In this extended exercise, we’re designing small type specimen books. In doing so, we’ll build our knowledge of a number of classic/useful typefaces, we’ll add and use some important Indesign skills, we’ll build our abilities to create typographic compositions, and we’ll learn and use the technical skills to assemble all of this into books.
Download Type Specimen Handout
Download Fonts to Use (password given in class)
Talking about Type Classification
Doing an exercise on Type Classification
Working on our Words exercise
Talking about the results of our Letter exercise
Finish the Words exercise
Finish the Digital Letter exercise
Read, in Thinking with Type:
Letter – Back to Work (10–32)
Starting an exercise on Space between letters and words
Talking about some type basics
Working
Finish the Letter Space and Word Space exercises
Read, in Thinking with Type, Anatomy – Capitals & Small Capitals (36–52)
In these exercise, we’ll keep optically adjusting the space be- tween the letters and words so spacing appears consistent throughout the entire word or line.
We’ll also feel out the appropriate amount of space between letters and words.
Talking about the two readings from last time.
Beginning a new series of exercises.
Finish the Digital Letter Space exercise. Save the file to Google Drive (or a flash drive or hard drive) and make sure you have it before class.
From John Kane’s A Type Primer.
(password given in class)
Perhaps fifty per cent of the character and integrity of a printed page lies in its letterforms. Much of the other fifty per cent resides in its margins. — Robert Bringhurst
In these exercises, we’ll see changes in the grace and legibility of letterforms as we adjust the spaces between letters, words, and lines of text.
Talk about the course overall + the syllabus
Talk about readings for next time
Read both of these. Take notes. Write down things that make think.
1. Craig Mod’s Let’s Talk About Margins is about the way small details in design and typography – and caring about small details in design – can make those who encounter your work feel welcome.
Read Let’s Talk About Margins
2. This excerpt from Audrey Bennett’s Teaching Design Standards in a Socially-Conscious Age is about a set of standards to pay attention to and strive for in design work.
Read Design Standards in a Socially-Conscious Age (pdf)