Journey from Concept to Creation : typography

Typography (Part Three).

Adman — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:43:00 GMT

A long, long (really long) time ago I promised to offer some tips on typography. At long last, here they are. I hope they were worth the wait. My blog had to take the back seat for a few weeks...ok, months if you insist on counting the holidays. But never fear, I am still here...sort of like that nagging cough that you can't get rid of... But, deep down inside, I know you have missed me. I am so charming and witty...

So....here are some general tips for specifying type. They are in no particular order as none is necessarily more important than another. Remember that these are just basic guidelines...as you become more practiced as a designer, you can start to break some (but not all) of the rules.

* Ideally, stick with the same type family for any given job. Get variety by changing the size and blackness -- and by using condensed and expanded versions and italics.
* While it is permissible to mix a body face with a headline face, stay away from mixing two headline faces.
* Constrain mixing to two faces -- three at the most.
* Typestyles designed during the same time period do not necessarily go together… the character of the letters are a much better barometer to use when mixing types.
* Old style Romans and Modern Romans do NOT go together and should never be combined.
* Typestyles with different “x-heights” provide different degrees of weight when set as body copy. They can be used to help balance your layout...just as the "weight" of the letters.
* Sans serif fonts can be used with almost any other typestyle. They are considered to be a neutral fonts.
* Sans serifs should NOT be mixed with slab serif fonts.
* Type mixing is mostly a matter of having good taste and artistic talent.
* As a general rule, only mix types that are either very similar or very dissimilar. Others will appear to the reader as being convoluted – as if something is amiss.
* When using colorful type, go a little larger and fatter than using black to compensate for the lack of darkness.
* Never use small, weak serifs when reversing type or for use in Standard Denition video. Sans serif fonts are preferable in these applications.
* Consider the use of ligatures, especially in headlines and logotypes. They can sometimes provide a more artistic or cleaner look. (Assuming the chosen font supports them, they can be found in the Character Map (Windows) or Key Caps (Apple) or by selecting “automatic ligature substitution” in your application.)
* Explore the character map (Windows) or key caps (Mac) for special characters that aren’t available via the keyboard… learn the keyboard shortcuts for frequently used special characters.
* Avoid script and cursive fonts that were designed to mimic handwriting. None of these fonts can adequately mimic handwriting and they only look phoney.
* Generally, avoid using the Old English font. It is difficult to read and it tends to attracts attention to itself at the expense of the message.
* For web design work, consider using Georgia (serif) and/or Verdana (sans serif). These FREE, high x-height fonts were designed to be legible on computer screens. They also work well with video monitors. For other suitable fonts, look for high x-heights, extended versions and “hinted” fonts. Bitstream, ITC and Monotype offer fonts with hinting.
* Roman (serif) fonts are considered to be easier to read when used as body copy. The serifs form an “imaginary” line, helping to hold the eye on the line as it is read from left to right. Most magazines use Roman typefaces exclusively for body copy.
* When working with type, “being different” is not a virtue. Through habit, readers are accustomed to seeing certain standards in typography. Change, in this case, can result in lower readership and/or legibility.
* Break paragraphs into columns no more than 39 lower-case characters wide. The bigger the type, the wider the columns can be.
* Drop caps can also be used to help draw the reader into your body copy, easing the reader from larger headlines to the body copy. But, the drop cap must be unied with the copy in terms of tone and mood. (Some designers consider drop caps as being dated.)
* Take “quality time” to manually kern your headlines. Kern them so that they are optically balanced. Properly "kerned" headlines are the mark of a true professional.
* As a "rule of thumb" – leading should be 120% of the point size.
* Use “hinted” fonts when possible.
* In the early stage of type specication, rst think in terms of classications or categories of type, (Gothic vs. Roman. Old-style Roman vs Transitional Roman)… then narrow it down to a specic typestyle.
* In addition, I suggest that you get into the habit of looking at the work that is out there… and consider the type choices that were used… and why.
* If you cannot nd a specic type name, it may be listed under a different name as different vendors often have equivalent fonts under different names. Apparently, it is easier to copyright typestyle names than the actual designs themselves.
* User proper typesetting conventions – real typographic “curly” quotation marks, real EN dashes (hyphens separating numbers, etc.) and REAL EM dashes (longer marks separating thoughts – most page layout programs will convert these automatically when you type two subsequent hypens (which is proper when using a standard typewriter).
* When doing layouts, it is a good idea to look at pages “in context.” For example, if you are doing a DVD cover, do each panel independently as it will be viewed by the purchaser of the DVD. If a magazine ad, you may want to position it in an actual magazine to see how it will look in-context as well. This may affect your choice of fonts and/or the relative point sizes, etc., of the work.

