TYPOGRAPHY JOURNAL
Introduction
This journal was created by Doug Kessinger in Type II at California Polytechnic University. It contains content learned over the course as well as projects produced during the, Winter 2016 quarter.
Legibility Exercise
1.8.16 6 Exercise in comparing a serif typeface and a san serif type face with variations of same point size and leading to see how they both impact legibility. The exercise is also used to practice setting up an InDesign document with specific instructions, as well as to hone InDesign skils.
Serif
Sans Serif
Without typography, one could argue, messages will still be legible, but if one really wants to communicate rather than simply display a heap of alphanumeric data, some consideration would be helpful. Paul Watzlawick’s first axiom of communication—“one cannot not communicate”— puts it very succinctly. If you fail to consider the effect of your message on the recipient, you may inadvertently communicate that you do not care how your message may be received.
Without typography, one could argue, messages will still be legible, but if one really wants to communicate rather than simply display a heap of alphanumeric data, some consideration would be helpful. Paul Watzlawick’s first axiom of communication—“one cannot not communicate”— puts it very succinctly. If you fail to consider the effect of your message on the recipient, you may inadvertently communicate that you do not care how your message may be received.
CLARENDON, 9/13
HELVETICA NEUE, 9/13
Without typography, one could argue, messages will still be legible, but if one really wants to communicate rather than simply display a heap of alphanumeric data, some consideration would be helpful. Paul Watzlawick’s first axiom of communication—“one cannot not communicate”— puts it very succinctly. If you fail to consider the effect of your message on the recipient, you may inadvertently communicate that you do not care how your message may be received.
Without typography, one could argue, messages will still be legible, but if one really wants to communicate rather than simply display a heap of alphanumeric data, some consideration would be helpful. Paul Watzlawick’s first axiom of communication—“one cannot not communicate”— puts it very succinctly. If you fail to consider the effect of your message on the recipient, you may inadvertently communicate that you do not care how your message may be received.
CLARENDON, 9/12
HELVETICA NEUE, 9/12
Without typography, one could argue, messages will
Without typography, one could argue, messages will still
still be legible, but if one really wants to communi-
be legible, but if one really wants to communicate rather
cate rather than simply display a heap of alphanu-
than simply display a heap of alphanumeric data, some
meric data, some consideration would be helpful. Paul
consideration would be helpful. Paul Watzlawick’s first
Watzlawick’s first axiom of communication—“one
axiom of communication—“one cannot not communi-
cannot not communicate”— puts it very succinctly. If
cate”— puts it very succinctly. If you fail to consider the
you fail to consider the effect of your message on the
effect of your message on the recipient, you may inad-
recipient, you may inadvertently communicate that
vertently communicate that you do not care how your
you do not care how your message may be received.
message may be received.
CLARENDON, 9/14
HELVETICA NEUE, 9/14
Without typography, one could argue, messages will
Without typography, one could argue, messages will still
still be legible, but if one really wants to communi-
be legible, but if one really wants to communicate rather
cate rather than simply display a heap of alphanu-
than simply display a heap of alphanumeric data, some
meric data, some consideration would be helpful. Paul
consideration would be helpful. Paul Watzlawick’s first
Watzlawick’s first axiom of communication — “one
axiom of communication — “one cannot not commu-
cannot not communicate”— puts it very succinctly. If
nicate”— puts it very succinctly. If you fail to consider
you fail to consider the effect of your message on the
the effect of your message on the recipient, you may
recipient, you may inadvertently communicate that
inadvertently communicate that you do not care how
you do not care how your message may be received.
your message may be received.
CLARENDON, 9/15
HELVETICA NEUE, 9/15
Without typography, one could argue, messages will still be
Without typography, one could argue, messages will still be
legible, but if one really wants to communicate rather than
legible, but if one really wants to communicate rather than sim-
simply display a heap of alphanumeric data, some consider-
ply display a heap of alphanumeric data, some consideration
ation would be helpful. Paul Watzlawick’s first axiom of com-
would be helpful. Paul Watzlawick’s first axiom of communica-
munication—“one cannot not communicate”— puts it very
tion—“one cannot not communicate”— puts it very succinctly.
succinctly. If you fail to consider the effect of your message
If you fail to consider the effect of your message on the recip-
on the recipient, you may inadvertently communicate that
ient, you may inadvertently communicate that you do not care
you do not care how your message may be received.
how your message may be received.
