In my THF class about the 1950's we watched The Seven Year Itch (1955) in class and I really loved the introduction. The choreographing of the music with the graphics is very fun. So I thought I would share this terrible quality video of it with you. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOHqCmwcWzU
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Typographic posters
So relating to our visual concepts class, I came across this website with a collection of typographic posters. It is AMAZING what you can do with just type and color. I thought this project was really boring, but if I can master how to get my point across using these type of methods, boring would be the farthest word from my mind.
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/02/25/breathtaking-typographic-posters/
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/02/25/breathtaking-typographic-posters/
Page Spreads
Even though we cannot use images on our current spreads, this website shows a lot of ways in which you can make the title have its own meaning. Some of the spreads are cool, while others not so much, but I just thought some of the titles were inspiring.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeope/sets/72157594248624027/
This designer's website also has a wide variety of page layouts. There are a lot of examples on how to use lines throughout the page in order to group items together. She also does a great job at using different text sizes and spacing.
http://www.patriciaryanonline.com/MagSpreads/SpreadIndex.htm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeope/sets/72157594248624027/
This designer's website also has a wide variety of page layouts. There are a lot of examples on how to use lines throughout the page in order to group items together. She also does a great job at using different text sizes and spacing.
http://www.patriciaryanonline.com/MagSpreads/SpreadIndex.htm
Logos
I found this website that lists a bunch of different logos for magazines and newspapers. It's pretty cool to just flip through them and see how similar, yet how different, each paper has made their logo.
http://www.typedesign.com/
http://www.typedesign.com/
Monday, November 24, 2008
-- Parts of the grid: what are the following: margin, column, alley, module, gutter, folio.
Margin: the inactive area on a grid that directs the viewer toward the visual elements.
Column: a vertical division of space on a grid that is used to align the visual elements.
Alley: the space between characters
Module: areas that support textual and visual contents in a design
Gutter: negative/inactive space between columns
Folio: the page number.
-- What are the advantages of a multiple column grid?
They are flexible and accommodate a range of visual elements suitable for projects like books, magazines, and publications with diverse content. These grids provide opportunities to create rhythm, drama, movement, and tension through the interaction of visual elements through the use of scale, orientation, and position.
-- Why is there only one space after a period?
Characters on a Mac are proportional rather than monospaced like on a typewriter. Therefore, you do not need an extra space to separate sentences. One space is enough to visually separate them; two spaces often creates a disturbing gap.
-- What is a character (in typography)?
A single type elements, including a letter, number, punctuation, or space.
-- How many characters is optimal for a line length? words per line?
40 is the most optimal, but between 25 and 70 characters is acceptable. 40 characters is equal to about six words of six characters per line. There are also several ways to measure the optimum line length. First, using the lowercase alphabet as reference, measuring 1.5-3 times this width. Second, using picas, there should be a 2:1 or 2.5:1 ratio between the measure in picas and the type size in points.
-- Why is the baseline grid used in design?
A baseline grid is used to align type along an imaginary line throughout a document. By snapping type of any size to a baseline grid it creates continuity of type throughout the design.
-- What is a typographic river?
Usually occuring in justified text, this when words separate and leave gaps of white space. A river is created when white space gaps align through the text.
-- What does clotheslining or flow line or hangline mean?
A horizontal line running across the page that pulls the viewer's eye from left to right.
-- How can you incorporate white space into your designs?
By using a modular grid, the space between text columns and images helps add white space.
-- What is type color/texture mean?
Type color is used to provide visual hierarchy, definition, contrast, and meaning. It can also refer to the amount of black and white on a page of text.
Type texture refers to the variation in typefaces that can be used together to create numerous visiual textures in a design.
-- What is x-height, how does it effect type color?
The x-height of a typeface is the height of the lowercase 'x'.
Because x-heights vary, fronts set in the same size, with the same leading can look different can have different colour coverage on the page.
-- Define Tracking.
Tracking adjusts the space between characters.
-- Define Kerning. Why doe characters need to be kerned? What are the most common characters that need to be kerned (kerning pairs)?
Kerning-removing small units of space between letters in order to create visually-consistent letterspacing. Unkerned words look vaive and unprofessional and can disrupt the communication of the word. HL (verticals)-need the most amound of whitespace; HO (vertical next to curve)-needs less space; OC (curve next to curve)-very little space; OT-curve and overlap whitespace; AT (large white space)-close kerning.
-- In justification or H&J terms what do the numbers: minimum, optimum, maximum mean?
When justifying text, these terms relate to the spacing between words in a text block. Minimum has the least amount of space between each word, while maximum has the most.-- What is the optimum space between words?
Words should be spaced far enough apart so each is legible and so the color block created by the characters is not too strong. They should also not be spaced farther than the leading.
-- What are some ways to indicate a new paragraph. Are there any rules?
Indentation provides the reader with an easily accessible entry point to a paragraph. The indent length can be relative to the point size or determined by the grid.
First-line indent: the text is indented from the left margin in the first line of the second and subsequent paragraphs.
Running indent:an indent from the left or right margin that affects several text lines.
Hanging indent: the first line of the test is not indented, but the rest of the lines are.
On a point indent: an indent located at a specific place.
-- What are the rules associated with hyphenation?
