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NAF Graphic Design

Lesson 11Typography

Student Resources

Resource Description

Student Resource 11.1 Analysis: Recognizing Well-Designed Typography

Student Resource 11.2 Reference Sheet: Typography Terminology

Student Resource 11.3 Terminology: Labeling Letterforms

Student Resource 11.4 Interactive Reading: Categories of Type

Student Resource 11.5 Note Taking: Typography and Spacing

Student Resource 11.6 Reading: Typography and Spacing

Student Resource 11.7 Assignment Sheet: Presenting a Quotation as a Graphic Design

Student Resource 11.8 Tutorial: Writing Text along a Path

Student Resource 11.9 Note Taking: Type Is Speech Made Visible

Student Resource 11.10 Reading: Type Is Speech Made Visible

Student Resource 11.11 Assignment Sheet: Expressing Meaning through Typography

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NAF Graphic DesignLesson 11 Typography

Student Resource 11.1

Analysis: Recognizing Well-Designed TypographyStudent Names:_______________________________________________________ Date:___________

Directions: Look at the two quotations on the following page and think about which typography is more effective and why. Answer the questions below to help uncover the different elements that make one typographical design work better than the other.

1. In just three or four words, what is the main message of the quotation?

2. Which typeface best fits the message being delivered? What is it about the letters that is more fitting?

3. Does the quotation work better with type that is set open, with lots of space, or with one that is more geometrical? Why?

4. What makes one of the quotations look more friendly and approachable than the other?

5. All things considered, which design do you think is more effective?




Reference Sheet: Typography TerminologyDirections: To prepare yourself for talking about typography, familiarize yourself with the basic terminology presented on this page.

Boundary Terminologybaseline: The imaginary horizontal line upon which type sits.

meanline: The imaginary horizontal line that designates the height of lowercase letters.

cap height: The imaginary horizontal line that designates the height of capital letters.

x-height: The height of the lowercase letters excluding ascenders and descenders.

Letterform Partsascender: The stroke of the letters b, d, f, h, k, l, and t that rises above the x-height.

descender: The stroke of the letters g, j, p, q, and y that dips below the baseline.

counter: The hollow, enclosed space in a letterform. A counter can be either fully enclosed (such as the space in o or p) or partially enclosed (such as the space in h or m).

crossbar: The horizontal bar connecting two strokes of an uppercase letter, as in H and A. The horizontal or sloping stroke that connects the curving shapes of a lowercase e is also a crossbar.

serifs: Small, decorative forms added to the ends of a letterform’s stroke in traditional typefaces such as Times Roman. Serifs improve readability by leading the eye along a line of type. A typeface that doesn’t have this extra stroke is known as sans serif, which means “without serif” (sans means “without”).

stress: The angle through the thinnest parts of the curves of a letter.

Types of Letterformslowercase: Small letters. These are called lowercase because historically they were placed in the lower of two wooden type cases used by hand compositors.

uppercase: Capital letters. These are called uppercase because historically they were placed in the upper of two wooden cases used by hand compositors.




Terminology: Labeling LetterformsStudent Name:_______________________________________________________ Date:___________

Directions: Follow the steps below to label the letterforms in the line of type on the next page of this resource with the correct terminology. Use Student Resource 11.2, Reference Sheet: Typography Terminology, as a reference as you work. Be sure your work is extremely neat so that your labeled page can serve as a useful reference for future work.

1. Using a ruler, draw the baseline, the meanline, and the cap height. Label each of the lines.

2. Draw a vertical line identifying the x-height, and label it.

3. Using any letters you choose, label them with the following terms: ascender, descender, crossbar, serifs, and counter.

4. Draw a line showing the stress of a letter. (Your line should go through the thinnest parts of the curves of the letter.)

5. Label a lowercase letter and an uppercase letter.




Interactive Reading: Categories of TypeStudent Name:_______________________________________________________ Date:___________

Directions: Read the following passage. As you read, complete the “Your Observations” sections based on what you have learned in the reading.

In typography, a typeface is a coordinated set of character designs that usually comprises an alphabet of letters, a set of numerals, and a set of punctuation marks. Many thousands of different typefaces are available, and more are being created every day. Although there is a lot of variety, most typefaces fit into one of the categories described in this reading. Learning about the different categories of typefaces will help you learn to look at type more closely and clearly. People often incorrectly use the terms typeface and font interchangeably. Graphic designers choose typefaces for their projects, but then use fonts to create the finished art. Typeface refers to the appearance and style (as in, “I like that typeface”), while font refers to the actual digital file. Fonts enable the printing of a typeface (so you can say, for instance, “Please email the font to me”).

