Typography Fundamentals Final Book by ohdeborah

De b or ah O h

PROJECT ONE // Prototypeface

“Typography must be as beautiful as a forest, not like the concrete jungle of the tenements. It gives distance between the trees, the room to breathe and allow for life.” — Adrian Frutiger

PROJECT ONE // Prototypeface

Content 1 2 3 4 5

_Prototypeface _Type Anatomy _Typesetting _Type Classification _Swiss Designer

PROJECT ONE // Prototypeface

ProtoTypeface OBJECTIVE Create 9 letterforms of an original typeface based on strokes, shapes, angles, and serifs that work together as a set. Final drawings of each character should fit in a 1.25 inch square and presented in a 3x3 grid. APPROACH Drawing inspiration from 19th century decorative typefaces used in circus posters and the bright marquee lights reminiscent of old Hollywood and vintage cinema signs, I designed the Cirque typeface as a modern makeover to bring circus fonts to the 21st century. The characters in this typeface incorporate elements of a classic geometric sans serif and a simplified version of the Tuscan decorative style. The typefaceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s playful, 3-dimensional shape is perfect for attention-grabbing headlines in posters, postcards, and flyers.

PROJECT ONE // Prototypeface

A circus font for the 21st century: 5â&#x20AC;?x7â&#x20AC;? black and white postcard. Letters are created in a classic geometric sans serif style with decorative Tuscan elements.

Initial sketches. Hand-drawn concept sketches and exporation of the Cirque typeface.

PROJECT ONE // Prototypeface

Cirque! 5”x7” color postcard. Bright, bold colors complement the typeface’s playful personality.

PROJECT TWO // Type Anatomy

Type Anatomy OBJECTIVE Design a booklet that identifies the various anatomical parts of a typeface of your choosing. Use all 26 letters of the alphabet and identify at least 26 anatomical words. The objective of this project is to gain familiarity with type terminology; identify the structural aspects of type; label the different strokes, junctions, and negative spaces used to create letterforms; identify differently shaped terminals and serifs; increase awareness of letterforms and glyphs; and gain layout skills in hierarchy, negative space, focal point, and impact. APPROACH For this project, I chose to design a small pocket booklet on the anatomy of the Humanist typeface Sabon. To keep the focus on the typeface itself, I stuck to a simple two-color palette and highlighted key characteristics of the typeface in all three weights â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Roman, Italic, and Bold â&#x20AC;&#x201D; as well as its Small Caps style and Old Style numbers. The book is sprinkled with quotes by the designer of the typeface Jan Tschichold, an influential 20th century German typographer and book designer.

PROJECT ONE // Prototypeface

TYPE HISTORY

Anatomy of a typeface. Sabon is a Humanist or Old Style typeface designed by German typographer Jan Tschichold in 1966.

Sabon is a Humanist or Old Style typeface designed by German typographer Jan Tschichold in 1966 based on the sixteenth-century typefaces of Claude Garamond. It was created initially in response to a request for a typeface with equal spacing in the Roman and Italic versions, which would therefore make typesetting easier. An early first use of Sabon was the setting of the Washburn College Bible in 1973 by the American graphic designer Bradbury Thompson. Sabon was also used as the typeface in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church, and in the 2000s as the official logo typeface of Stanford University until 2012. Vogue and Esquire use a slightly modified version of it for headlines.

PROJECT THREE // Typesetting

Typesetting OBJECTIVE Typeset various bodies of text, experimenting with alignment, paragraph indicators, text beginnings, hierarchy, and grid systems. The objective of this four part project is to understand typesetting rules, demonstrate accurate and aesthetically pleasing typesetting, and recognize how different type treatments and alignments require unique handling of type. APPROACH Before tackling this project, I thoroughly read and typed out the sample text, proofing for any errors. I familiarized myself with the typesetting rules and started each exercise by setting the kerning to optical and working with a base tracking of +20 to +25. I then experimented with different font sizes, leading, tracking, and kerning to find the most aesthetically pleasing combination that adhered to all typesetting rules while meeting the parameters of each exercise.

