Chapter Reflections 1, 3, and 6

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 is a series of images that show the evolution of typography from 3150 B.C. to current times. I think this chapter was really cool because even though type has changed so much, the changes between each image are small and it shows how people have improved. With each advance in technology, typography took a step with it and became more legible. Another thing that I found interesting is how long it took for typography and images to be on the same composition. Then after image and type came together it was like they’re inseparable and toward the end type became image.

The evolution of typography in this chapter reminds me of the evolution of video games. Video games started off very basic and straightforward just as typography did. Pong, one of the early video games, is like the simple carvings in stone from the ancient civilizations. Due to the lack of technology every thing in the game was pixelated, rigid, and sharp. Although early typography had curves most of the letterforms were rigid and sharp just like early video games. Using technology as a major driver both typography and video games became a kind of art with many different categories to explore. People even have different opinions on what games should do just like how designers discuss whether or not typography should be art. On one hand video games can be straightforward and follow a traditional linear style of play. On the other, video games can be less about the completion and more about the abstract experience. These two scenarios are in comparison to type as strictly information or type as art.

Chapter 3

Chapter 3 discusses typographic syntax, the connection between typographic signs. First, I’d like to say I think the idea of typography having syntax is cool because I’ve never really thought about it before. The relationship between typographic signs is something that isn’t screaming in your face but it would be blatant if someone created bad relationships. I guess it was just an initial moment of realization, which is kind of obvious, that designers think of balancing type in the same way they think of balancing forms in an image. The surprising thing to me is how in depth typographic syntax is. Components of syntax like typographic space, the line, and visual hierarchy aren’t completely new ideas since they’re similar to terms when talking about balancing ant composition. However, their the names of these type specific terms are new. My favorite structure that the book brought up for creating good syntax is the ABA form because it reminds me of poetry and rap.

To me, the connection between ABA form, poetry, and rap is clear especially since the book compared ABA form to rhythm in music. I’m really passionate about rap so I get really into how rhyme schemes can be used to create an interesting verse. This is like how a designer might pay attention to visual relationships between text in order for a composition to flow and have balance. Rap doesn’t really work with a random rhyme and rhythm and neither does syntax. If everything is random in either rap or syntax then the connections between elements in the piece won’t be strong enough and would probably be uncomfortable. Both have to be conscious of rhythm to create something that is interesting, but also has enough stability to bring everything together.

Chapter 6

Chapter 6 is about typographic messages and how to effectively communicate one. I believe that typographic message is one of the most important parts of typography. In current times there’s so much type everywhere all the time that it’s important to get the message across quickly and clearly, especially in advertising. If type can’t get a message across then I think it hasn’t done it’s job.

Typography becomes really interesting to me when the anatomy of type is used directly to convey a message. I think the section on verbal and visual equations has some of the coolest examples because they are so simple, but the words and letterforms still have meaning. It’s so clever when people make words appear as their definitions. One example that really stands out to me is the unity example. It stands out to me because at first glance it isn’t legible and then you notice that it’s actually very legible even when it’s flipped creating what it says, unity. The examples that I mentioned remind me of puzzles I used to solve in magazines as a child. The puzzles were words put together in a way that suggested an idea and the challenge was to figure it out. Most of the time the forms of the words weren’t even distorted and yet they could still get a completely new message across.