Hyphenation controls he number of hyphens that appear in a text block. In justified text, hyphens solve spacing issues. More than two hyphens in a row is considered "ugly."
-- What is a ligurature?
The joining of two or three separate characters together to form a single unit. They prevent the collision or interference of characters. It is also used to solve printer issues.
-- What does CMYK and RGB mean?
CMYK=cyan, magenta, yellow, black. This is used in printers.
RGB=red, green, blue. This is used for on-screen documents.
-- What does hanging punctuation mean?
In justified text, the punctuation is sometimes allowed to extend into the right-hand margin area to make the margin look neater.
-- What is the difference between a foot mark and an apostrophe? What is the difference between
an inch mark and a quote mark (smart quote)?
Inch and foot marks are straight up and down and do not change direction based on its positioning before or after a character. Apostrophe's and quote marks are curved and enclose the text which they surround.
-- What is a hyphen, en dash and em dashes, what are the differences and when are they used.
Hyphen-used to hyphenate words or line breaks.
En dash-the width o fa capital letter N in a particular font and size. It is used between words indicating a duration, like time or months, with a compound adjective if one of the elements consists of two words, or in place of the word "to."
Em dash-twice as long as the en dash or about the size of the capital M. Used to indicate an abrupt change in thought or when a period is too strong or comma too weak. There should be no space beside the em dash.
-- What is a widow and an orphan?
Widow-the last line of a paragraph consisting of fewer than 7 characters. Also, when part of a hyphenated word is left on the last line.
Orphan-When the last line of a paragraph is ended at the top of the next column.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Helvetica
I thought the film was an eye opener. I realize that a movie about a typeface probably can't get very interesting, so I suppose the film was well done.
I never knew how much Helvetica was used, in fact, I had never heard of it until we started this course. It is weird to think that the same typeface we used to make our compositions in project 2 is all over the place. I guess it just goes to show how diverse something as simple as type can be.
The one thing I didn't like about the film was how confused I felt when it was complete. Because it interviewed individuals who loved or hated this typeface, I am now unsure whether or not to use it in my work. Before the film I really like Helvetica, for there are so many variations in weight that you can create a lot of contrast, yet still have unity. However, I do not just want to be 'another one of those designers' that uses a typeface because it is a "default." This type is used because it is so legible, a valid argument corporations use when using Helvetica. For this same reason, designers have found it very useful. Until there is another typeface that is so simple and readable, myself, and the rest of the world, will continue to use it.
I never knew how much Helvetica was used, in fact, I had never heard of it until we started this course. It is weird to think that the same typeface we used to make our compositions in project 2 is all over the place. I guess it just goes to show how diverse something as simple as type can be.
The one thing I didn't like about the film was how confused I felt when it was complete. Because it interviewed individuals who loved or hated this typeface, I am now unsure whether or not to use it in my work. Before the film I really like Helvetica, for there are so many variations in weight that you can create a lot of contrast, yet still have unity. However, I do not just want to be 'another one of those designers' that uses a typeface because it is a "default." This type is used because it is so legible, a valid argument corporations use when using Helvetica. For this same reason, designers have found it very useful. Until there is another typeface that is so simple and readable, myself, and the rest of the world, will continue to use it.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Erik Spiekermann
Part A
Erik Spiekermann, a designer, information architect, and writer, is best known as founder of MetaDesign and FontShop, not to mention his numerous typefaces. Spiekermann was born on May 30, 1947 in Stadthagen, Germany. Even at a young age, he was attracted to type, an aspect in his life that never changed. Growing up, his first home was located next to a neighbor who ran a Heidelberg Platen press. Spiekermann remembers being fascinated by the “whoosh, bang” noise of the press, a fascination that sparked his interest in type. When Spiekermann’s family moved to Bonn, his access to the press did not cease; in fact, his new home was located in front of Bonn University Press. At age twelve he was given a tabletop press and some metal type, which he single handedly used to create his school magazine.
At seventeen, Spiekermann moved to Berlin to avoid being drafted, a move that allowed him to study History of Art and English at Berlin’s Free University in 1967. All the while, he supported himself by running a letterpress printer and hot metal typesetter. It was during this time that he developed what would later become MetaDesign’s philosophy and design trademark. With scarce resources, Spiekermann “found the limitations of [his] materials and exploited them to the full.” Furthermore, he developed a style of always using a “narrow rectangle or bar bleeding off the confines of the page, usually in just one of two colors: black or red, with type dropped out in white,” for this provided a framework for the type. Finally, he “adhere[d] to the use of asymmetric layouts, carefully spaced text, both in terms of character fit and linespacing, and unjustified setting…, taking as much care with the spaces as with the type.”
After college, Spiekermann married Joan, and along with their son, moved from Berlin to London to begin work as a freelance artist in 1973. During this time he began working for large design firms, like Wolff Olins and Henrion Design, and type producers like Berthold and Letraset. Furthermore, he took up a teaching position at London College of Printing and he became involved with the leading advertising typesetters at Filmcomposition. Spiekermann’s involvement with large corporations in London gave him a view into the world of numerous clients, a system that he would later be applied to MetaDesign; for with 150 employees, MetaDesign is the country’s largest design corporation. He also discovered what he truly wanted to focus on in the world of typography. He began to call himself a typographic designer, stating that these designers “start from the word up; a graphic designer starts from the picture down.”
