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A pocket book bookabout aboutthe therelationship relationship A pocket between image imageand andtype type between Original text from “Type, Image, Message� by Nancy Skolos and Tom Wedell Designed by Caio Logato
Table of contents Introduction
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Image and meaning
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Separation
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Fusion
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Fragmentation
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Inversion
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From the designer
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Introduction A picture is worth a thousand words. The multimedia designer Mikon van Gastel recently said something different, “One perfectly chosen word is worth thirty minutes of footage”. Either way, one thing is clear: the word and the image are two very distinct ways of communication, and it’s up to the designer to find out how to put those two together.
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Type and Image work best when they complement each other. They both leave room for interpretation by the audience, and can often contradict each other. Surprisingly, very little has been written about how typography and photography work together, and this book is intended to begin to fill that gap. We call it a “graphic design layout workshop�.
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Image and Meaning Type and image have different properties, but they also operate on different levels of cognition. Images open door to multiple interpretations through experiences and memories. Words are basically shapes that have recognized meanings, they are a more explicit form of communication.
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When type meets image, there’s a dialogue between them, and each can pull the other in different directions. They can support or refute each other. React with or against the overall message. When type and image coexist, each remains a distinguishable entity, occupying it’s own space, while still continuously interacting in distinct ways.
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Separation Separation Separation Separation Separation Separation Separation Separation Separation
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Separation Separation
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Separation When type and image operate independently When applying the principle of separation, text and image retain a clear level of autonomy. The designer allows the text to react with, against or independently from the image.
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Applications To play the type against the image To invite multiple meanings To create a series by designating a consistent frame or space for the text. To provide clarity
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Fusion Type and image merge into one entity With fusion, type and image are synthesized into a strong visual coherent piece. Image and text are altered optically, or through motion or juxtaposition. It’s all the result of deliberate, holistic choices made by the designer.
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Applications To blend or make a strong association between two or more things To strengthen an existing connection between elements To create an altered reality
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Fragmentation Type and image displace each other Fragmentation occurs when type and image disturb or disrupt one another. Designs in this category often exist as an evidence of either past, present or future interaction. While the force of fusion is to homogenize, the action of fragmentation is less predictable, like a weather pattern.
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Applications To animate and energize a message To imply the passing of time or create a state of flux To construct a complex message with multiple meanings To create a surreal and unpredictable scenario To privilege one idea over another And many others
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Inversion Type and image switch roles Inversion is an specific category of fusion, in which type and image fuse by exchanging roles. The relationship that takes place is like a chemical reaction with two different substances bonding together, when type is shown like an image or when an image is built from type.
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Applications To reveal a potential connection among elements and ideas To create harmony and integration among different texts, through a visual union To generate visual or verbal puns To invent fictional narratives between words and images To create the strongest possible connection between the word and the image
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From the designer Caio Logato I got in touch with the book “Type, Image, Message�, by Nancy Skolos and Tom Wedell, on my Typography II class of the Savannah College of Arts and Design. As I found the content of the book super inspiring, I saw the opportunity to make a quick, pocket book about it, with a synthesis of the techniques shown and a example spread for each one of them. Although the original book is out of print, I would highly recommend for the readers to check that out too.
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A pocket book about the relationship between image and type, and the different ways to bring these two together. “Very little has been written about how typography and photography work together, and this book is intended to begin to fill that gap.�
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