Questions: What I need to know about Graphic Design
From previously looking at content which we have already covered and discussing questions as a group I was able to research into certain forms of colour theory which were the questions I was assigned. From looking back at this content I am now able to know which 10 questions I will define to research:
1. Colour modes RGB/CMYK: Question 8
2. How colour works within print Question 9
3. Colour Schemes: How to create a colour scheme. Beth's blog
4. History and Origins of type- Olivia's blog (waiting) My own blog
5. Anatomy Eva's blog, Thinking with type- page 36,
http://typedia.com/learn/only/anatomy-of-a-typeface/
https://www.fontshop.com/glossary/
http://typedia.com/learn/only/anatomy-of-a-typeface/
https://www.fontshop.com/glossary/
6. Classifications: Eva's blog, Thinking with type- page 46 (also including other pages)
7. Italics and font families: Thinking with type- page 48, Eva's blog, , serif vs sans serif info graphic (Rebecca's blog).
8. Legibility & Readability (what are the different factors?) Rebecca's blog, point sizes, distance, road signs.
9. Spacing: Kerning, tracking, line spacing (thinking with type, page 102)
These questions are not the final considerations, only a brief draft of ideas and collections of links and information.
For the next session (Tuesday 4th March) decide on the content for the first 5 double pages and bring in the content which will include a variety of images/diagrams, body copy, quotes and headers. Decide on the format (size) of the page layout.
Format: A4 or square?
A4- Allows for portrait or landscape.
For books/layouts is mainly used in portrait format.
210 x 297 mm
Square format: Equal sides and neutral in terms of its orientation of content.
200 x 200mm
From previously working with book design I have found it incredibly difficult using an A4 and have had several attempts which have failed when working with this format. So therefore for this brief I want to try using a square format. In terms of forming content into a set grid the square format allows for more flexibility in how the elements are placed within a composition as A sizes seem to almost demand a certain amount of considerations as the height is much more than the width. An A size demands more attention are there are issues such making the page look balanced and within design practice In the module OUGD405 I had issues with using this form of format.
As illustrated above through drawing onto an A4, a square format (20x20) it removes a large section of the A4's space however I think the neutral orientation of the paper size will make it much easier to work with in terms of creatively considering layout.
First double page worth of content:
Classifications: Eva's blog, Thinking with type- page 46 (also including other pages)
humanist, transitional, modern, slab serif, humanist sans serif, transitional sans serif, geometric sans serif.
CONTENT FOR PAGE:
7 images, 7 smaller paragraphs, introduction paragraph and a header.
Type Classification- Header
Introduction: "Over the past century, quite a few classification systems have been proposed. Most are generally believed to be subjective and incomplete, and many of them use the same terms for similar but slightly different classes. The impossibility of a truly complete classification system has led many people to dismiss any attempt to classify typefaces — there are simply too many variables to make anything close to a practical, comprehensive system. Essentially, classification describes typefaces; it does not define them."
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2013/04/17/making-sense-type-classification-part/
Humanist: The roman typefaces of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries emulated classical calligraphy. One way this manifested itself was in the strong axis, most apparent in the bowls of characters and the lowercase “o,” a characteristic borrowed from the angle at which a right-handed writer holds a pen. Another interesting way this showed itself was in the notably angled crossbar on the lowercase “e.” Other calligraphic influences are clear, such as inconsistencies in stroke weight and the way serifs are formed.
Source: Thinking with type, Ellen Lupton & http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2013/04/17/making-sense-type-classification-part/ With slight adjustments.
Sabon Example:
Example used: accessed from- http://www.myfonts.com
Transitional: These typefaces have sharper serifs and a more vertical axis than humanist letters. In the Transitional typefaces there are certain trends continuing from the humanist fonts such as the axis. It is now almost completely vertical. The weight difference between the thickest and thinnest points is now exaggerated. The serifs are less bracketed and flatten out and details become very refined.
Source: Thinking with type, Ellen Lupton & http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2013/04/17/making-sense-type-classification-part/ With slight adjustments.
