1. 8 Learning Font Basics Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8
©2008Thomson/South-Western

2. Topics Fonts Type Description Type Attributes Usefulness
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

3. Objectives Understand how fonts are designed
Learn differences between various ways of describing fonts.
See how font attributes can be used to change fonts.
Learn why fonts should be readable and legible.
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

4. Fonts Typography Study of all elements of type
Study includes shape, size, and spacing of characters
Originally set with small metal letters
Combined typeface, style, and size into single name
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

5. Fonts Typeface Style Size Shape of letter such as Times New Roman
(continued)
Typeface
Shape of letter such as Times New Roman
Style
Bold or italic
Size
Measured in points
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

6. Fonts Type Fonts Font Designers
(continued)
Type Fonts
Letters and numbers do not have the same shape
Font Designers
Fonts not built into the operating system
Purchased as part of the price of the operating system
Copyright protection makes it illegal to copy a font from someone else’s computer
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

7. Type Description Lines Extensions Baseline X-height Ascender line
Bottom line on which letters sit
X-height
Middle line
Ascender line
Top line
Extensions
Descender
Portion of the letter below the baseline
Ascender
Portion of the letter above the baseline
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

8. Type Description (continued) ascender line ascender x-height line
baseline
x-height line
ascender
descender
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

9. Type Description Anatomy of Type Stroke Stress Counter Serifs
(continued)
Anatomy of Type
Stroke
Width of line used to create letters
Stress
Angle of line that connects narrow strokes of a letter
Counter
Opening inside a letter such as “p”
Serifs
Small decorative extensions at the end of main strokes of letters
Bracketed serifs
Curved serifs from the base to the stem
Sans Serifs
Font with no serifs (sans means without)
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

10. Type Description (continued) counter stress stroke bracketed serif
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

11. Type Description
(continued)
Size
Measured using characters that have ascenders and descenders
Height of typeface is measured (not width)
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

12. Type Attributes Faux Fonts Effects
Fonts that are created by taking a font and adjusting it to make it appear bold or italic
Effects
Small Caps
Changes characters to capitals but maintains size difference between upper- and lower letters
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

13. Type Attributes Underline Reverse Type
(continued)
Underline
Less important than it used to be, as with typewriters it had to be used in place of italics
Reverse Type
Image of white text on a dark background
Used for emphasis
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14. Type Attributes (continued) shadow small caps superscript
subscript
superscript
small caps
shadow
strikethrough
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

15. Usefulness Readability Legibility
Measurement of text that determines how quickly the eye can process information
Legibility
Measurement of text that determines how easily the eye can decipher the words
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

16. Usefulness Long Text Passages
(continued)
Long Text Passages
Reading is about seeing a phrase and reading it as a unit
Fonts that are readable are:
Less ornate
Letters that are about the same width
Balanced height-to-width ratio
Medium strokes with slight differences between narrow and wide strokes
Avoid unusual serifs and wide counters
Mirrored letters such as “d” or “b” should be easy to distinguish
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

17. Usefulness Short Text Passages Font shouldn’t be too unusual
(continued)
Short Text Passages
Font shouldn’t be too unusual
Fonts that attract attention rather than distract
Pick fonts that convey the message
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

18. Business of Publishing
Choice of font is important business decision
Choice of font is part of business’ image
Used consistently throughout publications
Typefaces convey different messages
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

19. Proofreading Tips Check for unintentional mixture of fonts
Check for mixtures of fonts that you didn’t intend
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

20. Workplace Ethics
Font copyrights are not as carefully tracked as other software in businesses
Check licensing of fonts on computers you are using
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21. Changing Workplace
Some countries provide same intellectual protection as they do for work of art
United States does not protect fonts in this way
Protection in United States is for software that delivers the font
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

22. Review Questions What is typeface?
What three attributes comprise a font?
What is the bottom line on which the letters set called?
What is the middle line called?
Where does the main portion of the letter fall?
What is the top line called?
How is the ascender line established?
What is the portion of the letter that is below the baseline called?
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

23. Review Questions
9) What is the width of the line used to create a letter called?
10) What is the angle of the line that connects the narrow strokes of a letter called?
11) What is the open area inside a letter called?
12) What is a curved serif that fills in the area between the serif and stroke called?
13) What is a font called that has been modified by software to make it appear as if it has an attribute such as bold?
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

24. Review Questions 14) What is a reason to use small caps?
15) What is white type on a dark background called?
16) What is the purpose of using white type on a dark background?
17) What is the measurement of text called that determines how quickly the eye can process information?
18) What is the measurement of text called that determines how easily the eye can decipher the words?
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

25. Review Questions
19) Identify what caused the change in the way fonts were identified and describe the changes.
20) Explain why underlining is less important in desktop publishing now than it used to be.
Please write or type answers in complete sentences and number them. 1-20
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

26. Assignments…Activity #1 “Typography Moods”
Using InDesign, create a blank 26p0 X 26p0 document.
Create a 2-column, 11 row table. In the first column key the following words, each on a different row. Mood, Happy, Serious, Casual, Formal, Humorous, Urgent, Festive, Sporty, Contemporary, and Dependable. Key Font in the second column for the column heading. Center the headings in the first row. (Mood and Font)
In the second column, second row, change to a font that matches the mood. For instance, the second row mood is Happy. Change to a font that is available on your system that you believe demonstrates a happy mood. Key in the name of the font. For example for happy. Comic Sans MS
Repeat instruction 4 for the remainder of the rows.
Save as typography_moods or Ch.8_Act.1
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8

27. Assignments…Activity #3 “The Pizzaria”
Using Adobe InDesign, create a 24p X 24p document
Add a new layer with a text box placed across the middle of the document that is approximately 8p in height spanning from left to right margin. Key Pizzaria in the text box. Choose a font type that has a thick stroke. Change the font size to fit the area.
Create another text box with The keyed in it. Format the font size to half the size of Pizzaria. Change the color to a lighter shade of black, closer to a gray. Apply small caps to the text; then rotate the text slightly and place in front of Pizzaria.
Add a new layer and place the image pizza behind the text box in the middle.
Draw a text box above the middle focal point. Key in Grand Opening. Add an effect to Grand Opening. Apply a font and font size.
Add three other text lines to the upper text box, giving details of the Grand Opening. One of these lines should include Your Name, Owner
Add a text box below the middle focal point. In the text box, key The Pizzaria [Enter] 2001 Pepperoni lane [Enter] Linn, MO [Enter] [Enter] (573) Change the font size and type as needed to balance and create harmony in the design. Save as the_pizzaria or Ch.8_Act.3
Digital Desktop Publishing: Chapter 8