2. 4
Typography

3. Learning Objectives Summarize the development of type styles.
Identify the basic terms used to describe type.
Summarize seven typeface classifications.
Explain the difference between a family, a series, and a font of type.
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4. Learning Objectives
Identify the common type sizes and units used in typography.
Explain the factors that contribute to the legibility of type.
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5. Typefaces Distinctive visual symbols used to compose printed pages
Assortment of characters is necessary to put words into print
Typefaces have different names
Number of new typefaces has increased with computerized typesetting
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6. Typography
Art of expressing ideas in printed form through selection of appropriate typefaces
Typographer selects:
Appropriate typefaces to be expressed in type
Other details of reproduction and physical format
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7. Typeface Terminology
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8. Character Terms Hairline Stem Stroke Stress Serif Set width
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9. Type Style Development
Hand-lettered book pages were used in medieval Europe
Type metal was used in mechanical printing from individual pieces of type
Foundry type was major form of type used from 1400s through mid-1900s
Photographic and electronic methods of typesetting are used today
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10. Black Letter
Manuscript style was used by scribes in Germany, France, and Holland
Similar to modern type style of Old English
Basis for development of earliest metal type
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11. Development of the Roman Type Style
Changes in type styles happened in Italy
Subiacio face was early version of Roman face
Nicolas Jenson designed and cut Roman letter forms
Italic type was first used by Aldus Manutius in Venice
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12. Modern Typefaces Garamond designed elegant and refined typeface
Janson modified manuscript letter with lighter lines
Caslon created typeface used for printing on rougher stock
Baskerville developed transitional typeface
Bodoni created typeface with greater differences between light and heavy elements
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13. Contemporary Typefaces
Primarily from 20th century
Three groups:
Modern versions of basic book faces of early printers
Modifications of basic book faces made for newspapers
New display faces
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14. Roman Typeface Elements
Heavy elements
Light elements
Serifs
Ascenders
Descenders
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15. Typeface Classifications
Roman
Sans serif
Square serif
Black letter
Script or cursive
Novelty or Decorative
Italic (variation of other classifications)
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16. Roman Typefaces Oldstyle Roman typefaces Transitional Roman typefaces
Used for book text matter
Transitional Roman typefaces
Used for print on smooth paper
Modern Roman typefaces
Distinguished contrast between light and heavy elements
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17. Sans Serif Second in popularity to Roman Monotone appearance
Heavy and light elements have same thickness
Few faces have heavy and light elements
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18. Square Serif
Formed with strokes of equal weight with finishing-off strokes added
Shape of serif is square
Not easy to read
Used for display or headlines
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19. Black Letter or Text Resembles calligraphy
Used for printed materials relating to special occasions
Difficult to read when set in all capital letters
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20. Script Typeface or Cursive
Designed to simulate handwriting
Distinction in whether or not individual letters in words are joined
Used for headlines, announcements, invitations, and letterheads
Seldom used for setting full printed pages or large blocks of body copy
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21. Novelty Typeface or Decorative
Various typefaces used to command special attention
Also called occasional
Must be chosen to express mood or theme
Not intended to be used as body copy
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22. Italic Slanted version of upright letter
Treated as separate classification
Called oblique in electronic composition
Used for emphasis, foreign words, terms being defined, quotations, and poetry
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23. Reverse Type
Usually white characters on solid black or color background
Stresses importance of message or information in copy
Many types are difficult to read when reversed, especially in small point sizes
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24. Typeface Families, Series, and Fonts
Groupings of typefaces by specific styles of type
Families are groups of styles
Series is total range of sizes of one type style of a given font
Font is complete set of letters and other characters contained in typeface
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25. Typeface Family Variations of typestyles are part of families
Width variations
Condensed typefaces
Expanded faces
Weight variations
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26. Typeface Series
Common sizes are 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72
Introduction of phototypesetters allowed use of different sizes that were not common to relief process
Electronic composition allows virtually any size needed
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27. Type Font
Kinds and total number of characters differ from font to font
Symbols or special characters may be included
Ligatures
Small caps
Pi characters
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28. Points and Picas
Two principal units of measure used in graphic communications industry
Picas measure line lengths and composition depth
Do not confuse point size with x-height
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29. Points and Picas Text or body type Display type
Type sizes from 4-point through point
Display type
Type sizes above 12-point
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30. Picas and Points 1 point is 0.01383″, with 12 points in 1 pica
1 pica is 0.166″, with 6 picas in approximately 1 inch
Layout and design software programs note pica values as whole number with lowercase “p,” followed by points value
4 picas and 5 points is presented as 4p5
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31. Ems and Ens
Em is unit of printer’s measure equal to height and width of capital M in given size of type
Em quad was used to indent paragraphs
Half of em quad is en quad
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32. Ems and Ens
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33. Set Size Also called set width
Electronic composition allows set width of characters and words to change
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34. Letterspacing and Wordspacing
