This section of my blog will consist of my typography research. This was originally a part of my blog titled 'Front Cover Development' created on the same date on 6th September. I've decided to move it to a new post entirely as I believe this research can be applied beyond just the front cover
Typography is essential in any media product that consists of text as it contributes to effectiveness meaning can be communicated to an audience. Not only does it make information easier to read, it also helps catch an audience's attention through design. I have very limited typography knowledge so to combat this and ensure that my magazine effectively resonates with my audience, I did some basic typography research.
I used these articles:
Here are the key points of what I learned summarised:
Definitions:
- Typography is a component of design that refers to the art of arranging letters based on composition and style to create a cohesive and appealing display.
- A typeface is a stylized collection of letters. Each typeface can communicate different connotations (for example, serif fonts are often used in paperwork as they are associated with formality)
- A baseline refers to the invisible line that a text is placed on
- A cap height refers to the height of a typeface's capital letters measured from the baseline
- Weight refers to the line thickness of a font. Typefaces usually come in 4 to 6 different weights, from light, regular, medium and bold.
Typefaces mainly come in these types:
- Serif fonts are fonts with little shapes that appear at the beginning or end of each stroke on a letter. Well known examples include, Times New Roman and EB Garamond. Up until the 19th century, books and pamphlets were only ever written in serif fonts thus creating the psychological association with formality. It communicates stability, intellect and authority.
- 'Sans' is the French word for 'without' so, sans serif fonts are fonts without the little shapes on serif fonts. Examples of sans serif fonts include, Arial and Helvetica. Sans serif fonts were invented in the 19th century but only become popular in the 20th century as a part of the modernist movement. Culturally, sans serif fonts represent a break from tradition and have created the psychological association with progress and modernity. These make them excellent for creating bold and innovative typography.
- Handwriting or script fonts are unconventional fonts that mimic natural handwriting. Examples include, Indie Flower and Dancing Script. Fonts mimicking calligraphy usually invoke a sense of sophistication and luxury while fonts that mimic regular handwriting are more informal and invoke a sense of creativity and youth
- Display fonts are fonts that are typically only suitable for large point sizes and mostly used for its stylization to make a design look more eye-catching. Examples include Lobster and Silkscreen. Different display fonts could mean different connotations but generally, as they are used to catch an audience's attention, they are created to stand out meaning they can make a design appear more exciting and interesting while creating a sense of individuality.
Hierarchy of Type
My teacher advised me to look into the hierarchy of type which was a way to guide the audience to the information you wanted them to see using typography.
I used this video to help me gain a quick understanding of it
Previously, I hadn't heard of this. After watching this video, I better understood how I could create effective audience engagement by guiding their eye towards the information I want them to see and the order I want them to see this in. I can do this by making more important text larger or in a different colour which makes certain text appear more prominent
Reflection:
- As I previously had very little experience in typography, this research helped me a lot by allowing me to gain an understanding how typography elements can contribute to creating an effective typography. It allowed me to create a visually appealing and readable design
No comments:
Post a Comment