Serif TypefacesSerif typefaces are named for the features at the ends of their strokes. Times Roman and Garamond are common examples of serif typefaces. Serif typefaces are probably the most used category in printed materials, including most books, newspapers, and magazines. Serif typefaces are often classified as old style, modern, or slab serif.

Old-Style Typefaces

Influenced by early Italian lettering design, old-style typefaces date back to the mid-1400s, when movable type was developed and letterforms were carved out of metal. Old-style typefaces tend to have a graceful appearance and are the best choice for setting readable, lengthy bodies of text. Sometimes old-style typefaces are called “invisible” because the character forms don’t draw your attention away from the content that you are reading. Old-style typefaces always have serifs, and the serifs are connected to the main strokes with a curve. Old-style typefaces have a diagonal stress. That means that if you draw a line through the thinnest parts of the rounded forms of a letter, the line is diagonal.

Modern Typefaces

Modern typefaces were developed in the late 18th century and through much of the 19th century. They reflect the history of the time, when monarchies were overthrown and people developed a more rational, mechanical view of the world. Modern typefaces can be sparkling and elegant, but they can also come off as cold in appearance. Rather than mimicking handwriting, the modern typeface emphasizes structure and form.

Modern typefaces are harder to read than old-style typefaces because the strokes of the letters change radically from thick to thin. In a large block of text, this creates “dazzling,” which is hard on the eyes. All modern typefaces have serifs that are horizontal and very thin. There is no curve where the serif meets the stroke. The stress in modern typefaces is completely vertical.



Slab Serif Typefaces

These typefaces evolved from the modern style. The Industrial Revolution introduced a new field of business: advertising. Making modern typefaces thicker for use in advertising made them illegible because of the thick and thin parts of each letter. Therefore, new letterforms evolved with all parts the same thickness. Slab serif typefaces have horizontal serifs that are thick, fat slabs. The serifs are square, and larger and bolder than serifs of previous type styles. Slab serif typefaces often have no stress (because there are no thin parts of the letters). If they do have a stress, it is vertical. Slab serif typefaces are more regimented and stronger than old style.

Sans Serif TypefacesSans serif typefaces have appeared relatively recently in the history of type design. They are characterized by the lack of serifs and the uniform strokes in the letterforms. Sans serif typefaces are often used for display typography such as signs and headings, which favor legibility over readability. Most web pages and digitized media use sans serif typefaces because on low-resolution displays, serifs can detract from readability. Probably the most well-known and popular sans serif typeface is Helvetica. This was one of the first readily available digital fonts. Arial, which was popularized by Microsoft, is a widely used sans serif font that is often compared to and substituted for Helvetica.

Script TypefacesScript typefaces simulate handwriting or calligraphy. They are harder to read than most serif and sans serif typefaces, and therefore they are not suited to large blocks of text. Because they tend to stand out from other text, it doesn’t usually work to use more than one script typeface in a document.

When choosing a script typeface, make sure it is in keeping with the overall tone of your document. Fancy script typefaces are elegant and formal and set the right tone for formal wedding invitations and serious occasions. Typefaces with fine lines and lots of swirls and flourishes have a feminine feel to them and work well for personal stationery. Script typefaces that mimic the actual handwriting of someone are generally more informal or casual. Make sure to match the tone of your script typeface with the tone of the graphics in your design.

Display TypefacesDisplay typefaces are used exclusively for decorative purposes and are not suitable for body text. They have the most distinctive designs of all typefaces and may even incorporate pictures of objects. Display typefaces usually have some very specific style designed to convey a particular mood or tone. They may recall some design attributes, or some special cultural aspects of a time or place. Display typefaces are best used in short text such as headlines and subheadings, or on labels and logos.

The purpose of display type is to attract the reader’s attention and draw that reader into the text. No matter what the message, a display typeface needs to make a powerful first impression. When using display type, it’s important to select a body text typeface that works well with the display type.



Blackletter TypefacesBlackletter typefaces are based on early written letterforms with thick to thin strokes and serifs. The Gutenberg Bible, the first book ever printed with movable type, was set in a blackletter typeface to mimic the manuscript writing of the time. In blackletter typefaces, the rounded parts of the letters are fully or partly broken.

Blackletter typefaces are most often seen on diplomas, certificates, and formal invitations, and in the nameplates of some newsletters and newspapers. Black Forest, Linotext, Goudy Text, and Wedding Text are some types of blackletter typefaces.

