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10 typeface basics.fi_xed
This document provides an overview of typeface basics and tips for using type effectively. It defines typeface terminology like ascenders, descenders, and x-height. It also describes the main classifications of type families like serif, sans serif, script, display, monospace, and dingbat fonts. The document provides examples of common fonts for each classification and tips for pairing personality with purpose, limiting the number of type families used, avoiding all capitals, paying attention to relationships between combined types, and learning from design experts.
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10 typeface basics.fi_xed
- 1.
- 2. Glossary 1 Ascenders:Ascenders: Strokesof letters that rise above the mean line of type (b, d, f, h, k, l, t). Descenders:Descenders: Strokes of letters that fall below the baseline (g, j, p, q, y) x-height:x-height: The height of the main body of the lowercase letters. Most sans serifs have large x-heights. 2
- 3. Glossary 2 Type families(sometimes referred to as font):Type families (sometimes referred to as font): Versatile faces such as Garamond, Franklin Gothic, Futura, etc. offer several variations of weight and posture in the same typeface. Display type:Display type: Point sizes 14 point and above. Width rule:Width rule: When copy gets too wide, readability drops off. The rule is that copy should be no wider than an alphabet and a half or 39 characters. 3
- 4. Measuring Type 1. Typeis measured in points. 2. 72 points = 1 inch, 3. 72-pt. type is 1 inch tall, measured from the top of the ascenderascender to the bottom of the descenderdescender. 4. ½-inch = 36-pt. 5. ¼-inch = 18-pt. 6. No letter has both an ascender and a descender; however in any given typeface and size, the length of the ascender and descender are the same. 4
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- 6. Tip # 1. Pairpersonality to purpose. • Keep in mind the message you are trying to communicate with your type. • Sports, even women's sports, do not lend themselves to feminine script, for example. Getting down, dirty girls rugby gaining popularity Or Getting down, dirty girls rugby gaining popularity
- 7. Tip # 2. Whenworking with type, more type families are not better. • Limiting type to no more than three font family for the entire book is a growing trend. • When combining type for headlines, remember two’s company, three’s a crowd. • Limit spread designs to one distinct type supported by something simple. A family of fonts is composted of different stylesstyles.
- 8. Font # 1: Readingpull-down information Format of font 1. TrueType 2. Postscript 3. Open Type (best) Format of font 1. TrueType 2. Postscript 3. Open Type (best) Styles of font in family 1. Light 2. Condensed Styles of font in family 1. Light 2. Condensed Font Family Myriad Pro Font Family Myriad Pro
- 9. Font # 2: Classificationsof font families 6 basic font classes 1.1. SerifSerif A. Old Style B. Transitional C. Modern D. Slab Serif 2.2. Sans SerifSans Serif (sans = without) 3. Script A. Blackletter 3. Display 4. Monospaced 5. Dingbat
- 10. Font # 3: SerifsSerifs •SerifsSerifs are easier toeasier to readread than sans serifs. • Use a serif fontserif font for body copybody copy (text), as a general rule. SerifsSerifs are in red Baskerville Bernhard Modern Courier Standard Garamond Georgia Minion Pro Palatino Times New Roman Examples Of Serif Fonts:Examples Of Serif Fonts:
- 11. Font # 4: SansserifsSans serifs These are lessThese are less legible thanlegible than serifs.serifs. UseUse sans serifsans serif fonts forfonts for primaryprimary headlines orheadlines or captions as acaptions as a general rule.general rule. Examples of Sans Serif Font Families Arial Arial Rounded MT Comic Sans MS Futura Helvetica Letter Gothic Std Lucia San Myriad Pro News Gothic MT Stone Sans ITC TT Verdana
- 12. Font # 5: ScriptScript ScriptScriptfonts are • harderharder to read. • used as largelarge text only. • for special casesspecial cases only. Bickham Script Pro Brush Script Std. Caflisch Script Pro Dickens Script SSK Edwardian Script ITC Handwriting — Dakota Lucida Blackletter Lucida Handwriting Medici Script Old English Text School House Cursive Snell Roundhand Examples Of Script Font Families:Examples Of Script Font Families:
- 13. • harderharder toread • used as largelarge text only • for special casesspecial cases only Examples Of Display Families:Examples Of Display Families: DisplayDisplay fonts are:
- 14. Font # 6: DisplayFontsDisplay Fonts • harderharder to read • used as largelarge text only • for special casesspecial cases only Abite Air Conditioner Bionic Comic Bold BowlORama Big Apple Doris Day Lucifer’s Pension Jellyka Castle’s Queen JI Toy Train Raconteur NF Sand
- 15. Font # 7: MonospaceFontsMonospace Fonts MonospaceMonospace fonts Are also called "fixed pitch" fonts Have characters that all have the same character width Originally were designed for typewriters Used with computer source code Andale Mono Courier New Letter Gothic Std Lucinda Console Lucinda Sans Typewriter Monaco ORC A Prestige Elite Std Examples Of Monospace Families:Examples Of Monospace Families:
- 16. Font # 8: DingbatFontsDingbat Fonts DingbatDingbat fonts are: Also known as a "printer's ornament" or "printer's character.” Describe fonts with symbols and shapes in the positions designated for alphabetical or numeric characters.
- 17. Font # 9: DingbatFontsDingbat Fonts GlyphsGlyphs are: An ornament, a character or spacer used in typesetting.
- 18. Font # 10: DingbatFontsDingbat Fonts MT Extra abc fde g MS Reference Specialty ABCDE Symbol αβχδεφγ Type Embellishments One LET abcdefg Webdings Wingdings Wingdings3 Zapf Dingbats Typical Examples Of Display Families:Typical Examples Of Display Families:
- 19. Font # 11: DingbatFontsDingbat Fonts AbecedarianZoo abcdefg AmphibiPrint abcdefg Carta abcdefg Face it! Abcdefg Face Off!Abcdefg RoadSign abcdefg RoadWarningSign abcdefg Fun Examples Of Display Families:Fun Examples Of Display Families:
- 20. Font # 12: RememberRemember Themore unusual the type, the lower the readability. Pick your fonts carefully.
- 21. Tip # 3. Avoidusing all capitals. • That doesn’t mean you can never use all caps. • Just realize all capital letters reduces readability. • Use all caps only when you have a specific design purpose in mind. • Especially avoid using all capitals in a script face. • Your readability drops to about zero.
- 22. Tip # 4. Payattention to relationships when combining type. • If elements are not the same, they should be very different. • Remember, like the perfect marriage, types need to either be very similar or fairly opposite. • Contrast type in size, weight, form and structure. • The combinations you form should communicate, not confuse the reader. Examples: Verdana bold for heads Georgia for text = good contrast Verdana bold for heads Trebuchet for text = not enough contrast
- 23. Tip # 5. Sometypes just don’t mix. • Don't use two scripts or a script and an italic together. • They usually have the same form and so theythey conflictconflict with each other rather than contrast. • Never use two types from the same category (for example: Script, Decorative) together. Don'tDo Don'tDo
- 24. Tip # 6. Don’tabuse type through manipulation • Purpose is to communicate type helps do that. • Don’t manipulate type to fit your design by adjusting leading and width. • Instead, edit the copy or find a word that fits the headline space. • Once established within a section, type size, leading and width should remain consistent.
- 25. Tip # 7. Complementyour knowledge of fonts with your knowledge of design. • Use of effectively planned white space and color can enhance your use of type. • Place type on the page to create entry points for your reader.
- 26. Tip # 8. Learnmore from the experts. • Magazines like Before & After and Dynamic Graphics have information and advice. • Check out books like The Non- Designers Design Book by design experts like Robin Williams. • Many of these tips come from her. • For more technical information, check out her Non-Designers Type Book. • Browse the bookstores and stock up on magazines that use type effectively so you can build a library of ideas.