Loose set
Tight set
Character compensation shrinks copy
Tracking allows control of letter and wordspacing together
Horizontal scaling
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35. Letterspacing and Wordspacing
Modern equipment allows you to automatically justify type
Widows can be avoided
Line can be lengthened
Previous line can be shortened
Letterspacing and wordspacing can be changed
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36. Kerning Closes up space between certain characters
Improves appearance and readability of words
Normally done for top- or bottom-heavy letters
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37. Legibility Factors Sometimes termed readability
Purpose is major consideration when selecting typeface
Straight matter
Display type
Physical factors contribute to legibility
Visibility, letter forms, definition, type size, line length, and leading
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38. Visibility Contrast of typeface against light reflected by paper
Brightness of white and colored paper varies
Smoothness and opacity affect visibility
Ink darkness depends on ink’s power to cover paper surface
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39. Definition Sharpness or distinction of printed image
Small typeface requires smoother paper for good definition
Special consideration must be given when placing type over screened backgrounds because poor definition may result
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40. Type Size Legibility increases up to 10-point type
Straight matter set in 10-point type is considered normal for comfortable reading
X-height of font contributes to legibility
Increases size of letters
Decreases length of ascenders and descenders
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41. Line Length Also called line width Measured in picas
Eye span is about 40 characters
Width of lines should correspond to eye span of reader to make reading easier
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42. Line Spacing Distance separating each line of copy
Also called leading
Line spacing equal to size of type is called set solid
Many systems can reduce spacing below typesize (negative leading)
Proper leading unites lines horizontally and helps fit copy
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43. Typefaces for Display Intended to draw attention to message
Display type is usually 14-point or larger
Position of display line gives prominence
Different weights of type can be used for emphasis
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44. Review What is foundry type?
Foundry type is individual pieces of metal type that could be aligned with type containing other letters to form words and sentences for printing on paper.
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45. Review What is point size?
A vertical measurement used to identify or specify the size of a typeface.
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46. Review What are the three classifications of Roman typefaces?
Oldstyle Roman typefaces, Transitional Roman typefaces, and Modern Roman typefaces.
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47. Review
What is the difference between a typeface family and a typeface series?
A typeface family is a grouping consisting of all the variations of one style of type. A typeface series is a grouping of the ranges of sizes of each typeface in a family.
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48. Review
What are the two principal units of measure used in the graphic communi-cations industry?
Points and picas.
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49. Review
What is line length and how does it contribute to the legibility of printed materials?
Line length is the distance from the left to right sides of a line or body of copy. When the width of the line corresponds to the eye span of the reader, the physical task of reading is made easier.
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50. Ascender Black letter Body type
The part of a letter that extends above the body height.
Black letter
A classification of type consisting of faces that resemble the hand-drawn lettering of German monks in the Middle Ages.
Body type
Type sizes that range from 4-point through 12-point that are used for setting straight matter.
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51. Character compensation
Brightness
For paper classification, the percent reflectance of blue light only, centering on the wavelength of 457 nm.
Calligraphy
The art of hand-drawing letters, also known as manuscript writing.
Character compensation
A method of tight-setting copy by electronically reducing the width of each character and space very slightly, which reduces the white space between characters.
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52. Characters Composition depth Condensed typefaces
The individual visual symbols, such as letters, numerals, and punctuation marks, in a particular typeface.
Composition depth
The space measuring from the beginning of a composition until the end of the composition.
Condensed typefaces
Those intended to get more words in less space by narrowing the width (but not height) of the characters. They are used rather than going to a smaller typeface.
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53. Cursive Definition Descender
A typeface designed to simulate handwriting, in which the letters are not joined.
Definition
The sharpness or distinction of the printed image.
Descender
The part of a letter that extends below the body or baseline.
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54. Display type
Type sizes above 12-point, used to emphasize the importance of a message and capture the reader’s attention.
Em quad
In foundry type, a nonprinting type block that is a square of the type size, typically used to indent the beginning of the paragraph.
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55. En quad
In foundry type, a spacing element half an em quad in width, typically used to separate words.
Expanded faces
Those intended to fill more space without going to a larger point size. Also called extended faces, they consist of letters that have been made wider without increasing their height.
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56. Eye span
The width of body type a person can see with one fixation (sweep or adjustment) of the eye muscles. The normal eye span is about one and one-half alphabets.
Font
In computer-based or phototypesetting composition methods, a font consists of all the characters that make up a specific typeface. A font in foundry type, where each character is on a separate piece of metal, consists of different quantities of each character in one size and style of type.
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57. Foundry type Heavy elements Ink darkness
Individually metal-cast type (letters, numbers, characters) that can be arranged to form words and sentences for printing on paper.
Heavy elements
The darker strokes of a type character that give it identity.
Ink darkness
A factor that affects the contrast of printed materials. Darkness depends on the ink’s covering power. Complete coverage hides the surface of the paper.
