FontShop - Typography
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This document provides a lighthearted guide to typography using dating and relationships as a metaphor. It discusses various typographic concepts such as typeface vs. font, type anatomy, font families, pairing typefaces, kerning and leading, and more. Each section relates these concepts to different stages of a relationship from the initial attraction and compatibility to long-term commitment. The document uses humor and analogies to make typically dry typographic topics more engaging and accessible.
FontShop - Typography
- 1. MEET YOUR TYPE a field guide to love & typography
- 2. CONTENTS CONTENTS TIME TO COMMIT font licensing and creation page 38 page 26 MAKING IT WORK typographic details page 16 COULD THIS BE THE ONE? appropriate typeface selection page 04 TIME FOR “THE TALK” the elements of typography
- 3. THE BIRDS & THE BEES typeface vs. font Ø5 Why settle for casual flirtation when looking for a long-lasting relationship? Finding the perfect match is easy if you know the rules. MEET YOUR TYPE will help you overcome common obstacles, and keep your heart thumping for your one true love: typography.
- 4. TIME FOR ”THE TALK” the elements of type
- 5. 08 007 ABCDEGHIJK LMNOPQRST UVWXYZ abcdefghijkl mnopqrstuv wxyz FF MILOTHIN.OTF = FONT A typeface is a single set of characters that share stylistic unity. A typeface usually comprises an alphabet of letters, numbers, punctuation and diacritical marks. Old school typographers defined a font as a complete character set of a particular typeface in one size. When type made the leap to the digital realm, a font became an electronic file that rendered the typeface in all sizes. You may notice that you’re changing. You’re noticing different letterforms. You may feel different around them. Don’t be embarrassed; these feelings are natural. A few basics can help you through the awkward years. THE BIRDS & THE BEES typeface vs. font TYPEFACE FONT A typeface is what you see– a font is what you use to make it happen. fuzz peachFF MILO TEXT FF MILO REGULAR ITALIC bra TRAINING FF MILO THIN FF MILO EXTRA BOLD
- 6. The distance between the baseline and the top of a capital letter. The imaginary, yet crucial line where all obedient letterforms sit. The enclosed negative space within a letter. COUNTERBASELINECAP HEIGHT Double chin, big feet, or bowed legs. Little details will tell you a lot about your type. Go ahead and check them out – it’s not shallow. It’s your job. FF DIN PRO YOU JUST WANT ME FOR MY BODY type anatomy Even though it sounds life-threatening, it is just the endpoint of the letterform. Width of a character in relation to the height. Being wider than you are tall isn’t always a bad thing. The height of a lower case x or the height of lower case letters. The male anatomy of a lower case letter that hangs below the baseline. Quite ambitious, this part of a lower case letter rises above the x height. ASCENDER SET WIDTH TERMINAL X-HEIGHT DESCENDER More than any other part of the body, the x-height can dramatically affect type readability. Avoid extremely small or very large x-heights if that is important to you.
- 7. 010 011DOES (POINT) SIZE MATTER? type measurement You’ve probably heard the rumor: the bigger your type, the better. While that is sometimes true, on other occasions smaller is better. No matter what size you’re working with, if used properly, it can be effective. The point system is used by women everywhere to reward their men for good behavior. A similarly archaic system, using points and picas, measures typographic dimensions. Worrying too much about size can lead to an inferiority complex. Point size has very little to do with the actual size of your type anyway. Some typefaces can appear much larger than others at the same point size. So measure however you want – points, picas, inches, centimeters, or (gulp) millimeters. Just remember to always print a test page before committing to a size. THE POINT SYSTEM POINT SIZE to plea∞eyou. Oh,THE LENGTHS I GO OXTAIL OT 196 PT 17.5 PT 44 PT 72 POINTS = 1 INCH 6 PICAS = 1 INCH 12 POINTS = 1 PICA POINT PICA INCH When concerned about readability, pay as much attention to the x-height as the point size. X-heights that are too small or too large can dramatically affect readability.