In 1979 Spiekermann returned to Berlin and, along with two partners, Dieter Heil and Florian Fischer, founded MetaDesign. However, in 1983 all three men decided on a mutual split. It was not until 1990 that Spiekermann, Uli Mayer and Hannes Kruger joined together to give MetaDesign another try, a move that would soon result in Germany’s largest design firm. Throughout the years MetaDesign has contracted with BVG, Heidelberg Printing, Berlin Public Transport System, Apple, Adobe, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Lexus, VW, Audi, and more. This success was not solely accomplished in Berlin, but was a combination of the work from offices around the globe. With it’s success in Berlin, Spiekermann decided to create two more branches of MetaDesign. The second, started in 1992, was co-founded by Spiekermann with Terry Irwin and Bill Hill and is located in San Francisco, California. The last office was founded in 1995 in London with Tim Fendley and Robin Richmond. To further MetaDesign’s success, it was crucial that each office could learn from one another. The San Francisco office focuses on digital technology and interface design, while the London office, the smallest of the three, has a more experimental environment and focuses on product development and management consultancy.
During the development of MetaDesign, Spiekermann faced a constant challenge of advancing technology. His novel, published in 1987, Rhyme & Reason, focuses on this issue and how to “maintain typographic standards in the face of de-skilling and the computer revolution.” Spiekermann believed a rise in digital technology was on the way, and when it arrived, he embraced it. He found that his experience with hot-metal lessons gave him a greater understanding of the printing that creates these designs. This allowed him to make a smooth transition between the “print revolution of filmsetting and lithography of the 1970s and 80s, and beyond into the digital 21st century.” In fact, Spiekermann is known as Germany’s first designer to own an Apple computer.
In an interview by Spiekermann, he elaborates on many of the type aspects that designer’s face. Even with the advancing technology, he believes that “All good type designers I know sit down with a pencil first, no matter how fast they are on the screen.” He starts by designing the most important or frequently used weight of the font, usually regular. Once completed, he designs most bold and lightest weights possible for that typeface. After this step, technology helps advance the typeface by “calculating the in-betweens.” Furthermore, software comes in handy when a slight change in the type is needed, for you don’t have to redraw the entire thing.
Before one sits down to sketch out a font, it is important to remember one thing, “that you don’t actually design the black, you design the white: the space inside it and the space around it. That is very important. If you apply that to screenfonts, you can make a really legible screenfont.” Once a designer has this step ingrained, there is one other major concept to indulge in. Spiekermann believes that “The problem with designing typefaces is that 90% has to look like everything else, because an A has to be an A and a B has to be a B. But you have to use that other 10% of leeway to make it look different!” Optimizing this 10% is the key.” Spiekermann and his co-workers at MetaDesign have been able to optimize this percentage in numerous fonts. The most notable today are FF Info, ITC Officina, FF Meta, Folha, and Glasgow, all of which were developed for a client.
Spiekermann wanted to build a company around the idea that it would “look at the big picture (often beyond the brief), and take care of tiny detail. Our work can change a client’s culture, but it also manifests itself in how well a document can be read on their computer screens. MetaDesign is about turning powerful ideas into everyday experiences.” Making sure a design really works is another ideal behind MetaDesign. Testing the functionality of a design is key, for a wonderful logo is “worse than useless” if it cannot be printed or takes up all of your computers memory. Furthermore, he felt that “messy typography can destroy even the most profound design concept.” Finally, he wanted to prove that “it was possible to work on large corporate design projects and maintain really intelligent, high-quality deign solutions.”
While MetaDesign was booming, Spiekermann and his wife began another enterprise, FontShop, which would become the world’s first digital typeface foundry and distributor of fonts. After compiling 600 typefaces, the Spiekermann’s put together a mail-order catalogue available to all. With its quick success, like MetaDesign, FontShop spread world wide, opening offices in Canada, founded by Ed Cleary, and Britain, by Neville Brody where it became known as FontWorks. When the business began publishing its fonts, it became known as FontFonts, complete with over 1200 typefaces. The Spiekermanns’ business had made a name for himself, for “Designers knew that if we said a front worked, it did.”
In 2000 Spiekermann left MetaDesign and started UDN (United Designers Network), recently renamed SpiekermannPartners, a collaboration of many designers he has worked with throughout his professional years. They too have offices in Berlin, London and San Francisco. The business now has clients like Bosch, Deutsche Bahn, Pioneer Investment, Messe Frankfurt, and Nokia.
He is currently is an honorary professor at the Academy of Arts in Bremen and board member of ATypI and German Design Council. Along with these positions he has previously been the president of the International Society of Typographic Designers and the International Institute of Information Design. In 2003 he received the Gerrit Noordzij Prize for Typography. Also, in 2006 received an honorary doctorship from Pasadena Art Center. In 2007 Spiekermann was given the Federal German Design Prize. Finally, in May 2007 Spiekermann became the first designer to the elected into the Hall of Fame by the European Design Awards for Communication Design.
