4 Typography Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Learning Objectives Summarize the development of.

4Typography

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Learning Objectives

• Summarize the development of type styles.

• Identify the basic terms used to describe type.

• Summarize seven typeface classifications.

• Explain the difference between a family, a series, and a font of type.


Learning Objectives

• Identify the common type sizes and units used in typography.

• Explain the factors that contribute to the legibility of type.


Typefaces

• Distinctive visual symbols used to compose printed pages

• Assortment of characters is necessary to put words into print

• Typefaces have different names• Number of new typefaces has

increased with computerized typesetting


Typography

• Art of expressing ideas in printed form through selection of appropriate typefaces

• Typographer selects:– Appropriate typefaces to be expressed in

type– Other details of reproduction and

physical format


Typeface Terminology


Character Terms

• Hairline• Stem• Stroke• Stress• Serif• Set width


Type Style Development

• Hand-lettered book pages were used in medieval Europe

• Type metal was used in mechanical printing from individual pieces of type

• Foundry type was major form of type used from 1400s through mid-1900s

• Photographic and electronic methods of typesetting are used today


Black Letter

• Manuscript style was used by scribes in Germany, France, and Holland

• Similar to modern type style of Old English

• Basis for development of earliest metal type


Development of theRoman Type Style

• Changes in type styles happened in Italy

• Subiacio face was early version of Roman face

• Nicolas Jenson designed and cut Roman letter forms

• Italic type was first used by Aldus Manutius in Venice


Modern Typefaces

• Garamond designed elegant and refined typeface

• Janson modified manuscript letter with lighter lines

• Caslon created typeface used for printing on rougher stock

• Baskerville developed transitional typeface• Bodoni created typeface with greater

differences between light and heavy elements


Contemporary Typefaces

• Primarily from 20th century• Three groups:

– Modern versions of basic book faces of early printers

– Modifications of basic book faces made for newspapers

– New display faces


Roman Typeface Elements

• Heavy elements• Light elements• Serifs• Ascenders• Descenders


Typeface Classifications

• Roman• Sans serif• Square serif• Black letter• Script or cursive• Novelty or Decorative• Italic (variation of other classifications)


Roman Typefaces

• Oldstyle Roman typefaces– Used for book text matter

• Transitional Roman typefaces– Used for print on smooth paper

• Modern Roman typefaces– Distinguished contrast between light and

heavy elements


Sans Serif

• Second in popularity to Roman• Monotone appearance• Heavy and light elements have same

thickness• Few faces have heavy and light

elements


Square Serif

• Formed with strokes of equal weight with finishing-off strokes added

• Shape of serif is square• Not easy to read• Used for display or headlines


Black Letter or Text

• Resembles calligraphy• Used for printed materials relating to

special occasions• Difficult to read when set in all capital

letters


Script Typeface or Cursive

• Designed to simulate handwriting• Distinction in whether or not

individual letters in words are joined• Used for headlines, announcements,

invitations, and letterheads• Seldom used for setting full printed

pages or large blocks of body copy


Novelty Typeface or Decorative

• Various typefaces used to command special attention

• Also called occasional• Must be chosen to express mood or

theme• Not intended to be used as body copy


Italic

• Slanted version of upright letter• Treated as separate classification• Called oblique in electronic

composition• Used for emphasis, foreign words,

terms being defined, quotations, and poetry


Reverse Type

• Usually white characters on solid black or color background

• Stresses importance of message or information in copy

• Many types are difficult to read when reversed, especially in small point sizes


Typeface Families, Series,and Fonts

• Groupings of typefaces by specific styles of type– Families are groups of styles – Series is total range of sizes of one type

style of a given font – Font is complete set of letters and other

characters contained in typeface


Typeface Family

• Variations of typestyles are part of families

• Width variations– Condensed typefaces– Expanded faces

• Weight variations


Typeface Series

• Common sizes are 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72

• Introduction of phototypesetters allowed use of different sizes that were not common to relief process