Monospace TypefacesMonospace typefaces have the same width in every glyph. Other typefaces are variable-width, where the w and m are wider than most letters, and the i is narrower. The first monospace typefaces were designed for typewriters, which could only move the same distance forward with each letter typed. Although modern computers can display any desired typeface, monospace typefaces are still important for computer programming and terminal emulation, and for laying out tabulated data in plain-text documents. Courier is the most well-known monospace typeface.

Your ObservationsIn the table below, identify which category each typeface belongs to.

Text Typeface Category



Text Typeface Category

Readability and LegibilityAs you examine the different categories of type, it’s important to think about using typefaces that maximize both readability and legibility. Readability refers to whether an extended amount of text, such as a report, a newsletter, or a book, is easy to read. Legibility refers to whether a short piece of text, such as a headline or a road sign, is instantly recognizable. These are two distinctly different attributes, and both are important.

Part of what makes text readable is the way the typeface is designed. The more the typeface is invisible to the reader, the more readable it is. If the reader stops to look at the features of the typeface, the typeface is slightly less readable. The most readable typefaces are old-style serif typefaces. These typefaces were originally designed for long documents. Perhaps the least readable type of text is text in all uppercase letters, or all caps. Letter spacing and word spacing also affect readability. You will learn a lot about how to use spacing to improve readability in this lesson.

As for legibility, if text isn’t instantly recognizable, or legible, people need extra time to read it. We don’t read letter by letter; when we read, entire words or phrases go straight to our brain. It is important that text like headlines or a table of contents be legible because readers scan these types of text. If the headline is legible, it just pops into the reader’s brain.

One of the keys to legibility is the clarity of letterforms. When text is highly legible, it is very easy to distinguish one letterform from another. When characters have odd forms, we don’t recognize them instantly. An exceptionally large x-height also decreases legibility. For example, when the x-height is extremely large, an n can be confused with an h. An x-height that is extremely small also decreases legibility, because the tall ascenders and capital letters become distracting to the eye.

Whenever you choose a typeface, be sure to ask yourself if it will provide the readability or legibility you need for the task at hand.

Your ObservationsLook at the three headlines below as if you were reading them in the newspaper. Then, in the box below the headlines, tell which of the three you find most legible, and give your reasons for your choice.



Associating Typeface and MeaningDoes a typeface’s meaning come from its design or from the words its letters form? Or both? Each typeface has a set of meanings and associations with it that can be used to reinforce the message that the words form. For example, in general, sans serif typefaces look modern. Serif typefaces look more old-fashioned or traditional.

Your ObservationsImagine that you are creating a publicity flyer for each of the businesses in the right column below. Draw a line from the typeface on the left to the business for which it would be best suited. There are no clear, definite answers here, but it will be interesting to see if you and your peers have the same ideas about which typeface fits which business. As you work through this lesson, you will learn more about how to choose a typeface that communicates your meaning.




Note Taking: Typography and SpacingStudent Name:_______________________________________________________ Date:___________

Directions: As you watch the presentation on typography and spacing, take notes about the important points you learn under each of the headings below.

LeadingWhat is it?

How is leading expressed in points?

What is the average amount of leading?

What situations call for more or less leading than average?

Letter SpacingWhat is it?

What is tracking?

Why is it important to have the same amount of space between letters?

KerningWhat is it?

What letter combinations typically need kerning?

Word SpacingHow can you tell if words are moderately spaced?




Reading: Typography and Spacing

This presentation explains the importance of and uses for leading, letter spacing, kerning, and word spacing.



Long ago, when type was set in metal, compositors inserted strips of lead between lines of metal characters. This is where the term leading comes from.

For roman type (which is type that is upright, rather than italic, cursive, or oblique), leading is measured from the baseline of one line of text to the baseline of the line above it. In the top example, there is a thin, 2-point space of leading between the lines. You take point size of the font, which is 10 point, and add it to the 2-point spacing to get 12. The leading value is written as “10/12 pt,” which means the text should be set as 10 points, and the typesetter should drop down 12 points to the next baseline. Note that in this example, the 2-point spacing is 20% of the 10-point font size.



Because headline text is bigger, 20% leading can place lines too far apart, and then they don’t look like one unit. Especially if the top line of a heading has no descenders, the lines need to be closer together. The leading in the top example is 20%. The leading in the lower example is actually -10%, but that is what is needed to take out the empty space in this headline with no descenders in the top line.

On a page with lots of white space, the leading in the top example might look better, since all of the elements on the page are quite spread out.



All-caps text has no descenders, so all letters reach the full height of the line. This changes the way that leading works for both body text and headlines. The leading in the body text paragraph is more than 20%, but the extra space is definitely needed for readability. The headline looks right with considerably less than 20% leading.