Baskerville Example:
Example used: accessed from- http://www.myfonts.com
Modern: These typefaces were designed within the late eighteenth and nineteenth century, the letterforms are thin, contain straight serifs, a vertical axis and sharp contrast from thick
to thin strokes.
Source: Thinking with type, Ellen Lupton & http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2013/04/17/making-sense-type-classification-part/ With slight adjustments.
Bodoni Example:
Example used: accessed from- http://www.myfonts.com
Slab Serif:
Numerous bold and decorative typefaces were introduced in the nineteenth century for use in advertising, these fonts have heavy, slab-like serifs.
Source: Thinking with type, Ellen Lupton & http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2013/04/17/making-sense-type-classification-part/ With slight adjustments.
Clarendon Example:
Example used: accessed from- http://www.myfonts.com
Humanist Sans Serif:
Sans serif typefaces became common in the twentieth century, their characteristics include small tilting counter in the letter a and calligraphic variations in line weight.
Source: Thinking with type, Ellen Lupton & http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2013/04/17/making-sense-type-classification-part/ With slight adjustments.
Gills Sans Example:
Example used: accessed from- http://www.myfonts.com
Transitional Sans Serif: These typefaces hold characteristics of being in uniform, upright and similar to transitional serif letterforms.
Source: Thinking with type, Ellen Lupton & http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2013/04/17/making-sense-type-classification-part/ With slight adjustments.
Helvetica Example:
Example used: accessed from- http://www.myfonts.com
Geometric Sans Serif: Some of these fonts are created around geometric forms. For example Futura, the O's are perfectly circular and peaks of A and M are sharp triangles.
Futura Example:
Example used: accessed from- http://www.myfonts.com
Word count for page layouts: 388- see Microsoft word document.
Second double page worth of content:
What are colour modes?
CONTENT FOR PAGE: 4 images, one main header, three sections, several paragraphs.
RGB
http://www.novaprinting.ca/images/RGB.gif
The RGB colour model is based on the theory that all visible colours can be created using the primary additive colours red, green and blue. These colours are known as primary additives because when combined in equal amounts they produce white. When two or three of them are combined in different amounts, other colours are produced. For example, combining red and green in equal amounts creates yellow, green and blue creates cyan, and red and blue creates magenta.
The RGB model is so important to graphic design because it is used in computer monitors. The screen you are reading this very article on is using additive colors to display images and text. Therefore, when designing websites (and other on-screen projects such as presentations), the RGB model is used because the final product is viewed on a computer display.
http://graphicdesign.about.com/od/colorbasics/a/rgb.htm
http://images.tutorvista.com/cms/images/38/dispersion-of-white-light.gif
Although light can appear white, it is actually made up of lots of different colours all added together. The amount of each colour is called the spectrum of the light.
You can see all the different colours using a prism like the one in the picture, which uses refraction (the bending of light) to split the light up. This works because different colours are bent by different amounts and so they come out of the prism in slightly different directions.
http://www.schoolsobservatory.org.uk/astro/stars/spectrum
CMYK
http://www.novaprinting.ca/images/CMYK.jpg
CMYK is a scheme for combining primary pigments. The C stands for cyan (aqua), M stands for magenta (pink), Y for yellow, and K for Key. The key colour in today's printing world is black but it has not always been. During the early days of printing, the colours used for Key have been brown, blue, or black -- whichever was the cheapest ink to acquire at any given time.
The CMYK pigment model works like an "upside-down"version of the RGB (red, green, and blue) colour model. Many paint and draw programs can make use of either the RGB or the CMYK model. The RGB scheme is used mainly for computer displays, while the CMYK model is used for printed colour illustrations.
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/CMYK-cyan-magenta-yellow-key
CMYK in the Printing Process: The four-colour printing process uses four printing plates; one for cyan, one for magenta, one for yellow and one for black. When the colours are combined on paper (they are actually printed as small dots), the human eye sees the final image.
