Monday, November 30, 2009

Type - Project 4

What are the advantages of a multiple column grid?
a multiple column grid gives the user a framework to place and arrange their content, keeping it structured. It makes it easier to create asymmetry and make interesting compositions. It is flexible, you can vary widths, using 1, 2 or 3 columns... For example, a 4 column grid is not very flexible.

How many characters is optimal for a line length? words per line?
6-8 words per line - 45-75 (average of 60) characters per line

Why is the baseline grid used in design?
the baseline grid makes everything lock to it so that everything is aligned. You can make it smaller so that you have more flexibility. It creates continuity 

What is a typographic river?
this happens in justified text when there are weird gaps of white space left between words and creates lines of white space in the paragraph

From the readings what does clothesline or flow line mean?
a horizontal line that creates continuity across the spread that elements hang below

How can you incorporate white space into your designs?
Grouping elements together and leaving space around them is another helpful tool. Divisions in paragraphs or columns are also used. Leave white space on the outside

What is type color/texture mean?
it is the choice in type, size, color, increasing tracking and leading. These create a texture to the type. Also contrasts between thick and thin. You want visual texture. 

What is x-height, how does it effect type color?
x-height is the height of the lowercase x in a typeface. Using typefaces with different x-heights can also create type color. If a font has a tall x-height, the type is going to look darker and heavier, if it has a small x-height, then it will look lighter and smaller.

In justification or H&J terms what do the numbers: minimum, optimum, maximum mean?


What are some ways to indicate a new paragraph. Are there any rules?
symbols, indention, type size, bold or italic, drop caps, leading, spaces, hanging words...

What are some things to look out for when hyphenating text.
don't hyphenate if you don't have to

What is a literature?

What does CMYK and RGB mean?

What does hanging punctuation mean?
that is when the punctuation hangs outside the paragraph. It should be outside the rest of the type in the paragraph

What is the difference between a foot mark and an apostrophe?
an inch mark indicates measurement and is a straight line, and a quote mark surrounds a quote "quote"

What is the difference between an inch mark and a quote mark (smart quote)?

What is a hyphen, en dash and em dashes, what are the differences and when are they used.

What are ligatures, why are they used, when are they not used, what are common ligatures

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Information Design

I really enjoyed the example that shows "How to dance the electric slide." It is really clear and shows you exactly what to do in an interesting way. The color scheme is nice and simple to fit with the feel of the diagram.
I also think that the #9 step in the design strategies "integrate" is very important to an infographic. If the infographic tells a coherent story, then it will be much more successful.

Monday, November 2, 2009