Typography Deconstructed

126
TYPOGRAPHY DECONSTRUCTED TAKING A CLOSER LOOK THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF TYPE

description

A 126 page book deconstructing the rules and usage of typography.

Transcript of Typography Deconstructed

Page 1: Typography Deconstructed

TYPOGRAPHY DECONSTRUCTEDTAKING A CLOSER LOOK THE

BUILDING BLOCKS OF TYPE

Page 2: Typography Deconstructed
Page 3: Typography Deconstructed

3

TYPOGRAPHY DECONSTRUCTED

SYDNEY GOLDSTEIN

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS

SPRING 2013

Page 4: Typography Deconstructed
Page 5: Typography Deconstructed

6

14

16

26

28

32

36

40

54

58

60

64

68

70

80

88

100

108

116

RULES DEFINED

SPECIAL CHARACTERS

GRID STRUCTURES

QUOTES

APOSTROPHES & DASHES

SMALL CAPS

NUMERICAL

X-HEIGHT

COLUMN WIDTH

LEADING

KERNING

ALIGNMENTS

HYPHENATION RULES

JUSTIFICATION

COMBINING TYPEFACES

PARAGRAPH BREAKS

HEADERS, SUBHEADS & CROSSHEADS

CAPTIONS & NOTES

FONT SPECS

Page 6: Typography Deconstructed
Page 7: Typography Deconstructed

7

RULES DEFINEDA LIST OF TWENTY-SEVEN RULES EVERY TYPE DESIGNER NEEDS TO LIVE AND BREATHE

1.

2.

3.

4.

INSERT ONLY A SINGLE SPACE AFTER ALL PUNCTUATION

Inserting two spaces after a period was common when using

a typewriter. Monospace typefaces were designed to occupy

the same amount of space no matter the width of the char-

acter. Therefore, two spaces were needed to identify the end

of a sentence and the beginning of another sentence. With

the introduction of the Mac and digital type, characters are

designed proportionately, which allows for the correct practice

of using one space after all punctuation.

USE PROPER ‘EM’ DASHES, ‘EN’ DASHES, AND HYPHENS

An em is a unit of measure equal to the point size that you

are using. An em dash is a type of punctuation used to offset

clauses in a sentence or to indicate an abrupt change in

thought. An en dash is equal to half the length of an em dash.

En dashes are used to denote duration.

USE PROPER QUOTE AND APOSTROPHE MARKS

Use true quotation marks and apostrophes instead of using

inch marks and feet marks. Place all punctuations inside the

quotation marks.

USE TRUE SMALL CAPS

When setting text that contains acronyms, select a typeface

with small caps as a family. Selecting small caps from the style

menus is not a good choice because the computer reduces

the overall size of the type by 80%. This changes the stroke

weight and the feel of the font. Expert sets in the Adobe Type

Library have small caps options.

Page 8: Typography Deconstructed

5.

6.

7.

8.

ADD LETTER SPACING TO CAPITALIZED TEXT AND SMALL CAPS

Letterspacing is the amount of space between characters in a

word. Some software programs caller letterspacing tracking.

Use positive number values (to about 2 or 3) to open up

letterspacing to capitalized text and small caps, except when

periods are used between characters.

USE OLD STYLE FIGURES WHEN APPROPRIATE

Old style figures, also known as non-lining figures do not line

up on the baseline as regular or lining numerals do. They can

be found in various fonts. If the body text has a significant

amount of numbers, research a font family where they are

included. If non-lining numerals are not available, use a

smaller point size for the lining numbers. Think of lining

numbers as upper case numbers and non-lining numbers as

lower case numbers.

USE CAPS PROPERLY

With options given to you by almost any type family (bold,

point size, etc) you will seldom need to use all caps to draw

attention to your text. Not all typefaces are legible when

set in all caps; esp. True for script and decorative typefaces.

Short headlines may be the once exception to this rule.

USE COPYRIGHT, REGISTER, AND TRADEMARK MARKS PROPERLY

The copyright, register, and trademark characters need to

be reduced to work with body text. At times, depending on

the typeface, you may need to reduce the mark somewhere

between 50% and 70%. The goal is to match the x-height.

The copyright mark should be approximately 70% of the

surrounding text. Unlike the ™ symbol, the © should NOT

be super scripted and should remain on the baseline. The ™

symbol is usually superscripted for the chosen font. ™ and ®

are also normally set higher then other marks. If you choose to

superscript ®, reduce it to about 60% of the size.

Page 9: Typography Deconstructed

9

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

ELLIPSIS CHARACTER

Use the ellipsis character and NOT three periods. You can

access the ellipsis by typing Option + : (colon). To allow a

small amount of space before and after text. However if there

is no over crowding the text, leave no space at all.

