Typography/ Layout and Design

Transcription

1 Typography/ Layout and Design What is typography? It s the study and science of fonts. Using typography is almost an art, and it takes practice to learn to use it correctly. Type is not just text that is on a page. It is also the size and shape of the letters, the way the letters are spaced, and the choice of design. You must understand each element in order to use it successfully. Advancements in typography--in the early 1980s, laser printers brought every-day-users the ability to use various typefaces. Prior to that, typewriters or dot-matrix printers were the primary source of typeface. Shapes and sizes were limited. Why is it important to understand typography? Understanding how fonts work together in a document can help you create more visually appealing documents that will appeal to your audience. Fundamental knowledge of typography means you will understand such things as why you might not want to use grunge type in your church bulletin or brush script for your next newsletter. Documents are made of two things: text and graphics. Both are equally important, but text often plays a larger roll. There is more to typography than just placing text into a document. It plays a primary part in the design and layout of the document. Type should be essentially invisible as part of the document. In other words, you should not notice the specific fonts, but instead your focus should be on the information that the document contains. To make text invisible takes a special aptitude. Parts of a document may attract attention in good or bad (distracting) ways. Be cautious when choosing your type of fonts. Fonts Type can be identified by typeface, style, and size. Typeface (aka font) is the shape of letters, like serif or sans serif. Serif has edges Times New Roman Sans serif smooth, no edges Arial, FYI: The word sans means without General Rule: Serif fonts make better body text because, in theory, they are easier for the eye to follow. The horizontal feet give the eye a line to follow. Sans serif is thought to be more effective when used for headlines and titles because it takes longer for the eye to read the text. *These rules are often debated. A more recent study indicates that you read faster if the font is the same as the font when you learned to read. Since most elementary textbooks still use Serif style fonts, the general rule still holds true. Limit your number of different fonts to three. Changing the font size and style is often more useful than changing the entire font. Using one font helps with consistency and repetition. If you use more than one font, make sure that they are very different in appearance. If you use fonts that look to close it will appear as if you have made a mistake. Make your choices look intentional. Specialized Fonts With the introduction of word processing programs, new categories of fonts have developed. Script fonts Letters are connected as in handwriting. Example: Brush Script MT Display fonts These appear to be handwritten rather than typed. They are used to get the readers attention. Example: Comic Sans or Bradley Hand Grunge fonts These fonts often look beaten up, with some parts of the letters missing or misshapen. Example: Chiller 1

2 Type Style Style is anything that you do that alters the appearance of a font without changing to a different font. Examples of type style are bold, underline, italics, shadow,, subscript, superscript, embossiing embossing, engraving engraviing, SMALL CAPS, etc. Reverse type is a style that is commonly used to make text stand out on a page. The text appears white on a dark background. This is very useful at helping text to stand out. Type Size Text height is measure in points. A point is approximately 1/72 of an inch. (A letter that is 72 pt. is about an inch in size.) Type is measured on the letters that have ascenders and descenders. Baseline the imaginary line on which a letter sits. Descender part of a letter that drops below the baseline. Found on the following letters: g, j, p, q, and y. Ascender the part of a lower case letter that extends above the x-height. Found on the following letters: b, d, f, h, k, l, and t. Color With the exception of headlines, titles, pull quotes, and illustrations, your text should appear a shade of gray or black. Only use color when you are trying to draw emphasis to a particular word or phrase. Example: Grand Opening Sale! Spacing When you are selecting your font it is also important to consider the amount of space that the font takes up. Older fonts were monospaced. This means that each letter was given the same amount of space. Skinny letters like l, t, f, i, etc., and fat letters like m and w were spaced exactly the same amount. Courier is an example of a monospaced font. With the development of computer fonts, monospacing is a thing of the past. Now space is allocated proportionally on the basis of letter width. This is called proportionate spacing. Times New Roman and Arial are both proportionate fonts. Because each letter is given just the space it needs, a line with ten characters may be slightly shorter or longer than another line with the same number of letters. To line up text, use the tab key instead to ensure that the text aligns in the same place. Tracking Tracking can be used to open up or close the amount of space between characters. To alter this in Word, you should select the text, go to Format, Font, Character Spacing, and adjust the spacing section. Your options are expand or condense. Avoid condensing letters too closely together. The letters r and n will appear to be an m if the font is set too tight. This is the original text. Here, the text is done in normal mode. This is the original text. Here, the text has been condensed. This is the original text. Here, the text has been expanded. Notice that the text size did not change although there is an obvious difference in the appearance of the words. Kerning Kerning adjusts the space between specific pairs of letters. This allows you to tuck some letters underneath each other. In the word Typewriter the y tucks crossbar of the T. Kerning is particularly important when using large fonts for banners and advertisements. If you want to type stu, you should kern the s and the u so that they fit tightly under the T. 2

