Introduction of typography

Typography is a discipline that is seen is not cool but mysterious, which is always behind the scenes and tend low profile. Compare with usability for example-that lately on the rise. Who does not know Jakob Nielsen? Or compare the new figures and Flash Web media sorts Jeffrey Zeldman and Hillman Curtis. An average of us know, or at least heard of it. But when asked to say who the favorite typographic characters, or who created the type of Futura or Georgia, then most of us shook. Figure a field often reflects how popular these fields. If the figures are rarely typography we know, then perhaps so with science typography. Whereas typography is crucial for all designers, including Web designers.

In appreciation of typography tutorial series, our focus is on the type. We will know what it types. We also will discuss the technology in computer fonts and typography. Then look at the profiles of some of the company issuing the usual font-called digital type foundry-famous such as Adobe and ITC. We will also recognize some popular types such as Garamond and Bodoni. And lastly we will discuss the design of a logo that promotes the game of letters and type. However, do not miss going to mention also the basic aspects of good typography.
Due to the nature of this tutorial novice, it can be followed either by Web designers-who on average, unfortunately, is less familiar typefaces than print designers-as well as by the public. It would be nice if everyone understands the basics of typography. Especially because now every day we would not want to deal with the letter and type in the computer. Starting from choosing the current font will make letters, invitations, web pages, business cards, and others.
The final goal of this tutorial is to raise awareness of the type so that the reader aware of the role of typography in graphic design, familiar fonts, and can choose the font and fuse according to the characteristics of each font. This tutorial will not go up to the use of software design techniques Fontographer or other types, but only in terms of appreciation.The Importance of A Letter
Letters and writings has very important significance for humans. In fact, the name of civilization or historical period marked by events known writings by humans. The days before there was writing often called prehistory. If you look into the book or into a computer screen, you will see the letters and writings. On the streets you will also see the writing. The clothes, the body of the car and the airplane, even in ancient caves you can find writings. In addition to images, fonts are the way people communicate visually.Type / Typeface and Font
One of the first things you can notice from the writings of different it is, that no letters are different, but the type of letters as well. The letter "A" or "a" in a word can be different from the letter "A" and "a" the others. You know that both alphabetical same alphabet, but you also observe that the different types of letters. It could be that a thicker or fatter than others, it could be the legs of the letters exist that have a stalk, or shorter or longer, and so on. A similar typeface sometimes given specific names (eg: Times New Roman).
Typeface is called a typeface, or simply type. Now people are also often refer to the font typeface, because the files containing information of a typeface on a computer given the term font (for example, in Windows, to draw the type of information stored in a file ARIAL.TTF Arial). In the world of traditional typography (nondigital), when the letters are printed using the metal beams, the font has a different meaning collection of letters metal beams that have a specific typeface and size. Later then the computer reuse the term font for the field of digital typography. Both the term typeface / font type and in this article will be used interchangeably.Classification Type
There are many types of letters we can observe. Maybe on your own computer there is installed hundreds to thousands of font files. Most font is unique and strange shape so easy to recognize, while others seem at first glance something like all. Every moment was invented new fonts. Producer of Hollywood movies for example, often spend money to design a new font that is unique to the film.
Based on the shape, typography experts generally divide fonts into two major groups: serif and sans serif. Then there are the third and fourth groups called script and decorative. Serif and sans serif types also vary, but let foreseeing the difference serif and sans serif.Serif and Sans Serif
Serif typeface is a group that has a "stalk" (stem). Look at the Times New Roman font, Bodoni, Garamond, or the Egyptian example. Exactly approached the end of the legs of the letter, either at the top or bottom, there is a widening or stalk resembling buttresses. According to history, the origins of this form of the letter is to follow the form of the pillars of the building in Ancient Greece. As we know, the top and bottom of the pole is larger pillars in order to create a more solid pillars.
While sans serif (or "without" serifs) is a typeface opposite: do not have a stalk. Plain ends of the legs away. Examples Arial or Helvetica (Note: although very similar and often mutually substitute each other, both these fonts are not exactly similar. Try it once in your printed sample letters in large measure and observe the differences in the second thin this font.) Another example of the type sans font is ITC Officina Sans, the font used in mwmag you are reading this.
Usefulness stalk serifAt small text sizes, such as the size of the text in a newspaper article or a book, generally stalk on the legs of serif fonts help make writing easy to read. Why? Because stem serif fonts help form an invisible line that guides us to follow a line of text. That's why we can find many books dilayout with serifs. According to the study, someone who read serif font can be more resistant to read because of fatigue-due to the assistance of the stalk serif earlier.
But on the following conditions:a) The letter is very small (such as writing materials on food labels); b) very large letters (as in the signpost-signpost brands) to be seen from afar; c) on the screen; Sometimes sans serif font is easier to read. Why? For it is precisely the legs of serif fonts complicates the shape of the letter so a little longer readable. If lowercase once or on a low resolution such as on a monitor, foot serifs can seem overlap and block the view. Hence we see many signs traffic signs use letters as simple as possible in order to quickly read, and widely used in web pages because serif fonts are easier to read at small sizes / coarse screen.
