Blog 2: Typography is its Own Species

Blog 2: Typography is its Own Species

“Legitima”, A Practical Case Study

“A PRACTICAL CASE STUDY, Legitima Typeface: An Experience Of Fossils And Revivals” by César Puertas is an article about the comparison and expansion of old and new typefaces over time. There is much correlation between typefaces and species. Typefaces are like species they need to adapt to their environment and enhance their performance to make sure they don’t become extinct. The difference between new and old typefaces is that one is not in fashion anymore and the other is. Sometimes the old or “vintage” typefaces can be in style longer than others because of their appealing and unique look. This article discusses revitalizing a typeface, studying and reconstructing before it was almost lost in time. César Puertas calls this process Legitima.

Since César Puertas was a boy he was fascinated in paleontology and the study plus the reconstruction of dinosaur bones. When he starting becoming interested in typeface design he saw the resemblance between the reconstruction of bones and construction of a typeface. A typeface to him is like a skeletal. Both time and evolution have created different types of dinosaurs according to their bones, as do typefaces. Looking back in time at different typefaces the comparison in structure from then to now can be studied and considered for new typeface designs.

A book called La Cicceide Legitima by Giovanni Francesco Lazzareli is a book of poems that contained its own unique and attractive typeface. César Puertas decided to restore this book of poems vintage typeface and save from being lost.

First step was to analyze the book itself. The book seemed to have been printed around 1694 in a print shop named “Herz” in Venice. The book consists of 228 pages, highly absorbent paper, 9 signatures, a careless print job and etc.

“The history of a typeface is incomplete without some consideration of the context in which it was used.” (Puertas, http://www.smashingmagazine.com)

That quote brings me to step two the “Historical Context” of a typeface. This book was produced in the 17^th century otherwise known as the Baroque Period. Depending on the cultural influence or economy and even philosophy at a certain time can all affect the design of a typeface?

Then step three is analyzing the typeface itself. What are the locations of the crossbars, thickness of strokes, serifs, optical weight, text settings, etc?

After those three steps then it is possible to reconstruct a vintage typeface and introduce itself to the new.    

Overall the whole composition of a typeface depends on mutation and adaptation to its atmosphere.

 

 

Is Web Design 95% Typography?

IS WEB DESIGN 95% TYPOGRAPHY? One More Time: Typography Is The Foundation Of Web Design, by Paul Scrivens, is an article that discusses what the secret to Web design is and if it is purely based on typography.

One of the questions posed in this article is the theory that Web Design is 95% typography or is it not? One of the arguments is if web design is purely operated around typography then why not just study and understand the elements and fundamentals of typography?

My opinion is yes typography is a design but only one kind of design. Referencing back to my last article summary, typography is one bone but not the same as the rest. In web design I believe you need all elements and fundamentals of different kind of designs to make up the skeleton of a piece of work. With just one bone you cant build the rest of the skeletal. But even within one bone there are numerous tissues that make up that bone that makes the whole bodywork. Typography is not just choosing a font that looks good in a design, it is also the skills to acquire it in a design and use it properly. With web design typography cannot act on its own, it needs visuals to draw a reader in. If you take away the visuals to an art website (like society6.com) will just the typography get the message across? No. Therefore typography cannot act on its own in web design or the web design would not be successful.

 

Anthropologie.com has a great use of typography and imagery incorporated into one another. I choose this website because of the look and feel. The color scheme is warm and welcoming and the typeface chosen is balanced and trendy.

Roxy.com has a cool color scheme and also a balanced use of typography. I like the slender forms of type in this layout; it gives the feel of a clean refreshing look. It is simplistic and functional. Each of these websites seems to have the same concept of incorporating imagery and type into one another but in a minimalistic way. Each of the websites have that young, trendy, free, environmental feel to them. They both apply their texts to the structure of their theme by describing how water (Roxy) or forest/farm like (Anthropologie) would look in a typeface. Anthropologie uses a mix of typefaces such as typewriter and a fixed width font. Roxy.com uses a fixed width font as well and a serif.

 

The differences between setting type for print and web is that each has different structures you have to accommodate to. Print you have margins and one structure with a header and folios. Web you have a series of different layouts with placement in relation to topic, imagery and location of each. In web everything should have a balanced composition with numerous elements where as in print its more simplistic because if it’s a book then it start from title page, contents to story. Web you have tabs leading to all kinds of places across the site. I do not believe type should be set for web because then I feel its too limiting. Being able to set type freely anywhere according to style or preference is what makes a web page. There could be restrictions for setting type for web based on how much room or space there is to work with.       

The benefits of using @font-faces are its use of similar styles in the family to keep rhythm along with web fonts as well. Also using common fonts can make them more accessible.   

Society6 and all its Glam

http://society6.com/

Blog 1- Society6

Society6.com is a website that allows artists of all kinds around the world to upload and sell their work. Society6 will display each piece of work in certain categories such as animals, black and white, humor, illustration, photography, etc. and then produce and distribute it to whomever purchases the piece. Society6 gives the option for the purchased pieces of work to be framed in different colors, made into stationary, clothes, iPhone cases, mounted onto canvas, etc.

When you first enter this site you are greeted with a balanced composition of collaged art featuring recent or most popular art. It is a simple set up with tabs at the top, a search box, Facebook login, help, sign in, and join. At the bottom of the homepage are popular artists in smaller squares and again a list of options to access Society6, about the site, and categories repeated from the top.

Normally when I enter the site I go to Art Prints first unless a piece of work from the display catches my eye. I will then click on art prints and continue looking at that artist’s particular work. When you enter the Art Prints tab it automatically organizes the art by most popular or gives you the option to sort by random or new and is also available to sort by a price  preference. Along side of the art which is once again collaged throughout the page in simple balanced 5 rows with 4 pieces of art per row are categories to search them by (animals, black and white, typography, etc.). It also lists not only the categories but also the choice to search Framed art prints, stretched canvases, stationary cards, iphone cases, etc. If you were to click on a piece such as “Salt Water Cure” by Tina Crespo it opens up to the piece with a description and what it is also available to be produced as (i.e. stationary cards, iPhone case, etc.). One of my favorite parts about this site is that below it will catalog more pieces from this artist and it will show similar styles and themes of art to this artist that you would possibly like.

I consider this sites design a complete success because of its simple balanced composition and thorough rhythm throughout the pages. The art against the simple bold font gives it contrast and not an overwhelming feel as if one another would be competing with each other. Just because this site is an artist creative interactive website I am glad they didn’t emphasize that in the text or background. In doing so it keeps the art and artists the focal point. There are great uses of repetition through the pages because the only thing that changes is the kinds of art. All the options and help stay the same throughout each tab and each page keeps the art balanced in rows and sizes. Alignment and structure has steadiness also throughout the pages, which helps the rhythm and flow. The proximity of the site varies between the text and images. On the main page the proximity between the art displays are close but that is okay because that’s the look and feel that is trying to being achieved. The proximity of text is nicely spaced with not too little and not too much to keep reasonable breathing room between letterforms.

The intended audience is people who are on the creative side such as artists, designers or possibly collectors. The content is catered to the audience by the various types of art and gives other artists and people inspiration and knowledge about past and present artists and their works.

I love this site and think it’s a great tool for artists to communicate and exchange work and ideas.

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