Spiekermann’s interest in type at a young age allowed him to make great advances in the world of typographic design. From a company consisting of only four men, he globalized MetaDesign to make it Germany’s largest design firm. Spiekermann formed it around the principals that “deep industry knowledge and experience, a global perspective, and a user-focused approach,” believing these would lead to success. With the knowledge gained from MetaDesign, his other business enterprises, and life itself, Spiekermann seems powerless in the world of type, and will continue to further his career.
Part B
Fonts designed by Spiekermann:
Berliner Grotesk BQ
FF Govan Dingbats One
FF Govan Dingbats Two
FF Govan One
FF Govan Three
FF Govan Two
FF Info Display
FF Info Office
FF Info Office Numbers One
FF Info Office Numbers Two
FF Info Text
FF Meta
FF Meta Boiled
FF Meta Condensed
FF Meta Condensed LF
FF Meta Correspondence
FF Meta Hairline
FF Meta Headline
FF Meta Headline Compressed
FF Meta Headline Condensed
FF Meta LF
FF Meta Serif
FF Meta Serif Black
FF Meta Serif LF
FF Meta Serif LF Black
FF Meta Subnormal
ITC Officina Display
ITC Officina Display Arrows
ITC Officina Sans
ITC Officina Sans (EF)
ITC Officina Serif
ITC Officina Serif (EF)
FF Unit
FF Unit Black
FF Unit Black LF
FF Unit LF
FF Unit Rounded
FF Unit Rounded At
FF Unit Rounded Black
FF Unit Rounded LF
FF Unit Rounded Ultra
FF Unit Ultra
FF Meta
-Sans Serif
-1984
-Originally designed for Deutsche Bundespost (German Federal Post), but never used.
-Designed to be readable and sturdy, working on the postage stamp scale, post boxes and post vehicles. Attention was paid to creating a face that was easily readable from an angle, and in a smaller point size.
Characteristics:
1) No Stresses
2) Mono Weight
3) The loop of the “g” does not close
4) The arm and leg of the upper and lowercase “K” do not connect with the stem.
5) Curved tops of lowercase letters. On letters with two stems, only the left stem is curved, except for the letter ‘u’
6) Slightly taller x-height
7) The left arm of the “y” does not completely match the right portion of the letter
Part C
1984
- The first Apple Macintosh goes on sale.
-The Space Shuttle Challenger is launched on the 10th space shuttle mission.
-Ronald Reagan calls for an international ban on chemical weapons.
-The longest game in Major League Baseball history.
- The Summer Olympics are held in Los Angeles, California.
- Reagan and Vice President George H.W. Bush are re-nominated.
- The Space Shuttle Discovery takes off on its maiden voyage.
- Ronald Reagan defeats Walter F. Mondale in the U.S. Presidential Election.
Some work:
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lfE3Q4kiSE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McZSUjP1AcE&feature=related
Bibilography
"1984." Wikipedia. 7 November 2008. 8 November 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984>.
"Erik Spiekermann." Wikipedia. 9 Aug. 2008. 12 Oct. 2008
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/erik_spiekermann>.
MetaDesign. 7 November 2008 <http://www.metadesign.com/>.
Pipes, Alan. Production for Graphic Designer's. 2nd ed. Upper Sadde River, NJ: Prentice
Hall, 1992.
Sweet, Fay. MetaDesign: Design from the Word Up. New York, NY: Watson-Guptill
Publications, 1999.
Uleshka. "Erik Spiekermann - typography and design today." PingMag. 31 Oct. 2005. 12
Oct. 2008 <http://pingmag.jp/2005/10/31/erik-spiekermann-typography-and-design-today/>.
"View Fonts by Erik Spiekermann." Font Shop. 12 Oct. 2008
<http://www.fontshop.com/fonts/designer/erik_spiekermann/>.
Baker, Chelsea. “Erik Spiekermann.” DesignMind. 12 October 2008
<http://designmind.frogdesign.com/articles/numbers/erik-spiekermann.html>.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Erik Spiekermann
Part A
Erik Spiekermann, a designer, information architect, and writer, is best known as founder of MetaDesign and FontShop, not to mention his numerous typefaces. Spiekermann was born on May 30, 1947 in Stadthagen. Even at a young age, he was attracted to type, an aspect in his life that never changed. He studied History of Art and English at Berlin’s Free University. All the while, he supported himself by running a letterpress printer and hot metal typesetter. After graduating, Spiekermann moved to London and worked as a freelance designer for almost eight years. In 1979 he returned to Berlin and, along with two partners, founded MetaDesign, Germany’s largest design firm. Spiekermann wanted to build a company around the idea this company would “look at the big picture (often beyond the brief), and take care of tiny detail. Our work can change a client’s culture, but it also manifests itself in how well a document can be read on their computer screens. MetaDesign is about turning powerful ideas into everyday experiences” (Sweet 1). With offices in Berlin, London, and San Francisco, the company’s projects ranged from Volkswagen and Lexus to Heidelberg Printing and Berlin Transit. Nine years later Spiekermann and his wife started FontShop, a digital typeface foundry and distributor of fonts.
In 2000 Spiekermann left MetaDesign and started UDN (United Designers Network), recently renamed SpiekermannPartners, a collaboration of many designers he has worked with throughout his professional years.
He is currently a professor at the Academy of Arts in Bremen. Along with this position, he is president of the German Design Council and the International Institute of Information Design.