PROJECT THREE // Typesetting

Deborah Excercise 1// Oh Typesetting Project Three // Ex. 1 Left Alignment Typesetting 8/12 Adobe Garamond Left Alignment +25 Tracking 8/12 Adobe Garamond +25 Tracking

PROJECT THREE // Typesetting

LETTERS HAVE A LIFE AND DIGNITY OF THEIR OWN Letterforms that honor and elucidate what humans see and say deserve to be honored in their turn. Well-chosen words deserve well-chosen letters; these in their turn deserve to be set with affection, intelligence, knowledge and skill. Typography is a link, and it ought, as a matter of honor, courtesy and pure delight, to be as strong as others in the chain. Typography is just that: idealized writing. Writers themselves now rarely have the calligraphic skill of earlier scribes, but they evoke countless versions of ideal script by their varying voices and literary styles. To these blind and often invisible visions, the typographer must respond in visible terms. In a badly designed book, the letters mill and stand like starving horses in a field. In a book designed by rote, they sit like stale bread and mutton on the page. In a well-made book, where designer, compositor and printer have all done their jobs, no matter how many thousands of lines and pages they must occupy, the letters are alive. They dance in their seats. Sometimes they rise and dance in the margins and aisles. Simple as it may sound, the task of creative non-interference with letters is a rewarding and difficult calling. In ideal conditions, it is all that typographers are really asked to do and it is enough. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Robert Bringhurst, The Elements of Typographic Style

Deborah Oh Project Three // Ex. 1 Typesetting

Justified Alignment 8/12 Sabon +20 Tracking

PROJECT THREE // Typesetting

Excercise 1// Typesetting Justified Alignment 8/12 Sabon +20 Tracking

Deborah Excercise 1// Oh Typesetting Project Three // Ex. 1 Center Typesetting Alignment 8/12 Bembo Center Alignment +25 Tracking 8/12 Bembo +25 Tracking

PROJECT THREE // Typesetting

LETTERS HAVE A LIFE AND DIGNITY OF THEIR OWN Letterforms that honor and elucidate what humans see and say deserve to be honored in their turn. Well-chosen words deserve well-chosen letters; these in their turn deserve to be set with affection, intelligence, knowledge and skill. Typography is a link, and it ought, as a matter of honor, courtesy and pure delight, to be as strong as others in the chain. Typography is just that: idealized writing. Writers themselves now rarely have the calligraphic skill of earlier scribes, but they evoke countless versions of ideal script by their varying voices and literary styles. To these blind and often invisible visions, the typographer must respond in visible terms. In a badly designed book, the letters mill and stand like starving horses in a field. In a book designed by rote, they sit like stale bread and mutton on the page. In a well-made book, where designer, compositor and printer have all done their jobs, no matter how many thousands of lines and pages they must occupy, the letters are alive. They dance in their seats. Sometimes they rise and dance in the margins and aisles. Simple as it may sound, the task of creative non-interference with letters is a rewarding and diff icult calling. In ideal conditions, it is all that typographers are really asked to do and it is enough. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Robert Bringhurst, The Elements of Typographic Style

Deborah Oh Project Three // Ex. 2 Beginnings: Paragraph Indicators/ Manuscript Grid _2 em indent

Left Alignment 8/12 Adobe Garamond +20 Tracking

PROJECT THREE // Typesetting

Karl Marx had one. The Unibomber had one. When Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence in 1776, he drafted the manifesto that launched the American Revolution. Graphic design would not exist as we know it today if F. T. Marinetti hadn’t published his manifestos and instigated Futurism. By inventing the idea of art as a branded public enterprise, Marinetti compelled many poets, painters and designers after him to state their principles in compact, incendiary speech. A manifesto is a short document that “manifests” or makes public a set of ideas and goals. A manifesto is passionate, personal and vivid. Such calls to action went out of fashion during the mid-20th century, replaced by more businesslike, professionally oriented statements of purpose and principle. But at the turn of the new century, just as at the turn of the old one, manifestos came back. Businesses started using “brand manifestos” to spell out the defining features of their products, and software companies and design firms started posting manifestos to publicize their approach in an edgy, direct way. Designers seem especially drawn to manifestos. A well-written manifesto is like a well-designed product. It communicates directly, it is broken into functional parts, and it has elements of poetry and surprise. And drafting one is more like writing an ad than writing a novel. Manifestos typically have a social function—they serve to bring together members of a group. Ten years ago, Bruce Mau published his “Incomplete Manifesto,” written as a list of commandments. These principles became the established creed of Mau’s own design office, but they can be used by anyone. Other designers with intriguing and influential personal manifestos include product designer Karim Rashid and the infamous post-typographers Bruce Willen and Nolen Strals. Bruce Sterling’s “Manifesto of January 3, 2000” helped galvanize the contemporary green movement, which is the epicenter of manifesto-writing today. Sterling, in addition to demanding an overhaul of all social, political and military systems, pushed designers to create “intensely glamorous environmentally sound products; entirely new objects of entirely new materials; replacing material substance with information; a new relationship between the cybernetic and the material” (iPhone, anyone?). Also in 2000, Rick Poynor published the “First Things First 2000” manifesto, based on a text written by Ken Garland in 1964, a controversial document that called for designers to use their skills to improve environmental, social and cultural life rather than to sell hair gel and dog biscuits. —excerpted from Manifesto Mania by Ellen and Julia Lupton

