Definitions
Absolute Measurement - are measurements of fixed values. For example, a millimeter is a precisely defined increment of a centimeter. All absolute measurements are expressed in finite terms that cannot be altered.
Relative Measurement - many measurements, such as character spacing, are linked to type size, which means that their relationships are defined by a series of relative measurements.
Point - is the unit of measurement used to measure the type size of a font.
Pica - is a unit of measurement equal to 12 points that is commonly used for measuring lines of type
Em (and em dash) - is a relative unit of measurement used in typesetting to define basic spacing functions, and therefore it is linked to the size of the type. An em = the size of a given type.
En (and en dash) - is a unit of relative measurement equal to half of one em.
Legibility - depends upon the ease with which the eye can identify letters, and distinguish them from one another. It therefore depends on the relationship of letters in the font as upon the design of the individual letters.
Rag - occur when highly noticeable shapes form by the line endsof text blocks that distract from simple, uninterrupted reading. Rags can include exaggerated slopes or noticeable inclines.
Type Alignments - Flush left - all lines line up to the left margin, jagged right, easy to read.
Flush right – the ends of lines are aligned on the right margin, jagged left, can be hard to read in large amounts.
Centered – all text is centered between the left and right margin, overused.
Justified – text is spaced so that it aligns with both the left and right margin, can create odd spaces, but looks really nice when used well.
Word Spacing - adjusts the space between words.
Rivers - typically occur in justified text blocks when the separation of the words leaves gaps of white space in several lines. A river effect is created where white space gaps align through the text.
Indent - text blocks can be indented so that some or all of the text lines are moved in from the margin by a specified amount. Indention provides the reader with an easily accessible entry point to a paragraph.
Leading - the point system used to specify the depth of space between lines. Leading refers to the hot-metal printing term where strips of lead were inserted between text measures in order to space them correctly.
Kerning - is the spacing of particular letter pairs that would otherwise create disproportionate spaces. If the letters in a typeface are spaced too uniformly, they make a pattern that doesn't look uniform enough
Tracking - adjusting the overall space between letters, rather than the space between two characters. Also known as letterspacing.
Weight - typefaces customarily include a choice of weights from bold, to intermediate weights like medium and demi. An increase in the stroke width will necessitate modifications of the form of the font.
Scale - content may be differentiated through the scale of the type, by increases in point size. As a general rule, size should be increased or decreased by at least 2 points to create a contrast.
Typographic Variation - should serve to clarify visually for the reader specific to kinds of emphasis and prioritization, and to establish consistent distinctions between different kinds of content.
Orphan - the final one or two sentences of a paragraph separated from the main paragraph toform a new column and should be avoided.
Widow - a lone word at the end of a paragraph
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Josef Muller-Brockmann
“The grid system is an aid, not a guarantee.It permits a number of possible uses and eachdesigner can look for a solution appropriate to hispersonal style. But one must learn how to use thegrid; it is an art that requires practice. ”Josef Müller-Brockmann
Josef Muller-Brockmann is often referred to as the father of Swiss Graphic Design. His ideas are mostly abstract concepts, but he also strictly followed the established the rules of typography and the grid. Muller-Brockmann also studied and taught graphology. In his 1981 book Grid Systems in Graphic Design, he describes his use of the grid and emphasizes the importance of its use and simplicity. He labeled his style “constructive design.”
Josef Muller-Brockmann was born on May 9th in Rapperswil, Switzerland. He grew up in Rapperswil, Schmerikon, and Uznach. He completed his secondary school in Rapp. and started an apprenticeship as a graphic designer in Zurich in 1930. He ended his apprenticeship in 1932 and begun auditing courses by Ernst Keller and Alfred Willimann at the Zurich School of Arts and Crafts.
He worked as a freelance graphic designer for a few years and designed the Pavilion of Honor for the Swiss universities for the 1939 National Fair. He then enlisted in the military and served as a lieutenant in the Swiss army from 1939 to 1945.
After the war, Muller-Brockmann went back to his life in graphic design and continued producing work and writing many books on the subject. He had many lecture tours, won the Gold Medal of the Canton of Zurich in 1987 and won the Brunnel Award twice.