In an interview by Spiekermann, he elaborates on many of the type aspects that designer’s face. Even with the advancing technology, he believes that “All good type designers I know sit down with a pencil first, no matter how fast they are on the screen.”
He starts by designing the most important or frequently used weight of the font, usually regular. Once completed, he designs most bold and lightest weights possible for that typeface. After this step, technology helps advance the typeface by “calculating the in-betweens.” Furthermore, software comes in handy when a slight change in the type is needed, for you don’t have to redraw the entire thing.
Before one sits down to sketch out a font, it is important to remember one thing, “that you don’t actually design the black, you design the white: the space inside it and the space around it. That is very important. If you apply that to screenfonts, you can make a really legible screenfont.” Once a designer has this step ingrained, there is one other major concept to indulge in. Spiekermann believes that “The problem with designing typefaces is that 90% has to look like everything else, because an A has to be an A and a B has to be a B. But you have to use that other 10% of leeway to make it look different!” Optimizing this 10% is the key.
Part B
Fonts designed by Spiekermann:
Berliner Grotesk BQ
FF Govan Dingbats One
FF Govan Dingbats Two
FF Govan One
FF Govan Three
FF Govan Two
FF Info Display
FF Info Office
FF Info Office Numbers One
FF Info Office Numbers Two
FF Info Text
FF Meta
FF Meta Boiled
FF Meta Condensed
FF Meta Condensed LF
FF Meta Correspondence
FF Meta Hairline
FF Meta Headline
FF Meta Headline Compressed
FF Meta Headline Condensed
FF Meta LF
FF Meta Serif
FF Meta Serif Black
FF Meta Serif LF
FF Meta Serif LF Black
FF Meta Subnormal
ITC Officina Display
ITC Officina Display Arrows
ITC Officina Sans
ITC Officina Sans (EF)
ITC Officina Serif
ITC Officina Serif (EF)
FF Unit
FF Unit Black
FF Unit Black LF
FF Unit LF
FF Unit Rounded
FF Unit Rounded At
FF Unit Rounded Black
FF Unit Rounded LF
FF Unit Rounded Ultra
FF Unit Ultra
FF Meta
-Sans Serif
-1984
-Originally designed for Deutsche Bundespost (German Federal Post), but never used.
-Designed to be readable and sturdy, working on the postage stamp scale, post boxes and post vehicles. Attention was paid to creating a face that was easily readable from an angle, and in smaller point size.
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lfE3Q4kiSE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McZSUjP1AcE&feature=related
Bibilography
"Erik Spiekermann." Wikipedia. 9 Aug. 2008. 12 Oct. 2008
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/erik_spiekermann>.
Klein, Manfred. T & T: Type & Typographers. London: Architecture Design and
Technology P, 1991.
Pipes, Alan. Production for Graphic Designer's. 2nd ed. Upper Sadde River, NJ: Prentice
Hall, 1992.
Sweet, Fay. MetaDesign: Design from the Word Up. New York, NY: Watson-Guptill
Publications, 1999.
Uleshka. "Erik Spiekermann - typography and design today." PingMag. 31 Oct. 2005. 12
Oct. 2008 <http://pingmag.jp/2005/10/31/erik-spiekermann-typography-and-design-today/>.
"View Fonts by Erik Spiekermann." Font Shop. 12 Oct. 2008
<http://www.fontshop.com/fonts/designer/erik_spiekermann/>.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Saturday, October 4, 2008
awesome photography!
Thomas Barbey is another artist I have been interested in lately. Check out his website!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
So now that the symbol project is over, I am posting a link to Charley Harper's work that will make everyone think "why didn't I do that?" His work is so simplistic but dead on, he just starts with basic shapes.
Christopher Marley is another one of my favorite artists at the moments. His designs out of the simplest creatures are beautiful.
And on a side note, isn't it odd that we will pay money to gain time, a concept which can have no value....
Christopher Marley is another one of my favorite artists at the moments. His designs out of the simplest creatures are beautiful.
And on a side note, isn't it odd that we will pay money to gain time, a concept which can have no value....
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
1980s Design
Technological advancements, especially the laser printer, allow from less expense and greater digital experimentation in typefaces. This leads to the development of Arial.
The Face, a magazine designed by Neville Brody, pushes the boundaries of type in scale, proportion, and legibility, revolutionizing magazine design. In the late 1980’s, David Carson also experiments with magazine type. With Desktop publishing, these experimentations are made easy.
Bitstream becomes the first digital type foundry in 1981. It develops digital fonts like Charter and Verdana.
Postmodernism, a time when society disobeys authority and structure and celebrates expressionism and fragmentation, creates Template Gothic, a vernacular typeface.
Macintosh makes computers user friendly, for both designers and amateurs. Citizen typeface arrives due to the printing methods Macintosh provides. The Mac is still one of the most widely used tools in graphic design today. In 1984 Bert Monroy discovers Macintosh and begins exploring this new tool. He has become a foundation in the design world, introducing software such as Photoshop, VideoWorks, PixelPaint, and ImageStudio.
Fontographer allows anyone to manipulate existing fonts.
Haus der Kulturen der Welt, an institute in Berlin, creates a hand drawn logo made with a unique color system.
SGI computers are able to create the first 3D computer graphics.
