INTRO TO TYPOGRAPHY
By Thyra Helgesen
Illustration, photography & design by Thyra Helgesen Minneapolis, Minnesota Email: thelgesen@mcad.edu http://t.homes.mcad.edu/~thelgesen/index
Published by MCAD Service Bureau
Š Thyra Helgesen
INTRO TO TYPOGRAPHY
By Thyra Helgesen
Contents:
Introduction: Course Description:
Introduction pg 7
This course emphasizes basic typographic principles and investigates letterform design, word-forms, and extended text. Particular attention is directed to typographic vocabulary, type as image, typographic organization, and the utilization of supporting
Projects:
grid structures. Through assignments, larger projects, and critiques, students are expected to demon-
1. Part I: Typographic Rendering + Anatomy Part II: Form Cropping
pg 9 pg 13
2. Type Everywhere @ the State Fair!
pg 17
In this course, you will:
3. Letter Formation & Pattern Project 4. Expressive Words Phrase Project
pg 31 pg 37
- Gain an appreciation for the beauty of letterforms
5. Helevtica & Hand pg 40 6. Craigslist Typesetting Exercises pg 54
strate an understanding of typography as a visual tool used to enhance meaning.
- Understand letterform anatomy and familiarize yourself with type classification - Create and utilize illustrative & expressive type - Set type that is legible and hierarchical - Develop a vocabulary of typographic terminology - Use a grid to compose a structured two-dimensional space - Become familiar with several typefaces and type designer - Document your design process Solve typographic design problems
7. Resume Typesetting Exercise
pg 57
8. Type Specimen Poster pg 59
-Create a process book that highlights your sketches, process, ideation and final solutions.
Typographic rendering and anatomy In this exercise you will gain an understanding of typographic anatomy and improve your ability to draw and visualize letterforms. � Process:
� Limitations
Read the supplied handout on typographic anatomy and try your hand at typeisart.com
Do not reduce the master specimen sheets* for this exercise. Use at 100pt or larger.
Go to wikipedia and select two pangram*, ie:
Select from the following:
“Bright vixens jump; dozy fowl quack” “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog”
Use a fine pen and carefully trace and fill in each character from your chosen phrase using a serif and sanserif typeface. Label each typographic component—if there are anatomy repeats, then feel free to design a key. Include this exercise in your process book. ------------------------------------------------------
Baskerville ----------------
Clarendon ----------------
Didot ----------------
� Considerations: Draw the following: baseline, median, x-height, descender & ascender lines, and capheight. Set two phrases in at least two typefaces from the list: one serif and one sans. When setting your phrase, pay special attention to the space between each character. Adjusting the space between letters is called kerning. Strive for optical consistency. Label the anatomy of each letterform; include: serif, san serif, descender, ascender counterform, apex, vertex, arm, stem, crossbar, link, tail, spine, shoulder, ear, leg and crotch. Can you find a barb, beak, loop, spur? Observe the subtle characteristics that make the typeface unique — compare and contrast.
Garamond ----------------
Futura ----------------
Helvetica ----------------
Univers -----------------
� Deadline To be completed by next class. ------------------------------------------------------
Short Circuit: A booklet I created from collecting photographs of unlite signs of small lightblubs.
Pattern Process
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Specimen Poster
OCR-B Booklet