Week 20 – Layout: Typography – LT – Q1+2
- Define the term “typography” in your own words
- Write a few sentences explaining what typography is not
What is “typography”?
Very simply put, typography is the style and appearance of printed matter.
Typography is the art of arranging the letters/text in ways that make the copy legible, clear and visually appealing. It’s what brings text to life, and it involves font style, appearance and structure – which aim to convey specific messages and emotions to the reader.
What is “typography” not?
This week’s lesson on typography really explained it the best:
Typography is not handwriting, lettering, sign-writing, graffiti, carving letters into stone or wood by hand and building letters out of matchsticks.
Simple put, typography does not involve the production of letters done uniquely and one-by-one by hand or tool.
- Document one day of your life acting as an observer of typographic design. Produce a comprehensive diary of the typographic experience of your day from first thing in the morning to last thing at night.
- Keep this diary within a research folder or sketchbook. You should be prepared to use photography, photocopying and other means where necessary to evidence what you find, as well as collecting first-hand examples of typographic design.
- Make notes or comments to reflect on what you have collected and documented. Your notes should help you to consider what kind of design it is that you are recording. For example, a cereal packet may have some large obvious lettering / typographic device on the front of the box, but there will also be typography in the form of information design within a “nutritional information” table on the packaging. So are you looking at promotional design/branding or information design? Or are you looking at typography? Is it lettering?
Choose two examples of design that you have collected that you consider to have either good or bad qualities. Try to analyse these further in terms of their typography. Can you identify the typefaces being used? Does the typography communicate successfully? If so, why? If not, why not?
This is an example of typography and overall design done well in my opinion. The product is a moisturising cream, bought at the pharmacy. The typography as well as design of the product focuses primarily on giving information to the user. It uses sans serif typefaces, which is easy to read, and the text is presented in an obvious hierarchy.
The above photo is also an example of typography done well to serve its purpose. These are apples, targeted towards kids. The typography does a good job of making the apples appear appealing to kids because of the bold, bright and fun fonts and colours.
- Part of question 3: Complete the exercise files that came with the LinkedIn video Indesign Typography.
I ran out of time this week, so I did not do the magazine design task.
Heidi's Design Journey 
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