AVOID UNDERLINED TEXT

This was useful back in the days of the typewriter to draw

attention to the text. With digital type and their families, you

should not need to use underlined text.

INCREASE LINE SPACING TO IMPROVE THE READABILITY IN YOUR

BODY TEXT

Line spacing (aka leading) refers to the space between lines

of text. It is important for readability and appearance. Leading

is measured from baseline to baseline. As a rule of thumb,

allow leading that is 120% of the point size. For sans serif, you

may need 130% or more.

BODY COPY SIZE

Body text is set anywhere from 9-12 points. When you print

text, it is usually larger than what it looked like on the screen.

So, print out your text before finalizing your layout. Try type

studies to will help you determine the proper size before you

proceed with your layout.

ALTERING FONTS

Don’t alter the original typeface by stretching or condensing

the letters improperly. Certain type families should provide

you with a lot of flexibility, so you won't not need to destroy

or alter text.

SOLID LEADING

NEGATIVE LEADING

12/12 pt

12/10 pt

Page 10: Typography Deconstructed

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

LEGIBILITY OF FONTS

Sans serif typefaces work well for headlines and to set text

that is aligned to vertical/horizontal lines. Certain sans serif

typefaces which are not very geometrical work well for body

copy (i.e. Frutiger, Meta, Scala Sans, etc.)

DECREASE LINE LENGTH AND INCREASE MARGINS

Line length is a measure of text on one line. Any measure

between 45 and 75 characters is comfortable for single column

widths. The ideal measure for body text length is about 66

characters (counting both letters, punctuation, and spaces.)

For more than one column, a measure between 40 and 50

characters is ideal.

AVOID LETTERSPACING LOWERCASE BODY COPY

Don’t letterspace body copy as it really hampers the legibility.

Use letterspacing when working with caps. small caps,

numbers and display text, looser type spacing may increase

the legibility.

WORD SPACING SHOULD BE FAIRLY CLOSE

Text meant for extended reading, the amount of space

between words in a paragraph needs to be fairly close–about

the width of a lowercase “i.” If the word spacing is too close,

it appears as one giant word and legibility is decreased. Try

keeping the spaces between words fairly thin and consistent

IDEAL COLUMN WIDTH

For single-column pages, 4.25 inches is ideal. For two-column

width, columns can be as narrow as 2 inches. Turning on the

hyphenation feature can improve word spacing.

Page 11: Typography Deconstructed

11

EXAMPLE

ELE-GANTLY RIGHT!

ELEGANT-LY WRONG!

19.

20.

21.

22.

JUSTIFICATION OF TEXT

Justification can be appropriate in certain places. However, it

can create certain problems such as rivers and word spacing.

Adjusting size of margins, decreasing body copy size, turning

on auto hyphenatation and manually hyphenating the text are

all examples of possible solutions.

CHOOSE THE ALIGNMENT THAT FITS

Make sure the alignment chosen for all areas of text are

legible and consistent with the design and guidelines. Left

aligned text is easier to read and set. Justified text is harder

to set with out inevitable word spacing problems. Right

aligned and centered are generally not used for body copy.

RULES OF HYPHENATION

Don’t rely on the software to judge where hyphens should

be placed. At the end of lines, it is best to leave at least two

characters behind and take at least three forward. Avoid

leaving the stub end of a hyphenated word or any word

shorter then four letters as the last line of a paragraph Try

to avoid more then three consecutive hyphenated lines. Don't

hyphenate or break proper names and titles. Creating a

non-breaking space before and after the name will ensure

that the name will not break.

AVOID BEGINNING THREE CONSECUTIVE LINES WITH THE

SAME WORD

Since software programs deal with line breaks automatically

based upon a number of variables, it is possible to have

paragraphs with consecutive lines beginning with the same

word. When this happens simply adjust the text to avoid/fix

the problem.

Page 12: Typography Deconstructed

A. USE SPELL CHECK OPTION THAT

COMES WITH THE SOFTWARE YOU

ARE USING FOR THE PROJECT.

B. PRINT THE DOCUMENT AND READ

IT. THE MONITOR AND DESIGN OF

THE DOCUMENT WILL MAKE TEXT

LOOK PERFECT WHEN IT MAY NOT

BE. EVEN IF TEXT IS GIVEN TO YOU

BY A CLIENT, CHECK IT. NEVER EVER

ASSUME THAT IT IS CORRECT. KEEP A

DICTIONARY CLOSE BY AS WELL.

23. 24. ALWAYS SPELL CHECK!

Spell check is an application program that flags words in

a document that may not be spelled correctly. Spell checkers

may be stand-alone, capable of operating on a block of text,

or as part of a larger application.

Once you are finished with your design, spell check the text

using both of the following:

DON'T RELY SOLELY

ON SPELL CHECK!