3 Leading (pronounced ledding ) Leading is the amount of space between lines. By default, Word uses single leading. Other options are 1.5 and double spacing. It can be set at the standard settings or measured by point size. Twenty-four points is equal to double spacing. In Word, go to Format Paragraph Line Spacing. In word processing, leading is called line spacing. Justification (Alignment) When text lines up on both sides of the margin, we say that it is justified. Text is often justified to make it easier to read. If it is used improperly, it can become difficult to read. When text is justified, extra amounts of space are put between the words. This white space is referred to as a river. Rivers can cause distractions in the reading flow. In some instances, you may choose to have a document left or right aligned. This means the text aligns to one side of the page leaving a jagged or ragged edge. Text with deep jags may be difficult to read. However, it is much easier to control the spacing in a left or right aligned document. The advantage of setting type with a jagged edge is that there is equal spacing between every word, enhancing its readability. Avoid aligning large amounts of text to the right margin. There is no solid left margin for the eye to line up with causing the eye to slow down. Text that has jagged right and left sides is centered. Do not center large blocks of text. It is difficult to read. Centered text is appropriate for invitations and some headlines. Punctuation In your keyboarding class you probably learned to space twice after a period at the end of a sentence. However, it is now common practice to only space once after a period at the end of a sentence. This also includes exclamation points and question marks. This change is because proportional fonts allow for an extra space to already be added in after punctuation. Indenting The standard indentation for a typewriter is five spaces or half and inch. However, desktop publishing standards have changed the amount of space to indent paragraphs. Now you should only indent the amount of space it would take to type an em dash (capital M). This helps in avoiding visual distractions. Columns Generally, if you are using a standard letter-size paper ( ), three columns should be the maximum number of columns you should use. If you are using a 10-pt. font, you could stretch the number to five columns, but it is not highly recommended. By nature, it is difficult for the human eye to read across an entire page of text. Limit text to short passages so that reading is done faster, and the reader understands more of what you are trying to say. If you are designing a page with a lot of text, separate text into columns to make it easier to read. (You don t have to have two full columns of text. Text can be typed in a column half page and the other column can be left blank. Capital Letters The standard rule is to use capital letters at the beginning of proper nouns and sentences. Recently, designers have started breaking the rules by using capital letters in the middle of words or no capitals at all. Example: PowerPoint, AutoShapes, FrontPage, etc. You have several choices when it comes to capitalization: title case, sentence case, upper case, lower case, and toggle case. 3

4 One common mistake on many documents is to use all caps for titles. Avoid all caps when possible because it indicates that the text is shouting. Consider using the SMALL CAPS option as an alternative to all caps. Dashes and Hyphens It is important in layout and design that you understand the difference between a dash and a hyphen. Hyphens are used in compound words or in a word that is divided (hyphenated) at the end of a line. A dash is used to indicate a sudden break in thought or used as a super comma. Hyphens Text that is aligned can contain hyphens, but they should be used sparingly. You should limit your hyphens to one consecutively in a document. This will reduce distractions within the document. Never use hyphens in a body of text that is right aligned. To hyphenate go to Tools Language Hyphenation Limit to 1. Dashes There are two types of dashes that we use. The en dash (-) is the width of the letter N. The em dash ( ) is the width of the letter M. En dashes are used in ranges or dates. Example pages 1-19, or The Em dash is used to indicate a break in thought. Use it when a comma just is not enough. Spacing The Rule of Thumb You should have.5 to 1.0 of blank area around the edge(s) of your document. This allows the reader to hold the document comfortably without covering any important text. Your margins will determine this spacing. Pull Quotes (aka callouts) Sometimes used as text boxes. This is a segment of a document that is important enough that it is enlarged and repeated to get the reader s interest in the document. It is often in a box or with lines on at least two sides. Sometimes the text is a different color from that in the body. They are placed a distance from the original statement within the body. Pull quotes should not be longer than five lines. Captions Captions are a reduced description of an image or graphic. It is the third-most-looked-at part of a document. They are used to explain information that was not provided in the text, summarize information in the text, or make the graphic easier to understand. When used with photographs, a caption is often used to name the people in the photo. They can also state the source of the photo (cited source or photographer s name). Captions are created in a font smaller than the body text. The font is generally a sans serif style font. Rules Rules are lines that are drawn in a document to separate portions of text, add emphasis, or for visual appeal. They are measured in weights (point size) and can be different colors. They can be edited like clip art. Word Art Avoid using word art to create titles when standard text would be more appropriate. Word art is considered a novelty. It loses its appeal if it is over used. (Neat the first time, boring after that.) Often, changing the font, size, or style can be more effective than word art. 4