CLARENDON, 8/13
HELVETICA NEUE, 8/13
Without typography, one could argue, messages will still be legible, but if one really wants to communicate rather than simply display a heap of alphanumeric data, some consideration would be helpful. Paul Watzlawick’s first axiom of communication—“one cannot not communicate”— puts it very succinctly. If you fail to consider the effect of your message on the recipient, you may inadvertently communicate that you do not care how your message may be received.
Without typography, one could argue, messages will still be legible, but if one really wants to communicate rather than simply display a heap of alphanumeric data, some consideration would be helpful. Paul Watzlawick’s first axiom of communication—“one cannot not communicate”— puts it very succinctly. If you fail to consider the effect of your message on the recipient, you may inadvertently communicate that you do not care how your message may be received.
CLARENDON, 10/13
HELVETICA NEUE, 10/13
Doug Kessinger
Checklist for Finalized Text
1.8.16 Points & Picas: • 12 points = 1 Pica -> 6 Picas = 1 Inch written like this: 1p6 (1pica 6 points)
How do you choose a point size for text? • Consider typeface proportions and weight • Length of text • Format for viewing (printed on paper/viewed on screen or both) • Audience/reader of the text • Content of the text
Things to help your type look better. • Kerning pairs • Leading • Line length (8-13 words per line) • Letter spacing/ Tracking – no more than -10 if at all. (Capital letters can use more tracking +50 if needed • No fake small caps
Know your dashes • Hyphenate : words or end of sentences with longer words (Words with at least 6 letters, after first 3 letters, before last 3 letters) • En dash : separate dates & ranges • Em dash : emphasized comma or pause
Other Things to Consider • Don’t forget Smart Quotes. • Rags • Widows & Orphans
Project: Elements ofTypography
1.15.16 General Critiques Causes of Legibility Issues: • Type weight (too tight or bold) • Not Enough Leading • Setting text in monospace typeface • Line length too short
Hierarchy Problems • Title lacks strength/visual weight • Authors name gets lost/ not prominent enough • Unimportant elements or words given too much emphasis
Compositional Problems: • Margins too small • Awkward negative space • Lack of strong focal point • A little boring
Mine is lacking: • The person being quoted doesn’t have enough importance. • The “OF” in the title is a little big. (Suggest a lighter weight stroke)
1.20.16
InDesign Tricks & Short
Shortcut for curly quotes • Spell checking -> Command + i
Tab Control • Command+shift+t opens the tab menu • Different alignments (left align, center align, right align, decimal align for numbers)
Tables • Table-> Insert Table (for calendars or number inserts)
Short-keys • Option+Hyphen for en dash • Option+shift+hyphen for em dash • Option+8 for bullet points • Option+k for degrees symbol • Option+g for the copyright symbol • Option+semicolon for ellipsis … • Function+Command+enter to make a page break. • Command+enter for a column break. • Shift+Return for soft return (forces word to the next line to help with rags. • In InDesign go Type -> insert special character (if you forget your short keys). A lot of the tricks are in there. • Current page number is also in type-> insert special character to automate your pagination.
Reading
2.3.16 d”
“The Grid”
By nature the grid is boxy. A great way to loosen that up is breaking things out of the rectangular structure. Using graphics that aren’t square or rectangular. • InDesign -> Drop-down menu on the pages panel -> has numbering pages options.
Baseline • Everything lines up to your baseline. It is based on your leading.
“Hang Line” • Area across the top that you can reserve for images and captions.
Good places for fonts
1.22.16 Google fonts -> all for web and print Lost Type -> Pay what you want League of Movable Type -> Free -> League Gothic Font Squirrel Font Spring House Industries -> You can buy vector files of letters for cheaper than entire fonts. My fonts -> Sale Rack -> Also has a “what the font?” • Section that can identify fonts.
Fonts.com Font book -> Start organizing fonts by classification • Create font sets
Project: Diptych
1.27.16 We finished our 2nd project. It was to create a 2 page diptych using an interview by Bill Moyers with Joseph Campbell. We had to come up with our title, create our graphics, and make sure the hierarchy and separation between the two voices in the interview was distinguishable. The article mentioned Buddha and dragons so I decided to go with a Zen Buddhist style painting for the graphics to tie the illustrations in with the article.