Alright... that ends the series on Typography. I'll let you ponder the subject of my next blog...but I'll try not to wait too long this time. I can only use the "holidays" excuse once a year.

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Typography (Part Two).

Adman — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 05:42:00 GMT

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The reason for proper type specication is simple -- select the typestyle that will best deliver your message. Designers are known to spend hours looking for just the right font to do just that. There are gazillons of typestyles from which to choose. The selection must be inviting to the eye and appropriate to the message. It should be consistent with the tone and manner of the creative program. It should also be legible (although it is sometimes used more as a graphic treatment). While type selection is primarily a matter of artistic taste, it is beneficial to be educated about the history of typography and the story behind commonly used fonts.

It all started with the Egyptian alphabet (actually part alphabet and part picture writing), then the Phoenicians (based on trade rather than literary purposes) borrowed from the Egyptians and created an alphabet consisting solely of what we call consonants. Then the literary-minded Greeks came into the fray, adding vowels and giving it the name "alphabet" that we all know and love today. Then the Romans modified that. While there are some 200 alphabets, with over 50 in use today, the English alphabet, consisting of 26 letters (derived from the Romans) is the world's most widely used. Whew, breaking down all those centuries into one short paragraph was really hard to do. But, there is much more to the story.
From Johannes Gutenberg's time (c.1400-1468) -- basically credited with the invention of moveable type printing -- to the eighteenth century, type designs were calligraphic (based on handwriting). The character and flow of handwriting was the result of the shape of writing instruments (reeds, brushes, wax tablet styluses). When letters were first cut and punched in metal, they were inspired by the broad-nibbed pen that was used at the time for writing. The pen would be turned at a slight angle resulting in thick and thin markings on the writing surface. These markings were the inspiration for Roman typefaces which are based on ancient stone carvings.
Fortunately, the gazillions of typestyles are classified. They fall into four main categories of Roman, Gothic, script and ornamental (decorative). Typestyles can be further classied into broad groups sometimes called "races," as follows:
Old-Style Romans (15^th-17^th century) -- thick and thin strokes with serifs. The difference between the thick and thin strokes is small and the serifs appear to merge into the main strokes. The axis of the strokes is "tipped" to the left. The serifs may be at slightly different angles and they are almost always bracketed. They can have slight imperfections, adding to their unique charm. Based on early Roman letters carved into majestic columns, they are both beautiful and most legible -- "warm and friendly." Common examples would include Bembo, Caslon, Garamond and Souvenir.
Modern Romans (late 18^th century) -- thick and thin strokes with serifs, but the difference between them is more pronounced. Serifs are stiff, straight and unbracketed. They have a more precise geometric design. Legibility is not quite as good as old-styles, although they are preferred by some typographers. Bodoni is a classic example.
Transitional Romans (mid 18 century) -- Some of the old style characteristics, some of the modern. Baskerville is a beautiful typeface that is lighter than the usual old-style, yet less mechanical than the moderns. Other examples include Fournier and Times Roman.
Sans Serifs (19^th-20^th century) -- Originally considered unappealling by purists, hence the name Grotesque or Gothic, there are three distinct types:
1) Bauhaus inspired with formal proportions such as Futura and Spartan, 2) the Swiss-inspired gothics and grotesques which are less geometric and more sophisticated such as Helvetica (Latin for Swiss -- the names often reflect Swiss origin) and Univers, and 3) Humanist typefaces which look more like they were created by human hands, including types with thick and thin strokes but no serifs like Optima (Zapf Humanist), Radiant and Broadway. Other examples are News Gothic, Frutiger, and Gill Sans.
Slab Serifs (19^th century) -- The serifs and strokes are the same thickness. They have been known as "antiques" and "Egyptians" and some of the family names reflect Egyptian influences: Cairo, Karnak, Stymie, Memphis,etc. Slab serifs can make good headlines but lack legibility when used as body copy. When they have bracketed serifs and some difference in stroke thickness such as Clarendon, they tend to have more grace and beauty.
Decorative--Ornamental (19^th-20^th century) -- While these typefaces can be given separate headings such as Old English, Latins, etc., I prefer to lump them into this group. These are fonts that do not fit into other groups. They are useful for advertising headlines if and when they convey the mood of the message..seldom if ever useful for body copy. Examples are P.T. Barnum, Cooper Black, Goudy Handtooled, Griffon Shadow, etc. They often have names that are descriptive of their tone and mood.
Script-Cursive (19^th-20^th century) -- Script fonts are meant to mimic cursive handwriting. The problem is that they simply cannot do so convincingly. So, here is a tip -- it is, IMHO, best to avoid using them. They lack the irregularity of true handwriting, hence they tend to look phony. If you want a true script, turn to a professional calligrapher. Btw, when the letters do not join, technically they are called "cursive." Examples of scripts include Commercial Script, Brush and Kaufman.
Grunge (1995) -- Designed more for image than legibility, Grunge has become a big enough movement to warrant its own category. It represents a large collection of "dirty" typefaces -- an outgrowth of postmodernism and deconstructionism.
Inside these categories are the many "families" of type. Families are divided into series and the series are divided into fonts. Bodoni, for example is a "family" in the category of Modern Roman. Ultra Bodoni is a series and 24 point Bodoni is a font within the series. Within a particular font, there can be a variety of faces, i.e. all caps, small caps, caps small caps, caps and lower case (upper case and lower case terminology comes from early handset type cabinets where capital letters were in the upper section and small letters were kept in the lower part of the "type case"), all lowercase, all caps italic, caps and lowercase italic and all lowercase italics...adding boldface, expanded, condensed and letterspaced versions results in hundreds of faces -- all of which can be used in different sizes. The result? Gazillions of typestyles from which to choose.
I should point out that I have really only scratched the surface here...attempting to offer a concise overview and a useful reference. In my next blog, Typography (Part Three), I will try to offer some additional resources and tips for choosing appropriate fonts. Oh... didn't I promise that in my last blog? I guess I lied -- or just ran out of room. Is patience not a virtue?

