The second chapter of
Typographic Design: Form and Communication explores a historical perspective on
the development, anatomy, basic vocabulary, evolution, relationships, and
corresponding modern state of typography. From the beginning of handwriting,
which contained obvious inconsistency, ambiguity, disquality, and potential
illegibility, to the onset of a digital typographical age known for its instillment of both theory and unity, and chaotic elaboration. As the chapter notes, however, it was the
handwritten art that led to the rules of metal type: the brush, reed, pen, and
chisel produced text with agreeably solid concepts such as curves, serifs,
x-height, stroke, etc.
Once metal type
measurement was introduced, however, typographers could be exponentially more
specific and consistent: points (for depth) and picas (for length) were used as
units of measure that could be relied upon. Metal type could be the same
height, and horizontal spacing was designed with interletter, word, and
interline spacing/leading. Weight changes and proportions allowed for the
development of entirely new alphabets, with classifications of light, bold,
expansiveness (expanded), or consolidation (condensed) or of angle (italics).
The chapter also discusses
variation, which leads into the relationships between different letters and
faces. How does Univers compare and contrast with Goudy Handtooled, for
example?
I enjoyed getting a
refresher on how, exactly, we've gotten to this place in design where our
typographic options are practically unlimited – the boundaries have been pushed
beyond the laws of aesthetic and into a practically nauseating war between
composition and freedom – and the elements that go into our practical
conversation on the matter.
Image source: http://www.pa59ers.com/library/Paradise/printing.html
No comments:
Post a Comment