Defining Type Desktop Publishing

What type shall I use? The gods refuse to answer. They refuse because they do not know. -W.A. Dwiggins

Dynamic Relationships  In Life, when there is more than one of anything, a dynamic relationship is established  In Type, there is usually more than one element on a page, thus a relationship is established  What type of relationship will you define

Three Dynamic Relationships  Concordant Same type family, not much variety, dull  Contrasting Different type families, variety, exciting  Conflicting Similar type families, neither the same or different, distracting  First, let’s define the elements in the relationship

Type Divisions  Type Faces Complete set of characters of a given font  Type Families Collection of related type faces  Type Races Broad categories of fonts defined by

Type Race Categories  Oldstyle  Modern  Slab Serif (Egyptian/ Typewriter)  San Serif  Script  Decorative (Special)  Pi - 

Type Race – Oldstyle

 Great for body text when you’re looking for: Nostalgic, Eloquent, Traditional, Sincere, Informal, Simple, Trustworthy  Type faces/families include:

Type Race – Modern

 Use in body text when you’re looking for: Brilliant, Formal, Modern, Elegant, Technical  Type faces/families include:

Type Race – Slab Serif

 Use for body text when you’re looking for: Elegant and refined  Type faces/families include:

Type Race – Sans Serif

 Often not good for body text (optima is exception) Usually used in display text  Type faces/families include:

Type Race – Script

 Used only as display text Use sparingly and never all caps  Type faces/families include:

Type Race – Decorative

 Used mainly as display text  Fun, distinctive, expresses whims  Don’t try to find ways to use these – that’s not your job – only use when necessary

Type Race – Pi

 No alphabetic characters  Often called ornaments  Type faces/families include: Wingdings, Zapf Dingbats, Woodtype Ornaments

Quick Test – Name that Font

Font Families  Each family consists of variations Type Styles – weight and stroke variations Bold and Italics or Oblique (san serif) Shadow Shadow, outline, and underlines S MALL C APS Type Weight – letter width and stroke thickness Super-bold or Black Light Condensed

Choosing Body Text What you shouldn’t use  Bitmapped fonts  San Serif  Pi  Decorative What you should use  Old style  Modern  Slab serif (transitional)  Resident fonts Times, Bookman, Schoolbook, Palatino

Choosing Display Text  Strive for contrast instead of conflict  When you combine your display text with your body text, how will you establish this?  Vary your: Size, Weight, Structure, Direction

Display Contrast – Size  Try varying the size of the fonts  Don’t be afraid to use 100-point to make a point  If the text is important make it big  Don’t be a wimp – don’t contrast 24-point with 30- point

Display Contrast – Weight  Try different weights of a font to add emphasis instead of using ALL CAPS  Use varying type weights to organize your information in a list – with the more important information bolder  Highlight key phrases with bolder type instead of underlining

Display Contrast – Weight

Display Contrast – Structure  Never put two type faces from the same race on the same page  But you can mix the races

Display Contrast – Structure  Do mix, but make sure there is the needed contrast – the difference must be emphasized

Display Contrast – Structure  You can use two serif fonts together!  Make sure each face uses a different race  Can you identify the two races here?

Display Contrast – Direction  More than just slanting it  Use slanted text sparingly - often overused  Create columns or place your headings sideways

Display Contrast – Direction

Quick Test Contrast or Conflict

Credits  The Non-Designer’s Design Book by Robin Williams  Looking Good in Print by Roger C. Parker  Design for DTPs by Tom Lichty