[Edit]

I can't stand the guilt, so here is your first tip:
· In the early stages of type specication, think in terms of classications or categories of type (sans serifs (Bauhaus vs. Swiss vs. Humanist) vs slab serifs vs. Roman (Old-style vs. Modern vs. Transitional). Decorative, Grunge, etc.), -- pick one of the more commonly used fonts in your chosen category and "rough" it in -- your potential choices are now far fewer -- then narrow it to a specic typestyle(s).

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Typography (Part One).

Adman — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 18:42:00 GMT

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My early experience with typography goes way back to grade school. I designed my own type-style that I used in official documents for my fourth grade class. Classmates had to sign an agreement (or else!). So, for example, if you were the target of an errant spitball or two, you were bound by oath not to tell on anyone. Ironically, the ones who had spitballs on the floor around their desk would be the ones who always got in trouble. But the kids always seemed to honor their oath. The fact that the document was done in my "calligraphy" helped to ensure that it would be considered “official, legal and binding.”

As mentioned in a previous blog, I started drawing at an early age. I was inspired by a popular artist, Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, who ran ads featuring his hot-rod drawings in car magazines. I was further inspired by the great "big-block" muscle cars -- Road Runners, GTOs, Super Bee's, Chargers, Challengers, 426 Hemi 'cudas, Dusters, Old's 442s, Camaro Z-28s, Mustang Cobra GTs, Trans Ams, etc. My interest was also aroused by the fact that my friend’s father (two doors down) was Buster Couch -- the Chief Starter for the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). He and his wife Ann loved the neighborhood kids; often taking us horseback riding, to the movies, and the drag strip.