IT'S NOT PERFECT.

Page 13: Typography Deconstructed

13

24.

25.

26.

27.

AVOID WIDOWS AND ORPHANS

Widows are either single words alone on a line or single sen-

tences alone on a new page. Orphans are single lines of copy

alone at the end of a page.

KERNING IN HEADLINES

Adjust the space between two particular letters to allow for

more consistent negative space.

INDENTS

In continuous text, mark all paragraphs after the first with

an indent of at least one “em”. Do NOT use three spaces but

rather use the tabs or indents option in your software.

ITEMS IN A SERIES

Items in a series do not use a comma before the word “and.”

(i.e., ‘peaches, apples and oranges.’)

Page 14: Typography Deconstructed

MARKS

At times, depending on the typeface, you may need to or

be asked to reduce the mark between 50% and 70%. The

goal is to match the x-height. The copyright mark should be

approximately 70% of the surrounding text. Unlike the ™

symbol, the © should NOT be superscripted and should

remain on the baseline. ™ is usually superscripted for the

chosen font. ™ and ® are normally set higher then some of

the other marks.

THE COPYRIGHT, REGISTER, AND TRADEMARK CHARACTERS

NEED TO BE REDUCED TO WORK WITH BODY TEXT.

© = 70%

® = 60%

© = 70%

® = 60%

REDUCE

Page 15: Typography Deconstructed

15

FI

FL

©

°

¢

€ ⁄ ¡

¿

£

Ç

Ç

OPENING DOUBLE QUOTE

CLOSING DOUBLE QUOTE

OPENING SINGLE QUOTE

CLOSING SINGLE QUOTE

EN DASH

EM DASH

ELLIPSIS

BULLET

LIGATURE OF F AND I

LIGATURE OF F AND L

COPYRIGHT

TRADEMARK

DEGREE SYMBOL

CENT SYMBOL

EURO SYMBOL

FRACTION BAR

UPSIDE DOWN !

UPSIDE DOWN ?

POUND SYMBOL

CEDILLA

CAPITAL CEDILLA

Option + [

Option + Shift + [

Option + ]

Option + Shift + ]

Option + Hyphen

Option + Shift + Hyphen

Option + ;

Option + 8

Option + Shift + 5

Option + Shift + 6

Option + G

Option + 2

Option + Shift + 8

Option + $

Option + Shift + 2

Option + Shift + 1

Option + 1

Option + Shift + ?

Option + 3

Option + c

Option + Shift + C

ELLIPSIS CHARACTER

Use the ellipsis character and NOT three periods. You can

access the ellipsis by typing Option + : (colon). Allow a

small amount of space before and after. However if it is

not crowding the text, leave no space at all.

Page 16: Typography Deconstructed
Page 17: Typography Deconstructed

17

GRID STUCTURES

A grid subdivides a page vertically and horizontally into margins, columns, inter-

column spaces, lines of type, and spaces between blocks of type and images. These

subdivisions form the basis of a modular and systematic approach to the layout,

particularly for multi-page documents, making the design process quicker, and

ensuring visual consistency between related pages.

At its most basic, the sizes of a grid’s component parts are determined by ease

of reading and handling. From the sizes of type to the overall page or sheet size,

decision-making is derived from physiology and the psychology of perception as

much as by aesthetics. Type sizes are generally determined by the hierarchy—

captions smaller than body text and so on—column widths by the optimum word

counts of eight to ten words to the line, and overall layout by the need to group

related items. This all sounds rather formulaic, and easy. But designers whose grids

produce dynamic or very subtle results take these rules as a starting point only,

developing flexible structures in which their sensibility can flourish.

Grids often need to be designed to give more flexibility than the single column

of text per page (Jan Tschichold's grid). This is due to to a change in our reading

patterns. Grid structures have to accommodate a greater variety of material such as

photographs, illustrations, headings, captions, references, charts; they need to be

more complicated than a grid using only text and may utilize more modules.

The design of the grid had to be relevant to the purpose.

THE GRID PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK WHERE TEXT, IMAGE AND SPACE CAN BE

COMBINED INTO A COHESIVE MANNER

COLUMNS

Columns are vertical bands of modules. There can be any

number of columns in a grid. More columns leads to more

flexibility, but can also make the grid difficult to work with.

MODULES

Modules are individual units of space that are separated by

regular intervals. Modules are the basic building blocks of

grids. When repeated they create columns and rows.

Page 18: Typography Deconstructed

THIS BASE OF LAYOUTS

Modular grids are created by positioning horizontal guidelines in relation to a base-

line grid that governs the whole document. Baseline grids serve to anchor all (or

nearly all) layout elements to a common rhythm. Create a baseline grid by choosing

the typesize and leading of your text, such as 10-pt Scala Pro with 12 pts leading

(10/12). Avoid auto leading so that you can work with whole numbers that multiply

and divide cleanly. Use this line space increment to set the baseline grid in your

document preferences.

