1. Categories
TYPE of
Text is the most essential ingredient in design communication. With type you communicate in two distinct ways. The first message your audience receives comes from the way the type looks. The second message is the meaning of the words – your actual message. The visual message must correspond with the written message.
Type is the basic building block of any printed page. Most people tend to “wing it” when working with type. Learning more about type categories, type styles, and some of the guidelines for text use will improve your projects.

2. Text is the most essential ingredient in design communication.
With type you communicate in two distinct ways.
The first message your audience receives comes from the way the type looks.
The second message is the meaning of the words – your actual message.
The visual message must correspond with the written message.
Type is the basic building block of any printed page.
Most people tend to “wing it” when working with type.
Learning more about type categories, type styles, and some of the guidelines for text use will improve your projects.

3. Type Categories Serif Oldstyle Modern Slab Serifs Sans Serif Script
Also known as typefaces – all the characters of a single type design.
A font is one style and size of a particular typeface.
Serif
Oldstyle
Modern
Slab Serifs
Sans Serif
Script
Decorative
Symbol
Also known as typefaces – all the characters of a single type design.
A font is one style and size of a particular typeface.

4. Serif
This is a serif!
Serifs are small lines or strokes that appear at the end of characters.

5. Serif – Oldstyle Based on the hand lettering of scribes.
These are conservative and dignified.
They are good for long passages of text as they guide the eye from letter to letter.
If you’re setting lots of type that you want people to actually read, choose an Oldstyle.
These are based on the hand lettering of scribes. Serifs are small lines or strokes that appear at the end of characters.
These are conservative and dignified.
They are good for long passages of text as they guide the eye from letter to letter.

6. Serif - Modern
Modern typefaces have serifs, but the serifs are now horizontal instead of slanted, and they are very thin causing an effect on the page called “dazzling.”
Modern typefaces have a striking appearance, especially when set very large.
Because of their strong thick/thin transitions, most Moderns are not good choices for extended amounts of body copy.
Moderns tend to have a cold, elegant look.

7. Serif – Slab Serif
Along with the Industrial Revolution came a new concept: advertising.
Many of the Slab Serifs that have a slight thick/thin contrast are very high on the readability scale.
Slab serifs are often used in children’s books because of their clean, straightforward look.

8. Sans Serif
Without Serif

9. Sans Serif
Sans translates to “without” in French. This typeface is monoweight – meaning there is no thick/thin transition in the stroke of the letter.
These are good for headlines, captions, and reverse type.
Means “without serif” in French. They are monoweight – meaning there is no thick/thin transition in the stroke of the letter.
These are good for headlines, captions, and reverse type.

10. Script

11. Script Brush Script Vladimir Script Monotype Corsiva French Script MT
These appear to have been hand lettered in calligraphy pen or brush.
Use sparingly.
Never set long blocks of text in script and never use it in all caps.
Great for grabbing attention in a headline when larger sizes are used.
Often used in drop caps.
Depending on the font, the letters may be connected or not.
Often used for announcements and invitations.
Brush Script
Vladimir Script
Monotype Corsiva
French Script MT
Lucida Handwriting
These appear to have been hand lettered in calligraphy pen or brush. Use sparingly. Never set long blocks of text in script and never use it in all caps.
Great for grabbing attention in a headline when larger sizes are used. Often used in drop caps. Depending on the font, the letters may be connected or not.
Often used for announcements and invitations.

12. Decorative

13. Decorative Chiller Ravie Old English Text MT Jokerman Snap ITC
Fun, distinctive, and whimsical.
Use is limited. Never use as body text for long publications.
OK for headlines or to convey emphasis.
Good for use at font size 24 and above.
Also known as display typefaces and
Ravie
Old English Text MT
Chiller
Jokerman
Snap ITC
Fun, distinctive, and whimsical. Use is limited. Never use as body text for long publications. OK for headlines or to convey emphasis.
Also known as display typefaces and good for use at font size 24 and above.

14. Symbols a b c d e f g hijklmo 1234567 abcdefg
Wingdings
They are collections of related symbols.
Very limited use to accent material.
Takes some exploration to discover the symbols you need.
Also known as Dingbats, Glyphs, or Ornaments.
Good use for Bullets and Logos.
hijklmo
Webdings
Wingdings2
They are collections of related symbols. Very limited use to accent material. Takes some exploration to discover the symbols you need. Also known as Pi, Logo, or ornaments.
a b c d e f g
Symbol

15. Type Families
Multiple fonts – very similar within one family that shares common letterform construction. The original font is still recognizable.
Franklin Gothic Book
Franklin Gothic Demi
Franklin Gothic Demi Cond
Franklin Gothic Heavy
Franklin Gothic Medium
Franklin Gothic Medium Cond
Multiple fonts – very similar within one family that shares common letterform construction. The original font is still recognizable.

16. Type Styles Verdana Verdana Verdana Verdana Verdana Verdana All Caps
Style changes add emphasis or contrast. It can reduce readability – especially in body text. Never force a type style that isn’t offered in the drop downs (especially in InDesign).
Use Italics for titles of books, movies, or other published works.
Never use underline.
Also good for emphasis in body text.
Good for kickers and subheads.
Bold is good for headlines, subheads, pull quotes, and captions. Helps text stand out.
Bold Italic also is good for headlines, subheads, and pull quotes.
Style changes the type to add emphasis or contrast. It can reduce readability – especially in body text. Never force a type style that isn’t offered in the drop downs (especially in InDesign).
Use Italics for titles of books, movies, or other published works. Never underline in DTP.
Also good for emphasis in body text. Good for kickers and subheads.
Bold is good for headlines, subheads, pull quotes, and captions. Helps text stand out.
Bold Italic also is good for headlines, subheads, and pull quotes.
Verdana
Bold
Verdana
Regular
Verdana
Small Caps
Verdana
Italic
Verdana
Bold/Italic
Verdana All Caps

17. TYPOgraphy Type Terminology
Font Size – The height of a typeface, measured in points.
TYPOgraphy
Ascender
x-Height
Baseline
Descender
66 Points
X-height: main body of lowercase letters
Ascender: part of a letter that extends above the x-height
Descender: part of a letter that extends below the x-height baseline
Includes distance from the bottom of the descender to the clearance allowance above the ascender.

18. Can vary greatly especially with CAPS
Kerning
TYPE
Can vary greatly especially with CAPS

19. Tracking

20. Leading
General guidelines allow for 120% leading
Baseline to Baseline

21. Type Alignment Left Alignment Right Alignment Center Alignment
Left alignment has an informal look. It is good for body text, headlines, captions, and large type. Most common alignment.
Right alignment should be used sparingly for special effects such as headings, captions, or pull quotes. Do not use for body text.
Center alignment is hard to read for long blocks of copy. Best for invitations, captions, pull quotes and short headlines.
Justified text has even left and right margins. It can be read more rapidly because of consistent column width so it is good for long columns of text.
Justified text is stretched from margin to margin, adding extra spacing as needed

22. Paragraph Text Serif Font, 9-12 pts
When measuring type, the point size is the distance from the tip of all ascenders to the bottom of all descenders plus a small amount of additional space above and below to keep one line of text separated from the next. Choosing the appropriate point size in a publication is extremely important.
Serif Font, 9-12 pts

23. Headings/Subheadings
Sans Serif
Headings - 24 pts. or larger
Subheadings pts.