Excercise 2// ¶ Indicators 2 em indent Left Alignment 8/12 Adobe Garamond +20 Tracking

Deborah Oh Project Three // Ex. 2 Beginnings: Paragraph Indicators/ Manuscript Grid _2 em exdent Left Alignment 8/14 Bembo +25 Tracking

PROJECT THREE // Typesetting

Excercise 2// ¶ Indicators 2 em exdent Left Alignment 8/14 Bembo +25 Tracking

calls to action went out of fashion during the mid-20th century, replaced by more businesslike, professionally oriented statements of purpose and principle. But at the turn of the new century, just as at the turn of the old one, manifestos came back. Businesses started using “brand manifestos” to spell out the def ining features of their products, and software companies and design f irms started posting manifestos to publicize their approach in an edgy, direct way. Designers seem especially drawn to manifestos. A well-written manifesto is like a well-designed product. It communicates directly, it is broken into functional parts, and it has elements of poetry and surprise. And drafting one is more like writing an ad than writing a novel. Manifestos typically have a social function—they serve to bring together members of a group. Ten years ago, Bruce Mau published his “Incomplete Manifesto,” written as a list of commandments. These principles became the established creed of Mau’s own design off ice, but they can be used by anyone. Other designers with intriguing and inf luential personal manifestos include product designer Karim Rashid and the infamous post-typographers Bruce Willen and Nolen Strals. Bruce Sterling’s “Manifesto of January 3, 2000” helped galvanize the contemporary green movement, which is the epicenter of manifesto-writing today. Sterling, in addition to demanding an overhaul of all social, political and military systems, pushed designers to create “intensely glamorous environmentally sound products; entirely new objects of entirely new materials; replacing material substance with information; a new relationship between the cybernetic and the material” (iPhone, anyone?). Also in 2000, Rick Poynor published the “First Things First 2000” manifesto, based on a text written by Ken Garland in 1964, a controversial document that called for designers to use their skills to improve environmental, social and cultural life rather than to sell hair gel and dog biscuits. —excerpted from Manifesto Mania by Ellen and Julia Lupton

Deborah Oh Project Three // Ex. 2 Beginnings: Paragraph Indicators/ Manuscript Grid _50% Extra Leading

