Typography Basics Lecture Notes

Introduction to Typography

• Typography is the style or appearance of text.
• It's present in books, websites, street signs, and more.
• Typography involves the art of working with text, common in creating documents or projects.
• A small knowledge of typography can make a big impact.

Common Types of Fonts

• Serif Fonts:
  • Have little strokes called serifs attached to the main part of the letter.
  • Good for traditional projects, common in magazines and newspapers.
• Sans Serif Fonts:
  • Do not have extra strokes ("sans" means "without" in French).
  • Considered clean and modern, easier to read on screens.
• Display Fonts:
  • Include styles like script, blackletter, all-caps.
  • Best for small text portions like titles, headers.
• Fonts convey messages, can seem casual, exotic, etc.
• Avoid overused fonts with negative reputations (e.g., Comic Sans, Papyrus).

Choosing and Combining Fonts

• Limit to one or two fonts per project.
• Create contrast by varying size, weight, style.
• Combine opposites (e.g., serif with sans serif) for interest.
• Look at other designs for inspiration.

Typography Terms

• Hierarchy: Guides the reader's eye, uses emphasis.
  • Make key elements stand out using size, weight, or style.
• Leading (Line Spacing): Space between text lines.
  • Aim for comfortable readability, default spacing usually works.
• Tracking (Letter Spacing): Overall space between characters.
  • Adjust for artistic effect or poor spacing.
• Kerning: Space between specific characters.
  • Varies across words, choose fonts with good kerning.

Conclusion

• Typography skills enhance project quality.
• Explore further design topics like color, images, and composition.