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.
Anatomy of Type
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Baseline
Meanline
Capline
The different varieties of type have quite
a range of difference despite sharing
the same family. This means that it is
important for the designer to recognize
the unique attributes of each typeface
and use them appropriately. The only two
anatomical attributes that all families share
are their baseline and stroke.
Anatomy of Type
Baseline
Meanline
Capline
Hemoglobin Hemoglobin Hemoglobin Hemoglobin
Century Schoolbook
Futura
Bodoni
Serifa
With Fill
Without Fill
It is easier to read a word when its bottom
half is concealed, rather than trying to read
it with its top half concealed. This is due to
the human trait to read from top to bottom,
and from left to right, specically in regard
to certain languages such as English.
Anatomy of Type
Hemoglobin
Hemoglobin
Hemoglobin
Fundamental to all graphic design is
the interplay between letterform and
background. Every letterform denes
a particular counterform. 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-relationship
of form and counterform is essential in
typographic design.
Anatomy of type | Single Letter
G
Cropping Studies
Counterpart and Counterpoint
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Anatomy of type | Counterpart and Counterpoint
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.
Anatomy of type | Counterpart and 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) to whole (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.
Anatomy of type | Typographic Kinetics
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The most elementary 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
visual combinations of strokes as the
example illustrates.
Anatomy of type | The Structure of Letters
jlt EFHILT
KMNY
VWX
AZ
BDGJPRU
COQS
k
vwxy
z
abdghmnpqru
ceos
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.
Anatomy of type | The Structure of Letters
V
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Using the initials of your designer, impose
the letterforms in a typographic study
that interprets a relationship to the form
of the chair they designed. The goal is to
discover relationships in form and division
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 chair.
Typographic Page with Chair
Size + Weight
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Size + Case
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Weight + Slant
Weight + Face
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Size + Width
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Size + Tonality
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Size + Weight
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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 heiarchy
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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Painter, sculptor,
engineer, architect,
and editor of journals,
Andr Bloc was a
unique and versatile
designer around which
crystallized the French
aesthetic debate of
the postwar period.
Block developed his
rst projects as an
Furniture designs by Andr Bloc
were inuenced by the works of
sculptor Jean Arp. Arps owing
forms, which are often abstrac-
tions of the human body, served as
Blocs inspiration for this design.
engineer before turning
to architecture. Through
the magazine he found-
ed and ran, Todays
Architecture and Art
Today, he campaigned
for a renewed relation-
ship between art and
architecture in response
to the formal poverty
functionalism. He
believed that function
transformed into pure
form would no longer
possess any superuous
features. His work had
a simple and effective
construction that utilized
the function of its form.
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