Adjust the top or bottom page margin to absorb any space left over by the baseline

grid. Determine the number of horizontal page units in relation to the numer of lines

in your baseline grid. Count how many lines fit in a full column of text and then

choose a number that divides evenly into the line count to create horizontal page

divisions. A column with forty-two lines of text divides neatly into seven horizontal

modules with six lines each. If your line count is not neatly divisible, adjust the top

and/or bottom page margins to absorb the leftover lines.

BASELINE GRID

GRID SPECS:

LEADING: 12 PTS

FONT SIZE: 10 PTS

MARGIN SIZE: 1' 2' 1' 2'

Page 19: Typography Deconstructed

19

SYMMETRICAL GRID

Symmetric grids sit centrally on a single page so that the left and right margins are

equal. the term can also be applied to a grid system used across facing pages where

the position of the margins and text areas are symmetrically reflected or mirrored.

Margins are not necessarily equal but run both left and right of the text area on

single pages and are mirrored across the spread.

TSCHICHOLD'S GRID

Page 20: Typography Deconstructed

THE GOLDEN SPIRAL

This example shows a grid where the proportions of the text area are established

from the shape of the page, i.e. the height of the text area is the same as the width

of the full page. Note that the text are will always remain the same, regardless of

the scale of the page.

Grids often need to be designed to give more flexibility than the single column of

text per peg This is due to a change in our reading patterns. Although we still read

consecutively , our attention is drawn to both magazines and coffee table books

which are often larger in format and highly illustrated. The grid structures for these

formats have to accommodate a greater variety of material such as photographs,

illustrations, headings, captions, references, charts; they need to be more compli-

cated than those for a grid using only text and may utilize some more modules.

Therefore, the design of the rid has to be relevant to its purpose.

The golden section has been used for centuries. The Greeks used the golden section

to establish balance in the design for architecture, for example the Parthenon,

and it was re-discovered by artists and architects during the Renaissance period.

The golden section is constructed through mathematical calculations : the ratio

being 1:1:61803.

The Fibonacci sequence is a mathematical series discovered in the 12th century by

Leonardo Fibonacci and is used to establish proportion. The sequence of numbers

demonstrate that the sum of two numbers establishes the next number.

FIBONACCI SEQUENCE

Page 21: Typography Deconstructed

21

RECTANGLES

FIBONACCI SEQUENCE

PROPORTIONS

3:5 - 5:8 - 8:13 - 13:21 - 21:34 - 34:55 - 55:89 - 89:144 - 144:233 - 233:377 - 377:610

3 - 5 - 8 - 13 - 21 - 34 - 55 - 89 - 144 - 233- 377 - 610

1:1.667 1:1.618

Page 22: Typography Deconstructed

THE MORE COLUMNS YOU CREATE THE MORE FLEXIBLE YOUR GRID BECOMES

These may consist of simply of a number of vertical columns used to position text

and image matter and may include the space between columns- the gutters- and

the margins of the page, which must be given consideration. It may be necessary to

produce grids with narrower sub columns to enable a greater degree of flexibility in

the design and layout of pages. Text widths can be set to multiples of the narrower

columns, allowing the design to accommodate different matter thus allowing for a

change of pace, rhythm and style from one page or section to the next, while still

relating the content.

COLUMN GRID

Page 23: Typography Deconstructed

23

GREAT FOR DIVIDING SPACE

Modular grids are associated with Swiss typography or the 'International style'

of the 1950's and 60s. As well as a vertical division of space, modular grids divide

space hormonally too, creating units or cells. The depth of the cell may depend

upon the size of the text type and leading being used. Multiples of the line depth

(leading size) form a good basis on which to construct the cells.

Use a modular grid to arrange a text in as many ways as you can. By employing

just one size of type and flush left alignment only, you will construct a typographic

hierarchy exclusively by means of spatial arrangement. To make the project more

complex, begin adding variables such as weight, size, and alignment.

MODULAR GRID

Page 24: Typography Deconstructed

OFF-CENTERED GRIDS

These grids may have an off-center appearance either as single pages or combined

in spreads. If used in spreads, the grid is not mirrored from one page to the next as

in symmetrical grids, but is more likely to appear repeated in a single position from

page to page. Again, as with all grid systems, attention to the relationship of the

margins is important, It can be this element alone that determine the success of the

eventual layout.

ASYMMETRICAL GRID

Page 25: Typography Deconstructed

25

Page 26: Typography Deconstructed
Page 27: Typography Deconstructed

"NEVER DATE A GIRL WHO WORKS IN A AN ART

SUPPLY STORE. IF THE RELATIONSHIP ENDS, YOU

WON'T BE ABLE TO BUY SUPPLIES ANYMORE."