Muller-Brockmann died in Zurich on August 30th, 1996.
http://www.thegridsystem.org/tags/jan-tschichold/
http://www.filterfine.com/resources/jmb/bio.htm
http://www.agrayspace.com/ncsu/04_fall/img/Brockmann.pdf
Josef Muller-Brockmann was born on May 9th in Rapperswil, Switzerland. He grew up in Rapperswil, Schmerikon, and Uznach. He completed his secondary school in Rapp. and started an apprenticeship as a graphic designer in Zurich in 1930. He ended his apprenticeship in 1932 and begun auditing courses by Ernst Keller and Alfred Willimann at the Zurich School of Arts and Crafts.
He worked as a freelance graphic designer for a few years and designed the Pavilion of Honor for the Swiss universities for the 1939 National Fair. He then enlisted in the military and served as a lieutenant in the Swiss army from 1939 to 1945.
After the war, Muller-Brockmann went back to his life in graphic design and continued producing work and writing many books on the subject. He had many lecture tours, won the Gold Medal of the Canton of Zurich in 1987 and won the Brunnel Award twice.
Muller-Brockmann died in Zurich on August 30th, 1996.
http://www.thegridsystem.org/tags/jan-tschichold/
http://www.filterfine.com/resources/jmb/bio.htm
http://www.agrayspace.com/ncsu/04_fall/img/Brockmann.pdf
Jan Tschichold
Jan Tschichold was a hugely influential typographer of the 20th century who worked his whole life in the design field. He wrote many books, designed very famous typefaces, and worked as a teacher.
Tschichold was born April 2nd, 1902 in Leipzig, Germany and died August 11th, 1974 in Locarno, Switzerland. He was the son of a script writer, Franz Tschichold. He gained an early appreciation for scripts and often helped his father work. After finishing school, the 14-year-old decided to become a drawing teacher.
It is reported that the 1914 World’s Fair for Books and Graphics was an important experience in the boy’s life. In Tschichold’s free time, he studied books by Edward Johnston and Rudolf von Larisch and created calligraphy on his own. He created amazing manuscripts for a 16-year-old beginner.
In 1919, he begun taking typography classes and he regularly received design commissions for advertisements by 1921. Tschichold was influenced heavily by the Bauhaus and settled in Munich in 1926, where he wrote “The New Typography” in 1928.
He moved around a lot after that, going between London and Switzerland. It was on his return to Switzerland that he created his masterpiece typeface: Sabon. Its model was the 1952 Garamond interpretation. Sabon is often referred to as Tschichold’s masterpiece typeface. It originally had three weights: normal, italic, and semibold.
Fonts: Transit (1931), Saskia (1931), Zeus (1931), Sabon® (1967).
Publications include: "Die neue Typographie", Berlin 1928; "Typographische Gestaltung", Basle 1935; "Geschichte der Schrift in Bildern", Basle 1941; Schriftkunde, Schreibübungen und Skizzieren«, Basle 1942, Berlin 1952; "Schatzkammern der Schreibkunst", Basle 1946; "Meisterbuch der Schrift", Ravensburg 1953; "Erfreuliche Drucksachen durch gute Typographie", Ravensburg 1960, "Willkürfreie Maßverhältnisse der Buchseite und des Satzspiegels", Basle 1962; "Ausgewählte Aufsätze über Fragen der Gestalt des Buches und der Typography", Basle 1975; "Jan Tscichold, Leben und Werk", Dresden 1977; "Jan Tschichold. Schriften 1925–1974", Berlin 1991.
http://www.linotype.com/794/childhood.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Tschichold
http://www.biography.com/articles/Jan-Tschichold-37399
Tschichold was born April 2nd, 1902 in Leipzig, Germany and died August 11th, 1974 in Locarno, Switzerland. He was the son of a script writer, Franz Tschichold. He gained an early appreciation for scripts and often helped his father work. After finishing school, the 14-year-old decided to become a drawing teacher.
It is reported that the 1914 World’s Fair for Books and Graphics was an important experience in the boy’s life. In Tschichold’s free time, he studied books by Edward Johnston and Rudolf von Larisch and created calligraphy on his own. He created amazing manuscripts for a 16-year-old beginner.
In 1919, he begun taking typography classes and he regularly received design commissions for advertisements by 1921. Tschichold was influenced heavily by the Bauhaus and settled in Munich in 1926, where he wrote “The New Typography” in 1928.
He moved around a lot after that, going between London and Switzerland. It was on his return to Switzerland that he created his masterpiece typeface: Sabon. Its model was the 1952 Garamond interpretation. Sabon is often referred to as Tschichold’s masterpiece typeface. It originally had three weights: normal, italic, and semibold.
