Introduction to Typography

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Introduction to Typography

Typography is all around us and we use it everyday to aid us in communication. It is essential to know the basics about typography and the different types of typography before it is discussed in the terms of ‘typography in society’. The basics of typography are: the different type families, and some technical terms which are imperative when discussing the technical and symbolic aspects of typefaces and letter forms.

Type Families

Roman

Roman is the standard style of typeface. It isn’t altered by width, weight, angle or any other defining characteristic. This particular type family is easy to read and is therefore often used as the body of a text, such as the text of a book.

Italic

Unlike roman type, italic type is set at an angle, and is generally slanting to the right from bottom to top. Italics isn’t a standard typeface and are specifically developed for a font which means that letters may be significantly different from its roman counterpart in order to improve its appearance and readability. Italics are not to be confused with oblique type, which is the roman type, slanted at an angle without altering the font.

Bold

Bolded type, is the Roman type, but with a heavier weight. There is no official name for bold type so it is often referred to as black or medium, etc. These names depend purely on the preference of the typeface designer.

Light

As oppose to Bold, Light is the thinner version of a roman font. Depending on the exact weight, a light type will be used at larger sizes so it is legible or if the designer wants to achieve a specific style. As with bold, there is no standard naming so names can vary from light, to ultra-light.

Extended

Extended type is the wider versio...

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• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helvetica

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frutiger

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myriad_(typeface)

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avenir_(typeface)

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trajan

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optima

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Gothic

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futura_(typeface)

• http://www.adobe.com/type/browser/landing/bickham.html

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Univers

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comic_Sans

• http://www.bancomicsans.com/main

• http://www.pointlessart.com/education/loyalist/typeTalk/garamond/history.html

• http://www.rsub.com/typographic/

• http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/611830/typography

• http://graphicdesign.about.com/od/typographyfonts/tp/letter_anatomy.htm

• http://graphicdesign.about.com/od/typographyfonts/tp/letter_anatomy.01.htm

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