— RODNEY DAVIDSON

Page 28: Typography Deconstructed
Page 29: Typography Deconstructed

29

QUOTES

Use real quotation marks – never those grotesque generic marks that actually sym-

bolize ditto/inch or foot marks: use “and” – not “and”. Most software applications

will convert the typewriter quotes to the real quotes for you automatically as you

type. Check the preferences for your application – you’ll find a check box to tell your

application to automatically set something like “TYPOGRAPHER’S QUOTES,” “SMART

QUOTES,” or “CURLY QUOTES.” Then as you type using the standard ditto key (“),

the software will set the correct quotation marks for you.

It is necessary to know how to set smart quotes/real quotes yourself because some-

times the software doesn’t do it or does it wrong.

BRIDGE CLEARANCE: 16'7"

THE YOUNG MAN STOOD: 6'2"

THE LENGTH OF THE WALL IS: 153'9"

OPENING DOUBLE QUOTE:

CLOSING DOUBLE QUOTE:

OPENING SINGLE QUOTE:

CLOSING SINGLE QUOTE:

“ TYPE: OPTION + [

” TYPE: OPTION + SHIFT + [

‘ TYPE: OPTION + ]

’ TYPE: OPTION + SHIFT + ]

USE TRUE QUOTATION MARKS AND APOSTROPHES INSTEAD OF USING INCH MARKS

AND FEET MARKS. PLACE ALL PUNCTUATIONS INSIDE THE QUOTATION MARKS.

Page 30: Typography Deconstructed
Page 31: Typography Deconstructed

31

PEOPLE OFTEN ARE CONFUSED ABOUT WHERE THE APOSTROPHE BELONGS. THERE

ARE A COUPLE OF RULES THAT WORK VERY WELL: APOSTROPHE: OPTION + SHIFT + ]

APOSTROPHE

POSSESSIVES:

Turn the phrase around. The apostrophe will be placed after

whatever word you end up with. For example, in the phrase

the boys’ camp, to know where to place the apostrophe say

to yourself, “The camp belongs to the boys.” The phrase the

boy’s camp says “The camp belongs to the boy.”

“The big exception to this is “its.” “Its” used as a possessive

never has an apostrophe! The word it only has an apostrophe

as a contraction — “it’s” always means “it is” or “it has.”

It may be easier to remember if you recall that yours, hers,

and his don’t use apostrophes — and neither should its.

CONTRACTIONS

The apostrophe replaces the missing letter. For example:

you're always means you are; the apostrophe is replacing the

a from are. That’s an easy way to distinguish it from your as in

your house and to make sure you don’t say: Your going to

the store.

As previously noted, it’s means “it is”; the apostrophe is

indicating where the i is left out. Don’t means “do not”; the

apostrophe is indicating where the o is left out.

OMISSION OF LETTERS

In a phrase such as Rock ’n’ Roll, there should be an apostro-

phe before and after the n, because the a and the d are both

left out. And don’t turn the first apostrophe around — just

because it appears in front of the letter does not mean you

need to use the opposite single quote. An apostrophe is still

the appropriate mark (not ‘n’).

In a phrase such as House o’ Fashion, the apostrophe takes

the place of the f. There is no earthly reason for an apostrophe

to be set before the o.

In a phrase such as Gone Fishin’ the same pattern is followed,

the g is missing.

Page 32: Typography Deconstructed

USE PROPER ‘EM’ DASHES, ‘EN’ DASHES, AND HYPHENS. NEVER USE TWO HYPHENS

INSTEAD OF A DASH.

DASHES

Everyone knows what a hyphens is —that tiny little dash that belongs in some

words, like mother-in-law, or in phone numbers. It’s also used to break a word at

the end of a line, of course.

You might have been taught to use or given text that uses a double hyphen -- to

indicate a dash. This is a typewriter convention because typewriters didn’t have

the real dash used in professional typesetting. On a Mac, no one needs to use the

double hyphen—we have a professional em dash, the long one, such as you see in

this sentence. We also have an en dash, which is a little shorter than the em dash.

1. NEVER USE TWO HYPHENS INSTEAD OF A DASH

2. USE HYPHENS, EN DASHES, AND EM DASHES APPROPRIATELY

Page 33: Typography Deconstructed

33

OPTION + HYPHEN OPTION + SHIFT + HYPHEN

HYPHEN - EN DASH – EM DASH —

A hyphen is one third of the em rule

and is used to link words. It serves as

a compound modifier where two words

become one, such as x-height. A hyphen

is also used to break works at syllables

in text blocks.

