Type & Logo Design

Font Families sans serif Slab serif Old Style Modern Decorative Script

Type Design Relies on: o Type Contrast (create BIG differences in size, weight, and/or structure) o Bold, crisp graphics (in vector)

Contrast or Conflict? o CONTRAST: Type that contrasts must contrast dramatically. o CONFLICT: Type that conflicts is too similar (not good).

Type Contrast in Documents Headline Subheading A type hierarchy exists when the most important type is in largest, heaviest weight, and the least important is in the smallest, lightest. Body copy is the smallest text on the page. It needs to be in a smilple font (not script or decorative, which are only used for headlines and subheadings). On the Web, we double-space between paragraphs and do not indent the first line of a paragraph. Common fonts are Ariel and Verdana.

The SLAMR Formula o Simple o Legible o Appropriate o Memorable o Reproducible (and Reducible)

Simple o The most recognized logos in the world are very simple.

Common Techniques for Simplicity Type Only – type as graphic shapes (“letter forms”)

Common Techniques for Simplicity Abstraction – stays graphically bold

Common Techniques for Simplicity Illustration – less common, more complex, but still graphically bold

Common Techniques for Simplicity When full illustrations are used, they’re usually used as an option—sometimes the type alone is used, so it must be able to stand alone.

Legible o Must be readable if reduced to ¼ “ o PROBLEM EXAMPLE. Problem with logos that have large images and relatively small type is that they’re not legible when reduced.

Appropriate

Memorable o Simple logos must still be memorable - unique o In this case, the type has been altered uniquely.

Reproducible Must be reproducible in black and white. - Logo on the left turns to muddy grays. - Logo on right stays strong.

Final Concepts

Unity: Letter Forms are like Puzzle Pieces This type fits together well with an extended “g.” But it does not reproduce well in black and white.

Kerning, Leading, Tracking Kerning is the space between letter pairs Leading is the space between baselines Tracking is the space between all letters.

Kerning, Leading, Tracking Red and blue next to each other creates painful vibration on the eye. Solution: Separate them with white.

What’s wrong with this logo? - Red and blue next to each other - Complex (not simple) - Not legible if reduced in size - Not reproducible in black and white - Other issues?

Yuchy BW Reproduction

What’s wrong with these? Instituto de Estudos Orientais

QUESTIONS? © 2007 Juliet Davis