5 Watermarks These are images or words that are lightened and placed behind text. They are used to subtly identify a company or logo. In BIMM, watermarks are often used to show ownership of a document so that others cannot copy the work without consent. Guides Aka grids. They assist you in setting up the layout of a document. They are non-printing lines that help you gauge where your graphics and text are on the page. To get the grids in MS Word, select Draw Grids Display Gridlines on screen Then select the size/spacing for the lines. Print Design and Layout Placing clipart on a document is not design. Layout is the arrangement on a page of all the key parts without regard to the specific content. Text (without graphics) is read from top-left to top-right and then down the page to the left. Your eye naturally follows a Z pattern. Graphics alter the way the eye reads a page. By placing graphics in your document you can control the way a reader views your text. Start with a focus plan. 1.Where to place items 2.How large to make them 3.What impact will they have. Things to consider: How do eyes work? Headlines and graphics are the first two things that are noticed on a page. Text alone is read in a Z pattern. (Headlines) Graphics can alter the Z pattern, making it the most noticed part. (Graphics) The largest, boldest, most colorful item on the page will be noticed first. The eye will jump around in order of appeal. Determine where you want your focus Decide if you want to use a Z pattern Decide if you want more focus on graphics White Space (aka negative space) The areas in which text and graphic do not appear on a document is called white space. Your page will appear very dark if you have too much text. If you justify text without hyphenating the document, you will find huge patches of white in your text. (rivers) It is recommended that you allow about 50% of your page to have white (negative) space. You can adjust certain elements of your page rather than removing items if you need more white space. First, you can alter your gutters (the amount of space between columns). Gutters create vertical columns of white space. Second, adjust your margins. Add extra space (leading) between lines of text. Re-evaluate your font choices. Create wider standoffs (space that separates graphics and text). Avoid white space when it creates rivers in your document. Also, do not create trapped white space. This occurs when white space is surrounded on all sides by either text or graphics. 5

6 Layout When planning your layout, it is not necessary to have all of the information for your document. You may use placeholders to represent graphics that you will add in later. These are often simply shapes that represent a similar size to the graphic. Greeking is used when you do not have the text you want to use. Instead, you simply type random letters. In professional desktop publishing, greeking usually begins with Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. It is not important what the words are as long as they give a similar representation of what your text would look like. Rule of Thirds Divide your page into three sections. It is much more appealing to the eye. You do not have to have three columns or three sections. One very wide column with one narrow column satisfies the rule of thirds. Repetition Consistency gives a page a sense of unity. Use the same fonts, rules, images in different sizes. This gives the feel of general themes Symmetry Even equals BORING Centering a page gives a formal tone. Asymmetrical (uneven) is more interesting Balance Evens out a page. Avoid leaving a page top-heavy or bottom heavy. Use various elements to give your page balance. Attached elements Avoid floating in a document. Floating occurs when objects seem to float off of the page. Good designers will find ways to may objects appear to touch. Objects placed closely together will look anchored. Important information When creating business documents, do not assume that the reader will know all of the contact information about your business. Items you should include are: physical address with city and state, phone number with area code, and Web address if available. Group all related information together. Example contact information should be easy to find. The reader shouldn t have to search the document. Other terms to know: Hanging punctuation Quotation marks usually being and end a paragraph. The punctuation is set so that it aligns with the other text. Hanging punctuation lines up outside of the text. In DTP, hanging punctuation is preferred so that the eye is drawn to the quotation. To do this you should adjust your margins so that the marks are not aligned with the text. Curly quotes Typewrites once used straight marks for quotations. Today, quotations are referred to as curly. Using straight marks or ticks is considered to be a sign of inexperience. Drop cap This is the first letter of the first word in a paragraph. It is set to a larger size and drops within the paragraph to get the reader s attention. The drop cap s font may be changed to give a more decorated feel. Drop caps should be used sparingly because they give the document a formal touch. Drop caps should only be used above the fold (on the top half of the page). You should not have more than two drop caps on a page. One is recommended. 6

7 Widow This occurs when only the first line of a paragraph is separated from the rest of the paragraph (either by a column break or page breaks.) Widows are a sign of a novice desktop publisher. Subheadings at the bottom of the page are also discouraged. Orphan This occurs when only the last line of a paragraph is separated from the rest of the paragraph (either by a column break or a page break). *Widows and orphans are distracting and do not allow text to flow smoothly. Tombstone These are created when two headings are placed across from each other at the top of a page. Place a graphic in the document to avoid tombstones and separate headings. Dos and Don ts Be aware of your audience, theme, and tone. Don t type in all caps. Do use bold fonts sparingly. Do use hyphens, en dashes and em dashes correctly. Don t use two hyphens instead of a dash. Don t insert a tab or spaces at the beginning of a paragraph. Don t add periods for leader dots. Do use true quotation marks and apostrophes. Do use inch, foot and multiplication symbols (from your symbol fonts) instead of using quotations, apostrophes, or the x key. Do put all periods, commas, and punctuation belonging to the quote within quotation marks. Do use a smaller point size for ACRONYMS and other UPPERCASE text. Do use the ellipsis character ( ) from your symbols. Don t use three spaced/unspaced periods. Do use your spell checker. Don t forget to proofread your document. Look for words spelled correctly but used in the wrong instance. Vocabulary to Know: Alignment Ascender Curly quotes Descender Display fonts Drop cap Em dash Em space En dash En space Focus plan Font Greeking Grunge type Gutter Hanging punctuation Kerning Layout Leading Monospace font Orphan Point Pull quote Reverse type Rule Sans serif Serif Text wrapping Tombstone Tracking Typeface Typography Watermark White space Widow Word art Sources: Multimedia and Image Management, Thompson Southwestern, Lake/Bean Type Companion for the Digital Artist, Prentice Hall, Against the Clock Series The Complete Manual of Typography, Adobe Press, Felici 7