Solange Trujillo

Design & Typography

Individual letter forms have unique parts
which have changed in visual form over the
centuries. A nomenclature helps identify
major elements of their construction. The
evolution of lettering styles over time is a
result of optical adjustments to these basic
components by type designers over the
ages. Manipulation or drafting letter forms
requires an application of these basic
elements successfully.
Overlapping different families of type
shows the range that exists between
them. It shows how their spacing, height
and width vary. What this means to the
designer is that all fonts are unique.
When is comes to mixing families, there
are certain things that can and cannot be
done. A main rule is that one cannot mix
families of type together. The only thing
that can be mixed is serif with a sans serif;
it cannot be two serifs or two sans serifs.
The two anatomical attribute that all
families share are the baseline and the use
of a stroke.
The part of a word that is more legible
when covered tends to be the upper half of
the word. This has to do with the position
of ones eyes; since they are located
relatively high on our body we tend to
read the upper parts of objects before
the bottom. One can remove most of the
letterform and still be able to read a word.
What detemines this is what part of the
letter you remove. Each letter has a unique
characteristic and if that part is removed
the word or letter will become illegible.
Anatomy of Type Understanding Type
P
s
y
cho
l
o
g
ica
l
Psychological yg PP al ll Psychological hl i yg yg Psychologica Psycholog Psycholog Psycholog Psychological Psychological chological al Psychologica Psychologica Psychologica Psychologica Psychologica Psychologica Psychologica
T
a
i
l
S
p
i
n
e
S
t
e
m
D
e
s
c
e
n
d
e
r
A
s
c
e
n
d
e
r
B
o
w
e
l
Baseline
Capline
x
-
h
e
i
g
h
t
Meanline
L
o
o
p
E
a
r
L
i
n
k
S
e
r
i
f
S
t
r
o
k
e
C
o
u
n
t
e
r
H
a
i
r
l
i
n
e

S
h
o
u
l
d
e
r
T
e
r
m
i
n
a
l
F
i
n
i
a
l
Psychological
Psychological
Psychological Psychological
y
l
h
p
i
l
l
a
a
i
a
g
Anatomy Cropping
Each individual square and its letter
form should be seen as an independent
typographic composition that investigates
form and counterform, gure ground
relationships, asymmerty / symmetry,
static and dynamic placement.
Typographic Kinetics
Typography is unique in that it is both
visual and verbal. Every letter has a
personality you can identify even while
part of a word. In these examples,
fragmentation is not the goal in and of
itself, but to demonstrate the role of
legibility as it pertains to reading, the role
of size and optical spacing and emphasize
rhythmic form /counterform pattern of
light and dark. Its a case-by case decision
of how far a designer can push formal
invention before readability is lost.
a
o
c
s
i
p
y
h l
g
c
l
o
l
a
i

c
s
p
h
c
g
y
0
c
p
y s
l
a
c
h
i
g
l
o
p
s
c
h
y
l
i
g
c
a
o
Typographic Kinetics assignment
Due next class.
Goals:
value distribution models)

To emphasize rhythmic form /counterform pattern and punc-
tuation as a kinetic evolution from left to right

To articulate aurally and visually the typographic
details within each letter composition, as well as the whole
word.

Directions:
Using compositions from your cropping inventory or make
new, construct the following examples:
One each for the 4 value distribution models to the right.
4 sequences left to right (normal reading direction)
Each example should maintain the letter order of your word
while pushing the readability to the extreme. But not too
extreme! If we cant read it then it needs correction.
Delete stroke on clipping paths. Not all letters need
to be cropped. Maintain capline and baseline.
Vertical divisions between letters no longer matter,
kern between letters for even optical spacing.


1 sheet for a total 4 examples for next class.
value distribution models:
color red only
Remember...We should be able to read the word.
If it becomes too abstract to read, revise for readability.