CMYK in Graphic Design: Graphic designers have to deal with the issue of seeing their work on screen in RGB, although their final printed piece will be in CMYK. Digital files should be converted to CMYK before sending to printers, unless otherwise specified.
http://graphicdesign.about.com/od/colorbasics/a/cmyk.htm
http://myworldofcolour.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/rgb_colour_gamut.jpg
The term colour gamut refers to the range of colours a device can reproduce, the larger or wider the gamut the more rich saturated colours available. As colour gamuts become smaller it is generally these rich saturated colours that are the first to suffer, a phenomena technically referred to as clipping. This clipping phenomenon is most apparent when converting from RGB to CMYK, with many of the rich saturated colours that were available in RGB no longer being available in CMYK.
http://compreviews.about.com/od/monitors/a/LCDColorGamut.htm
Word count for page layouts: 520- see Microsoft word document.
Third double page worth of content:
Type Families
CONTENT FOR PAGE: One main header, several paragraphs, four examples and one image.
Type Families: Header
A font is a set of printable or displayable text characters in a specific style and size. The type design for a set of fonts is the typeface and variations of this design form the typeface family . Thus, Helvetica is a typeface family, Helvetica italic is a typeface, and Helvetica italic 10-point is a font.
A typeface is the design of the letterforms; a font is the delivery mechanism. In digital systems, the typeface is the visual design, while the font is the software that allows you to install, access and output the design.
In the sixteenth century, printers began organizing roman and italic typefaces into matched families. The concept was formalised in the early twentieth century and this therefore meant that font families could be created.
http://www.fonts.com/content/learning/fontology/level-1/type-anatomy/type-classifications & Thinking with type, Ellen Lupton
'When you are sitting down to a new colour project, the first and most important task is analysing the job. Objectivity and common sense will help set the tone'
- Graphic Designer's Colour Handbook by Rick Sutherland and Barb Karg.
Colour means different things to different people around the world. In some societies colours are dictated by tradition and customs such as wearing a white or red wedding dress. Certain colours are considered sacred while others are forbidden. Everyone has a theory about colour but ultimately how you think about colour is personal. You will increase your value as a graphic designer by honing the colour theories and instincts that you develop. Learn from the past and present masters by studying their successes and failures and in time you’ll become your own best colour critic.
What makes people choose the colours that surround them? Is it a random choice, a conscious choice or a subscious choice? Perhaps its a combination of all three. We choose colours for many reasons but the most commonly because they are pleasing to the eye they blend well with our surroundings. It’s all about perception.
In psychological terms the values associated with certain colours can have a huge impact on the look and feel of a project. Some of the colours can project beauty, such as the reds, yellows, oranges and browns of autumn. The deep hues of purple and blue can project richness, royalty and elegance.
The meaning and use of colours will have a guarenteed impact on your projects. Working with colour will turn you into an amateur colour psychologist.
One interesting attempt at using colour to influence behaviour is the bubble gum pink colour sometimes used in jail and prison holding cells. The colour seems to quell the violent behaviour.
An example of how colours can mean different things to different societies and people is the colour red. Red can be associated with feelings of passion and love. But it cam also means anger and is the colour of blood. In India wedding dresses are red as a sign of purity.
666.jpg)
Stone
Square capitals were used to write inscriptions, and less often to supplement everyday handwriting. When written in documents this style is known as Latin book hand.
Square capitals are characterised by sharp, straight lines, supple curves, thick and thin strokes, angled stressing and incised serifs. Before the 4th century, square capitals were used to write de luxe copies of the works of authors categorized as “pagan” by Christians, especially those of Virgil; the only three surviving manuscripts using this letter, among them the Vergilius Augusteus, contain works by Virgil.
Sable
Traditional East Asian writing uses different tools; the ink brushes to write Chinese characters, Chinese ink, paper, and inkstone. The shape, size, stretch, and hair type of the ink brush, the color, color density and water density of the ink, as well as the paper’s water absorption speed and surface texture are the main physical parameters influencing the final result. The calligrapher also influences the result by the quantity of ink and water he lets the brush take, then by the pressure, inclination, and direction he gives to the brush, producing thinner or bolder strokes.
