Intro-To-Type-Design.Pdf
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Introduction It is something so prevalent that often, it seems invisible. Its purpose is not to solely convey information, but to mimic spoken language. It’s composed of lines, curves, and white space. Karen Cheng refers it as “the visual representation of language.” (Cheng, 2005) That something is type. Contents Introduction Type Classification ................................................................. 6 Type Design Getting Started .................................................................... 10 Rough Sketch ...................................................................... 11 Em Square ......................................................................... 12 Digital EM Square ................................................................. 14 Creating the Letters................................................................ 16 Vector Letters...................................................................... 18 Vector Process ..................................................................... 22 Font Generation Building the Font .................................................................. 24 Copy + Paste ....................................................................... 26 Side bearings ...................................................................... 28 Checking Consistancy ............................................................. 34 The Kern Process .................................................................. 36 Testing the Kerning............................................................... 40 OpenType Features ................................................................ 41 Final Font Generation .............................................................44 Appendix Terminology .......................................................................48 Additional Resources ..............................................................50 Bibligoraphy .......................................................................52 Type Classification When starting the design process, an important Blackletter first step is to review the history of type design Also known as Gothic or Calligraphic, the and the evaluation of the art. The de facto blackletter category of typefaces can be traced standard in type classification at this time is the back to the 12th century and the writing of Vox system. Created in 1954 by Maximilien Vox, monks and scribes. With features that can be this system went on to be later approved by the traced back to the country of origin, many of International Typography Association and has these typefaces have a vastly different array of been in use ever since. (Joseph Alessio , 2013) attributes. Although different in their own right, Although the Vox-Atypl system allows typefaces typefaces in this category share a common to be loosely categorized, it is not perfect. Since historical link due to the fact that they were all 1954 there has been new additions and historical modeled as if drawn with a broad tip pen. Some discoveries that have revealed inconsistencies popular examples are Fraktur and Old English. in the classification system — display typefaces, decorative and the calligraphic faces are often miscategorized or not represented in Blackletter the system. Although it is important to have a knowledge of the origin of typefaces, this Humanistic is not a in-depth study on the subject. The Also called Venetian, the humanistic category following is a guide to assist in knowing what was created in the 15th century by Venetian features are prominent on typefaces as well printers (thus the other name) and sought to as some historical facts and example faces. imitate the formal script from manuscripts during the renaissance. Humanistic typefaces are characterized by a low x-height and a sloping cross-bar on the lowercase ‘e’. Featured examples of this era are Jensen and Centaur. Humanistic 6 Old-Style Modern Serif Moving slightly away from imitations of The first Modern serif typeface is attributed to formal calligraphy, Old-Style or Garalde Frenchman Firmin Didot in 1784; however, it was classifications, start to design actual characters. Giambattista Bodoni who created the archetype Old-style type was started around 15 century for the classic Didone — Modern and Didone and continued well into the 16th century. are interchangeable. Bodoni, who admired Characterized by less oblique stress and a Baskerville, took his typeface to the extreme. now horizontal ‘e’, Garalde faces look more With a high stroke contrast and a horizontal designed than drawn. It was also in this stress, modern typefaces tend to look high period that the first italic type was punched. class. (like Vogue Magazine) Usually unsuitable Even in present day, many of the popular for large bodies of text due to the extreme typefaces are still used such as Garamond, stroke contest causing loss of thin strokes in Caslon, Bembo, and Times New Roman. small point sizes, these modern typefaces mark the first step into display typography. Old-Style Examples in the modern serif category include Bodoni, Didot, and Berthold Walbaum. Transitional Serifs Now into the 18th century, type design is no Old-Style longer trying to imitate formal hand, instead being meticulously designed for optimal form. The transitional category can be identified by a horizontal serif structure that indicates a complete break from the calligraphic tradition. Additionally during this era, a greater stroke contrast became more pre valiant due to an over all improvement in punch-cutters, printers, papers, and designers. It is during this era that classic typefaces such as: Baskerville, Cheltenham, and Bookman were produced. Transitional 7 Slab Serif and Fat Faces Contemporary Serif The Industrial Revolution was just getting off We now enter the modern era of serif collections to a start in the 19th century and advertisers and away from the Vox Classification. With needed something to grab people’s attention. the advent of the computer for research as Enter Slab Serifs (also called Egyptian) and well as digital typesetting and design, type Fat Faces. Created from mostly wood type, designers have pulled from history and these faces were not meant for any long lines created new adaptations on serifs. Although of text, they were meant to shout BUY BUY many contemporary serifs can have a wide BUY! Whether it was selling a new surefire array of features, a common theme in designs way to cure a headache or a sale at the local are wedge-shaped serifs. With sharp edges hardware store, these faces were everywhere. and moderate stroke contrast, contemporary Slab faces with their low stroke contrast and serifs are finding themselves not only in print thick rectangle serifs proved great as attention- copy but digital publishing as well. Examples grabbing headlines. Fat Faces had their place include Warnock, Alfon, and Farham. there as well, with huge stroke contrasts, triangular terminals and serifs, they made moderns look wimpy. Examples of Slab Serifs Contemporary include Clarendon, Memphis, Officina Serif, and ITC American Typewriter. Fat Faces include Thorowgood, Madrone, and Bodoni’s Ultra Black. Grotesque Named Grotesque from the Italian word grottesco. which means belongs in a cave. Slab Serif Considered rudimentary by some grotesks lacked serifs and had relatively little stroke Fat Faces contrast. First designed concurrently with the Slab-Serifs in the early 19th century, these typefaces too were created for easy reading at faraway distances. Examples include Headline, and Akzidenz-Grotesk. Grotesque 8 Humanistic Neo-Grotesque Humanisitic typefaces get their name from Neo-Grotesque typefaces emerged with the the calligraphic features present in their international typographic movement, better letters. Humanistic typaefaces didn’t originate known as the Swiss Style. The designers of organically; however, they were commissioned these typefaces were obsessed with minimalistic by the London Underground to provide clarity design and simplification. Thus, through this to their signage. Usually found with square form criteria, the Neo-Grotesque typefaces had little capital letters, and high stroke contrast on the to no stroke contrast and sought to unify the lowercase, popular examples of Humanistic overall look of letterforms. Examples of Neo- typefaces are Johnston and Gill Sans. Grotesques include, Univers and Helvetica. Humanistic Neo-Grotesque Decorative Geometric Although not a part of the Vox Classification, During the Swiss movement, the Bauhaus’ Decorative typefaces, with their numbers artists and their quest for perfect form and growing everyday, form the de facto group simplicity lead them to design typefaces of script and display typefaces. Not useful that embodied those ideals. With letterforms for bodies of text or small point sizes, these based on almost perfect circles and squares typefaces are usually reserved for large and little stroke contrast, geometric typefaces headlines or stylistic embellishments. Decorative look modern if not futuristic. Examples typefaces include Rosewood and Jokerman. include: ITC Avant Garde and Futura. Script typefaces, which typically find use in formal invitations include typefaces such Geometric as: Edwardian Script and French Script. Display Script 9 Getting Started Type is used everyday and practically and a font; a typeface refers to a creative work everywhere, even as I type this on the while a font is the delivery mechanism. An keyboard, I see letters appear on the screen.