Unit 2.1: Identifying design elements when preparing graphics Typography Unit 2.1: Identifying design elements when preparing graphics

Design principles: typography Character: A single element of type (letter, number, symbol, glyph). Font: A set of characters and symbols in one type design. Point: The standard unit for measuring type size (72 points = 1 in). Type: Characters used to display text for communication. Type size: The height, in points, of characters of type. Type style: A standard design feature such as bold or italic. Design principles: typography

Design principles: typography FONT FAMILIES Fonts are categorized into “families” based on their characteristics. The most common font families are: Serif – has flared extensions off letters, varied thickness of letters Sans-serif – without extensions, same thickness all around Cursive (script) – handwritten effect Fantasy (decorative) – any unusual design Monospace - fixed-width, or non-proportional font, is a font whose letters and characters each occupy the same amount of horizontal space. Design principles: typography

Design principles: typography ASPECTS OF FONTS Serif fonts are characterized by the flared extensions, or strokes, on the tips of such letters as f, l, and i. Serif fonts also usually have a combination of thick and thin strokes. Sans-serif fonts have a plain stroke ending and appear blockier than serif fonts. They do not have the flared extensions, strokes, or other kinds of ornamentation. (“Sans” means without, and “serif” refers to extra strokes, or lines.) Design principles: typography

Design principles: typography MIXING FONTS Every decision you make when using type affects your project’s design hierarchy and readability. Here are some rules of thumb for mixing fonts: Use no more than two fonts in any web or print document. Choose one serif and one sans-serif font. Choose one display font for headlines and one text font (serif or sans-serif) for body text. If you need more variation for complex content, choose a font with many weights; mix weights instead of fonts. Design principles: typography

Design principles: typography SIZES AND STYLES Here are some general guidelines to follow when choosing type sizes: Body text: 10-point type (12-point for on-screen documents) Subheads: 12- to 14-point type Headlines: 36+-point type Design principles: typography

Design principles: typography LEADING Vertical spacing between lines of text. KERNING Kerning is the adjustment of space between pairs of letters to make them more visually appealing. TRACKING Tracking is the spacing between the letters in a range of text. Design principles: typography

Design principles: typography TYPE COLOR Here are some general rules for type color: Use contrasting colors; black on white is always safe. Use a color tool such as Adobe Kuler to find contrasting and harmonious color sets (Window > Kuler). When placing type on a background image: Find a block of solid color to place type (sky, blank wall). Use a contrasting color drawn from the background image. Align two or more blocks of type with each other. Use drop shadows or screened type when type crosses into a different tonal or detail area of the image (interruptions). Design principles: typography

Design principles: typography WHAT MAKES TYPE HARD TO READ Using dark colors on a dark background, or using light colors on a light background, makes type hard to read. What not to do on a background image: Place type on a busy area of an image (detailed image, texture) Use cursive type on a busy background Outline type with a heavy stroke Use more than one font family within a title Design principles: typography

Design principles: typography TYPE IN ILLUSTRATOR Is type a content element? Or a design element? The answer is: Both! Use Illustrator for posters, book covers, branding and logos, marketing collateral, and textile design. Use Adobe InDesign for page layout of books, magazines, brochures, annual reports, and e-books. Illustrator has spell checking (Edit > Check Spelling), find and replace, and paragraph and character styles. It is not suited for multipage publications and doesn’t offer master pages (artboards are not considered pages). Design principles: typography