Type and Grid: Lecture Notes

Today in visual language we learnt about the industry standard language of grid and type.

This image shows metal type. The metal body size defines the point size.

NO - when the n and the o are equal size, the o looks smaller, so the o actually goes a bit over and under the lines to make it look equal to the n.

Ligatures - letters interfere with each other to make the proportions between a pair of letters more acceptable. This technique is only used in best quality publications, such as restaurant menus.
e.g.

The use of all capitals makes a word less legible, as the shape of the word is squared in. With lowercase, there is a shape to the word, and the brain recognises this shape instead of the letters. 

All roadsigns in the U.K. use the same font. The process behind this was carefully thought out, so that people get used to the shapes of the words, and so can recognise location names quickly.

Kerning is the space between a pair of letters. It is important to take care with appearance, and not just to use the default computer setting, as type needs to be easy to understand. Minus leading is only possible on a computer. Where there is no leading, the type is set solid.

Tracking is the space between the letters in a word.

Reverse out is to have white writing on a black background. When doing this, tracking should be added to the letters so that the background colours don't bleed onto the white font.

It is important to have appropriateness and meaning in mind when selecting a font.

It is inappropriate to have an unfamiliar word in an ornate typeface.

The use of halftone/colour changes what you look at first (hierachy of words), along with the scale, font, tone etc.

The layout of a product depends on what it is. For example bibles, cookbooks, manuals, novels, scripts and magazines all have different layouts.

There are different versions of a font in a type family.

If the font size was 10pt, with a 4pt gap in between the lines (leading) it would be 10 on 14 pt or 10pt 4pt leaded. This terminology is from the old letter press technology, as the pt of leading is based on the pieces of lead put in between the letter blocks.

A pica is a constant measurement. 12pts is a pica

Letters can look bigger but still be the same pt size, depending on the x height of the letters.