User Rating: 5 / 5

Star ActiveStar ActiveStar ActiveStar ActiveStar Active
 

SYLLABUS 

  • typeface; size, alignment, format, spacing 11 GEN, 11 ATAR

VOCABULARY

  • typeface = a design for a set of characters
  • size = how large or small
  • alignment = arrangement in a line; left, right or both
  • format = the way that it is arranged or set out
  • spacing = the distance between
  • typography = the art of arranging type
  • glyph = one character in a font set

The image below shows glyphs for the letter m

Screen Shot 2015 03 13 at 8.20.54 am

DETAILS

  • use only one or two fonts in your digital solutions
  • typeface (or font) have several characteristics including the way they look
  • serif or sans serif; the last m above has serif (or decorarive marks) remember that sans means no, so sans serif means no decorative marks
  • serif is supposed to be easier to read on paper, sans serif easier on screen; do your own analysis on this; What do you think?
  • the weight of line used - bold or naturally heavier within a typeface (or font set)
  • uppercase / lowercase; most fonts come in uppercase and lowercase. Which ones don't?

Size

  • the size - how big
  • size for fonts, measured in 'points'  72pt  is 1" or 2.5cm in height
  • size is standardised across all applications 
  • a size 16 pt font in Micrsosoft Word is similar in size to size 16 in Apple's Pages

Alignment

  • alignment; left align = text lines are rendered flush left, centre = text lines are centered, right align = text lines are rendered flush right

Format (TBC)

  • bold, italics, underlined

Spacing

  • Tracking is the equal space between all the letters in a word, eg   w  o  r  d      or larger spacing    w    o    r    d
  • Kerning is the uneven spaces between some letters in a word. The letters r  and  n when together like this, rn , actually look like an m
  • You can change the kerning in some software to automatically fix problem letter combinations

 

FOR YOU TO DO

  1. Make a document with 1 page that displays the most wide ranging fonts you can find. Only have 12 words at size 36 points.
  2. Make a second document with the most unusual fonts you can find on the internet.
  3. Make a third document with images of bad kerning and other poor examples of font used in advertising
  4. Save these documents in your typography folder

 

 

Learn more from creative blog  and font rendering at Smash Magazine
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2012/04/24/a-closer-look-at-font-rendering/
 
 
 Found an error or enhancement? Please use the contact form under the Home menu item.