Beginning in the 1980’s GUI (graphical user interface) is used to produce symbols and pictures rather than text.
Key Facts:
Arial Black, Robin Nicholas and Patricia Saunders, 1982: a sans serif design with softer and fuller curves with a less mechanical appearance.
Charter, Matthew Carter, 1993: a typeface with open letterforms used for printing.
Verdana, Matthew Carter, 1993: a typeface developed for screen use.
Template Gothic, Barry Deck, 1990: a typeface that seems to have imperfections, embracing the vernacular, or dialect, of low culture.
Citizen, Zuzana Licko, 1986: a typeface with stair step pixels arranged in smooth diagonals.
Stone, Stumner Stone and Bob Ishi, 1987: a typeface designed to maintain legibility at many resolutions.
Trxie, LettError, 1989: a typeface with a rough dirty typewriter look is designed.
Quiz Question
What magazine was the first to push the boundaries of type design?
http://abduzeedo.com/ultimate-80s-inspiration
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphics
The Face, a magazine designed by Neville Brody, pushes the boundaries of type in scale, proportion, and legibility, revolutionizing magazine design. In the late 1980’s, David Carson also experiments with magazine type. With Desktop publishing, these experimentations are made easy.
Bitstream becomes the first digital type foundry in 1981. It develops digital fonts like Charter and Verdana.
Postmodernism, a time when society disobeys authority and structure and celebrates expressionism and fragmentation, creates Template Gothic, a vernacular typeface.
Macintosh makes computers user friendly, for both designers and amateurs. Citizen typeface arrives due to the printing methods Macintosh provides. The Mac is still one of the most widely used tools in graphic design today. In 1984 Bert Monroy discovers Macintosh and begins exploring this new tool. He has become a foundation in the design world, introducing software such as Photoshop, VideoWorks, PixelPaint, and ImageStudio.
Fontographer allows anyone to manipulate existing fonts.
Haus der Kulturen der Welt, an institute in Berlin, creates a hand drawn logo made with a unique color system.
SGI computers are able to create the first 3D computer graphics.
Beginning in the 1980’s GUI (graphical user interface) is used to produce symbols and pictures rather than text.
Key Facts:
Arial Black, Robin Nicholas and Patricia Saunders, 1982: a sans serif design with softer and fuller curves with a less mechanical appearance.
Charter, Matthew Carter, 1993: a typeface with open letterforms used for printing.
Verdana, Matthew Carter, 1993: a typeface developed for screen use.
Template Gothic, Barry Deck, 1990: a typeface that seems to have imperfections, embracing the vernacular, or dialect, of low culture.
Citizen, Zuzana Licko, 1986: a typeface with stair step pixels arranged in smooth diagonals.
Stone, Stumner Stone and Bob Ishi, 1987: a typeface designed to maintain legibility at many resolutions.
Trxie, LettError, 1989: a typeface with a rough dirty typewriter look is designed.
Quiz Question
What magazine was the first to push the boundaries of type design?
http://abduzeedo.com/ultimate-80s-inspiration
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphics
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Definition
Absolute Measurement: measurements of fixed values expressed in finite terms that cannot be altered. Ex. Picas, inches, millimeters, etc.
Relative Measurement: measurements that have no prescribed, absolute size. Their size is relative to the size of type being set. Ex. Ems, Leading.
Points/Picas:
Point: the unit of measurement used to measure the type size of a font. It refers to the height of the type block, not the letter itself. It is an absolute measurement of .35mm or 1/75 of an inch.
Pica: a unite of measure equal to 12 points, commonly used for measuring lines of type. There are 6 picas (72 points) in an inch.
x-height: the height of the lowercase ‘x’ in a typeface. It is measured form the baseline to the meanline of a typeface. This is a relative measurement that varies with each typeface.
The em. The en
em: a relative unit of measurement used in typesetting to define basic spacing functions. It is linked to the size of the type, and will increase and decrease at the same rate as the typeface. The em equals the size of the type, for example 72pt font has a 72 point em. It defines paragraph indents and spacing.
en: a unit of relative measurement equal to half of one em.
Dashes (hyphen, en, em):
Dashes: short, horizontal rules that serve various specific functions such as em rules, en rules, and hyphens.
Hyphen: 1/3 of an em rule. It is used to link words, as a compound modifier (x-height), to break syllables of words in text blocks (geo-graphy), and to provide clarity (re-serve, not reserve).
En dash: ½ of an em rule, used to separate page numbers, dates, and to replace the word ‘to’ in constructions implying movement.
Em dash: used to form lines and house nested clauses. A row of em dashes would form a solid line, for it has no side-bearings and fills its bounding box, touching the surrounding characters. Punctuating em dashes are slightly shorter, and do not touch in a row.
Alignments: Justification, Flush Left, Flush Right
Alignment: the position of type within a text block, in both the vertical and horizontal planes.
Flush left: the text tight and aligned to the left margin and ending ragged on the right.
Flush right: the text tight and aligned to the right margin and ending ragged on the left. It is more difficult to read, used mainly for picture captions or distinction.
Justification: the appearance of rivers of white space. Tightly aligned with both the left and right margin (horizontal) or evenly spaced between the top and bottom margin (vertical).