Justified Alignment 7/11 Univers 55 Roman +25 Tracking

PROJECT THREE // Typesetting

Karl Marx had one. The Unibomber had one. When Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence in 1776, he drafted the manifesto that launched the American Revolution. Graphic design would not exist as we know it today if F. T. Marinetti hadn’t published his manifestos and instigated Futurism. By inventing the idea of art as a branded public enterprise, Marinetti compelled many poets, painters and designers after him to state their principles in compact, incendiary speech. A manifesto is a short document that “manifests” or makes public a set of ideas and goals. A manifesto is passionate, personal and vivid. Such calls to action went out of fashion during the mid-20th century, replaced by more businesslike, professionally oriented statements of purpose and principle. But at the turn of the new century, just as at the turn of the old one, manifestos came back. Businesses started using “brand manifestos” to spell out the defining features of their products, and software companies and design firms started posting manifestos to publicize their approach in an edgy, direct way. Designers seem especially drawn to manifestos. A well-written manifesto is like a well-designed product. It communicates directly, it is broken into functional parts, and it has elements of poetry and surprise. And drafting one is more like writing an ad than writing a novel. Manifestos typically have a social function—they serve to bring together members of a group. Ten years ago, Bruce Mau published his “Incomplete Manifesto,” written as a list of commandments. These principles became the established creed of Mau’s own design office, but they can be used by anyone. Other designers with intriguing and influential personal manifestos include product designer Karim Rashid and the infamous post-typographers Bruce Willen and Nolen Strals. Bruce Sterling’s “Manifesto of January 3, 2000” helped galvanize the contemporary green movement, which is the epicenter of manifestowriting today. Sterling, in addition to demanding an overhaul of all social, political and military systems, pushed designers to create “intensely glamorous environmentally sound products; entirely new objects of entirely new materials; replacing material substance with information; a new relationship between the cybernetic and the material” (iPhone, anyone?). Also in 2000, Rick Poynor published the “First Things First 2000” manifesto, based on a text written by Ken Garland in 1964, a controversial document that called for designers to use their skills to improve environmental, social and cultural life rather than to sell hair gel and dog biscuits. —excerpted from Manifesto Mania by Ellen and Julia Lupton

Excercise 2// ¶ Indicators 50% Extra Leading Justified Alignment 7/11 Univers 55 Roman +25 Tracking

Deborah Oh Project Three // Ex. 2 Beginnings: Paragraph Indicators/ Manuscript Grid _First Word Small Caps Justified Alignment 8/12 Sabon +25 Tracking

Excercise 2// ¶ Indicators First Word Small Caps Justified Alignment 8/12 Sabon +25 Tracking

PROJECT THREE // Typesetting

Deborah Oh Project Three // Ex. 2 Beginnings: Paragraph Indicators/ Manuscript Grid _First Sentence Bold

Left Alignment 8/13 Adobe Garamond +25 Tracking

PROJECT THREE // Typesetting

Karl Marx had one. The Unibomber had one. When Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence in 1776, he drafted the manifesto that launched the American Revolution. Graphic design would not exist as we know it today if F. T. Marinetti hadn’t published his manifestos and instigated Futurism. By inventing the idea of art as a branded public enterprise, Marinetti compelled many poets, painters and designers after him to state their principles in compact, incendiary speech. A manifesto is a short document that “manifests” or makes public a set of ideas and goals. A manifesto is passionate, personal and vivid. Such calls to action went out of fashion during the mid-20th century, replaced by more businesslike, professionally oriented statements of purpose and principle. But at the turn of the new century, just as at the turn of the old one, manifestos came back. Businesses started using “brand manifestos” to spell out the defining features of their products, and software companies and design firms started posting manifestos to publicize their approach in an edgy, direct way. Designers seem especially drawn to manifestos. A well-written manifesto is like a well-designed product. It communicates directly, it is broken into functional parts, and it has elements of poetry and surprise. And drafting one is more like writing an ad than writing a novel. Manifestos typically have a social function—they serve to bring together members of a group. Ten years ago, Bruce Mau published his “Incomplete Manifesto,” written as a list of commandments. These principles became the established creed of Mau’s own design office, but they can be used by anyone. Other designers with intriguing and inf luential personal manifestos include product designer Karim Rashid and the infamous post-typographers Bruce Willen and Nolen Strals. Bruce Sterling’s “Manifesto of January 3, 2000” helped galvanize the contemporary green movement, which is the epicenter of manifesto-writing today. Sterling, in addition to demanding an overhaul of all social, political and military systems, pushed designers to create “intensely glamorous environmentally sound products; entirely new objects of entirely new materials; replacing material substance with information; a new relationship between the cybernetic and the material” (iPhone, anyone?). Also in 2000, Rick Poynor published the “First Things First 2000” manifesto, based on a text written by Ken Garland in 1964, a controversial document that called for designers to use their skills to improve environmental, social and cultural life rather than to sell hair gel and dog biscuits. —excerpted from Manifesto Mania by Ellen and Julia Lupton

Excercise 2// ¶ Indicators First Sentence Bold Left Alignment 8/13 Adobe Garamond +25 Tracking

