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Anatomy of Type
Each typeface has unique uses and
appropriations and displays its own
personality; The designer must realize this
to fully utilize type within a composition.
The only similar and interchangeable
characteristics between font families are
baseline and stroke.
Anatomy of Type
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Individual letter forms have unique
parts which have changed in visual
form over the centuries. A nomencla-
ture helps identify major elements of
their construction. The evolution of
lettering styles over time is a result
of optical adjustments to the basic
components by type designers over the
ages.
Fundamental to all typographic design
is the interplay between letterform and
background. Every letterform denes
a particular counter form. Form and
counterform are reciprocal values and
completely interdependent and integral to
a letters completeness as a design. The
counterform is not just what is left over in
the background. The counterform is a new
entity that emerges through interaction
with the form.
Typically, these counterforms are either
geometric or organic in quality depending
on the structure or style of the letter.
An awareness of this inter-rhelationship
of form and counterform is essential in
typographic design.
Anatomy of Type
When half a word is covered, it is most
legible when the top half is visible.
Ascenders and tall strokes are more
recognizable to the brain, as we are trailed
to read top-to-bottom, left-to-right.
Depending on the word, you may remove
signicant parts of letterform and have
the product remain legible. As long as
dening characteristics remain, the brain
will ll in the blanks for the reader. One
wonders how much the brain truly sees
while reading regular letterform, and how
much is assumed or skimmed over.
Anatomy of Type
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Form/Counterform Anatomy Cropping
Form/Counterform
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Every letter has a personality you can
identify. Fragmentation is not the goal
in and of itself. Everything is adjustable
and its a case-by case decision of
how far to go.
When creating a visual hierarchy in
typographic space, a designer balances the
need for harmony, which unies a design,
with the need for contrast, which lends
vitality and emphasis.
The form you seek is one that to be able
to read the word. So this determines
the degree of fracture. Its the
part(letterform) towhole (word). Both
must be juggled to value. You cant use the
same element over and over just because
it worked in one place. Every example
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.
As in music, elements can have a
counterpart or a counterpoint relationship.
Typographic counterparts are elements
with similar qualities that bring harmony
to their spatial relationship. Elements
have a counterpoint relationship when
they have contrasting characteristics,
such as size, weight, color, tone, or
texture. Counterpoint relationships bring
opposition and dissonance to the design.
Anatomy of Type | Typographic Kinetics Anatomy of Type | Counterpoint and Point
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The most elemtary forms of letters are
a visual code of simple strokes that is
recognizable through our experience with
handwriting.

Each of the upper and lower case letters
is distinct in structure. All are built by
combining vertical, horizontal, slanted and
curvilinear strokes. Letter forms derive
their 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
xual combinations of strokes as the
example illustrates.
Anatomy of Type | The Structure of Letters
While upper and lower case letters are
distinct in structure, they all are built by
combining 4 strokes; vertical, horizontal,
slanted, 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
Title of the Project
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KMNY k
VWX vwxy
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BDGJPRU abdghmnpqru
COQS ceos
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This unit focuses on the basic design
and structural principles that leads to
successful subdivision of hte space of
a page using typography and image
in a layout. We will be working both
analytically and experimentally in order to
arrive at a more complete understanding
of these principles.
Typographic page: Chair
Cover
weight + case
weight + slant
case + slant
weight + width
si ze + width
si ze + cas e
case + weight
si ze + case
width + weight
B5
MARCEL BREUER
si ze + width
weight + face
si ze + face
weight + slant
si ze + weight
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. 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.
Chair Hang Tag
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