Letterspacing: adds space between letterforms to open up text.
Kerning: the removal of space and letterspacing in the addition of space between letters to improve the visual look of type. This can be done manually or automatically.
Tracking: adjusts the amount of spacing between characters.
Word Spacing: adjusts the space between words. It is usually defined as a percentage value of an em. It is relative to the size of the type being set and can be controlled by adjusting the hyphenation and justification values.
Widow: a lone word at the end of a paragraph.
Orphan: the final one or two lines of a paragraph separated from the main paragraph to form a new column. This should be avoided.
Hypho: a hyphenated widow that leaves half a word on a line.
Leading: the space between lines of text in a text block, measured from one base line to the next. It is measured in points, and is relative to the type size and font; however, its measurement is separate from the type size. It is used to allow characters to ‘breath’ and make information easy to read. Also, it is a hot-metal printing term referring to strips of lead that were inserted between text measures in order to space them accurately.
Indent, Fist Line Indent, Hanging Indent:
Indent: the text line is moved from the margin by a specific amount, allowing the reader to easily enter the paragraph. The indent length can be related to the point size of type or determined by the grid.
First Line Indent: the text is indented from the left margin in the first line of the second and subsequent paragraphs. The first paragraph in a document following a heading, subhead, or crosshead is not indented.
Hanging Indent: the first line of the text is not indented, but the subsequent text lines are indented from the margin.
Relative Measurement: measurements that have no prescribed, absolute size. Their size is relative to the size of type being set. Ex. Ems, Leading.
Points/Picas:
Point: the unit of measurement used to measure the type size of a font. It refers to the height of the type block, not the letter itself. It is an absolute measurement of .35mm or 1/75 of an inch.
Pica: a unite of measure equal to 12 points, commonly used for measuring lines of type. There are 6 picas (72 points) in an inch.
x-height: the height of the lowercase ‘x’ in a typeface. It is measured form the baseline to the meanline of a typeface. This is a relative measurement that varies with each typeface.
The em. The en
em: a relative unit of measurement used in typesetting to define basic spacing functions. It is linked to the size of the type, and will increase and decrease at the same rate as the typeface. The em equals the size of the type, for example 72pt font has a 72 point em. It defines paragraph indents and spacing.
en: a unit of relative measurement equal to half of one em.
Dashes (hyphen, en, em):
Dashes: short, horizontal rules that serve various specific functions such as em rules, en rules, and hyphens.
Hyphen: 1/3 of an em rule. It is used to link words, as a compound modifier (x-height), to break syllables of words in text blocks (geo-graphy), and to provide clarity (re-serve, not reserve).
En dash: ½ of an em rule, used to separate page numbers, dates, and to replace the word ‘to’ in constructions implying movement.
Em dash: used to form lines and house nested clauses. A row of em dashes would form a solid line, for it has no side-bearings and fills its bounding box, touching the surrounding characters. Punctuating em dashes are slightly shorter, and do not touch in a row.
Alignments: Justification, Flush Left, Flush Right
Alignment: the position of type within a text block, in both the vertical and horizontal planes.
Flush left: the text tight and aligned to the left margin and ending ragged on the right.
Flush right: the text tight and aligned to the right margin and ending ragged on the left. It is more difficult to read, used mainly for picture captions or distinction.
Justification: the appearance of rivers of white space. Tightly aligned with both the left and right margin (horizontal) or evenly spaced between the top and bottom margin (vertical).
Letterspacing: adds space between letterforms to open up text.
Kerning: the removal of space and letterspacing in the addition of space between letters to improve the visual look of type. This can be done manually or automatically.
Tracking: adjusts the amount of spacing between characters.
Word Spacing: adjusts the space between words. It is usually defined as a percentage value of an em. It is relative to the size of the type being set and can be controlled by adjusting the hyphenation and justification values.
Widow: a lone word at the end of a paragraph.
Orphan: the final one or two lines of a paragraph separated from the main paragraph to form a new column. This should be avoided.
Hypho: a hyphenated widow that leaves half a word on a line.
Leading: the space between lines of text in a text block, measured from one base line to the next. It is measured in points, and is relative to the type size and font; however, its measurement is separate from the type size. It is used to allow characters to ‘breath’ and make information easy to read. Also, it is a hot-metal printing term referring to strips of lead that were inserted between text measures in order to space them accurately.
Indent, Fist Line Indent, Hanging Indent:
Indent: the text line is moved from the margin by a specific amount, allowing the reader to easily enter the paragraph. The indent length can be related to the point size of type or determined by the grid.
First Line Indent: the text is indented from the left margin in the first line of the second and subsequent paragraphs. The first paragraph in a document following a heading, subhead, or crosshead is not indented.
Hanging Indent: the first line of the text is not indented, but the subsequent text lines are indented from the margin.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Adrian Frutiger
Adrian Frutiger, born in 1928 in Unterlaken Switzerland, has created seventeen widely know typefaces, including President, Meridien, Appllo, Courier New, Frutiger, Serifa, Univers, and many more. His career with type and printing began as a printer’s assistant at age sixteen. Not long after, he studied under Walter Kach and Alfred Wilimann at the Zurich School of Arts and Crafts. Upon graduation, he began at Deberny and Peignot typefoundry transferring traditional printed typefaces into the technological world. However, outside of work he began to create his own typefaces. His first, Phoebus, was completed in 1953 and with two more designs in just two years, he soon became known as an international typeface designer.