- 8. 013 DISPLAY NON-WESTERN SYMBOLSBLACKLETTER Display faces are the crazy ones you date before getting married to someone nice from the Midwest. They’re not built for long-reading relationships. Don’t expect your parents to understand the lure of exotic, non-Western type. The language of love knows no bounds. Blackletter type was originally designed to mimic the calligraphy of 12th century European monks. Poor lonely, single monks. Telling someone how you feel can be hard to put into words — enter dingbats, or symbol fonts — the best way to say… At FONTSHOP.COM you can browse through thousands of fonts in these and other categories. Consider it your personal ”little black & yellow book”. f+O=Ù SANS SERIF SLAB SERIFSERIF ARE WE MEANT FOR EACH OTHER? type history & classification Lean and clean, these love machines were designed for the industrial age. They’re hard- working and modern, with no need for fancy serifs. Based on the carvings of the ancient Romans — now there’s a group who knew about lovin’ — serifs feature small ‘feet’ at the end of the letterforms. The big-boned cousin in every type family — their serifs are blunt and opinionated. No nonsense here — say I love you like you mean it. Everyone has a past. While some things can be overlooked, type history is not one of them. Pre-screen with a little background check and avoid a lot of baggage later. GARAMOND SCRIPT The trashy romance novel you hope will never end — script evolved from cursive styles. Best used when things start to get serious. WAZAFF SCALA SANS FETTE FRAKTUR HELVETICA CYRILLICSTYMIE ZEBRAWOOD ZAPF DINGBATS “If I could rearrange the alphabet I would put U and I together.”
- 9. 014 justwait UncleRick FINALLY MADE Parole! until you meet my family BLACK ITALIC SMALL CAPS CONDENSED BOLD ROMAN (REGULAR)ITALIC SMALL CAPS BOLD TRADITIONAL FAMILY : FF Scala SUPER FAMILY : FF Scala/Scala SansThe traditional type family includes roman, italic, bold, and small cap styles. Modern families can break the mold and include other styles. Extended families can branch out to include not- so-distant cousins like hairline, black, extended and condensed styles, to name a few. The yours, mine, and ours of typography: some families include serif, sans serif, and every style in between. They begin to work as complete typographic systems–in-laws and all. TRADITIONAL FAMILY EXTENDED FAMILY SUPER FAMILY MEET THE PARENTS type family Whoa! It seems early, but sometimes the true test comes when you meet the family. Regardless, it’s always good to know ‘what you’re getting into.’ ‘isn’t our family super?’ ï
- 10. COULD THIS BE THE ONE? appropriate typeface selection
- 11. 018 Avoid the embarrassment of typographic rejection by first determining the likes and dislikes of your target audience. Get inside their head. Grab their attention. Unleash the pheromones and cast your spell. Understanding their preferences is essential before wooing them with type. In order to attract a mate, you’ve got to set the bait. Some people are drawn to curvy swashes, some like grungy scripts, and some go for bold and simple. Knowing what your audience wants can help you choose a typeface that will make ’em tingle. THE CHASE type selection When surveying the dating pool, consider the following: age, income, marital status, dental hygiene, ethnicity, sex, education, geographic location, buying patterns, political interests, etc. FIRST CRUSH? COUGAR? prowl on theAQUAMARINE OT POSTER BODONI BT Make OFFICE ROMANCE? PRESENTABLE yourself TIMES NEW ROMAN WHO IS YOUR AUDIENCE? Play the GameFF FONTESQUE SANS & FF BOKKA SHADOW B
- 12. YES WHAT’S YOUR MESSAGE? HOW ARE YOU USING THE TYPE? headline copy? does it need to set a mood? what medium? large amounts of copy? NO NO NO PRINT SCREEN YES YES YESYES TEXT FACE DISPLAY FACE SCREEN FONT My one ONLY&FF SERIA MASS TEXT friend request FF SCREEN MATRIX FF META OFFICE boy toyFF TOKYO Life of the party FF MINIMUM After a wild night on the town, sometimes a little quiet is what you need. Look for someone who is easy to read and in it for the long haul. Classic faces may not be as flashy, but their loyalty and simplicity will win you over in the end. Avoid the disappointment of an online profile that doesn’t quite measure up in real life. Some fonts simply look better on screen while others look better in print. Consider this type when you need to make a statement, put on a show for your friends, or just have some fun. These outspoken faces are known for setting a mood, but can sometimes be over the top. They may be great for a summer fling–just don’t get too attached.