1
2
3
4
equal spacing between examples...
Every letter has a personality you
can identify. Fragmentation is not
the goal in and of itself. Everything
is adjustable and it`s a case-by-
case decision of how far to go.
The form you seek is one that
to be able to read the word. So this
determines the degree of fracture.
It`s the part(letterform) towhole
(word). Both must be juggled to
value. You can`t use the same el-
ement over and over just because
it worked in one place. Every ex-
ample should change somewhat.
Because range is a persistent goal
of design, you want to invent in
each example. Expect some noble
necessary part of any assignment.
Place this diagram with your 4 examples
to show how each example distrbution should appear.
Explore shape vs stroke. Dont let the background overpower
letters. Scale and shape control value.
Sturucture of Letters
While upper and lower case letters
are distinct in structure, they all are
built by combining 4 strokes; vertical,
horizontal, diagonal, and curvilinear. These
elementary strokes form the foundation, a
visual code that is recognizable through
our long experience with reading and
writing regardless of style. Therefore,
letter forms derive their visual character
from combinations of these basic strokes
and not from being light or bold, wide or
narrow, Roman or italic, sans serif or serif.
An entire alphabet can be categorized
using only six basic underlying visual
combinations of strokes as the example
illustrates.
These images are important to the
evolution of type because they provide
the structure of the letters we use today.
Without these dening features of type,
words would be illegible.
Fundamental to all typographic design
is the interplay between letterform and
background. An awareness of this inter-
relationship of form and counterform is
essential in typographic design.
Form/Counterform
A
O
W
B
D
M
EFHILT
KMNY
AZ
BDGJPRU
SCOQ
itfj
k
vwxy
z
abdghmnpqru
esco
The Structure of Letters
< Revisit page 26 and write a description
explaining the importance of these
images to the evolution of typography.
Use 8/10 Univers Light. >
< LC here>
< Everything should be visually aligned >
ABCD abcd
< Univers regular 55, 18/66
< UC here>
< Assignment: >
Print out and Trace - Use Univers regular 55 72 pt.
font, U&L, auto leading.
Using trace paper break down the letters into
underlying stroke patterns. This will help you with the
categorization.

Categorization- Based on these 6 stroke
combina-tions, categorize the upper and lowercase
alphabet in the Univers regular 55 font. Create a layout
using three columns on the page (see left diagram)
1) stroke types, 2) uppercase letters, 3) lowercase
letters.
Typeface for alphabet- Univers regular 55, 18/66,
both the upper case and lowercase letters.
Scale strokes. Use 33.3%.

. Final weight for the six stroke categories is 1pt.
Basic strokes :
< text placed here, follow the grid >
Counterpart
Counterpoint
Counterpart/Counterpoint Modern Chair and Typography
Typically these counterforms are either
geometric or organic in quality depending
on the structure or style of the letter. In
the counterforms of letters there exists
a fascinating world of form waiting to be
explored by the designer.
Using the initials of your designer, impose
the letterforms in a typographic study that
interprets a relationship to the form of
the chair they designed. Now begine use
of the designers full name, the name of
the chair, and the date of its manufacture,
impose the words in a typographic study
that demonstrates relationships to the
chair.
Every letterform denes a particular
counterform. Form and counterform
are reciprocal values and completely
interdependent and integral to a letters
completeness as a design.
The counterform is not just whats left
over in the background. The counterform
is a new entity that emerges through
interaction with the form of letters.
Arne Jacobsen
No. 3100 Ant
1952
Size and Width
Size and Weight
A
J
Weight and Face
Size and Case
a
Size and Face
Size and Weight
Arne

a c o b s e n
j
1
9
5
2
acobsen rne
ant
1952
Arne Jacobsen
Weight and Slant
1
9
5
2
A
r
n
e