• Electronic composition allows virtually any size needed


Type Font

• Kinds and total number of characters differ from font to font

• Symbols or special characters may be included– Ligatures– Small caps– Pi characters


Points and Picas

• Two principal units of measure used in graphic communications industry

• Picas measure line lengths and composition depth

• Do not confuse point size with x-height


Points and Picas

• Text or body type– Type sizes from 4-point through 12-

point

• Display type– Type sizes above 12-point


Picas and Points• 1 point is 0.01383″, with 12 points in 1 pica• 1 pica is 0.166″, with 6 picas in approximately

1 inch• Layout and design software programs note

pica values as whole number with lowercase “p,” followed by points value– 4 picas and 5 points is presented as 4p5


Ems and Ens

• Em is unit of printer’s measure equal to height and width of capital M in given size of type

• Em quad was used to indent paragraphs

• Half of em quad is en quad


Ems and Ens


Set Size

• Also called set width• Electronic composition allows set width of

characters and words to change


Letterspacing and Wordspacing

• Letterspacing– Loose set– Tight set

• Character compensation shrinks copy• Tracking allows control of letter and

wordspacing together• Horizontal scaling


Letterspacing and Wordspacing

• Modern equipment allows you to automatically justify type

• Widows can be avoided– Line can be lengthened– Previous line can be shortened– Letterspacing and wordspacing can be

changed


Kerning

• Closes up space between certain characters

• Improves appearance and readability of words

• Normally done for top- or bottom-heavy letters


Legibility Factors

• Sometimes termed readability• Purpose is major consideration when

selecting typeface– Straight matter– Display type

• Physical factors contribute to legibility– Visibility, letter forms, definition, type

size, line length, and leading


Visibility

• Contrast of typeface against light reflected by paper

• Brightness of white and colored paper varies

• Smoothness and opacity affect visibility

• Ink darkness depends on ink’s power to cover paper surface


Definition

• Sharpness or distinction of printed image

• Small typeface requires smoother paper for good definition

• Special consideration must be given when placing type over screened backgrounds because poor definition may result


Type Size

• Legibility increases up to 10-point type• Straight matter set in 10-point type is

considered normal for comfortable reading

• X-height of font contributes to legibility– Increases size of letters– Decreases length of ascenders and

descenders


Line Length

• Also called line width• Measured in picas• Eye span is about 40 characters• Width of lines should correspond to

eye span of reader to make reading easier


Line Spacing

• Distance separating each line of copy– Also called leading

• Line spacing equal to size of type is called set solid

• Many systems can reduce spacing below typesize (negative leading)

• Proper leading unites lines horizontally and helps fit copy


Typefaces for Display

• Intended to draw attention to message

• Display type is usually 14-point or larger

• Position of display line gives prominence

• Different weights of type can be used for emphasis


Review

Foundry type is individual pieces of metal type that could be aligned with type containing other letters to form words and sentences for printing on paper.

What is foundry type?


ReviewWhat is point size?

A vertical measurement used to identify or specify the size of a typeface.


Review

What are the three classifications of Roman typefaces?

Oldstyle Roman typefaces, Transitional Roman typefaces, and Modern Roman typefaces.


ReviewWhat is the difference between a typeface family and a typeface series?

A typeface family is a grouping consisting of all the variations of one style of type. A typeface series is a grouping of the ranges of sizes of each typeface in a family.


Review

What are the two principal units of measure used in the graphic communi-cations industry?

Points and picas.


Review

What is line length and how does it contribute to the legibility of printed materials?

Line length is the distance from the left to right sides of a line or body of copy. When the width of the line corresponds to the eye span of the reader, the physical task of reading is made easier.

4 Typography Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Learning Objectives Summarize the development of.

Documents

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legibility of type

development of type

roman letter formsitalic

major form of type

common type sizes

typeface terminologypermission