Here are some rules to help you adjust the leading according to the typeface:

• When you have a large x-height, increase the leading.

• When you have a short x-height, decrease the leading.

• When you have tall ascenders, decrease the leading because the x-height is relatively small, or add dramatic leading to emphasize the tall ascenders.

• When you have long lines of text, add a bit more leading so that the reader can find the beginning of the next line easily.

• When you have wide letter spacing, add more leading for balance.



Tracking is the term designers use when they select a range of text and adjust the amount of space between the letters. Tracking is often followed by fine-tuning the space between individual letters, or kerning.



The text on the top has very tight letter spacing and leading; the text on the bottom is set with moderate letter spacing and leading.



Whereas letter spacing is applied to a range of text, kerning is applied to individual pairs of letters. Many fonts have kerning pairs built into them for pairs of letters known to cause inconsistent gaps, such as Ta, To, Yo, and we.

Many software applications such as Photoshop and InDesign are capable of automatically finding and using the kerning pairs built into fonts. This is called “auto kerning.” “Metrics kerning” is a type of auto kerning that makes use of the kern pairs built in to the font to adjust the fit of letters. “Optical kerning” adjusts the fit of the letters depending on their shapes.



Sometimes tight spacing is used to fit more words on a page, or wide spacing is used to stretch a headline out across an allotted space.



When you create a graphic design, be sure to use your knowledge of spacing to improve readability and to give your work a polished look. Although many software programs such as Photoshop do a lot of the work for you, it is your responsibility as a graphic designer to tailor the spacing in your design.




Assignment Sheet: Presenting a Quotation as a Graphic Design

Directions: Choose a quotation that is meaningful to you. Use Photoshop to write your quotation using everything you’ve learned so far about typography, and present your quotation on a US letter page. Make sure you read through all of the instructions before you begin work.

1. Choose a quotation that you would like to display on a US letter-size page using your best typography. Write your quotation here:

2. Create a new US letter-size document in Photoshop. When you create your document, make sure you think about the page orientation you want.

3. Present your quotation on the page. Before you start formatting, be sure there are no spelling or punctuation errors!

4. Think through the meaning of your quotation and then choose a typeface that you think is appropriate. Also, make sure the size, style, and weight of the type work with the meaning you want to communicate.

5. Make any needed adjustments to the spacing:

a. Line spacing

b. Letter spacing

c. Word spacing

d. Line length

e. Alignment

f. Margins

6. Check for legibility and readability, as appropriate, and make any necessary changes.

7. Double-check everything, and then print your final product to see what it looks like on paper. If necessary, make adjustments to improve the look of the printed copy.




Tutorial: Writing Text along a PathDirections: Follow the instructions below to create a path in Photoshop, and then write text along the path.

1. Open the file Cloud.psd in Photoshop.

2. Select the Pen tool from the toolbar. Place the pen at the beginning place for the path that your line of text will sit on.

3. Click and drag in the direction you want the circular path to go. Think of it as ice skating: you touch down with your skate when you click, and you push off in the direction you want to glide when you drag the cursor.

4. When your path is complete, use the Direct Select and Path Select tools from the toolbar to adjust it. The Path Select pointer tool selects the whole object; the Direct Select pointer tool selects anchor points on the path and edits them. Work with your path until it is the shape that you desire.Tip: Editable anchors are hollow dots. Selected anchors become solid dots.

5. Now you are ready to enter text along the path. Select the text tool in the toolbar.

6. Before clicking the path, set the text attributes (color, typeface, size, etc.).

7. Pause the mouse cursor over the path. When the baseline becomes an angled shape, the text tool is in text-on-a-path mode.

8. Once the cursor transforms, click the path. You can now enter your text. Try “Floating on Cloud Nine” or any other text that communicates your message.

9. If you want, you can also use a Warp option on the text tool for all or part of your text.




Note Taking: Type Is Speech Made VisibleStudent Name:_______________________________________________________ Date:___________

Directions: Below is a list of the questions you want to ask yourself when you are deciding on a typeface or a font to use for the text part of a design. During the presentation, write down the points that are important to remember under each question.

Is the subject of the text alive, or is it more hard and mechanical?

What is the emotion that is being expressed?

What does the voice of the person who might deliver your message sound like?

What is the setting and atmosphere where the message is delivered?

What is the attitude of the message?




Reading: Type Is Speech Made Visible

This presentation explains how you can use typography to communicate a message that goes beyond the actual words on the page.