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58. Italic type
A slashed type, modeled on a form of handwriting. It was developed and first used by Aldus Manutius, a printer in Italy. Most Roman and sans serif faces have a companion italic of the same design.
Justify
To adjust letter-spacing and word-spacing so lines of type in a block are all equal in length, resulting in even left and right margins.
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59. Kerning Legibility Letterspacing
A typesetting technique in which space between certain pairs of characters is tightened to improve appearance and readability.
Legibility
A measure of how difficult or easy it is to read printed matter.
Letterspacing
Changing the spacing between typeset letters, for better appearance or to fit copy in a given space.
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60. Ligatures Light elements Line length
Joined letter combinations, such as fi, ff, fl, ffi, or ffl, found in some typefaces.
Light elements
The hairlines or other less-dark strokes that tie together the heavy elements of a type character.
Line length
The distance from the left to right sides of a line or body of copy, usually measured in picas. Also called line width.
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61. Modern Roman typefaces
Loose set
Term describing wider than normal letterspacing.
Manuscript
A style of hand lettering used by the scribes of Germany, France, Holland, and other countries in the Middle Ages.
Modern Roman typefaces
Typefaces that have increased contrast between very thin, light elements and heavy elements.
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62. Negative leading Novelty typeface
The practice of reducing spacing below the type size, resulting in lines that are set very close together vertically.
Novelty typeface
A typeface designed primarily to command special attention, express a mood, or provide a specific appearance for a theme or an occasion. Also called “decorative” or “occasional” typefaces.
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63. Oblique
In electronic composition, the term used to describe a simulated italic character produced by slanting an upright Roman typeface.
Old English
A text typeface often used for such applications as diplomas, certificates, and religious materials.
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64. Oldstyle Roman typeface
A group of typefaces that have a rugged appearance, with relatively little contrast between heavy and light elements. They reflect the earliest Roman designs.
Opacity
The quality of a paper that does not allow print from the opposite side to show through.
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65. Pi characters Point size
In fonts for computer of phototypesetting, such symbols as stars, asterisks, arrows, percent signs, or checkmarks. In foundry type, such special characters are called sorts or dingbats.
Point size
A vertical measurement used to identify or specify the size of a typeface. Measurement is from the top of the ascender space to the bottom of the descender space.
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66. Reverse type Roman typeface
White characters on a solid black or color background.
Roman typeface
A type style based on the capital letters cut into stone monuments by the ancient Romans. Nicolas Jenson developed Roman lowercase letters that would merge readily into word forms. Jenson’s designs were the models used by type designers for hundreds of years.
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67. Sans serif Script typeface
The classification for typefaces without serifs (stroke endings). This typeface classification is second only to Roman in popularity. Sans serif typefaces usually have heavy and light elements that are approximately the same thickness.
Script typeface
A typeface designed to simulate handwriting, in which the letters are joined.
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68. Serif Set size Small caps
The thickened tips or short finishing-off strokes at the top and bottom of a Roman typeface character.
Set size
The width of a typeset character. Electronic composition makes it possible to change the set size of characters.
Small caps
Capital letters smaller than the normal caps of the font.
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69. Smoothness Subiaco face
Freedom from surface irregularities. As a quality of paper, smoothness affects the visibility of printed images.
Subiaco face
An early version of the Roman typeface, used for several books and named for the town where the printing was done.
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70. Text Tight set Tracking Words, sentences, or paragraphs.
Term describing narrower than normal letterspacing.
Tracking
A feature of computer typesetting programs that allows control of letterspacing and wordspacing together.
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71. Transitional Roman typeface
Typefaces that are a remodeling of Oldstyle faces. There is greater contrast between the heavy and light elements, and the characters are wider than the equivalent Oldstyle characters. Baskerville, a Transitional Roman, was the first typeface designed to print on smooth paper.
Typeface
Distinctive designs of visual symbols used to compose a printed page.
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72. Typeface family Typeface series Type metal
A grouping consisting of all the variations of one style of type.
Typeface series
The range of sizes of each typeface in a family. The common type sizes used in printing are 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 point.
Type metal
A low-melting-point alloy of lead, tin, and antimony used to cast foundry type.
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73. Typographer Typography
A print designer who determines how a manuscript should be expressed in type as well as other details of reproduction.
Typography
The art of expressing ideas in printed form through the selection of appropriate typefaces.
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74. Visibility
A legibility factor that results from the contrast of a dark typeface against the light reflected by the paper.
Weight
The degree of boldness of the printing surface of a letter. The readable image might have a light, medium, bold, or extra-bold printing surface.
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75. Widow Wordspacing X-height
A very short word, or part of a word, forming the final line of a paragraph.
Wordspacing
Changing the spacing between typeset words, for better appearance or to fit copy in a given space.
X-height
The height of the lowercase “x.” Also called body height.
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