Deborah Oh Project Three // Ex. 3 Beginnings: Text / Column Grid _5 line Drop Cap Left Alignment 8/12 Sabon +20 Tracking 1 em indent Gutter: 20pt

arl Marx had one. The Unibomber had one. When Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence in 1776, he drafted the manifesto that launched the American Revolution. Graphic design would not exist as we know it today if F. T. Marinetti hadn’t published his manifestos and instigated Futurism. By inventing the idea of art as a branded public enterprise, Marinetti compelled many poets, painters and designers after him to state their principles in compact, incendiary speech. A manifesto is a short document that “manifests” or makes public a set of ideas and goals. A manifesto is passionate, personal and vivid. Such calls to action went out of fashion during the mid-20th century, replaced by more businesslike, professionally oriented statements of purpose and principle. But at the turn of the new century, just as at the turn of the old one, manifestos came back. Businesses started using “brand manifestos” to spell out the defining features of their products, and software companies and design firms started posting manifestos to publicize their approach in an edgy, direct way. Designers seem especially drawn to manifestos. A well-written manifesto is like a well-designed product. It communicates directly, it is broken into functional parts, and it has elements of poetry and surprise. And drafting one is more like writing an

PROJECT THREE // Typesetting

ad than writing a novel. Manifestos typically have a social function—they serve to bring together members of a group. Ten years ago, Bruce Mau published his “Incomplete Manifesto,” written as a list of commandments. These principles became the established creed of Mau’s own design office, but they can be used by anyone. Other designers with intriguing and influential personal manifestos include product designer Karim Rashid and the infamous post-typographers Bruce Willen and Nolen Strals. Bruce Sterling’s “Manifesto of January 3, 2000” helped galvanize the contemporary green movement, which is the epicenter of manifesto-writing today. Sterling, in addition to demanding an overhaul of all social, political and military systems, pushed designers to create “intensely glamorous environmentally sound products; entirely new objects of entirely new materials; replacing material substance with information; a new relationship between the cybernetic and the material” (iPhone, anyone?). Also in 2000, Rick Poynor published the “First Things First 2000” manifesto, based on a text written by Ken Garland in 1964, a controversial document that called for designers to use their skills to improve environmental, social and cultural life rather than to sell hair gel and dog biscuits. —Manifesto Mania, Ellen and Julia Lupton

Excercise 3// Beginnings 5 line Drop Cap Left Alignment 8/12 Sabon +20 Tracking

Oh ree // Ex. 3 s: umn Grid al Cap

lignment rs 55 Roman ng ng pt

PROJECT THREE // Typesetting

K arl

Marx had one. The Unibomber had one. When Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence in 1776, he drafted the manifesto that launched the American Revolution. Graphic design would not exist as we know it today if F. T. Marinetti hadn’t published his manifestos and instigated Futurism. By inventing the idea of art as a branded public enterprise, Marinetti compelled many poets, painters and designers after him to state their principles in compact, incendiary speech.

A manifesto is a short document that “manifests” or makes public a set of ideas and goals. A manifesto is passionate, personal and vivid. Such calls to action went out of fashion during the mid-20th century, replaced by more businesslike, professionally oriented statements of purpose and principle. But at the turn of the new century, just as at the turn of the old one, manifestos came back. Businesses started using “brand manifestos” to spell out the defining features of their products, and software companies and design firms started posting manifestos to publicize their approach in an edgy, direct way. Designers seem especially drawn to manifestos. A well-written manifesto is like a well-designed product. It communicates directly, it is broken into functional parts, and it has elements of poetry and surprise. And drafting one is more like writing

an ad than writing a novel. Manifestos typically have a social function—they serve to bring together members of a group. Ten years ago, Bruce Mau published his “Incomplete Manifesto,” written as a list of commandments. These principles became the established creed of Mau’s own design office, but they can be used by anyone. Other designers with intriguing and influential personal manifestos include product designer Karim Rashid and the infamous post-typographers Bruce Willen and Nolen Strals. Bruce Sterling’s “Manifesto of January 3, 2000” helped galvanize the contemporary green movement, which is the epicenter of manifesto-writing today. Sterling, in addition to demanding an overhaul of all social, political and military systems, pushed designers to create “intensely glamorous environmentally sound products; entirely new objects of entirely new materials; replacing material substance with information; a new relationship between the cybernetic and the material” (iPhone, anyone?). Also in 2000, Rick Poynor published the “First Things First 2000” manifesto, based on a text written by Ken Garland in 1964, a controversial document that called for designers to use their skills to improve environmental, social and cultural life rather than to sell hair gel and dog biscuits. — excerpted from Manifesto Mania by Ellen and Julia Lupton

