Sunday, 23 April 2017

Study Task 05: Studio Brief 2 - Research

Contextual Research






Classifications of Typefaces


Serif:

-        Old style or Humanist Serif – 15th and 16th Century – low contrast in stroke weight and angled serifs – calligraphic influences – strong angled axis – based on renaissance typefaces
-        Transitional  - more vertical axis and sharper serifs when compared with humanist serifs – bridge between old style and modern serif typefaces – first appeared in 17th century – high contrast between strokes  
-        Neoclassical and Didone – created in the late 18th century – originally called classical designs – not updated versions of classical styles but completely new designs – then called ‘modern’ – since 20th century called neoclassical or didone – high contrast between thick and thin strokes – axis of curved strokes vertical – little or no bracketing – ball stroke terminals  - Modern – 18th and 19th Century – high contrast of strokes, straight serifs and vertical axis – Bodoni – extreme contrast between thick and thin strokes – vertical axis – Named after Firmin Didot and Giambattista Bodoni
-        Slab – Egyptian – heavy serifs – used for decoratation and headlines – heavy serifs reduce ledgibility at smaller point sizes  - low contrast between between thick and thin – heavy strokes- unbracketed serifs – first typefaces for display types
-        Clarendon – first released in mid 19th Century – designed as bold faces to accompany text composition – stroke contrast slight – also work as display types at larger sizes – serifs longer than previous typefaces – character stroke weight more obvious
-        Glyphic – reflect inscriptions in stone etc – minimum contrast – axis of curved strokes vertical – triangular shaped serifs – flaring of character strokes at terminals

Sans Serif

-        Grotesque – squared quality to curves – single bowl and loop lowercase ‘g’ like roman types- very similar to serif typefaces without the serifs – first commercially popular sans serif typefaces – contrast in stroke weight promenant – awkward weight distribution around bowls – irregular curves – squarish bowls and awkward curves  - Franklin Gothic
-        Neo Grotesque - Transitional – Helvetica – similar charcteristics to transitonal serif typefaces – upright axis and uniform stroke – more constructed and refined than Grotesque typefaces – less variation in line weight – single storey g – Helvetica   
-        Square – based on grotesque proportions – instead squares curves dramtically – wider kerning – used as display types
-        Humanistic – more calligraphic qualities – greater variation in line widths – most legible – e.g. Gill Sans , Frutiger, Tahoma, Veranda – proportions from old style typefaces
-        Geometric – based on geometric shapes – O’s circular , ‘a’ simple with a tail – Futura – less readable than grotesque- usually only suitable for display types – minimal stroke contrast – single story lower case ‘a’ and ‘g’

     -    Script Type – based on handwriting – fluid letterforms – many based directly on                      handwriting masters – George Snell and George Bickham
-        Formal  - 17th and 18th century letterforms – unsuitable for body text – elegant 
-        Casual – reflect modern day handwriting – stronger strokes , more brush like appearance
-        Calligraphic – reflect calligraphic writing – connecting or non connecting  - appear to be written in a flat tipped pen  
-        Blackletter and Lombardic – reflect the manuscript type used before the invention of movable type –  based on medieval scribal hand – written broad nib pen- dense type style











Type Anatomy  - Key Terms



Baseline – line the letter sits on
Meanline – height of most lowercase letters
Stem – main upright – can be diagonal
Bar – any horizontal part – also called Arm
Bowl – curved part of a letter
Counter – internal shape within the bowl – can be enclosed or partially enclosed
Ascender – part that rises above the meanline
Descender – part that falls below the baseline
Serifs – extra flourish at the ends of strokes – comes from calligraphic roots – finishing strokes
Aperture – the opening at the bottom of some letters
Tittle – dot above ‘i’ and ‘j’
Ear – extension on a letter
Crossbar – horizontal strokes on A and H
Terminals – only found in serif typefaces
Loops – can be fully or partially closed – found on lowercase ‘g’
Spine – is the curved stroke on the S
Link – connects the upper and lower parts of a G
Spur – is an extra part on a curved stroke
Leg or Tail – descending strokes on an ‘R’
Shoulders – curved stroke joining to the stem
Finial – curved end of a stroke 

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