week 5: reading thingy =)

Week 5: Thinking with Type: Text

Analysis of typography serves me twofold in my design process. First, the breakdown of its structure helps me take it out of the verbal environment and place it in the spatial realm. Here I can treat it as I do any other design element that has weight, mass and shape and then assess the bearing that those factors have on its layout and meaning. For instance, I must consider whether I want certain textual elements made distinct or made to conform. I find it helpful to start at a ground roots levels and evaluate the anatomical structure of the letter - which will always be answerable to font, style, size and case. The intimacy or interdependence between characters then evolves to the word, the line, the paragraph and finally the body/hierarchy of text. Even the positive and negative spaces created between letters and passages affect composition (and ‘shade’ as indicated by the reading). Kerning, tracking, line spacing and alignment are just some considerations of text that give varying effects and hence value.

Secondly, awareness of certain typography characteristics allows me to spot common design flaws which may be aesthetically unpleasing or uncomfortable to the viewer; those appropriately named ‘Typecrimes’ in the reading.

These spatial and organizational considerations of textual components are essential and have direct consequence on the aesthetics of my overall design.