Controlling your type
2.3.16 • Paragraph styles: Leading, tabs, indents, spaces before & after, hyphenation, justification, rules above/below. • Most of your styles in your document will be paragraph styles. • Advanced character formats…Don’t mess with these! • Indents • Tabs: Leader control (ie: menu items ……………$12.50) • Paragraph rules: color options • Paragraph Shading: Color sections without drawing boxes. • Keep Options • Hyphenation: Many options -> un-check “capitalized words.” • Justification • Span Columns: Switch from single column to multiple columns • GREP Styles: if you had tons of text but one name you wanted always styled differently this will automate the process. • Bullets & Numbering • Open Type Features • Underline Options • Export Tagging: for epub & web • Character Style: Styling text within a paragraph-> Bold text->italicize-> color. • Table Styles: Borders of the table->dividing lines-> space above/below-> cell styles-> text • Object Styles
When setting up document • Check primary text frame to help text flow when you need more pages. • Check facing pages. • Page 1 always on the right. -> Right= Recto Left= Verso
Short keys: • Command+F : to find and replace large quantities of things like quotes. • Command+A : Will select your whole line of text.
Reading
2.10.16 “A View of Latin Typography in Relationship to the World� Printing originated in China in 1000 A.D. Huge advancement in print was with Gutenburg in the 1400s and the development of movable type. There are other alphabets to keep in mind. The number of English native speakers is less than the number of Hindu and Arabic speakers and roughly one third the number of native Chinese speakers. rs.
Project: Elements of style
2.12.16. General Critique 1: • Cover should have title page info • Orphans and widows • Line Length • Leading • Pagination: left should be even right odd • More space in tables. Text may be too tight • Some body text is too small.
Viewing Text on Screen
2.2.16 Viewing Text on Screen
• •
Georgia Verdana
Two typefaces that were designed for web use. Easily readable, good fonts to compare your font to. Think about : • Level of contrast. If there is large difference between thick to thin strokes like Bodoni it makes it more difficult to read. Charpparel is a great font because it has a pretty consistent weight of stroke throughout.
The X-Height: • A taller x-height is ideal for longer passages of text. Mrs. Eaves has a pretty short x-height which can be problematic. Officina Serif has a tall x-height. Futura has a fairly short x-height, when compared to a font like Core Rhino. • You can use them for on screen but be aware of the point size and what you can get away with the smaller you get.
Beware of X-Height Extremes: • You start running into issues with certain characters looking similar. Century Gothic has a very tall x-height where the “n” and “h” look pretty similar.
Character Distinction: • Example: Gill Sans • The upper case i the lowercase L and the number 1 look all the same. • Numbers, Punctuation, Special Characters: • Can be an issue with setting different languages. • Some numerals don’t line up.
Small Caps: • Avoid using computer generated “small caps.” Scales characters incorrectly. • Optical Sizes: Some typefaces have family members that suit a specific size range, called optical sizes.
Look for Distinction: • Avoid pairing typefaces that are too similar • ei: Adobe Caslon Pro with Adobe Garamond • Better: Museo Sans with Adobe Garamond
Look for Harmony: • Between two typefaces. Take two typefaces and overlay the same work to see the differences and similarities.
Project: Type Zine
3.11.16 6 A few weeks ago we were assigned our last project, the Type Zine. As a class we gathered content that would be available to everyone and each of us would take the same content and design our own digital magazine to publish on issuu.com. I was a pretty rad project, very time consuming but I learned a lot from this project. Such as: • Breaking up large amounts of text with images, pull quotes, and graphic elements. • I experimented with variations of sizes of images to help add interest to the articles. I experimented with text sizes to break up the text as well as to show differentiation between articles. • I experimented with graphic elements and learned how powerful they can be in bringing an article together by breaking up text, helping movement on the page, and adding visual interest for the reader to have a good experience. • I also learned to be more meticulous about layouts, and making sure to use spell check on every document with text in it!!! • I also felt like my eye improved as far as catching small details that hopefully will help take my work to the next level.
Magazine Pre-Critique: Things I need to do to change mine. • When there is a break in a line with an em dash connecting the sentence, the em dash has to go to follow the word ending on the last line.
Example: Type can be educational— if you make it so. • Give appropriate amount of space between text and graphic elements.
Magazine Final Critique: Ideas that I liked ed from others and other notes • Articles that are lacking or boring, go find better images. For instance on the Harir article I used a texture to help with it, but it could have been better with a few more interesting pictures of actual use of the typeface or Arabic type in general. • The type in film article could have been a little more. I liked the idea that some people did in theirs of giving each movie its own spread rather than cramming everything into the space I allotted. It gave that article way more breathing room and it wouldn’t have taken so long to lay out because it would have been simplified but the image sizes would have make a much stronger article. • A good rule of thumb for spreads is that you want a fairly even split between pictures and text. That will help break up the text and add interest. • Use spell check on everything!