Beginning in 1987, Frutiger began receiving awards for his contributions to typography. He has received five awards, ranging from the Type Directors Club (TDC) Medal in 1987 to the SOTA Typography Award in 2006.
Of his typefaces, Univers is his most notable font because of its diversity and complexity. Frutiger made a typeface system for Univers, organizing 21 variants into a numeric system. Within this system, the first digit of each typeface represents the weight, and the second digit denotes the width. With each number increase, the weight and height of the type increases and vise-verse. The Univers family is organized into the Universe grid, defining each variation by width and weight.
http://www.identifont.com/show?110
http://www.myfonts.com/person/frutiger/adrian/
http://typophile.com/node/12118
http://www.searchfreefonts.com/articles/family-planning.htm
John Baskerville
John Baskerville, born in Wolverley, Worcestershire in 1706, was known as a writer, stonecutter, letter designer, and printer throughout his lifetime. However it is Baskerville’s work as a type founder for which he is best known.
During the 1700’s John Baskerville made contributions to the type world that are still being used today. After starting up his own printing business in 1750, Baskerville began to print and publish books. However, during the time between starting the business and his first publication in 1756, Baskerville was able to make improvements to the printing press, printing ink, papermaking, and letter design. Though many books were produced, Baskerville’s most infamous book was his Bible of 1763. When first published, other English printers claimed that Baskerville’s style of printing “damaged the eyes.” Nevertheless, individuals abroad loved the new design. In Fact, Benjamin Franklin brought back Baskerville’s work to the United States, making it a standard in government printing.
His books were printed in a new and unique type style. Usually printed on quality paper and with quality ink, Baskerville’s typeface, with level serifs and contrast of light and heavy lines, soon became a standard typeface. The attention to proportion and small differences between fine and bold strokes set Baskerville apart from all other type styles.
http://ilovetypography.com/2007/09/23/baskerville-john/
http://www.myfonts.com/person/baskerville/john/
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0806405.html
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Grid
Creating a grid lays a ground in which any content can be organized. With correct placement of design elements, order, unity, and movement through the space are created. All of these elements allow viewers to interact with the space, moving from one place to another based on elements the grid allows designers to emphasize. Though the grid is a key element to design, it should melt away and leave the viewer focusing on the content rather than the layout behind it.
Research source & grid examples
http://www.designbygrid.com/
http://www.webdesignerwall.com/trends/grid-and-column-designs/
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Paul Rand
“Simplicity is not the goal. It is the by-product of a good idea and modest expectations.”
Paul Rand
Paul Rand, also known as Peretz Rosenbaum, was born in Brooklyn, New York on August 15, 1914. Against his parents’ will and his religion, Rand chose to study art. Throughout his education he attended Pratt Institute, Parsons School of Design, and the Art Students League. With a portfolio full of designs influenced by the German advertising style, Sachplakat, and Gustav Jensen, Rand landed his first job in media promotion and cover design. However, after several other career explorations, like corporate identification and a professor at Yale, Rand began working on the cover of Direction magazine. Soon, Rand was receiving national attention for his work. Rand’s career only heightened when we began his job at Esquire magazine in 1937. His editorial layouts and design covers of Apparel Arts quickly became features in the Art Directors Club. Amazingly, at just twenty-three, Rand became the art director for the fashion section of Esquire magazine.
Rand continued designing throughout his lifetime, setting standards that no one before him had. The philosophy that a logo “cannot survive unless it is designed with the utmost simplicity and restraint” allowed Rand to produce some the best and most memorable commercial icons of all time. Designs for Ford, UPS, and his most famous IBM, have marked his name in history.
Sources
http://www.paul-rand.com/biography.shtml
http://www.areaofdesign.com/americanicons/rand.htm
http://www.logodesignlove.com/all-about-paul-rand
Paul Rand
Paul Rand, also known as Peretz Rosenbaum, was born in Brooklyn, New York on August 15, 1914. Against his parents’ will and his religion, Rand chose to study art. Throughout his education he attended Pratt Institute, Parsons School of Design, and the Art Students League. With a portfolio full of designs influenced by the German advertising style, Sachplakat, and Gustav Jensen, Rand landed his first job in media promotion and cover design. However, after several other career explorations, like corporate identification and a professor at Yale, Rand began working on the cover of Direction magazine. Soon, Rand was receiving national attention for his work. Rand’s career only heightened when we began his job at Esquire magazine in 1937. His editorial layouts and design covers of Apparel Arts quickly became features in the Art Directors Club. Amazingly, at just twenty-three, Rand became the art director for the fashion section of Esquire magazine.
Rand continued designing throughout his lifetime, setting standards that no one before him had. The philosophy that a logo “cannot survive unless it is designed with the utmost simplicity and restraint” allowed Rand to produce some the best and most memorable commercial icons of all time. Designs for Ford, UPS, and his most famous IBM, have marked his name in history.
Sources
http://www.paul-rand.com/biography.shtml
http://www.areaofdesign.com/americanicons/rand.htm
http://www.logodesignlove.com/all-about-paul-rand
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