The Anatomy of Type - Part 3 and 4

Part 3; 
Type and character;

• The process of print changed the way type was used and developed.
• Print was how people published things.
• Type started to grow when people learnt to read, before this happened we had town cryers, talking to people, and story tellers.

Which portrays the word 'elegant' most effectively?

Which font goes with each image?

Which font is most suitable for this image?

Thinking of the gender of the type to link it to the image, colour also influences this judgement too.

Vocabulary;

• Font
• Typeface
• Font family
• Weight
• Stroke
• Uppercase / lowercase
• Tracking
• Kerning
• Serif
• Sans serif
• Script
• Blackletter
• Display 
• Monotype
• Symbol

Definitions;
Typeface - A collection of characters, letters, numbers, symbols, punctuation etc. which have the same distinct design. Different weights of the same font are all the same typeface. Could be up to 15 fonts in 1 typeface. Regular is the initial design for a font, its just the starting point for a typeface.
Font - The physical means used to create a typeface, be it computer code, lithographic film, metal or woodcut. One width, one weight, one style of a typeface with a constant stroke and weight.
Glyphs - Glyphs are individual elements which make up a full font.

Fonts fall into a range of catagories; Block, Gothic, Roman, Script.
Gothic - Standard simple sans serif.
Roman - Standard serif.
Block - Display and header fonts.
Script - Hand drawn like sable.

Gill Sans;
Regular/Italic
Light/Italic
Bold/Italic
Ultra Bold Condensed

There are a variation of fonts in a typeface, for example, Gill Sans has 7 fonts in 1 typeface.

An entire font, including glyphs.

4 fonts, 1 typeface.

Part 4;
Legibilty and readability;

Based on the understanding of the spacial quality which is the counter. The counter is the defining factor whether something is legible or readable. Negative space can define what we are working with, and this is where we find the counters.

FedEx logo.

The arrow in the logo is good use of the counters to create shapes and forms to create subliminal messages.

Office of Government Cohherse.

Sometimes the counter use is good design sometimes its a happy accident, but sometimes its unfortunate, and communicates the wrong message.

Most people look but they can't see.

More readable to most people as serif fonts allow the counters to be more clear.

Sans serif font's work best at 12-14 point scale
Serif font's work best at 9-12 point scale.


Definitions;
Legibility - Is the degree to which glyphs (individual characters) in text are understandable or recognizable based on appearance. 
Readability - Is the ease in which text can be read and understood. It is influenced by line length, primary and secondary leading, justification, typestyle, kerning, tracking, point size, etc.
Leading - Is the space in between each glyph.
Tracking - Is about adding lead to create a bigger space between them. It is extending.
Kerning - Is bringing the letterforms closer together. It is condensing.
Never kern a font - track a font but never kern.

9 Fonts, 1 Typeface.

The rule;
No more than 3 fonts.
No more than 3 typefaces.