Excercise 3// Beginnings 18pt Initial Cap Justified Alignment 8/12 Univers +20 Tracking

Deborah Oh Project Three // Ex. 3 Beginnings: Text / Column Grid _First Paragraph Bold Left Alignment 8/12 Goudy +20 Tracking 1 em indent Gutter: 25pt

Excercise 3// Beginnings First Paragraph Bold Left Alignment 8/12 Goudy +20 Tracking

PROJECT THREE // Typesetting

drafting one is more like writing an ad than writing a novel. Manifestos typically have a social function—they serve to bring together members of a group. Ten years ago, Bruce Mau published his “Incomplete Manifesto,” written as a list of commandments. These principles became the established creed of Mau’s own design office, but they can be used by anyone. Other designers with intriguing and influential personal manifestos include product designer Karim Rashid and the infamous post-typographers Bruce Willen and Nolen Strals. Bruce Sterling’s “Manifesto of January 3, 2000” helped galvanize the contemporary green movement, which is the epicenter of manifesto-writing today. Sterling, in addition to demanding an overhaul of all social, political and military systems, pushed designers to create “intensely glamorous environmentally sound products; entirely new objects of entirely new materials; replacing material substance with information; a new relationship between the cybernetic and the material” (iPhone, anyone?). Also in 2000, Rick Poynor published the “First Things First 2000” manifesto, based on a text written by Ken Garland in 1964, a controversial document that called for designers to use their skills to improve environmental, social and cultural life rather than to sell hair gel and dog biscuits. —excerpted from Manifesto Mania by Ellen and Julia Lupton

PROJECT THREE // Typesetting

Verbal and Visual Equations An examination of interactive signs excerpted from Typographic Design: Form and Communication â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Ben Day and Philip Meggs

Language, in any of its many forms, is a

and confetti implying a celebrationâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;each

function as cues, permitting the mind to form

self-contained system of interactive signs that

functions as a sign relating a specific concept.

concepts. Simple syntactic manipulations,

communicates ideas. Just as elocution and diction enhance and clarify the meaning of our

Signs may exist at various levels of abstraction.

such as the repetition of letters, or the weight

A simple example will illustrate this point. Let

change of certain letters, enable words visually

spoken words, typographic signs can be manip-

us consider something as elemental as a red dot.

to mimic verbal meaning.

ulated by a designer to achieve more lucid and

It is a sign only if it carries a particular mean-

expressive typographic communication.

ing. It can represent any number of things:

Signs operate in two dimensions: syntactic

In language, signs are joined together to create messages. Words as verbal sign, grouped

balloon, ball, or Japanese flag. The red dot can

together in a linear fashion, attain their value

and semantic. When the mind is concerned

become a cherry, for example, as the mind is

vis-Ă -vis other words through opposition and

with the form of a sign, it is involved with

cued by forms more familiar to its experience.

contrast. Words can also evoke meaning through

typographic syntax. When it associates a par-

The particular syntactic qualities associated

mental association. These associative relations

ticular meaning with a sign, it is operating in

with typographic signs determine a specific

the semantic dimension.

meaning. A series of repeated letters, for exam-

both visual and verbal, it operates in a linear

ple, may signify motion or speed, while a small

fashion, with words following each other in a

All objects in the environment can potentially

are semantically derived. Since typography is

function as signs, representing any number of

letter in a large void may signify isolation.

specific sequence, or in a nonlinear manner, with

concepts. A smog-filled city signifying pollu-

These qualities, derived from the operating

elements existing in many syntactic combinations.

tion, a beached whale representing extinction,

principles of visual hierarchy and ABA form,

Deborah Oh Project Three // Ex. 4 Hierarchy: Scale Change Left Alignment // 7.5/12 Adobe Garamond // +25 Tracking

