INTRO TO TYPOGRAPHY

By Thyra Helgesen

Illustration, photography & design by Thyra Helgesen

Minneapolis, MinnesotaEmail: thelgesen@mcad.eduhttp://t.homes.mcad.edu/~thelgesen/index

Published by MCAD Service Bureau

© Thyra Helgesen

INTRO TO TYPOGRAPHY

By Thyra Helgesen

Contents:

Introduction pg 7

Projects:

1. Part I: Typographic Rendering + Anatomy pg 9 Part II: Form Cropping pg 13

2. Type Everywhere @ the State Fair! pg 17

3. Letter Formation & Pattern Project pg 314. Expressive Words Phrase Project pg 37

5. Helevtica & Hand pg 40 6. Craigslist Typesetting Exercises pg 54 7. Resume Typesetting Exercise pg 57

8. Type Specimen Poster pg 59

Introduction:

Course Description:

This course emphasizes basic typographic principles and investigates letterform

design, word-forms, and extended text. Particular attention is directed to typographic

vocabulary, type as image, typographic organization, and the utilization of supporting

grid structures.

Through assignments, larger projects, and critiques, students are expected to demon-

strate an understanding of typography as a visual tool used to enhance meaning.

In this course, you will:

- Gain an appreciation for the beauty of letterforms

- Understand letterform anatomy and familiarize yourself with type classification

- Create and utilize illustrative & expressive type

- Set type that is legible and hierarchical

- Develop a vocabulary of typographic terminology

- Use a grid to compose a structured two-dimensional space

- Become familiar with several typefaces and type designer

- Document your design process Solve typographic design problems

-Create a process book that highlights your sketches, process, ideation and final solutions.

MCAD Fall 2010

Course: Introduction to Typography #GRD 2010 01

An exercise.

Typographic rendering and anatomy In this exercise you will gain an understanding of typographic anatomy and improve your ability to draw and visualize letterforms.

� Process:

Read the supplied handout on typographic anatomy and try your hand at typeisart.com

Go to wikipedia and select two pangram*, ie: “Bright vixens jump; dozy fowl quack”

“The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog”

Use a fine pen and carefully trace and fill in each character from your chosen phrase us-ing a serif and sanserif typeface. Label each typographic component—if there are anatomy repeats, then feel free to design a key. In-clude this exercise in your process book.

------------------------------------------------------

� Considerations:

Draw the following: baseline, median, x-height, descender & ascender lines, and capheight.

Set two phrases in at least two typefaces from the list: one serif and one sans.

When setting your phrase, pay special at-tention to the space between each character. Adjusting the space between letters is called kerning. Strive for optical consistency.

Label the anatomy of each letterform; in-clude: serif, san serif, descender, ascender counterform, apex, vertex, arm, stem, cross-bar, link, tail, spine, shoulder, ear, leg and crotch.

Can you find a barb, beak, loop, spur?

Observe the subtle characteristics that make the typeface unique—compare and contrast.

� Limitations

Do not reduce the master specimen sheets* for this exercise. Use at 100pt or larger.

Select from the following:

Baskerville ----------------

Clarendon ----------------

Didot ----------------

Garamond ----------------

Futura ----------------

Helvetica ----------------

Univers -----------------

� Deadline

To be completed by next class.

------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------* Specimens can be found in Assignment Folder on Blackboard.

----------------------------------------------------------

Short Circuit:A booklet I created from col-lecting photographs of unlite signs of small light-blubs.

R

RRRRRRR R

qqq

q qqqq qqq

q qqqq qqq qq qq

qq qqqq qq

q qqq

q qqq

q qqq qq qqqq qq

qq qqqq qqqq qq

qq qqqq qq

q qqqq qqq qq qq

q qqqqq qqqq qqqq qq

qq qq

qq qq

q qqqq qqq

q qqqq qqq qq qq

qq qqqq q

q qqq

q qqq

q qqq qq qqqq qq

qq qqqq qqqq qq

qq qqqq q

q qqqq qqq qq qq

q qqqqq qqqq qqqq qq

qq qqqq

qqqqqqq

qq qqqq qqqqqq

qqq

M

MM

Rq

qq

q

q

Pattern Process

n

Specimen Poster

OCR-B Booklet