Bone
A quill pen is a writing implement made from a moulted flight feather (preferably a primary wing-feather) of a large bird. Quills were used for writing with ink before the invention of the dip pen, the metal-nibbed pen, the fountain pen, and, eventually, the ballpoint pen. In a carefully prepared quill the slit does not widen through wetting and drying with ink. It will retain its shape adequately and only requires infrequent sharpening and can be used time and time again until there is little left of it. The hollow shaft of the feather (thecalamus) acts as an ink reservoir and ink flows to the tip by capillary action.
Wood
Woodblock printing is a technique for printing text, images or patterns used widely throughout East Asia and originating in China in antiquity as a method of printing on textiles and paper.
As a method of printing on cloth, the earliest surviving examples from China date to before 220, and woodblock printing remained the most common East Asian method of printing books and other texts, as well as images, until the 19th century. Ukiyo-e is the best known type of Japanese woodblock art print. Most European uses of the technique for printing covered by the art term woodcut.
Lead
Typography created using lead is a developed version of the original wood block prints however by using a different material. Lead allows for intricate details for prints which therefore can create both serif and sans serif fonts. This creates a whole range of possibilities where thin and thick lines can be created.
These fonts created are usually clear and print incredibly crisp onto the page unlike wood block prints which can often be textured based on the type of wood and also the ink used.
Silicone
These fonts are developed digitally, with the ability to ‘undo’ and endless possibilities which traditonal methods wouldn’t allow. Silicone created typefaces couldn’t be created in any other format due to how modorn they are the software it uses.
For instance curves and layered type can be created which could only be created through digital means. Intricate fonts and typefaces can be created using a digital format quicker and this leads to the digital age where there are a wide range of different fonts.
http://www.praguecollege.cz/sites/default/files/differing-accents-catalogue.pdf
The basic typographic element is called a character, which is any individual letter, numeral, or punctuation mark. The capital letters are called caps, or uppercase (u.c.) characters. Small letters are called lowercase (l.c.) characters. Numbers are called numerals or figures. Pi characters are special characters used for, maths signs, punctuation marks, accented characters in some languages and reference marks.
(thinking with type- Ellen Lupton)
Bracket: A curved line connecting the serif to the stroke.
Crossbar: A horizontal stroke.
Stem: Primary vertical stroke.
Terminal: The end of a stroke that lacks a serif.
Ascender: An upward vertical stroke found on lowercase letters that extends above the typeface’s x-height.
Small Caps: Uppercase characters that appear as a smaller size than the capital height of a typeface. Short for “small capitals”.
Counter: Fully or partially enclosed space within a letter.
Link/Neck: A stroke that connects the top and bottom bowls of lowercase double-story g’s.
Loop/Lobe: The enclosed or partially enclosed counter below the baseline of a double-story g.
Ear: A small stroke projecting from the upper right bowl of some lowercase g’s.
Axis: An imaginary line drawn from top to bottom of a glyph bisecting the upper and lower strokes is the axis.
Bowl: A curved stroke that encloses a letter’s counter.
Eye: Much like a counter, the eye refers specifically to the enclosed space in a lowercase ‘e’.
Finial: A tapered or curved end.
Shoulder: A curved stroke originating from a stem.
Serif: “Feet” or non-structural details at the ends of some strokes.
Tail: A descending stroke, often decorative.
Baseline: The invisible line where letters sit.
Descender: A downward vertical stroke found on lowercase letters that extends below the baseline.
Cap height: The height from the baseline to the top of the uppercase letters.
X height: The height of the main body of a lowercase letter.
Offset lithography is the workhorse of printing. Almost every commercial printer does it. But the quality of the final product is often due to the guidance, expertise and equipment provided by the printer.
Offset printing is a method of mass-production printing in which the images on metal plates are transferred (offset) to rubber blankets or rollers and then to the print media. The print media, does not come into direct contact with the metal plates.
The main advantage of offset printing is its high and consistent image quality. The process can be used for small, medium or high volume jobs. There are two types of offset printing machines in common use for publication today.