Excercise 4// Hierarchy Scale Change Left Alignment 7.5/12 Adobe Garamond +25 Tracking

PROJECT THREE // Typesetting

Verbal and Visual Equations An examination of interactive signs excerpted from Typographic Design: Form and Communication —Ben Day and Philip Meggs

Language, in any of its many forms, is a

representing extinction, and confetti imply-

the operating principles of visual hierarchy

self-contained system of interactive signs

ing a celebration—each functions as a sign

and ABA form, function as cues, permitting

that communicates ideas. Just as elocu-

relating a specific concept.

the mind to form concepts. Simple syntactic

tion and diction enhance and clarify the meaning of our spoken words, typographic signs can be manipulated by a designer to achieve more lucid and expressive typographic communication.

Signs may exist at various levels of abstraction. A simple example will illustrate this point. Let us consider something as elemen-

manipulations, such as the repetition of letters, or the weight change of certain letters, enable words visually to mimic verbal meaning.

tal as a red dot. It is a sign only if it carries

In language, signs are joined together to

a particular meaning. It can represent any

create messages. Words as verbal sign, grouped together in a linear fashion, attain

Signs operate in two dimensions: syntactic

number of things: balloon, ball, or Japanese

and semantic. When the mind is concerned

flag. The red dot can become a cherry, for

their value vis-à-vis other words through

with the form of a sign, it is involved with

example, as the mind is cued by forms more

opposition and contrast. Words can also

typographic syntax. When it associates a

familiar to its experience.

particular meaning with a sign, it is operating in the semantic dimension.

The particular syntactic qualities associated with typographic signs determine a specific

All objects in the environment can poten-

meaning. A series of repeated letters, for

tially function as signs, representing any

example, may signify motion or speed,

number of concepts. A smog-filled city

while a small letter in a large void may sig-

signifying pollution, a beached whale

nify isolation. These qualities, derived from

Excercise 4// Hierarchy Deborah Oh Scale + Typeface Change Project Three // Ex. 4 Left Alignment Hierarchy: Scale Change + Typeface change 7/12 Avenir +25 Tracking Left Alignment // 7/12 Avenir // +25 Tracking

evoke meaning through mental association. These associative relations are semantically derived. Since typography is both visual and verbal, it operates in a linear fashion, with words following each other in a specific sequence, or in a nonlinear manner, with elements existing in many syntactic combinations.

PROJECT THREE // Typesetting

Verbal and Visual Equations An examination of interactive signs excerpted from Typographic Design: Form and Communication â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Ben Day and Philip Meggs

Language, in any of its many forms, is a self-contained system of interactive signs that communicates ideas. Just as elocution and diction enhance and clarify the meaning of our spoken words, typographic signs can be manipulated by a designer to achieve more lucid and expressive typographic communication. Signs operate in two dimensions: syntactic and semantic. When the mind is concerned with the form of a sign, it is involved with typographic syntax. When it associates a particular meaning with a sign, it is operating in the semantic dimension. All objects in the environment can potentially function as signs, representing any number of concepts. A smog-filled city signifying pollution, a beached whale rep resenting extinction, and confetti implying a celebrationâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;each functions as a sign relating a specific concept.

Deborah Oh Project Three // Ex. 4 Hierarchy: Scale Change + Typeface change + Graphic Element Justified Alignment // 8/12 Futura // +20 Tracking

Signs may exist at various levels of abstraction. A simple example will illustrate this point. Let us consider something as elemental as a red dot. It is a sign only if it carries a particular meaning. It can represent any number of things: balloon, ball, or Japanese flag. The red dot can become a cherry, for example, as the mind is cued by forms more familiar to its experience. The particular syntactic qualities associated with typographic signs determine a specific meaning. A series of repeated letters, for example, may signify motion or speed, while a small letter in a large void may signify isolation. These qualities, derived from the operating principles of visual hierarchy and ABA form, function as cues, permitting the mind to form concepts. Simple syntactic manipulations, such as the repetition of letters, or the weight change of certain letters, enable words visually to mimic verbal meaning.

In language, signs are joined together to create messages. Words as verbal sign, grouped together in a linear fashion, attain their value vis-Ă -vis other words through opposition and contrast. Words can also evoke meaning through mental association. These associative relations are semantically derived. Since typography is both visual and verbal, it operates in a linear fashion, with words following each other in a specific sequence, or in a nonlinear manner, with elements existing in many syntactic combinations.