Fonts: Transit (1931), Saskia (1931), Zeus (1931), Sabon® (1967).
Publications include: "Die neue Typographie", Berlin 1928; "Typographische Gestaltung", Basle 1935; "Geschichte der Schrift in Bildern", Basle 1941; Schriftkunde, Schreibübungen und Skizzieren«, Basle 1942, Berlin 1952; "Schatzkammern der Schreibkunst", Basle 1946; "Meisterbuch der Schrift", Ravensburg 1953; "Erfreuliche Drucksachen durch gute Typographie", Ravensburg 1960, "Willkürfreie Maßverhältnisse der Buchseite und des Satzspiegels", Basle 1962; "Ausgewählte Aufsätze über Fragen der Gestalt des Buches und der Typography", Basle 1975; "Jan Tscichold, Leben und Werk", Dresden 1977; "Jan Tschichold. Schriften 1925–1974", Berlin 1991.
http://www.linotype.com/794/childhood.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Tschichold
http://www.biography.com/articles/Jan-Tschichold-37399
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Typography Post 1 - The Grid
What is the definition of a grid?
A grid breaks up space or time into regular units. The grid creates a backdrop for arranging the content and can be used for alignment and control of the space.
Why do we use a grid? What are the benefits or functions?
We use a grid for control. It allows the designer to bring a more rational approach to a blank piece of paper. The grid serves as a structured environment in which we put our design. The equally spaced lines and modules make it easy for us to align elements and create continuity or regularity.
What is a modular grid?
A modular grid has equally spaced horizontal and vertical lines that form square modules. These modules can have gutters between them for separation.
Define and illustrate margins, columns, grid modules, flowlines, and gutter
Margins – the margin is the buffer between the grid and the edge of the page. It creates an empty border so that the content doesn’t go all the way to the edge
Columns – the vertical divisions in a grid
Grid Modules – the squares that are formed by the equally spaced horizontal and vertical lines in the grid
Flowlines – the horizontal and vertical lines
Gutter – the spaces between the individual modules
What is the definition of hierarchy?
Hierarchy is a logical and visual way to express relative importance of different text elements by providing a visual guide to their organization. It makes the layout clear and easier to digest.
What are ways to achieve a clear hierarchy?
Ways to achieve a clear hierarchy include: making the most important text bold, italic, larger, or just at the top or far left of the page. You can also surround text with a lot of white space to make the viewer’s eye see it first.
Define type family and type styles –
A type family includes a number of separate fonts including roman, bold, italic and at least one variant in weight, like bold. The family commonly shares the same proportion and width and is seen as part of the same face.
Type styles are the different styles of fonts, like sans serif or serif. Some styles have more flair and some are very plain.
A grid breaks up space or time into regular units. The grid creates a backdrop for arranging the content and can be used for alignment and control of the space.
Why do we use a grid? What are the benefits or functions?
We use a grid for control. It allows the designer to bring a more rational approach to a blank piece of paper. The grid serves as a structured environment in which we put our design. The equally spaced lines and modules make it easy for us to align elements and create continuity or regularity.
What is a modular grid?
A modular grid has equally spaced horizontal and vertical lines that form square modules. These modules can have gutters between them for separation.
Define and illustrate margins, columns, grid modules, flowlines, and gutter
Margins – the margin is the buffer between the grid and the edge of the page. It creates an empty border so that the content doesn’t go all the way to the edge
Columns – the vertical divisions in a grid
Grid Modules – the squares that are formed by the equally spaced horizontal and vertical lines in the grid
Flowlines – the horizontal and vertical lines
Gutter – the spaces between the individual modules
What is the definition of hierarchy?
Hierarchy is a logical and visual way to express relative importance of different text elements by providing a visual guide to their organization. It makes the layout clear and easier to digest.
What are ways to achieve a clear hierarchy?
Ways to achieve a clear hierarchy include: making the most important text bold, italic, larger, or just at the top or far left of the page. You can also surround text with a lot of white space to make the viewer’s eye see it first.
Define type family and type styles –
A type family includes a number of separate fonts including roman, bold, italic and at least one variant in weight, like bold. The family commonly shares the same proportion and width and is seen as part of the same face.
Type styles are the different styles of fonts, like sans serif or serif. Some styles have more flair and some are very plain.
My Plan
This blog will document my trip through the University of Kansas Graphic Design Program.
We will start with the grid - and grow from there.
Enjoy my struggles!
We will start with the grid - and grow from there.
Enjoy my struggles!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)