In sheet-fed offset printing, individual pages of paper are fed into the machine. The pages can be pre-cut to the final publication size or trimmed after printing.
Four colour process printing is a system where a colour image is separated into 4 different colour values (called a colour separation) by the use of filters and screens.
The result is a colour separation of 4 images that when transferred to printing plates and sequentially printed on a printing press with the coloured inks cyan (blue), magenta (red), yellow and black (the k in cmyk), reproduces the original colour image. Most of the entire spectrum or gamut of colours are reproduced with just the four process ink colours. The four colour printing process is universally used in the graphic arts and commercial printing industry for the reproduction of colour images and text.
Cyan (C), Magenta (M), Yellow (Y) and Black (K) – 4 colour process. These four base colours are used in combination (via small dots on the printed page) to form all possible colours within the spectrum. Individual amounts of some, or all of the four colours, are used to replicate different hues.
A typeface is the design of the letterforms; a font is the delivery mechanism. In digital systems, the typeface is the visual design, while the font is the software that allows you to install, access and output the design.
In the sixteenth century, printers began organizing roman and italic typefaces into matched families. The concept was formalised in the early twentieth century and this therefore meant that font families could be created.
http://www.fonts.com/content/learning/fontology/level-1/type-anatomy/type-classifications & Thinking with type, Ellen Lupton
Roman
The
roman form, also called plain or regular is the standard upright version of a
typeface. It is typically conceived as the parent of a larger family and is the
core or spine from which a family of typefaces derives.
Italic
The
italic form is used to create emphasis and are based on cursive writing.
Especially among serif faces, it often employs shapes and strokes distinct from
its roman counterpart. Note the difference between roman and italic a.
Bold
Bold versions of traditional text fonts were added in the twentieth century to meet and need for the need for emphatic forms. Sans-serif families often include a broad range of weights (thin, bold, black).
Semibold italic
The typeface designer tries to make the two bold versions feel similar in comparison to the roman, without making the overall form too heavy. The counters need to stay clear and open at small sizes. Many designers prefer not to use bold and semi-bold versions of traditional typefaces such as Garamond, because these weights are alien to the historic families.
"Some italics aren't slanted at all. In the type family Quadraat, the italic form is upright"
QUADRAAT, designed by Fred Smeijers, 1992.
Univers was designed by the Swiss typographer Adrian Frutiger in 1957. He designed twenty-one versions of Univers, in five weights and five widths. Whereas some type families grow over time, Univers was conceived as a total system from its inception.
http://www.thinkingwithtype.com/contents/letter/#Superfamilies
Word count for page layouts: 371- see Microsoft word document.
Fourth double page worth of content:
Should I Kern?
CONTENT FOR PAGE: One header, four images, several paragraphs.
Kerning is an adjustment of the
space between two letters. The characters of the Latin alphabet emerged over
time; they were never designed with mechanical or automated spacing in mind.
Thus some letter combinations look awkward without special spacing
considerations. Gaps occur, for example, around letters whose forms angle
outward or frame an open space (W, Y, V, T). In metal type, a kerned letter
extends past the lead slug that supports it, allowing two letters to fit more
closely together. In digital fonts, the space between letter pairs is
controlled by a kerning table
created by the type designer, which specifies spaces between problematic letter
combinations. Working in a page layout program, a designer can choose to use metric kerning or optical kerning as well as adjusting
the space between letters manually where desired. A well-designed typeface
requires little or no additional kerning, especially at text sizes.
Metric kerning uses the kerning tables that are built into the typeface. When you select metric kerning in your page layout program, you are using the spacing that was intended by the type designer. Metric kerning usually looks good, especially at small sizes. Cheap novelty fonts often have little or no built-in kerning and will need to be optically kerned.