An en dash is half of the em rule (the

width of a capital N) and is used be-

tween words that indicate a duration,

such as time or months or years. Use

it where you might otherwise use the

word “to.”

In a page layout application, the en dash

can be used with a thin space on either

side of it. If you want you can kern it so

it is not a full space.

The em dash is twice as long as the en

dash—it’s about the size of a capital

letter M in whatever size and type-

face you’re using at the moment. This

dash is often used in place of a colon

or parentheses, or it might indicate an

abrupt change in thought, or it’s used

in a spot where a period is too strong

and a comma is too weak. It is also used

for attribution of text. —Mac is not a

Typewriter

Our equivalent on the typewriter was

the double hyphen, but now we have a

real em dash. Using two hyphens where

there should be an em dash makes your

look very unprofessional.

When using an—no space is used on

either side.

MOTHER-IN-LAW

X-HEIGHT

SANS-SERIF

OCTOBER – DECEMBER

4 – 6 YEARS OF AGE

6:30 – 8:45 A.M.

WHEN USING AN —NO

SPACE IS USED ON

EITHER SIDE

Page 34: Typography Deconstructed
Page 35: Typography Deconstructed

35

SMALL CAPS

Small caps are less intrusive when all uppercase appears within normal text or can

be used for special emphasis. Computer programs usually can generate small caps

for any typeface, but those are not the same as true small caps. True small caps

have line weights that are proportionally correct for the typeface, which mean that

they can be used within a body of copy without looking noticeably wrong.

When setting text that contains acronyms, select a typeface with small caps as a

family. Selecting small caps from the style menus is a poor choice because the com-

pute reduces the overall size of the type by 80%. This changes the stroke weight

and the feel of the font. Expert sets in the Adobe Type Library have small caps

options. Small caps are capital letters that are about the size of normal lowercase

letters in a typeface.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF FAKE SMALL CAPS

This Is An Example Of True Small Caps

ACRONYMS

Set acronyms such as NASA or NASDAQ in small caps when they

appear in body text or headlines.

ABBREVIATIONS

Set common abbreviations such as AM or PM in small caps so

they don’t overpower the accompanying text. Use small caps for

A.M. and P.M.; space once after the number, and use periods.

TRUE SMALL CAPS

Avoid simply resizing capital letters or using the small caps

feature in some programs. Instead use typefaces that have been

specifically created as small caps.

SMALL CAPS ARE UPPERCASE (CAPITAL) LETTERS THAT ARE ABOUT THE SIZE

OF NORMAL LOWERCASE LETTERS IN ANY GIVEN TYPEFACE.

Page 36: Typography Deconstructed

USE SMALL CAPS IN ACRONYMS SUCH AS NBA, NFL, CIA, CNBAM, OR BET

If you set acronyms in regular all caps, their visual presence is unneccessarily over-

whelming. Traditionally, “a.m.” and “p.m.” are set with small caps. If you were taught

to type on a typewriter (or if you were taught on a keyboard by someone who has

taught on a typewriter), you probably learned to set these abbreviations in all caps

because there were no small caps on typewriters. But now that you have the capa-

bility, you can and should set them properly.

THE CAPITAL LETTERS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SENTENCE CALL TOO

MUCH ATTENTION TO THEMSELVES. NOTICE HOW THE SMALL CAPS

BLEND IN WITH THE TEXT. THE CAPITAL LETTERS FOR P.M. ARE

MUCH TOO LARGE— THE ABBREVIATION IS NOT THAT IMPORTANT.

NO SMALL CAPS

Harriet, an FBI agent, turned on CNN to get the dirt on the CIA before going to bed at 9:30 P.M.

SMALL CAPS

Harriet, and fbi agent, turned on cnn to get the dirt on the cia before going to bed at 9:30 p.m.

Page 37: Typography Deconstructed

37

USE SMALL CAPS IN ACRONYMS SUCH AS NBA, NFL, CIA, CNBAM, OR BET

There are quite a few font families that include “true-drawn” small caps—letter

forms that have been redesigned to match the proportions and thickness of the

uppercase. These families are of called EXPERT sets or SMALL CAP SETS. The result

is a smooth, uniform, undistrupting tone throughout the text.

I META GUY AND HE WAS ALL LIKE CHOLLA

AT YO GURL MRS. EAVES. IT TOOK A

CENTURY TO SWIFT HER OFF HER FEET

TO BASKERVILLE THOUGH.

The Wicked Are Very Weary

True-drawn small caps

are specially drawn to

match the weight of

the capital letters in the

same face.

Small caps aren’t limited

to serif typefaces. Many

san-serif include them

as well.

Notice that the stroke

width appears uniform

throughout the text.