The types serifEach serif typeface can also vary. Letters long period (Old Style) like Garamond and letters transition (Transitional) such as Times New Roman, for example, have a curved stalk angle. While the letters modern era such as Bodoni, stalks angled elbow. There is another angle of the elbow as well, but relatively thicker / higher. Egyptian example. Egyptian serif type like sometimes called slab serif. Several letters have certain unique serif stalk negative, ie the shaft into the side of the leg so that the foot appears to be smaller than the trunk leg.Scripts and Decorative
Besides serif and sans serif, there is also a kind of letter "continued" and the letter "freestyle." The letter continued or script you could also call "handwritten characters" (handwriting) because it resembles a person's handwriting. Or it could be called "invitation letter" because it is almost always present at the invitation cards because they were considered beautiful and graceful. There are various scripts and handwriting letters, ranging from ancient to modern, from the rather straight up sloping and very "curling". While the letter "freestyle" covers all kinds of letter "strange" another difficult categorized in three other categories. These letters can sometimes inspired by certain geometric shapes, combining pictures or patterns, and so on. The computer is also known fonts "Wingdings-like" which is actually the clipart. Each character pure form of icons or pictures, not letters.
Generally, the types of letters and decorative script used for decoration or decoration and not to text or headline text. Because of the higher degree of complexity, it is not suitable for reading text because it will be difficult.
For a more complete article about klasfikasi please read the tutorial-type classification of fonts in typography.Font Family
Font Family on Typography used to equalize the characteristics of the font so that it becomes a whole clump family. Your breathing may see or know of the font whose name is almost the same (just different last name, for example), there is what is called a font family. The usefulness of this font family will feel when we use it in a magazine layout, newspaper or book. Alluding to the readability and legibility in synchronization visual similarity. Follow this article more fully in the discussion Font family.Anatomy
Typography letters in the font used as identifiers classification also to create a new font. The first step to learn typography is to recognize or understand the anatomy of letters. The sum of all the components of a letter was a visual identification that can distinguish between letters with each other. You can read the article Anatomy fonts / letters in typography.Type Measurement
Once you know the parts of a font or fonts are often referred to as anatomy, then you will also be introduced to the type of measurement. Measurement letters on Typography discuss the use of point, pica, leading, kerning, tracking, baseline and so forth. Type Measurement aside used as a tool to address the legibility readability also deal with the written word or letters so convenient and easy to read with a composition that can be changed. Please read the article on Type Measurement In typography.Utilization Typography
In a book (as well as newspapers and magazines) are organizing pages as well as the organizational structure in the script. With the existence of this organization readers more easily see the flow of reading and ease of reading. You can read more fully in the utilization of typography for the magazine layout and the like.Readibilitas and Legibilitas
Many people are confused and misrepresented both things that are related to this. Readibilitas Legibilitas set on the use of Nirmana so easy and convenient letter read well also arranged well too. Typography required for graphic designers who work using the font or font. Moreover layouts with many fonts such as making paper, making magazines, create an ebook, or other. Read the full article on legibilitas and readibilitas in typography.Identify Fonts Name
Font identification to recognize and identify the font. Font what is this, What the font, the font name is what will be answered yes or something here. However, in the case of certain conditions, as we both know that there are millions of fonts it, and it is impossible for a designer is able to recognize all of these fonts. Check how the article identifies the font.This time Reading Materials
Typography Books In Graphic Design, Danton Sihombing, Publisher Scholastic, 2001, is quite worth having. This 190 page thick book dilayout quite slick and discuss a brief history, basics and classification of type, typographic principles melayout manner, and at the end displays the catalog of about 13 pieces of well-known types. Overall, the book is arguably the best typography books in Indonesia, though it has some shortcomings such as the absence of a glossary and index. Some of the images in this article is taken from the book.
Site. Microsoft typography, www.microsoft.com/typography/. Microsoft, believe it or not, is one of the companies that play a role in developing the technology of digital type. Together Apple late 1980s, Microsoft brought vectors TrueType font technology to PC and Mac. And because the TrueType specification was published, many new fonts are cheap sprung. Microsoft also made a lot of free fonts and share-some directly bundled with the operating system and the rest can be downloaded from the website typography. Specifically for the Web, Microsoft paid some famous designers to design, among others, the type Verdana (sans) and Georgia (serif). Both types are specially designed to be easily read on a computer screen, among others, by making parts of x-height (abdomen) is relatively large. For those who do not have both these fonts, I recommend to take it from Microsoft's website.Bibliography Tutorial Typography
www.microsoft.com/typography/Typography in Graphic Design, Danton Sihombing, Publisher Scholastic, 2001
If you are interested to learn typography deeply I suggest to collect typography books, reading websites typography, font download interesting and learning in forums typography. Hope you enjoyed this article and do not forget to join with other friends on Facebook AhliDesain, and follow my Twitter. If you like my articles from do not forget to put it in ahlidesain subscribe to the RSS Feed.
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