Optical kerning is executed automatically by the page layout program. Rather than using the pairs addressed in the font's kerning table, optical kerning assesses the shapes of all characters and adjusts the spacing wherever needed. Some graphic designers apply optical kerning to headlines and metric kerning to text. You can make this process efficient and consistent by setting kerning as part of your character styles.
http://eesur.com/kerning-the-appreciation-of-union-with-empty-space/
http://www.thinkingwithtype.com/contents/text/
The subtle differences between metric and optical kerning become more apparent at larger sizes. Most problems occur between capital and lowercase letters. The spacing between H/a, T/a, and T/o improves with optical kerning. The optical kerning applied here in InDesign has created tighter spacing for large text and looser spacing for small text. Look at both effects before choosing a kerning method.
http://www.thinkingwithtype.com/contents/text/
Word count for page layouts: 338- see Microsoft word document.
Fifth double page worth of content:
Colour Scheme (Beth's blog)
CONTENT FOR PAGE: Three images, one main header, a quote and various amounts of text along with a short list.
'When you are sitting down to a new colour project, the first and most important task is analysing the job. Objectivity and common sense will help set the tone'
- Graphic Designer's Colour Handbook by Rick Sutherland and Barb Karg.
"Designers love experimenting with colour because it offers freedom, movement and creativity"
In psychological terms the values associated with certain colours can have a huge impact on the look and feel of a project. Some of the colours can project beauty, such as the reds, yellows, oranges and browns of autumn. The deep hues of purple and blue can project richness, royalty and elegance.
An example of how colours can mean different things to different societies and people is the colour red. Red can be associated with feelings of passion and love. But it cam also means anger and is the colour of blood. In India wedding dresses are red as a sign of purity.
but also include images:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JZbp2pNIhDQ/UZ3hBybZ3CI/AAAAAAAAOpk/mjUpD7lOHzQ/s1600/red+rose+gift+on+valentines+day+(11)666.jpg
http://fashionsup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/indian-bridal-wear-designers.jpg
http://www.naturaskinclinic.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/RedBloodCells3.jpeg
Information about the colour red:
http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-red.html
Sixth double page worth of content:
Type Origins:
CONTENT FOR PAGE: 6 sets of text, 12 images.
Text:
Square capitals were used to write inscriptions, and less often to supplement everyday handwriting. When written in documents this style is known as Latin book hand.
Sable
Traditional East Asian writing uses different tools; the ink brushes to write Chinese characters, Chinese ink, paper, and inkstone. The shape, size, stretch, and hair type of the ink brush, the color, color density and water density of the ink, as well as the paper’s water absorption speed and surface texture are the main physical parameters influencing the final result. The calligrapher also influences the result by the quantity of ink and water he lets the brush take, then by the pressure, inclination, and direction he gives to the brush, producing thinner or bolder strokes.
Bone
A quill pen is a writing implement made from a moulted flight feather (preferably a primary wing-feather) of a large bird. Quills were used for writing with ink before the invention of the dip pen, the metal-nibbed pen, the fountain pen, and, eventually, the ballpoint pen. In a carefully prepared quill the slit does not widen through wetting and drying with ink. It will retain its shape adequately and only requires infrequent sharpening and can be used time and time again until there is little left of it. The hollow shaft of the feather (thecalamus) acts as an ink reservoir and ink flows to the tip by capillary action.
Wood
Woodblock printing is a technique for printing text, images or patterns used widely throughout East Asia and originating in China in antiquity as a method of printing on textiles and paper.
As a method of printing on cloth, the earliest surviving examples from China date to before 220, and woodblock printing remained the most common East Asian method of printing books and other texts, as well as images, until the 19th century. Ukiyo-e is the best known type of Japanese woodblock art print. Most European uses of the technique for printing covered by the art term woodcut.
Lead
Typography created using lead is a developed version of the original wood block prints however by using a different material. Lead allows for intricate details for prints which therefore can create both serif and sans serif fonts. This creates a whole range of possibilities where thin and thick lines can be created.
These fonts are developed digitally, with the ability to ‘undo’ and endless possibilities which traditonal methods wouldn’t allow. Silicone created typefaces couldn’t be created in any other format due to how modorn they are the software it uses.
http://www.praguecollege.cz/sites/default/files/differing-accents-catalogue.pdf
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5128/5212909833_6a2552b5c4.jpg
http://www.peatah.org/images
These two images were taken from Fred's presentations in class and also appear on my own blog.