- 13. 022 023MAKE ME A MATCH type pairing Any love doctor will tell you, to make it work, you’ve got to be in synch. So when playing matchmaker, choose your typefaces carefully. Each one has a role to play— whether the task is commonplace or kinky. One lover at a time; maybe two. No need for three if you’ve got a winner. Even the most complicated projects, like the Frederick’s of Hollywood catalog, can be solved using only one or two typefaces. Opposites attract. If your fonts are too similar to each other, it seldom works. Consider pairing a flashy, extrovert (display face) with an understated, introvert (text face). Also consider pairing another weight from the same family (type family that is). SIMPLICITY CONTRASTWhen combining two typefaces (even if they’re the same point size), you may need to adjust their point sizes to make their x-heights match.
- 14. MAKING IT WORK typographic details
- 15. Someone always seems to dominate in a relationship. It’s important to know when to lead and when to follow. There are clear ways of establishing hierarchy, regardless of who’s wearing the pant-suit. 026TAKING THE LEAD hierarchy HIERARCHY Hierarchy = Rank = Order of Importance Effective hierarchy gets people to look where you want them to look, when you want them to look there. Without it the reader is left confused and frustrated. Emphasis can be stressed by size, weight, color, style and placement. Emphasis can generally be created by using a single style change— nearly eliminating the need to use a bold italic. Ever. crackTHEWHIP SCREAMMM!!! Make your type **************** FF CHAMBERS SANS BLACK ITALIC FF AVANCE BOLD BREE THIN FF CHAMBERS SANS BOLD POPPI can you loosen the handcuffs? HONEY, 1 3
- 16. CENTERED ←→ FLUSH RIGHT → → FLUSH LEFT← ← JUSTIFIED 029 WHEN THE STARS ALIGN type alignment CENTERED Handy for prim, poetic passages. Not meant for large amounts of text. Perfect when things get formal. FLUSH LEFT Type purists prefer this default for a good reason: it’s the easiest to read because we read it most often. FLUSH RIGHT A nice break from the norm, but a bit hard to read; should only be used for small captions or special callouts. JUSTIFIED A crisp, handsome look, but can lead to awkward hyphens and rivers (white gaps running through the text.) Effective communication will help you avoid classic courting catastrophes like the snuggle-blunder and the miss-kiss. When you talk it out and align yourselves, there’ll be no need for a blooper reel.
- 17. 030 Generally, larger type requires tighter kerning. Even in the best relationship, everybody needs a little space. Take some time to breathe. Don’t ruin a beautiful thing just because someone gets clingy. HOW CLOSE IS TOO CLOSE? kerning, leading, letter spacing Adjusting the space between individual letters when things look awkward between them. KERNING The overall spacing between letters in a block of text, it is also known as tracking. Generally, the larger the type, the less letter spacing required. LETTER SPACING The amount of horizontal space between two lines of text — leading is measured from baseline to baseline. A healthy balance between point size and leading can keep things together and moving ahead smoothly. LEADING XOXOXOXOXOXXOx OXoXOXOXOXoX XOXOXOXXoxoxoxo XOXOXoxoxxox0 LustXOXOXOXOXOXXOx OXoXOXOXOXoX XOXOXOXXoxoxoxo XOXOXoxoxxox0 XOXOXOXOXOXXOx OXoXOXOXOXoX XOXOXOXXoxoxoxo XOXOXoxoxxox0 LEADING LETTER SPACING KERNING While adding space between capital letters is acceptable, extra space between lowercase letters usually causes the love to fade. Quickly. Love l o n e l y smotherhealthy UPTIGHT AND HARD TO READ IT‘S GETTING AWKWARD COMPATIBLE CHARACTERS PLAYING TOO FAST AND LOOSE AHH, PERFECTION WE’RE DRIFTING APART I NEED SOME SPACELOVE AT FIRST SIGHT FF META PRO MEDIUM DELICATO BOLD CORPULENT