J
a
c
o
b
s
e
n
Face and Weight
In a book or website it is information
design that takes the lead. On a poster or
motion graphics expression could lead.
The ratio is determined by the designer
and the needs of the communication. An
emphasis or hierarchy must be clear and
decisive so the roles each plays in the
communication are clear. In design things
are not equal.
Type generally falls into two primary
categories; informational and or
expressive. Its not uncommon to have
a strategy for both present in layouts.
Informational text is more common and
the form responds to long traditions
and conventions of size, spacing and
established habits of organization on the
page.
Muti-page Typographic Layout
and the Grid
a
ANT
1952
Today, Arne Jacobsen is remem-
bered primarily for his furniture
designs. However, he believed
he was rst and foremost an
architect. According to Scott
Poole, a professor at Virginia
Tech, Arne Jacobsen never used
the word designer, notoriously
disliking it.
Most of his furniture designs were
the result of a cooperation with
the furniture manufacturer with
which he initiated a collaboration
in 1934 while his lamps and
light xtures were developed with
Louis Poulsen.
In spite of his success with his
chair at the Paris Exhibition in
1925, it was during the 1950s
that his interest in furniture design
peaked.
A major source of inspiration
stemmed from the bent plywood
designs of Charles and Ray
Eames. He was also inuenced
by the Italian design historian
Ernesto Rogers, who had
proclaimed that the design
of every element was equally
important from the spoon to the
city which harmonized well with
his own ideals.
In the early fties, the Danish
furniture industry adopted a new
manufacturing process.
Solid wood was increasingly
replaced by materials such as
steel and plywood, signicantly
reducing the need for complex
structures.
Arne Jacobsens chair is an
outstanding example of this
newfound simplicity. It consists
of only a few parts, can be
produced at low cost, and is
extremely lightweight.
The seat and back are made up
of an ordinary piece of plywood,
while the arrangement and
form of the three steel tube legs
attached to the underside of the
seat in the center enable the chair
to be stacked.
Clashes between communism
and capitalism dominated the
decade, especially in the North-
ern Hemisphere. The conicts
included the Korean War in the
beginnings of the decade and
the beginning of the Space Race
with the launch of Sputnik I.
Along with increased testing of
nuclear weapons (such as RDS-
37 and Upshot-Knothole), this
created a politically conservative
climate.
Arne
Jacobsen
77 x 52 x 51.5
Today, Arne Jacobsen is remembered
primarily for his furniture designs. Howev-
er, he believed he was rst and foremost
an architect. According to Scott Poole, a
professor at Virginia Tech, Arne Jacobsen
never used the word designer, notorious-
ly disliking it.
Most of his furniture designs were the
result of a cooperation with the furniture
manufacturer with which he initiated a
collaboration in 1934 while his lamps
and light xtures were developed with
Louis Poulsen.
In spite of his success with his chair at the
Paris Exhibition in 1925, it was during
the 1950s that his interest in furniture
design peaked.
A major source of inspiration stemmed
from the bent plywood designs of Charles
and Ray Eames. He was also inuenced
by the Italian design historian Ernesto Rog-
ers, who had proclaimed that the design
of every element was equally important
from the spoon to the city which harmo-
nized well with his own ideals.
Arne Jacobsens chair is an outstanding
example of this newfound simplicity.
It consists of only a few parts, can be
produced at low cost, and is extremely
lightweight.
A
r
n
e

J
a
c
o
b
s
e
n
1952
77 x 52 x 51.5
H
eight 44cm
Plyw
ood
Arne Jacobsen
Today, Arne Jacobsen is
remembered primarily
for his furniture designs.
However, he believed
he was rst and
foremost an architect.
According to Scott
Poole, a professor at
Virginia Tech, Arne
Jacobsen never used
the word designer,
notoriously disliking it.
Most of his furniture
designs were the result
of a cooperation with
the furniture manufac-
turer with which he
initiated a collaboration
in 1934 while his lamps
and light xtures were
developed with Louis
Poulsen. In spite of his
success with his chair
at the Paris Exhibition in
1925, it was during the
1950s that his interest in
furniture design peaked.
In the early fties, the
Danish furniture industry
adopted a new
manufacturing process.
Solid wood was
increasingly replaced
by materials such as
steel and plywood,
signicantly reducing
the need for complex
structures.
Arne Jacobsens chair
is an outstanding ex-
ample of this newfound
simplicity. It consists of
only a few parts, can
be produced at low
cost, and is extremely
lightweight. The seat
and back are made up
of an ordinary piece
of plywood, while the
arrangement and form
of the three steel tube
legs attached to the
underside of the seat in
the center enable the
chair to be stacked.
A major source of inspi-
ration stemmed from the
bent plywood designs of
Charles and Ray Eames.
He was also inuenced by
the Italian design historian
Ernesto Rogers, who had
proclaimed that the design
of every element was
equally important from
the spoon to the city
which harmonized well
with his own ideals.
A r n e J a c o b s e n
1 9 5 2
rne
acobsen
Ant
Interior Exterior
Arne
J
acobsen