Other images are type/fonts downloaded from dafont.
Seventh double page worth of content:
Type Anatomy:
CONTENT FOR PAGE: 3 images, several paragraphs.
(thinking with type- Ellen Lupton)
http://graphicdesign.spokanefalls.edu/tutorials/process/type_basics/
(also from the same website)
Crossbar: A horizontal stroke.
Stem: Primary vertical stroke.
Terminal: The end of a stroke that lacks a serif.
Ascender: An upward vertical stroke found on lowercase letters that extends above the typeface’s x-height.
Small Caps: Uppercase characters that appear as a smaller size than the capital height of a typeface. Short for “small capitals”.
Link/Neck: A stroke that connects the top and bottom bowls of lowercase double-story g’s.
Loop/Lobe: The enclosed or partially enclosed counter below the baseline of a double-story g.
Ear: A small stroke projecting from the upper right bowl of some lowercase g’s.
Axis: An imaginary line drawn from top to bottom of a glyph bisecting the upper and lower strokes is the axis.
Bowl: A curved stroke that encloses a letter’s counter.
Eye: Much like a counter, the eye refers specifically to the enclosed space in a lowercase ‘e’.
Finial: A tapered or curved end.
Shoulder: A curved stroke originating from a stem.
Serif: “Feet” or non-structural details at the ends of some strokes.
Tail: A descending stroke, often decorative.
Baseline: The invisible line where letters sit.
Descender: A downward vertical stroke found on lowercase letters that extends below the baseline.
Cap height: The height from the baseline to the top of the uppercase letters.
X height: The height of the main body of a lowercase letter.
Eighth double page worth of content:
Colour Printing (from my own blog)
CONTENT FOR PAGE: one image, large amount of text
Four colour process printing is a system where a colour image is separated into 4 different colour values (called a colour separation) by the use of filters and screens.
Cyan (C), Magenta (M), Yellow (Y) and Black (K) – 4 colour process. These four base colours are used in combination (via small dots on the printed page) to form all possible colours within the spectrum. Individual amounts of some, or all of the four colours, are used to replicate different hues.
The CMYK four colour processing is not made up of pure colour, it is simply a mix of cyan, magenta, yellow and key. Spot colours do not contain these dots because they are a pure solid colour.
Colour printing not only uses the four colour process. There is also the use of a system called spot colouring. Spot colour printing creates brighter, more vibrant results, but with a smaller colour range. When printing in single (spot) colours, a single colour ink (normally with a Pantone reference number) is applied to the printing press roller. These jobs are usually limited to a small number of colours such as business cards and work with a limited colour palette of one or two colours.
Legibility is concerned with how easy it is to distinguish individual letters. The simpler a type design is, the more legible it is. So why do less-than-legible typefaces even exist? Because typeface designers love to create unique and distinctive designs, of course.
While it is generally better to always choose a legible type, there are times when distinctiveness may be more important than legibility. For example, when selecting a font for a unique and distinctive company logo. There are three main features that can make a typeface legible; a large x height, large counters and overall being a simplistic letterform.
Large X-Height:
A large x-height increases the negative space within each letter. This makes it’s shape much more discernible.
Large Counters:
The negative space within a letter is called a counter. When a typeface has large counters, it is easier to distinguish the shape of each individual letter.
Simple Letterforms:
The simpler a letterform, the more legible it is. Sans serif types are generally more legible than their serif counterparts because they do not have any serifs interfering with the shapes of the letters. However, this does not mean that sans serifs are necessarily easier to READ in text. Actually, serif types are generally considered MORE readable. The exception to this rule is on-screen. Because of on-screen distortion, sans serif is the best choice for readability.
Some common typefaces which meet these three criteria are: Helvetica, Novarese, New Century Schoolbook, Cheltenham, Times Roman, Gill Sans, and Baskerville.
Images: Type examples from downloaded fonts.