Excercise 4// Hierarchy Scale + Typeface Change Graphic Element Justified Alignment 8/12 Futura +20 Tracking

PROJECT FOUR // Type Classification

Type Classification OBJECTIVE Design three type classification posters â&#x20AC;&#x201D; two for Serif fonts and one for a Sans serif font. Research the various periods and design from its influence. Visually communicate the evolution of type and practice the principles of typography, making sure to create a grid and considering the use of negative space, hierarchy of information, and contrast to create visual interest. APPROACH I designed posters for the fonts Didot, Avenir, and Rockwell, three historically significant fonts that I often use in my work. My vision for this project was to play with the structural forms of each character, enlarging and cropping each character while retaining their legibility and playing with the shapes created by the negative space between them. Each poster is laid out in variations of the golden ratio and prominently displays the first letter of the titular font and a secondary character that highlights key characteristics of the font. The name of the font is cut out of the titular letter and each poster includes a brief history of the font, its type classification, a list of similar fonts, and the fontâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s defining features.

PROJECT FOUR // Type Classification

Didot, Avenir, Rockwell: 11â&#x20AC;?x17â&#x20AC;? full color posters. The characters overlap and intersect to create new shapes and visual interest in the negative space.

Golden Ratio All 3 posters were designed in a variation of the golden ratio grid.

PROJECT ONE // Prototypeface

PROJECT ONE // Prototypeface PROJECT FOUR // Type Classification 33

PROJECT FOUR // Type Classification

PROJECT ONE // Prototypeface

PROJECT FIVE // Swiss Designer

Swiss Designer OBJECTIVE Research and write a 250 word summary on a Swiss designer and design a page that includes a sample of their work, making sure to incorporate all rules of typography and typesetting. APPROACH After conducting research for the type classification and type anatomy projects, I became fascinated by how many of the typefaces I came across were created by Adrian Frutiger and decided to conduct further research on this famous Swiss type designer. I designed a page layout in a similar style as this booklet, using Rockwell for the heading and Avenir, a font designed by Frutiger, as the body text. The page is laid out in a three column grid with a quote as a subheader and a drop cap as a beginning to the body text.

PROJECT FIVE // Swiss Designer

Adrian Frutiger The whole point with type is for you not to be aware it is there. If you remember the shape of a spoon with which you just ate some soup, then the spoon had a poor shape.”

From street signs to the Olympics: Adrian Frutiger’s Univers typeface was used for the wayfinding at the 1972 Olympics in Munich.

drian Frutiger is a renowned Swiss designer internationally known for designing several of the most used and timeless typefaces of the 20th century, including Frutiger, Univers, Avenir, and Serifa. His career spanned from the era of hot metal typesetting, phototypesetting, to modern day digital typesetting. His fonts are praised for their readability and precise engineering, and his work can be seen around the world today in airports, street signs, and subway stations as well as barcodes, passports, and credit cards, which still use his machine-readable OCR-B type. Adrian Frutiger was born in 1928 in the Swiss village of Unterseen and began his craft at a young age as an apprentice to a typesetter, learning to set lead letters by hand. After graduating from the School of Applied Arts in Zurich in 1952, Frutiger moved to Paris and spent his early career working for the type foundry Deberny & Peignot, updating classic fonts for the new phototypesetting machines, as well as designing some of his earliest fonts including Président, Méridien and Ondine.

Adrian Frutiger is most famous today for his san serif fonts. Univers, which has more than 20 different variants, was one of the first typefaces to be designed with an entire family of related weights and widths. After the success of Univers, Adrian Frutiger was commissioned to develop signage for the Charles de Gaulle Airport, but soon realized that

fonts that worked in small print did not necessarily work well on large signage. As a result, he developed the eponymous Frutiger, a font designed to be legible from a distance and from many angles. Frutiger spent the later years of his career refining his own typefaces to include more weights and true italics, such as Frutiger Next and Avenir Next.

DEBORAH OH Typography Fundamentals UC Berkeley Extension: Graphic Design Ayca Kilicoglu // Instructor Typeface: Rockwell and Avenir