CDF Assignment 3

Final Space and Meaning

|

Based on in class comments and subsequent manipulation, I converged on the following design.

Space and Meaning: Confusion

I went with this design because although immediately recognizable, the layout invokes some inquiry. The viewer first notices the C dropping below the baseline, then the horizontally mirrored s draws the viewer to the center of the word. Next the subtleties start to come out. The u and n’s are mirrored in the same way as the s and replace each other. Confusing.

Voice of Typography

|
infatuation_bauhaus_93
Infatuation set in Bauhaus 93

Bauhaus – a decorative typeface with constant width. The lack of variation in thicks and thins does not match the emotional response warranted by infatuation.

infatuation_blackletter_686
Infatuation set in Blackletter 686

When set in blackletter, infatuation is contextualized as being in an epic, medeval tale of romance. It’s handwritten nature provides a sense of intimacy that matches the meaning of the word.

infatuation_bodoni_bt
Infatuation set in Bodoni BT

In Bodoni, a vertically-stressed typeface, there is minimal inflection given to the strength of the word. However, the variations in thicks and thins and the slight ornamentation provided by the geometric serifs do add to the meaning of infatuation.

infatuation_dead_history
Infatuation set in Dead History

In Dead History, infatuation reads as a grungy realization of some scene. As if being spoken by a stalker in a crime novel, this typeface invokes a feeling of discomfort amongst otherwise balanced typefaces.

infatuation_edwardian_script_itc
Infatuation set in Edwardian Script

The most romantic of the type settings – Edwardian Script provides elegant ligatures to unify an engulfing emotion brought to light by the word infatuation.

infatuation_fat
Infatuation set in Fat

The title of the typeface, Fat, has more emotional drive than the typesetting itself in this case. There is little alignment between the extreme contrast and density in the letters and the inflection of the word.

infatuation_garamond
Infatuation set in Garamond

Garamond provides a straightforward and formal appeal to the word. This font would be well suited in a lengthy, modern work of fiction.

infatuation_helvetica
Infatuation set in Helvetica

Modern, linear and neutral – poorly correlated to the strong emotional pulls of infatuation. As renowned, Helvetica doesn’t provide a specific emotion to the word itself, but the implications of emotionlessness are not working with communicating the thought of infatuation.

infatuation_minion
Infatuation set in Minion

More precise than Garamond, Minion provides a more tightly kerned and therefore more intimate connection between the letterforms.

infatuation_myriad
Infatuation set in Myriad

Sans-serif, like Helvetica, Myriad is contemporary and clean. However, Myriad invokes a little more air and flexibility. The modernity of the typeface does not fit terribly well with infatuation though.

Thinking with Type – Letter

|
  1. How did computers change typefaces? How were they made before computers? And after? Typefaces were changed with the proliferation of computers due to the discrete pixel rendering inherent in digital displays. Typefaces for computers started as a pixel by pixel basis, and would display correctly only at very specific sizes. Later, advancements such as anti-aliasing and vectorization allowed for smooth on screen fonts that resembled physical type blocks. Before computers were ubiquitous, types were made by hand, carefully crafted with pen, paper, and etched into press-blocks.
  2. What is the anatomy of a typeface? What are all those little bits of letters called? A given letter contains various aspects, for example many types have serifs which are little protrusions on all letters that are an artifact from handwritten letter forms. All typefaces have a baseline, an x-height and a cap-height. Most letters perch on the baseline, the x-height is the distance from the baseline to the top of a lowercase x, and the cap-height is the height from the baseline to the top of a capital letter. Letters that poke through the baseline have ‘descenders,’ and likewise lowercase letters that extend passed the x-height are ascenders. The negative space within closed letters such as  ‘o’ or ‘e’ is called a counter. A round end to a letter, such as the top of an ‘f’ is a terminal. A terminal augments are serif typeface, and is not usually present in sans. A sharp and to a letter, as if written by a pen trailing off, is a finial. An example of a finial is the loose end of the letter ‘e’.
  3. How do designers choose what font to use? Designers choose a font based on the message they are trying to convey. Every font has its own associated emotions, and a keen designer will choose a typeface that enforces the literary message of a chunk of text. Otherwise, a font may be chosen to lack a specific response, such as when designer’s choose to set work in Helvetica. However, it is rare that there is such a plane message that can not be complimented with a well chosen font.
  4. What is a type family? What are its parts? A type family consists of a collection of fonts that all contain the same bones. A type family may consist of different weights of the same typeface, from light to ultra-bold. Likewise, letters may be modified for a condensed, or italicized member of the family. Throughout the family, elements of the typeface carry through such that the defining elements of the characters persist.
  5. Remember one font from this reading, or elsewhere, that you like. Find the name. Think about why you like it. Futura is an awesome typeface. Although not the most readable, the uniform weights and pure geometric shapes are well suited to creative arrangement. The font is simple, but clear and has a bright, modern feel to it. Between the perfect circles and sharp points, Futura can be a little oppressive as the body of a document, but for titling or other general purposes, Futura is a cool font.

Tracing typefaces

|
AMB garn in various typefaces
Tracings of Garamond, Helvetica, Bodoni, and Futura.
AMB garn set in various typefaces.
AMB garn, as composed in Illustrator for tracing.
  • What are the differences between these typefaces? What do they have in common? What is unique to each?
Futura and Helvetica are first and foremost sans-serif typefaces. Garamond and Bodoni are serifed. Futura and Bodoni both have strong geometrical features – Futura with its circular g and a, and triangular and pointed A and M, and Bodoni with its purely rectangular serifs. Garamond is more organic than any other of the typefaces in this selection, with its bracketed serifs and lightly italic form.
  • Where do they get thick or thin? Which ones have a lot of contrast?
The thicks and thins within the serifed fonts are motivated by a nibbed pen. The sans-serif typefaces have less variation in thicks and thins, comparatively. Garamond and Bodoni have the largest amount of contrast, followed at a distance by Futura. Helvetica has the least contrast of the group.
  • What is the angle of stress for each?
The angle of stress for all of these typefaces is vertical with the exception of Garamond. Garamond has a more acute angle of stress, as is characteristic of Old Style typefaces.

Tracing letterforms

|
the letter m - traced in palatino, century gothic, and bauhaus 93
I chose the letter m to use in the demonstration of the following three fonts.
  1. palatino: a serifed font, and the one with the smallest x-height of the three.
  2. century gothic: a sans serif font, and the one with the largest x-height.
  3. bauhaus 93: a decorative font. This font has a constant thickness and is styled after the german school of art and design.