History:
Typography is the study of type and type faces, the evolution of printed letters. Since man did not begin to write with type, but rather the chisel, brush, and pen, it is the study of handwriting, that provides us with the basis for creating type designs.
The first thing to keep in mind when thinking about the history and development of typography is that many early printers were not just printers, but typographers as well. The first independent typefounder was a French gentleman by the name of Claude Garamond. Although not the inventor of movable type, Garamond was the first to make type available to printers at an affordable price. Garamond based his type on the roman font of Griffo (a man commissioned by Manutius to develop an italic type for the Aldine classics).
Before Garamond's independent practice, men such as Jenson, Griffo, and Caxton played specific roles in the development of type. Jenson perfected the roman type, Caxton conceived a bastard gothic font, and Griffo developed italic. Several of the fonts we see on our computers's have evolved from the work of typefounders of the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.
The weakest period the history of type rests in the sixteenth and seventeenth century printing presses. Many presses (for reasons unknown) mixed many sizes and styles of type into single pages, fliers, and playbills. These 100-150 years witnessed very little in the progression of typography.
More on Typography
Here are some basic rules to improve your typography across either web or print. Of course, these rules are only to start with, and rules are meant to be broken. But if you want something to look neat, clean and generally well designed they are a good set to follow.
Don’t use too many typefaces
Consistency throughout a document or website is helpful. It brings unity and one identity. It also makes it clean, tidy and just basically not messy. A good rule to follow then is to not use more than 3 different typefaces in one document.
Consistency throughout a document or website is helpful. It brings unity and one identity. It also makes it clean, tidy and just basically not messy. A good rule to follow then is to not use more than 3 different typefaces in one document.
Hierarchy
It is always important in typography to pay close attention to the hierarchy of the page. The most basic thing is to keep the headline at the top of the page in a larger size. But more than this its just a case of looking at the page and asking other people what they read first. As a designer we should be thinking about communication constantly. This is our primary focus.
It is always important in typography to pay close attention to the hierarchy of the page. The most basic thing is to keep the headline at the top of the page in a larger size. But more than this its just a case of looking at the page and asking other people what they read first. As a designer we should be thinking about communication constantly. This is our primary focus.
Font size
Use no more than 4 font sizes in a document or website. Preferably 3. Again this is a case of consistency. Too many copy sizes make a document disjointed. 3 also allows enough variation to emphasise certain text and categorise text together. For example, you have one size for a heading, one for an introduction, one for body text and one for a pullout quote or something else. This will be consistent across the whole
Use no more than 4 font sizes in a document or website. Preferably 3. Again this is a case of consistency. Too many copy sizes make a document disjointed. 3 also allows enough variation to emphasise certain text and categorise text together. For example, you have one size for a heading, one for an introduction, one for body text and one for a pullout quote or something else. This will be consistent across the whole
8-10pt for body copy
Always keep body point between between these sizes. It looks neat and tidy and allows headings. Definitely do not go over 12pt.
Always keep body point between between these sizes. It looks neat and tidy and allows headings. Definitely do not go over 12pt.
A typeface not legible is not a typeface
There is a place for all kinds of artistic typefaces, but for good standard copy lets keep things simple people. It must be legible. This is certainly the case for body copy. Keep experimental typefaces for posters or at best headlines. They are never well received in large quantities. Can you read this easily?
There is a place for all kinds of artistic typefaces, but for good standard copy lets keep things simple people. It must be legible. This is certainly the case for body copy. Keep experimental typefaces for posters or at best headlines. They are never well received in large quantities. Can you read this easily?
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