Much of the content in this presentation is adapted from the article “The Voice of Typography” in DT&G Magazine, located at http://www.graphic-design.com/Type/voice/index.html (accessed July 1, 2015).


http://www.graphic-design.com/Type/voice/index.html


Have you ever been in a storm where you didn’t know up from down? When you read words on a printed page, you understand what the words actually say; this is the direct meaning. But you can also extract a secondary meaning from the way that the type is designed. What emotion do you feel? Is the storm close by or far away? Should you be concerned about this storm? What attitude should you adopt?

The next few slides give you some ideas about how to figure out the secondary meaning, and then how to communicate it using typography.



When you’re creating a graphic design, read aloud the text that you plan to place in your design. Try to hear the nuances and subtle meanings. Listen to the inflections and the tone of the message. Then you can look for a typeface that voices what you’re hearing.



For messages that have a human tone, you might use a serif typeface to convey softness.

Typefaces with uniform, hard edges speak messages that are more mechanical than human.

In the example image on this slide, a human tone is communicated through using a playful, nonstandard type for Yoiga. Using all caps sans serif type for the instructions is a bit satirical, and the humor communicates a human tone. The viewer knows that the instruction “CALL YOUR MUM” is a humorous message even though it is set in sans serif typeface.



Emotion can be hard or soft, large or small, smooth or rough, collected or scattered. Typography can communicate all of these.



You can conjure up a whole setting for your text. Decide on a person who might speak your text, and imagine who that person is talking to. Listen to the person’s voice as it speaks your message: Is it hard or soft? Is it fast, or does it have a bit of a drawl? Is it loud or mellow? Is there a particular accent or intonation?



The voices of history, place, setting, atmosphere, and environment are visually inherent in typefaces. You can send messages very quickly and effectively just by conjuring up place and time. If it’s a little old, soft, and human, perhaps an Art Nouveau typeface is appropriate. If it’s far away and exotic, perhaps an Asian-style typeface will fit.

But be aware that typefaces that evoke geographic or ethnic stereotypes, such as tacky Chinese restaurant typefaces, will not work in any designer’s portfolio. Make every effort to avoid solutions that are based on outdated attitudes.



There are typefaces that reflect posture or attitude. Sometimes boldface or italics suggest posture; italics are moving, or speaking to the side. All caps can be dignified.



There are no simple solutions for determining which typeface is right for a project. Remember that each project carries its own rhythm, tone, and attitude. And if you listen carefully to the message you want to communicate, you will hear with your eyes which typeface is best suited!




Assignment Sheet: Expressing Meaning through Typography

Directions: In this assignment, you will plan and create a design that uses typography to communicate something about who you are. To begin, read the specifications below and look at the example. Make sure you read and understand the assessment criteria before you begin work. Then follow the procedure to create your design.

SpecificationsYour final product should meet the following specifications:

1. The design must use only the letters from your first and last name. (You don’t have to use all of the letters; you can choose among them, or maybe use only your first name or only your last name.)

2. The design must communicate something about who you are.

3. The letters can overlap, reverse, and vary in size. You can also use color to express meaning.

4. Use a maximum of two typefaces.

5. Choose the page size that works best for your design.

Procedure1. Write your first and last names on a page in your notebook, and then below your name write

several words that describe who you are. You may want to group the words according to different threads going on in your life and choose one group, or you may want to express multiple aspects of who you are in your design.

2. Using paper and pencil, sketch five thumbnail designs expressing who you are by using type only. At this stage, think about the fonts you will be using when you create your design in Photoshop.

3. Choose your best thumbnail to develop into your design. Which one will make you stand out as unique and memorable? Which one best represents who you are? Which one could you put in your portfolio to show a prospective employer who you are?

4. Check your final design choice for effective use of color and typography and make any necessary changes.

5. Check your final design choice for unity and balance, and make any necessary changes.

6. Create your design in Photoshop. Remember to use everything you know about how to create typography and color in Photoshop. This should be your very best work.

7. Prepare to submit the following pieces for assessment. Make sure each of them meets the assessment criteria:

o Five thumbnails of possible designs

o A PSD file of your final design



o A PDF file of your final design, ready for printing



Make sure your work meets or exceeds the following assessment criteria: The thumbnails show that skilled and thoughtful planning work was put into your design.

The typefaces used in the design visually communicate who you are.

The arrangement of letters on the page visually communicates who you are.

The colors in the design communicate who you are.

The design demonstrates unity and balance.

The design is unique and memorable and an accurate representation of who you are.

ExampleDeb Gould wrote these four words to describe herself:

playful

joyful

flexible

elegant

In her final design, she used the Gotham typeface and a playful typeface called Curlz.


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