- 18. 032LOVE ME AS I AM type distortion Instead of resorting to type distortion, consider using FONTSHOP’S TYPE NAVIGATOR. Search for the perfect typographic proportions like width, height and weight at typenav.fontshop.com Don’t forget to hold down the shift key when scaling to preserve natural proportions! FF META & FF META SERIF “I’m not stretched, I’m just big boned” The longer you’re with someone, the more flaws you notice. When things get really bad, remember your mother’s warning: you can’t change ’em. True love is unconditional. Love them the way they are. If you feel the urge to widen, shorten or outline your type— resist! Abuse is not the answer. Type designers have meticulously created the ideal proportions for each and every letterform. If the type isn’t working, never feel ashamed to get out of the relationship and find a different type that suits you better. DISTORTED RELATIONS: VERTICAL HORIZONTAL FAUX ITALICS
- 19. 034 X 2NUMBERS LIGATURES ALTERNATIVE TYPE STYLES special characters O An elegant expression of typographic fondness, ligatures create a single character out of two. Old style figures1 are designed to work within a line of text, while lining figures2 align better when used in charts and graphs. Curvy smart quotes are a sign of true typographic finesse. If you need a quote or apostrophe, leave the inch and feet marks to the amateurs. On occasion, some typographers prefer characters with a little more style and flourish than those set in straight letterforms. Used in moderation, these alternate or swash characters are a great way to dress up boring type. Some characters are in a class of their own. While they may seem flamboyant or eccentric, don’t be afraid to give them a try. Adding a little spice can be very liberating. SMART QUOTES SWASH CHARACTERS Make sure to always activate SMART QUOTES and LIGATURES in your application preferences. 456 789 1 2
- 20. TIME TO COMMIT font licensing and font creation
- 21. 039 BALL& CHAIN MAKING IT LEGAL licensing a typeface When you’re sure you’ve found the one, you gotta lock it down. Licensing a font sounds like a big commitment, but making it official supports the development of the next generation of beautiful type. Do it for the kids. Cold feet? Shack up first. Many type foundries offer a try-before-you-buy option. Preview before you purchase your favorite fonts at FONTSHOP.COM. FONT LICENCE ¡ I, (insert name), do take you, (insert typeface), to be my lawfully wedded font. To love, honor and cherish— and not pass around in class, post online, email to friends, siblings, or co-workers — from this day forward until death do us part. Amen. Congratulations! You’ve just committed to a single-user font licence. Luckily, type foundries are also open to less traditional relationships and will gladly license their fonts to multiple users.
- 22. 040 41 Designing a typeface is a big commitment. Prepare for long hours, sleepless nights and a lot of nasty surprises—it̓s definitely not for everyone. For those up to the challenge, designing original type can be a very rewarding experience. Now that you’ve found your match, it’s only natural to want to make beautiful type together. Maybe it’s time to start thinking about expanding your family. NINE MONTHS LATER type creation BE ADVISED: If you decide to create your own typeface, the fertility experts at FONTSTRUCT.COM can provide all the necessary tools for the typographic incubation process. A word of caution: Don’t be embarassed if it̓s not happening for you. Some people aren̓t able to conceive. For them, adoption might be the best bet. After all, there are plenty of fonts out there just waiting to be adopted, nurtured, and loved. Abduction is not the same thing as adoption.