Plus, in addition to being into model building and slot-car racing (and flying downhill in homemade go-carts), I was even further inspired by happenings in my neighborhood. I lived near the crest of a very steep hill on a street between my grade school and high school. When I wasn't waking the dead playing my drums or playing pick-up football, basketball or baseball games, I would be having a blast watching “smoke city.” After school (with police lookouts bearing walkie talkies) the kids would line up in their "tricked-out" muscle cars… pour bleach all over the fat rear tires… rev the engine while letting the car roll backwards… “dump” the clutch and “burn out." The smell of burned rubber and layers of smoke would permeate the scene. Some would go to second gear before the car would start moving forward… a few could “get rubber” in all four gears. What more could a little kid want? Life was good.
A few years later, another friend who lived down the street, asked to borrow my notebook of car drawings to show his dad. I reluctantly agreed. His father recognized my world-class artistic genius talent and I found myself working nights, weekends and summers in the art department of his offset printing company.
My digs included a large, hydraulically controlled drawing table equipped with T-Squares, triangles, X-Acto knives, non-photo blue pencils and a hot wax machine for "paste-up." There was also a dark room and a very cool "process camera" that was built into the wall of the darkroom. As a 10th grade creative professional, I learned to mix chemicals, shoot mechanicals and photos, develop film negatives in a tray (line, half-tones and color separations), "strip" negatives and burn plates for press.
I was drawn to the typesetting equipment like a tick to a dog’s ear...white on rice... There were three types of typesetting machines at my disposal... two were “hot type” machines -- a couple of Mergenthaler Linotype machines and a Ludlow. There was also a “cold type” machine -- the Phototypositor. Although the hot-type equipment we had was quite obsolete, I am extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to experience it. I am more grateful that I was never burned by the hot molten lead. I’ve heard horror stories.
As the “apprentice” I got to fill the molds with hot lead and hang the hardened “pigs” on the machines. To change fonts, you would insert heavy type font “magazines” into the slots at the top rear of the Linotype machine. There were separate magazines for each point size. They contained the matrices (“mats") -- each of which contained one alphanumeric character which was engraved into the side. As you hit the key on the keyboard a mat would fall into place. There were also spacing bands that would fall down when the space-bar was pressed. Ingeniously, they were tapered so that they would fill the line out for justified columns. Each mat also had its character printed on it so that the operator could read the line before pressing the lever that would send it to the mold where the hot lead would be squirted. A few seconds later, while the operator was typing the next line, a “slug” would fall out in a tray beside the previous one and the lead "pig" would be lowered slightly into the melting pot. When the tray was filled, the slugs would be placed into "galleys" and into the proofing press. Thin lead strips would be placed between the lines to adjust the line spacing (leading). After the slug was cast, a long "elevator" arm would lift the entire line of type up and to the rear of the machine where a keying mechanism would turn... sending them back to their correct slot in the magazine. Gravity would do the rest. The proofs would be waxed, cut and pasted on the "pasteup" or “mechanical" by the resident world-class artistic genius talent.
The other "hot type" machine was the Ludlow. It was a "hand set" machine used for type headlines. The "cold type" Phototypositor was also for headlines -- letters were visually selected and spaced. It was a predecessor of photographic computer typesetting equipment that I have used throughout my advertising career -- culminating with the Compugraphic adVantage page makeup system. It was a gazillion dollar behemoth with a color coded template/legend and a corded stylus -- networked to satellite Compugraphic typesetters and a large processor for outputting phototype galleys. In spite of its sophistication and high price (and the capability for the operator to trace visuals for positioning), it was not "WYSIWYG." The operator still had to insert arcane codes to specify fonts, point size, leading, kerning, margins, etc.
Advertising agency copywriters or art directors would "spec" type (using type reference books and copyfitting techniques) and send out to thriving type shops such as "Swift Tom's" here in Atlanta. The phototype proofs were delivered by courier.
Type shops and Compugraphic typesetting systems eventually gave way to the first "desktop publishing" software offerings (Ventura Publisher (my personal preference at the time) and Pagemaker). This lead to phototypesetting (e.g. Linotronic) service bureaus which produced phototype galleys from client supplied files. Service bureaus were eventually made extinct by "direct to plate" imaging equipment. These days, *.pdf files are simply emailed directly to the printer.
While technology is ever-changing, design fundamentals and principles remain constant. So my next blog will focus on the more "timeless" principles of typography... and I'll try to offer some useful tips and resources..

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