte.g. Futura Book
• Stylee.g. Futura Book Italic
Harmony and Variety
• Fonts within a family are used to maintain harmony in a design
• Style is used to add visual contrast
Properties of a font
http://www.fontshop.com/glossary/
Comparisons: x-height
Comparisons: counter
Properties of Text
• Kerning - the horizontal space between individual pairs of letters
• Tracking - overall letter spacing
• Leading - line spacing
• Line length - width of a paragraph
Kerning for Large Type
• Manual kerning (adjustments) is often required for type at large sizes(and sometimes for poor font designs)
Leading
• More leading gives an open feeling due to the added space between lines
• Too much leading can cause lines to separate and not be seen as a single paragraph
Pairing Fonts
• Should I use more than one font in a design?
• Should I use more than three?
Combining Typefaces
• Using more than one typeface gives a design some contrast and variety.
• Be cautious of 2 typefaces that do not contrast enough!
Designer: Mason Zimbler
Designer: Fox Point Studios
Top Related