- 23. 042CALL THE LOVE DOCTOR expert advice The honeymoon is over. Isn’t this what you expected? It doesn’t have to be this way: if you feel the magic start to fade, refer to this handy list of interventions. We never said it would be easy, we only said it would be worth it. FONT SELECTION Make sure the typeface and everything associated with it is appropriate for your project. There is nothing worse than dating someone who is stuck in the seventies when everyone else has moved on to the eighties. NUMBERS When set in body copy, numbers can look large. Try reducing the point size of the numbers slightly so they blend in better. READABILITY Columns that are too short or too wide are hard to read. An ideal measure is 60–70 characters per line, or 40 when romancing online. CLUTTER Avoid distracting background patterns or busy photos behind your type. POINT SIZE Always choose the body copy size first, and make everything else work with it. HEADLINES Tighten up the letter spacing when using large type. LEADING The bigger the body copy, the smaller the leading, especially if you use all caps. BOREDOM Consider adding drop caps, rules, or other graphic devices into the mix. When small type is REVERSED on a dark background, adding a bit of space can help readability. CONTRAST Squint at your layout to see the type color. If everything is gray, add emphasis somewhere. HIERARCHY Design a clear visual path for the viewer to follow. Just like your significant other, the most important text should get the most attention. Use fewer fonts and typeface styles in your project. The old adage ‘two’s company—three’s a crowd’ works with type. WIDOWS & ORPHANS Show compassion to orphans (words abandoned at the beginning of a column) and widows (words left alone at the end of a paragraph). i
- 24. 045044 FontStruct fontstruct.com Hate the game? Make the typeface of your dreams with this online font generator. You don’t even have to wait for a visa! When it comes to love, some people are clearly more experienced than others. Look to these tried and true FontShop resources as your own typographic support group— always on hand when an ugly relationship is getting you down. FOLDSTRUCT IT DOESN’T HAVE TO END THIS WAY FontShop resources
- 25. 046 TheFontFeed fontfeed.com Impress them with your typographic knowledge. This über blog has it all: interviews, eye candy and new typefaces, all gleaned from sources worldwide. FontShuffle apple.com/iphone/apps-for-iphone Say goodbye to boring dates! Bust out this handy app when your date just isn’t cutting it. Just don’t let him catch you drooling at all the other FontFont hotties. FontShop Education fontshop.com/help/education Everyone needs a mentor. Come here for answers to all of your type-related questions. There’s even some info for your know-it-all professors. FontCase fontshop.com/products/fontcase It’s hard to keep track of them all, so let this award-winning font manager keep your fonts organized and at your fingertips. Type Glossary fontshop.com/help/glossary The language of love has a lingo all its own. Use this official Type Glossary to gain fluency in essential type terminology. Font fontshop.com/blog/fontmag Talk about free love! Create a FontShop account, and get this acclaimed typography publication and regular new font updates for nothing. “Baby, if you were on a page, they’d call you fine print.” IT ONLY GETS SWEETER more FontShop resources
- 26. 048 049 TERMS OF ENDEARMENT index ALIGNMENT 028 ASCENDER 009 BASELINE 008 BLACKLETTER 013 CAP HEIGHT 008 CENTERED 028 CLASSIFICATION 012 COUNTER 008 DESCENDER 009 DISPLAY FACE 013 FLUSH LEFT 028 FLUSH RIGHT 028 FONT 007 FONT LICENCE 039 JUSTIFIED 028 HIERARCHY 026 KERNING 030 LEADING 030 LETTER SPACING 030 LIGATURE 034 NON WESTERN 013 NUMBERS 034 POINT SIZE 010 SANS SERIF 012 SCREEN FONT 021 SCRIPT 013 SERIF 012 SET WIDTH 009 SLAB SERIF 012 SMART QUOTES 034 SPECIAL CHARACTERS 034 SWASH CHARACTERS 034 SYMBOL 013 TERMINAL 009 TEXT FACE 021 TYPE CREATION 040 TYPE DISTORTION 032 TYPEFACE 007 TYPE FAMILY 014 TYPE PAIRING 022 TYPE SELECTION 018 X-HEIGHT 009 Websites & Blogs 100types.com aiga.org bitique.co.uk dailydropcap.com designobserver.com designworklife.com formfiftyfive.com friendsoftype.com grafikcache.com ilovetypography.com ministryoftype.co.uk tdc.org thinkingwithtype.com thevisualdictionary.net typographer.org typographica.org typophile.com welovetypography.com Magazines Communication Arts commarts.com Creative Review creativereview.co.uk Eye eyemagazine.com HOW howdesign.com Idea idea-mag.com Print printmag.com Books Designing Type by Karen Cheng Designing With Type: The Essential Guide to Typography by James Craig, William Bevington, Irene Korol Scala Stop Stealing Sheep by Erik Spiekermann The Complete Manual of Typography by Jim Felici The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst Thinking With Type by Ellen Lupton Type: The Secret History of Letters by Simon Loxley “What’s a nice ligature like you doing in a place like this?” WATCH & LEARN other resources © 2010 FSI FONTSHOP INTERNATIONAL. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. BOOK CONCEPT, WRITING & DESIGN: BYU, CLASS OF ‘09–’10.
- 27. ERIK SPIEKERMANN MEETYOURTYPE I’m obviously a typomaniac. Other people like looking at girls’ bottoms. I get my kicks out of looking at type.