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 the basic components by type designers over
the ages.
Overlap to discover the remarkable range that
exists between historic families of type even
though they have the same point size. What
does this mean for the designer? When it comes
to mixing families of type what can be done
and what cannot be done? What are the only 2
anatomical attributes that all families share? It
means the designer has many choices on the
font he/she wants to use. If your mixing families
of type you cannot use fonts with varying
typographic elements. The only 2 similarities are
the baseline and the stroke.
Anatomy of Type Type Overlap
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Capline
Meanline
Baseline
Heisenberg
Century Schoolbook
Heisenberg
Bodoni
Heisenberg
Baskerville
Heisenberg
Serifa
Fundamental to all typographic design is the
interplay between letterform and background.
Every letterform denes a particular counterform.
Form and counterform are reciprocal alues
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 emerge 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-
relationship of form and counterform is essential
in typographic design.
Single Letter
Which is more legible when covered, the bottom
half of the word or the top half of the word?
When the bottom half of the word is covered it is
more legible.m
How much of the letterform can you remove and
still read the word? What do you become aware
of? Certain letters are able to be covered more
then others and retain legibility. For example a
lowercase G is able to be split into half on just the
right side and still keep its legibility, while on the
other hand a lower case N cut of from the left
side could be seen as an R. Using this method you
become more aware of what elemnts of the letter
are important.
Legibility word Legibility letter
Heisenberg
Heisenberg
Heisenberg
I
Cropping Studies
Counterpart & Counterpoint
Counterpart & Counterpoint
COUNTER PART
COUNTERPOIN T
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.
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.
Counterpart & Counterpoint
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.
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.
Typographic Kinetics
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Structure of Letters
The most elementary forms of letters are a visual
code of simple strokes that is recognizable
through our experiencewith 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
visual combinations of strokes as the example
illustrates.
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 illustrates.
Structure of Letters
EHTLFI lift
NKYM k
WXV xvyw
ZA z
GUPDJRB dbagqurnpmh
SOCQ oecs
E
K
Using the initials of your designer, impose
the letterforms in a typographoc study that
interprets a relationship to the the form of
the chair they designed. The goal is to discover
relationshios in form and devision of space. Then,
using the designers name, the name of the chair,
and the date of its manufacture, impose the
words in a typographic study that demonstrates
relationships to the char.
Typographic Page - Chair
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.Brief description of the project presented
on this page.
Chair Hang Tag
B A R C E L O N A
1929
Archi tecture star ts when you careful l y put two bri cks together. There i t begi ns. - Ludwi g Mi es
The frame was initially designed to be
bolted together, but was redesigned in
1950 using stainless steel, which allowed
the frame to be formed by a seamless
piece of metal, giving it a smoother
appearance. he functional design
The form is thought to be extrapolated
from Roman folding chairs known as the
Curule chair upholstered stools used
by Roman aristocracy. formed by a seam-
less piece of metal, giving it a smoother
appearance. formed by a seamless bar
The functional design and elements of it
that were patented by Mies in Germany,
Spain and the United States in the 1930s
have since expired. formed by a seam-
less piece of metal, giving it a smoother
appearance. formed by a seamless
The Barcelona chair is a chair de-
signed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
and Lilly Reich. It was originally de-
signed for the German Pavilion, that
countrys entry for the International
Exposition of 1929, which was hosted
by Barcelona, Spain.
The frame was initially designed to be
bolted together, but was redesigned
in 1950 using stainless steel, which
allowed the frame to be formed by a
seamless piece of metal, giving it a
smoother appearance.
The frame was initially designed to be
bolted together, but was redesigned
in 1950 using stainless steel, which
allowed the frame to be formed by a
seamless piece of metal.
The frame was initially designed to be
bolted together. The frame was initially
designed to be bolted together.
Archi t ecture st ar ts when you careful l y put two
bri cks t oget her. There i t begi ns. - Ludwi g Mi es