Wednesday, November 30, 2011

"Podcast #4 Typography"

Define typography?

The art of expressing ideas through the selection of appropriate typefaces

Where did the word "typography" originate?

Greek words: typo-form, graphy- writing

What does typography involve?

The selection of appropriate fonts, sizes, line spacing, and spacing of letters

What is a typeface?

Distinctive designs of visual symbols that are used to compose a printed image or design

What is another term for typeface?

Fonts

What is a character?

Individual symbols that make up a typeface

What is type style?

Modifications in a typeface that create design variety while maintaining the visual style of the typeface

What does type style "create" within a design?

Variety

What is the waist line and what does it indicate?

Imaginary line drawn at the middle of the character

What is a base line and what does it indicate?

Imaginary line drawn at the bottom of the character

What is an ascender?

The part of the character that extends above the waist line

What is a descender?

The part of the character that extends below the base line

Describe a serif?

The smaller line used to finish off a main stroke of a letter, usually at the top and bottom of a character

How can the size of the typeface be identified?

Bold, italic, condensed, roman, heavy

What is a point?

The unit of point sizes

How many points are in an inch?

72

What is a pica and how many are in an inch?

Unit of measure that is typical for designing newspaper; 6

How many points are in a pica?

12

What is body type and where can it be found?

A spot where a large amount of text is found and is usually between 4 and 12pt type size

What is the key to selecting appropriate typefaces to be used as body

type?

The audience

What is display type and how is it used?

Type size above 12pt, used to draw attention to a message; headlines

What is reverse type and when would it be used?

White font on a dark background

What is a typeface classification?

Ways of organizing fonts

When was Blackletter invented and how was it used?

Mid 1400’s; then- printing press; now- official documents:

Describer the characteristics of a Blackletter typeface?

Highly ornamental with elaborate thick and thin strokes, resembles calligraphy

When was Old Style invented and what was is based on?

15th 16th centuries; ancient roman inscriptions

Describe the characteristics of an Old Style typeface?

Wedge-shaped, angled serifs, low contrast on their thick/thin strokes

When were formal scripts developed?

17th and 18th centuries

When were casual scripts developed?

20th century

Describe the characteristics of a Script typeface?

Resembles handwriting, shouldn’t be used in body text

When was Modern typefaces developed and why?

Late 18th and 19th centuries; a racial break from traditional typography

Describe the characteristics of a Modern typeface?

Similar to old style but have a thin, flat serif

How early can Sans Serif typefaces be found? What happened?

5th century, it wasn’t utilized because the Italian renassance retuned to old style,,

When did they become popular?

1920’s

What does "sans serif" mean?

“without serif”

Describe the characteristics of a Sans Serif typeface?

Stroke is uniform in weight,

When was Slab Serif developed and why?

19th century, for advertising

Describe the characteristics of a Slab Serif typeface?

Uniform line weight and thicker, square serifs

Describe Decorative typefaces?

Has the most distinctive design style and were developed with a specific purpose, or theme, in mind

Why were they developed?

To serve a specific purpose that a font could not yet fulfill


What are they best used for?

Large point sizes, or display type.

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