Typography

Typography Basics
Kinds of Typefaces
Principles of Typography
Typography Tips and Techniques

This tutorial examines various aspects of typography, the arrangement and selection of type. It looks at typography basics, kinds of typefaces, personalities of type, principles of typography, and typography tips and techniques.

Typography Basics

Typography is the selection and arrangement of typefaces, sizes, and spacing on a printed publication or web page. Typography has a major impact on the overall look and image of your page and its overall quality.

In choosing typography, you must:

Select a font (or typeface)

Choose a font size

Decide how much space to allow between lines of type

Determine how much contrast to add between headlines and text

Typography should be readable and legible. Readability refers to whether a long block of text, such as an article or book, is easy to read. Typefaces are readable when they are basically invisible to the reader. This happens when the reader doesn't stop to think about the typeface instead of the message when reading. Legibility refers to whether a short amount of text, such as a headline or subhead, is easily recognizable.

Typography can be used to create personality and feeling on a page:

Formal or informal

Modern or classic

Dense or open

Light or dramatic

A typeface refers to an entire family of letters of a particular design. Literally thousands are available. An example of a typeface is the Arial font family, including: Arial, Arial Light, Arial Narrow, and Arial Black. Fonts are a specific member of the family. An example of a font is Arial. Usually, a computer has a set of built-in fonts that come with its software. Additional fonts can be downloaded from font sites on the Internet or purchased on CD in a typeface software library.

Kinds of Typefaces

Sans Serif Typefaces - Sans Serif typefaces do not have finishing strokes at the ends of the letterforms. The name comes from the French word sans, which mean "without." Sans Serif typefaces are also referred to as Gothic. Avante Garde, Helvetica, and Arial are the most common Sans Serif typefaces.

Serif Typefaces - Serifs are lines or curves projecting from the end of a letterform. Typefaces with these additional strokes are called Serif typefaces. They are also referred to as Oldstyle typefaces. Times Roman, Palatino, Bookman, and New Century Schoolbook are common Serif typefaces.

Script Typefaces - Script typefaces simulate handwriting, with one letter connected to another visually, if not physically. Script typefaces emulate several different types of hand-lettering, including calligraphic, drafting, and cartoon. Zaph Chancery and Brush Script are common Script typefaces.

Character Fonts - Character fonts are extended character sets packaged as fonts. To view the character font sets on a personal computer, open the Character Map file in the Accessories folder to view a grid of all of the characters for a specified typeface. Click on the character you want to use and either note the keystroke displayed in the box in the lower right corner of the window or copy and paste it into the publication where you want to use it. Wingdings and Dingbats are common Character fonts.

Decorative Fonts - Decorative fonts are fonts that do not fit into any other group. These typefaces are reserved for novelty, for special effect, or a special approach. Because they are different, they are usually harder to read than standard fonts, so use them sparingly and always as display type - never as text. Beesknees, Curlz, and Snap are examples of decorative fonts.

Principles of Typography

Type Size - Type is measured by its vertical height, in points. There are approximately 72 points in an inch, so 72-point type is approximately 1 inch in height on a printed page. 36-point type is approximately ½ inch in height, and 18-point type is approximately ¼ inch in height. Text on a printed page is usually 10 -12 points in size. Any type below 9 points in size is very hard to read.

Weight - Weight refers to the density of letters, the lightness or heaviness of the strokes in a typeface. It is described as a continuum: light, regular, book, demi, bold, heavy, black, and extra bold. These weight descriptions are used in font names to describe the thickness of their lines. Light fonts are composed of the thinnest lines and extra bold fonts are composed of the thickest lines. Not all weights are available for all typefaces and the continuum occasionally varies in some typefaces.

Style - Style refers to options such as bold, italic, underline, and reverse, that you can choose as part of your type specifications.

Leading - Leading is the vertical space between lines of type. It is measured in points and is expressed as the sum of the type size and the space between the two lines. Generally, it is at least the size of the type. Type with a generous amount of space between lines is said to have open leading and type with relatively little space between lines is said to have tight leading. Some software programs, including all desktop publishing programs, allow users to adjust leading.

Alignment - Alignment refers to the shape of the text block in relation to the margins. Most software programs allow left alignment (sometimes called flush left), right alignment (sometimes called flush right), center alignment, justified alignment, and force justify alignment.

The Color of Type - Even when printed in black and white, all type has a color on the page. Color here means the overall tone or texture of the type and the lightness or darkness that varies among typefaces and spacing of type.

Typography Tips and Techniques

Determine the image you want to project with your publication and choose fonts with personalities that will fit that image.

Limit the number of typefaces you use in a publication. Many experts say to use a limit of two typefaces, but occasionally this will vary. Too many typefaces can create an unprofessional, jumbled image.

Look at various publications for ideas about which typefaces work well together and the images they project.

When using two typefaces, make sure they are very different. One typeface will probably be used for display type, such as headings, and the other for text. Strive for definite contrast between the two.

When choosing only one typeface family, choose one with a lot of variations, so you will have some flexibility with your text design. The typeface Helvetica has many variations such as Helvetica Bold, Light, Regular, Condensed or Narrow, Outline, and Black.

If you are unsure about which typeface to select, choose a common and reliable one such as Garamond, Palatino, Helvetica, Goudy, or Times Roman.

When using a display type that has very strong characters (type that is bigger and bolder than regular type), use a typeface for text that looks more neutral. Very elaborate typefaces can be hard to read. Limit their use to only a few words and make sure the words are legible.

All caps are harder to read than upper and lower case letters. Try to limit the use of all caps to two or three words. Some typefaces, such as Old English, are not designed to be used for all caps.

Use bold and italic type for just a few words.

Avoid setting large blocks of text in bold or italic type. Both styles are generally more difficult to read than regular type. A block of bold type tends to darken a page.

Typeface weight will have a large impact on the color or darkness of your page. Thin lines will create a light and airy appearance, while thick lines will create a dark and heavy appearance. Weight can be very important to the image of a publication.

Different typefaces take up different amounts of space. Some fonts are larger and take up more space per letter. This can greatly affect the length of a publication.

The reader's eye is attracted by white space. It gives the eye a rest and calls attention to what it surrounds.

Break multi-line headings by phrase (where a spoken pause would occur). Place more white space above heading than below. This signals the reader that the heading goes with the text below it.

Increase the spacing between lines or leading to create a lighter-looking page.

Brady, P. (1988). Using Type Right. Cincinnati, OH: North Light Books.

Burke, C. (1990). Type from the Desktop. Chapel Hill, NC: Ventana Press.

Shushan, R. and Lewis, L. (1995). Desktop Publishing by Design. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Press.

Williams, R. (1998). The Non-Designer's Type Book. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press.