typetalk: workshop on typography at Artlab, Chennai choosing type (classification) Tarun Deep Girdher Associate Sr. Faculty, Graphic Design Head, Printing Labs National Institute of Design Ahmedabad
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Day 2 . 25 sep 2007
type talk : august 2007 : artlab chennai
Š tarun deep girdher . tarundg@gmail.com
today, let us look at the differences in typefaces and how they are classified in broad groups
type talk : august 2007 : artlab chennai
Š tarun deep girdher . tarundg@gmail.com
type talk : august 2007 : artlab chennai Š tarun deep girdher . tarundg@gmail.com
cap line
baseline
descender
ascender
x-height
cap height
counter form
ascender
counter form
terminal
loop
counter form
descender
stroke
cross bar
serif
basic first, the a few basicterminology terms
hpfxh
old style ~
hamburgerfonts
oe
1600s stress of rounded forms at an angle bracketed serifs based on humanist writing style and roman inscriptions contrast between thick and thin strokes is not much letterpress • friendly • warm • classical
type talk : august 2007 : artlab chennai
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQ RSTUVWXYZ 1234567890
© tarun deep girdher . tarundg@gmail.com
transistional ~
hamburgerfonts
oe
mid 1600s - late 1700s stress of rounded forms upright serifs more rationalised contrast between thick and thin strokes is pronounced • formal • organised • clear
type talk : august 2007 : artlab chennai
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQ RSTUVWXYZ 1234567890
© tarun deep girdher . tarundg@gmail.com
modern ~
hamburgerfonts
oe
1800s stress of rounded forms upright/vertical hairline serifs contrast between thick and thin strokes is extreme offset lithography • formal • geometric • clinical
type talk : august 2007 : artlab chennai
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQ RSTUVWXYZ 1234567890
© tarun deep girdher . tarundg@gmail.com
egyptian ~
hamburgerfonts
ne
early 1900s vertical stress uniform thickness slab serifs display fonts post-industrial revolution • authoritative • bold • geometric
type talk : august 2007 : artlab chennai
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQ RSTUVWXYZ 1234567890
© tarun deep girdher . tarundg@gmail.com
grotesque ~
hamburgerfonts
ogr
late 19th century strokes are mostly uniform thickness sans serif - condensed comparatively larger x-height no-nonsense display fonts • formal • display
type talk : august 2007 : artlab chennai
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQ RSTUVWXYZ 1234567890
© tarun deep girdher . tarundg@gmail.com
geometric ~
hamburgerfonts
oag
early 20th century sans serif based on geometric proportions strokes are uniform thickness comparatively larger x-height • industrial • display • structure
type talk : august 2007 : artlab chennai
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQ RSTUVWXYZ 1234567890
© tarun deep girdher . tarundg@gmail.com
humanistic ~
hamburgerfonts
oag
mid 20th century based on humanistic handwriting proportions strokes are variable thickness vertical stress comparatively larger x-height • warm • display • friendly
type talk : august 2007 : artlab chennai
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQ RSTUVWXYZ 1234567890
© tarun deep girdher . tarundg@gmail.com
glyphic ~
hamburgerfonts
oarb
flares at the end of terminals chiselled and drawn rather than humanist angular stress comparatively larger x-height • quirky • display
type talk : august 2007 : artlab chennai
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQ RSTUVWXYZ 1234567890
© tarun deep girdher . tarundg@gmail.com
script ~
imitation of cursive hand writing
hamburgerfonts
oarb
influence of a quill pen or brush strokes / calligraphy continuous and joined letters • formal • traditional • wedding
type talk : august 2007 : artlab chennai
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz A BC DE F G H I J KLM N OP Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1234567890
© tarun deep girdher . tarundg@gmail.com
decorative ~
hamburgerfonts
oarb
ability to attract at the cost of legibility and readability designed exclusively for specific purposes - logos, masthead, display boards defies conventional classification inspired from a spectrum of typeforms
• quirky • display • specific purpose
type talk : august 2007 : artlab chennai
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuv wxyz ABCDEFGHIJKL MNOPQ RSTUV WXYZ 1234567890
© tarun deep girdher . tarundg@gmail.com
contemporary ~
hamburgerfonts
gahb
recent trend mutation / hybrid versions created on computer defies conventional classification specific purpose often unreadable • trendy • different
type talk : august 2007 : artlab chennai
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQ RSTUVWXYZ 1234567890
© tarun deep girdher . tarundg@gmail.com