TYPEFACES WITH SMALLCAPS:

BASKERVILLE – CENTURY – CHOLLA – META – MRS. EAVES – SWIFT

Page 38: Typography Deconstructed
Page 39: Typography Deconstructed

39

NUMERALS/FIGURES

Oldstyle figures, also known as non-lining figures do not line up on the baseline as reg-

ular or lining numerals do. They can be found in various fonts. They are considerably

different from the more common “LINING” (or “ALIGNING”) figures which are all-cap

height and typically monospaced in text faces so that they line up vertically on charts.

Oldstyle figures have more of a traditional, classic look and are very useful and quite

beautiful when set within text. They are only available for certain typefaces, some-

times as the regular numerals in a font, but more often within a supplementary or

expert font. The figures are proportionately spaced, eliminating the white spaces that

result from monospaced lining figures, especially around the numeral one.

OLDSTYLE FIGURES ARE A STYLE OF NUMERAL WHICH APPROXIMATE LOWERCASE

LETTERFORMS BY HAVING AN X-HEIGHT AND VARYING ASCENDERS AND DESCENDERS.

OLDSTYLE FIGURES BLEND

Old style figures blend in without disturbing the color of the body

copy. They also work well in headlines since they’re not as intru-

sive as lining figures. In fact, many people prefer them overall for

most uses except charts tables. It’s well worth the extra effort to

track down and obtain typefaces with oldstyle figures; the fonts

that contain them might well become some of your favorites.

BODY TEXT

If the body text has a significant amount of numbers, research

a font family where they are included. If non-lining numerals

are not available, use a slightly smaller point size for the lining

numbers. Think of lining numbers as upper case numbers and

non-lining numbers as lower case numbers.

Dear John, please call me at 438-9762 at 3:00 to discuss

marriage. Or write to me at Route 916, zip code 87505

NOTICE HOW BEAUTIFULLY THESE

NUMBERS BLEND IN WITH THE TEXT

Page 40: Typography Deconstructed

SANS SERIF OLD STYLE NUMBERS

12 134 17 1023 323 12.5 134.0 17.8 1023.4 323.0

12 134 17 1023 323 12.5 134.0 17.8 1023.4 323.0

12 134 17 1023 323 12.5 134.0 17.8 1023.4 323.0WALBAUM

PALATINO

SABON

SANS SERIF OLD STYLE NUMBERS

12 134 17 1023 323 12.5 134.0 17.8 1023.4 323.0

12 134 17 1023 323 12.5 134.0 17.8 1023.4 323.0

12 134 17 1023 323 12.5 134.0 17.8 1023.4 323.0SCALASANS

CHOLLA

META

Page 41: Typography Deconstructed

41 41

Page 42: Typography Deconstructed
Page 43: Typography Deconstructed

43

Someone that wants to read it? Someone that has to read it?

X-HEIGHT

Readability and legibility are two key elements of printed text that typographer

strive to maximize. Readability refers to whether an extended amount of text, such

as an article, book, or annual report – is easy to read. Legibility refers to whether a

short burst of text, such as a headline catalog listing, or stop sign is recognizable.

There are several factors that determine whether a text is readable. When decid-

ing what typeface should be used for a job, consideration should be given to the

font and its x-height. It is important to understand how a block of text can express

a message through its texture/color, therefore suiting a particular design solution.

Fonts set in the same size, same leading and column width will produce varying

degrees of “color”.

In typography, color can also describe the balance between black and white on the

page of text. A typeface’s color is determined by stroke width, x-height, character

width and serif styles.

AS A DESIGNER, IF YOU ARE ONLY ASKED TO MAKE THE TEXT

READABLE ON THE PAGE THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS SHOULD

BE ASKED...

WHO IS TO READ IT?

HOW WILL IT BE READ? Quickly. In passing. Focused. Near. Far.

THE X-HEIGHT REFERS TO THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE BASELINE AND THE MAIN LINE

OF THE TYPEFACE.

Page 44: Typography Deconstructed

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris

newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor

Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti,

reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be the static

and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and

innovation in culture and society. Futurism rejected traditions and it's

glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant themes,

the machine and motion. The works were characterized by the depiction

of several successive actions of a subject at the same time. Marinetti’s

manifesto glorified the new technology of the automobile and the beauty

of its speed, power, and movement. He exalted violence and conflict

and called for the sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural, social,

and political values and the destruction of such cultural institutions as

museums and libraries.

MRS. EAVESZuzana Licko

Transitional Serif

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when

the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the

Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name

Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on

discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant

art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and

innovation in culture and society. Futurism rejected traditions

and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two

dominant themes, the machine and motion. The works were

characterized by the depiction of several successive actions of

a subject at the same time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the

new technology of the automobile and the beauty of its speed,

power, and movement. He exalted violence and conflict and

called for the sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural,

social, and political values and the destruction of such cultural

institutions as museums and libraries.

