VS101 - TYPE 1 Sara Lowe c: 269-209-0543 [email protected] 2 SHAPING THE ASSIGNMENT contact: url: • [email protected] • thatssosaralowe.com/typography • 269.209.0543 instructions For each of these right-facing pages, do the following: 1. Draw a text block (use Bringhurst method from class, see Diagrams 1 & 2). 2. Paste text into the text block from the long sample provided. 3. Select a (only use faces you know are good), size and (use your notes and reading to help in your decisions) 4. One design per page, printed individually on 8.5 x 11” paper – then trim it down. 5. Try some flush left, flush right & justified. 6. Note typeface used, size, leading, & number of characters in the first line. Number of characters depends on many different variables. Learn by experimenting & from the handout.

All these layouts are to be designed for continuous reading. If it looks bad, don’t bring it to class! suggestions 1. Text block need not always be rectangular. 2. You don’t have to use all the text, but there’s plenty just in case. 3. Title line is optional. Try some with and some without. 4. Try some straightforward (majority), some outlandish, some innovative: variety (play around with up to 3) 5. Pay attention to widows, orphans, (indentations or line breaks). 6. Make sure to delete the !!!!! 7. Make sure sentences start with capital letters and end with periods – there’s one space after a period! – and paragraphs end with a period. 8. Decide how you want to handle indentations of paragraphs. DON’T just use the tab key. Reference Bringhurst and your reading. 9. After you print, PROOF your work. Don’t bring in anything that you know is bad unless, of course, you have no clue how to fix it. 10. If you have a laptop, bring to next class so we can tweak if needed.

pg1 VS101 - TYPE 1 Sara Lowe c: 269-209-0543 [email protected] 2 SHAPING THE PAGE ASSIGNMENT contact: url: • [email protected] • thatssosaralowe.com/typography • 269.209.0543 some hints & suggestions

MEASURE • Measure the length of lowercase alphabet (a-z) in any size of face. • Table (Bringhurst p. 29) will tell you the average number of characters to expect on a given line. • A narrow text block measure prevents good justification • Ragged right decreases the stiffness of a page. • Most body type is easier to read set rag right.

CHARACTERS • 45 to 75 characters per line for a single (serifed face at text size). • 66 characters & word spaces = ideal. • multi-column work = 40 - 50 characters per line. • 75-80 characters per line too many for continuous reading. • 40 characters per line for justified text.

JUSTIFICATION • Makes the page very formal and neat. • Achieved by varying the size of the word spaces on each line. • Attempt to get even word & letter spacing – or spacing that at least looks even – which is better done manually. • Too much variation = tight lines will look darker, light lines will appear to have holes. • Word spacing to large = rivers. • Rivers happen when columns are too narrow and/or the word spacing exceeds the leading.

LEADING • Eleven point type set solid = 11/11. • 11/13 = add two points of leading. • Advertising copy of a title can have negative leading as long as ascenders & don’t collide. • 9/11, 10/12, 11/13, 12/15 = routine/default leading given in adobe programs. • Longer measures of line length require more leading than short. • Dark faces need more leading than light ones. • Large bodied faces & sans faces need more leading.

pg2 VS101 - TYPE 1 Sara Lowe c: 269-209-0543 [email protected] 2 SHAPING THE PAGE ASSIGNMENT contact: url: • [email protected] • thatssosaralowe.com/typography • 269.209.0543

VERTICAL SPACE • If main text is 11/13, any intrusion to the text should equal some multiple of 13 pts. (26, 39, 52, 65, 78, etc) • Horizontal space is measured in ems (an is a sliding measure) • 1 em is a distance equal to the size of type (6 pt. type = 6 pt. em) • 1/2 em = • If text is set rag right, the word space can be fixed & unchanging. • A loosely fitted or bold face will need a larger interval between words – a larger word space. • At larger (headline) sizes, when letterfit () is tightened, the spacing of words can be tightened as well.

ILLUSTRATOR/INDESIGN WORD SPACE • 100% = an entire space width is added between letters. • 0% = no space added between letters. • Reasonably tight spacing = 65%, 85%, 100% • Children’s book spacing = 200%, 250%, 300% • 60-80% for condensed type, where the weight is relatively light, or with larger point sizes.

* More words in a line, the easier it is to get even word spacing. * Get more words per line either by decreasing the type size or making the column wider. * If you have a short line length, set it rag right.

pg3 VS101 - TYPE 1 Sara Lowe c: 269-209-0543 [email protected] 2 SHAPING THE PAGE ASSIGNMENT

pg4 VS101 - TYPE 1 Sara Lowe c: 269-209-0543 [email protected] 2 SHAPING THE PAGE ASSIGNMENT VS101 - TYPE 1 Sara Lowe c: 269-209-0543 [email protected] 2 SHAPING THE PAGE ASSIGNMENT VS101 - TYPE 1 Sara Lowe c: 269-209-0543 [email protected] 2 SHAPING THE PAGE ASSIGNMENT VS101 - TYPE 1 Sara Lowe c: 269-209-0543 [email protected] 2 SHAPING THE PAGE ASSIGNMENT VS101 - TYPE 1 Sara Lowe c: 269-209-0543 [email protected] 2 SHAPING THE PAGE ASSIGNMENT VS101 - TYPE 1 Sara Lowe c: 269-209-0543 [email protected] 2 SHAPING THE PAGE ASSIGNMENT