01
Typographic
/
Compendium
Understanding Type
Peter Barnaba GRDS210 Type Compendium Ringling College of Art + Design
Understanding Type /
Peter Barnaba GRDS210 Type Compendium
Table Of Contents
Anatomy of type Understanding Type Anatomy Cropping Structure of Letters Form and Counterform Point and Counterpoint Typographic Symbol Multipage Typographic Layout Grid - Horizontal Multipage Typographic Layout Grid - Diagonal
Peter Barnaba
Anatomy of Type /
Individual letter forms have unique parts which have changed in visual form over the centuries. A nomenclature helps identify major elements of their construction. The evolution of lettering styles over time is a result of optical adjustments to these basic components by type designers over the ages. Manipulation or drafting letter forms requires an application of these basic elements successfully.
Peter Barnaba
Understanding Type /
1. Different fonts have different point
3. The two anatomical attributes that type
sizes. The point size of a font is the size of
shares are that all type are constructed
the x-heihgt, ascender area size, and the
with graphic strokes.
descender area size. So the point size says nothing about the width of the font itself,
4. The top half of letters are more legible
including or excluding their seriffs. That
because their are letters similar to other
being said fonts, such as Arial, would be
letters when their ascenders are not visible
bigger than other fonts like Times, or differ
and can be too confusing to distinguish
in size from Bodoni because of their width
the letter itself. Also, our eye scans the
and visual style.
meanline. Readers are looking for the indication of letters to read legibly.
2. Whether or not families of type can be mixed together depends solely on the type itself and the conscious choice of the designer. For instance, it is well known that seriffs and san-serif can work together, but those who share complimentary characteristics (e.g. Helvetica and Garamond, Calson and Myriad, etc.) One can also combine san-serif with san-serif and vice versa, but only if they share contrasting elements.
By Fill
By Outline
Individuality Individuality Individuality
Peter Barnaba
Anatomy Cropping /
Individual letterforms have an ability to function as abstract shapes in space while still legible. They are both aural (sound) and visual( shape). These typographic compositions demonstrate the role of form and counterform, figure ground relationships, asymmetry / symmetry, and static and dynamic placement as part of the vast vocabulary of type.
Peter Barnaba
Anatomy Cropping
Peter Barnaba
Structure of Letters /
While upper and lower case letters are distinct in structure, they all are Anatomy|The built Structure of Letters by combining 4 strokes; vertical,
arnaba
horizontal, diagonal, and curvilinear. These elementary strokes form the foundation, a visual “code� that While upper and lower case letters are is recognizable through distinct in structure, they all are built by our long experience reading and writing combining 4 strokes; vertical, with horizontal, diagonal, and curvilinear. These regardless of style. Therefore, letter elementary strokes form the foundation, forms derive their visual character a visual "code" that is recognizable from combinations of these basic through our long experience with strokes and not from being light or reading and writing regardless of style. Therefore, letter forms visualRoman or italic, bold, derive wide ortheir narrow, character from combinations of these sans serif or serif. An entire alphabet basic strokes and not from being light or can Roman be categorized bold, wide or narrow, or italic, using only six basic visual combinations of sans serif or serif.underlying An entire alphabet can be categorized using only as sixthe basic strokes example illustrates. underlying visual combinations of strokes as the example illustrates.
EFHILT
itjfl
KMNY
k
VWX
vwxy
AZ
z
BGDJPRU
abcdgh mnpqru
COQS
ceos
Since the times of the ancient Greek, capitol letterforms had shared the same geometric
Peter Barnaba
Typographic Illustration /
The utilization of type to form shapes as demonstrated below. Say Hello To My Little Friend� was an assignment to introduce the structure and composition to take the shape of the designer’s favorite insect.
background. The counter fo emerges through interactio Typically these counterform or organic in quality depend style/of the letter. In the co Form and Counterform there exists a fascinating w be explored by the designe
Peter Barnaba
Fundamental to all typographic design is the interplay between letterform and background. An awareness of this inter-relationship of form and counterform is essential in typographic design. Every letterform defines a Two letters_
Single letter_ form and counterform
form and cou
particular counterform. Form and counterform are reciprocal values and completely interdependent and integral to a letter’s completeness as a design.
C
h
The counterform is not just what’s left over in the background. The counter form is a new entity that emerges through interaction with the form. Typically these counterforms are either geometric or organic in quality depending on the structure or style of the letter. In the counterforms of letters there exists a fascinating world of form waiting to be explored by the designer.
g
a
f
e
Fundamental to all typographic design is the interplay between letterform and background. An awareness of this inter-relationship of form and counterform is essential in typographic design. Every letterform defines a particular Peter Barnaba and Counterpoint / counterform. Form and counterform Point are reciprocal values and completely interdependent and integral to a letter’s completeness as a design. The counterform is not just what's left over in the background. The counter form is a new entity that In typographic arrangements of letters, emerges through interaction with the form. words, or even layouts, counterpart Typically these counterforms are either geometric or organic in quality depending on therelationships structure or function as the visual style of the letter. In the counterforms of letters “rule”. Counterpoint elements provide there exists a fascinating world of form waiting to These form relationships an “exception”. be explored by the designer. of counterpart and counterpoint are established through amounts, how many times they occur. Counterpart (or similar) elements are dominant. This dominance establishes a clear pattern to be interrupted by a contrasting, opposing
rm
Two letters_ form and counterform
h
a
e
element... a “counterpoint”.
Peter Barnaba
Typographic Symbol /
Explore visual development of a typographic symbol using form / counterform / fracture. Recognize the details and parts of letterforms, in particular counterspace and figure/ground relationships. understand formal ways to distinguish the characteristics of classic typefaces, learn aesthetic principles of composition. Your goal is to discover unique typographic unions while maintaining the Preliminary Studies
Final
legibility and integrity of the letterforms.
Muti-page Typographic Layout and the Grid /
In typography there are some hard and fast
White text reversed out of a color is harder
practices to consider. It’s an issue
to read in large amounts. Black letters on
of legibility. All uppercase letters are difficult
white background is the easiest to read. A
to read in large amounts. Upper and lower
line of text in any given point size should
case is dominate in text type. Condensed
not exceed 60 to 64 characters. We count
or expanded letters are much more difficult
the space between words as part of this
to read in large amounts. Bold type in large
count. These practices are rarely able to be
amounts is hard to read.
broken if reading ease is to be maintained.
Muti-page Typographic Layout and the Grid /
In typography there are some hard and fast
White text reversed out of a color is harder
practices to consider. It’s an issue
to read in large amounts. Black letters on
of legibility. All uppercase letters are difficult
white background is the easiest to read. A
to read in large amounts. Upper and lower
line of text in any given point size should
case is dominate in text type. Condensed
not exceed 60 to 64 characters. We count
or expanded letters are much more difficult
the space between words as part of this
to read in large amounts. Bold type in large
count. These practices are rarely able to be
amounts is hard to read.
broken if reading ease is to be maintained.
Fin. /
Designer: Peter Barnaba Instructor: Douglas Higgins GRDS210 Type Compendium Ringling College of Art + Design