Readability refers to the ease with which a reader can scan over paragraphs of type. In other words, how easy it is to read. While legibility is basically dependent on the typeface design, readability is dependent on the manipulation or handling of the type. A highly legible typeface can be made unreadable by poor typographic design.
Factors which affect readability include: line lengths, point size, leading, typeface selection, spacing, type alignment, and background.
Avoid Capitals
Ninety-five percent of what we read is in lowercase letters. Not only are we much more used to reading them, but they also assist us because they create a recognizable shape (coastline). Words in capital letters have no distinctive shape (or coastline).
IT IS DIFFICULT TO READ WITHIN A SENTENCE.
Use a size suitable for your audience. Ideal text type size ranges from 9-12 point depending on the x-height. Remember older people may need a larger point size
to read.
Don’t use a too long or too short line length.Very short or long lines disrupt the reader’s rhythm, making it harder to read. Very short lines run the risk of creating rivers if justified alignments used.
Create equal word spacing.
If word spaces are too large, they break the lines up into separate elements and disrupt reading. This is especially true if justified type is used on a short line length. If the word spaces are too small, it becomes difficult to distinguish each separate word.
Create even letter spacing.
When letters are correctly spaced, a paragraph of type takes on an even color. From a distance it should look like a screened gray block.
Think about the background.
An important factor in the readability of type is the background on which it is placed. This includes not only any printed blocks of color, screens or black backgrounds, but also the kind of paper the type appears on. When selecting a typeface, think carefully about what kind of background it will be placed on. For instance, a fine, light typeface will not stand out well on black or glossy stock.
Font Size
Some fonts read better when small and others when large. Verdana for example is designed slightly larger than other fonts making it very readable at small sizes and explains why it’s so often used in online body copy.
The question you probably most want to know is what size should you use. There isn’t a simple answer. Compare the following two fonts.
Colour printing not only uses the four colour process. There is also the use of a system called spot colouring. Spot colour printing creates brighter, more vibrant results, but with a smaller colour range. When printing in single (spot) colours, a single colour ink (normally with a Pantone reference number) is applied to the printing press roller. These jobs are usually limited to a small number of colours such as business cards and work with a limited colour palette of one or two colours.
Last double spread:
Legibility & Readability.
http://www.vanseodesign.com/web-design/legible-readable-typography/
http://michalisavraam.org/2009/05/readability-vs-legibility/ & also thinking with type- Ellen Lupton.
Large Counters:
The negative space within a letter is called a counter. When a typeface has large counters, it is easier to distinguish the shape of each individual letter.
The simpler a letterform, the more legible it is. Sans serif types are generally more legible than their serif counterparts because they do not have any serifs interfering with the shapes of the letters. However, this does not mean that sans serifs are necessarily easier to READ in text. Actually, serif types are generally considered MORE readable. The exception to this rule is on-screen. Because of on-screen distortion, sans serif is the best choice for readability.
Some common typefaces which meet these three criteria are: Helvetica, Novarese, New Century Schoolbook, Cheltenham, Times Roman, Gill Sans, and Baskerville.
Images: Type examples from downloaded fonts.
Ninety-five percent of what we read is in lowercase letters. Not only are we much more used to reading them, but they also assist us because they create a recognizable shape (coastline). Words in capital letters have no distinctive shape (or coastline).
to read.
If word spaces are too large, they break the lines up into separate elements and disrupt reading. This is especially true if justified type is used on a short line length. If the word spaces are too small, it becomes difficult to distinguish each separate word.
Think about the background.
An important factor in the readability of type is the background on which it is placed. This includes not only any printed blocks of color, screens or black backgrounds, but also the kind of paper the type appears on. When selecting a typeface, think carefully about what kind of background it will be placed on. For instance, a fine, light typeface will not stand out well on black or glossy stock.
Some fonts read better when small and others when large. Verdana for example is designed slightly larger than other fonts making it very readable at small sizes and explains why it’s so often used in online body copy.
This is 12px Verdana
This is 12px Arial
No comments:
Post a Comment