MELIORHermann Zapf

Transitional Serif

x-height: medium

character width: medium

color: average

x-height: small

character width: medium

color: light

Xxhg Xxhg

Page 45: Typography Deconstructed

45

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris

newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor

Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti,

reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be the

static and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change, originality,

and innovation in culture and society. Futurism rejected traditions

and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant

themes, the machine and motion. The works were characterized by the

depiction of several successive actions of a subject at the same time.

Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new technology of the automobile

and the beauty of its speed, power, and movement. He exalted violence

and conflict and called for the sweeping repudiation of traditional

cultural, social, and political values and the destruction of such cultural

institutions as museums and libraries.

GOUDYFrederic W. Goudy

Old Style Serif

x-height: medium

character width: medium

color: light

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris

newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and

editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by

Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived to

be the static and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change,

originality, and innovation in culture and society. Futurism rejected

traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing

two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The works were

characterized by the depiction of several successive actions of a

subject at the same time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new

technology of the automobile and the beauty of its speed, power,

and movement. He exalted violence and conflict and called for the

sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural, social, and political

values and the destruction of such cultural institutions as museums

and libraries.

ROTIS SERIFOtl Aicher

New Transitional Serif

x-height: large

character width: narrow

color: average

Xxhg Xxhg

Page 46: Typography Deconstructed

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and society. Futurism rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The works were characterized by the depiction of several successive actions of a subject at the same time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new technology of the automobile and the beauty of its speed, power, and movement. He exalted violence and conflict and called for the sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural, social, and political values and the destruction of such cultural institutions as museums and libraries.

MEMPHISRudolf Wolf

Slab Serif x-height: medium character width: medium color: average

XxhgFuturism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris

newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor

Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti,

reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be the static

and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and

innovation in culture and society. Futurism rejected traditions and glorified

contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant themes, the

machine and motion. The works were characterized by the depiction

of several successive actions of a subject at the same time. Marinetti’s

manifesto glorified the new technology of the automobile and the beauty

of its speed, power, and movement. He exalted violence and conflict and

called for the sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural, social, and

political values and the destruction of such cultural institutions as museums

and libraries.

GARAMONDClause Garamond

Old Style Serif

x-height: small

character width: medium

color: average

Xxhg

Page 47: Typography Deconstructed

47

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909,

when the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published

a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo

Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by

Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what he

conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past

and celebrating change, originality, and innovation in

culture and society. Futurism rejected traditions and

glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two

dominant themes, the machine and motion. The works

were characterized by the depiction of several successive

actions of a subject at the same time. Marinetti’s

manifesto glorified the new technology of the automobile

and the beauty of its speed, power, and movement. He

exalted violence and conflict and called for the sweeping

repudiation of traditional cultral, social, and political

values and the destruction of such cultural institutions as

museums and libraries.

VOLTA TWalter Baum & Konrad Bauer

Modern Serif

x-height: medium

character width: medium

color: light

XxhgFuturism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and society. Futurism rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The works were characterized by the depiction of several successive actions of a subject at the same time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new technology of the automobile and the beauty of its speed, power, and movement. He exalted violence and conflict and called for the sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural, social, and political values and the destruction of such cultural institutions as museums and libraries.

ARCHERHoefler & Frere-Jones

Slab Serif

x-height: medium

character width: medium

color: average

Xxhg

Page 48: Typography Deconstructed

SWIFT Gerard Unger

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the

Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian

poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism,

coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what

he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and

celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and

society. Futurism rejected traditions and glorified contemporary

life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine

and motion. The works were characterized by the depiction

of several successive actions of a subject at the same time.

Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new technology of the

automobile and the beauty of its speed, power, and movement.

He exalted violence and conflict and called for the sweeping

repudiation of traditional cultural, social, and political values

and the destruction of such cultural institutions as museums

and libraries.

New Transitional Serif

x-height: medium

character width: medium

color: average

XxhgFuturism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris

newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor

Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti,

reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be the static

and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and

innovation in culture and society. Futurism rejected traditions and

glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant

themes, the machine and motion. The works were characterized by the

depiction of several successive actions of a subject at the same time.

Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new technology of the automobile

and the beauty of its speed, power, and movement. He exalted violence

and conflict and called for the sweeping repudiation of traditional

cultural, social, and political values and the destruction of such cultural

institutions as museums and libraries.

BASKERVILLEJohn Baskerville

Transitional Serif

x-height: small

character width: narrow

color: average

Xxhg

Page 49: Typography Deconstructed

49

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when

the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the

Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name

Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on

discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant

art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and

innovation in culture and society. Futurism rejected traditions

and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two

dominant themes, the machine and motion. The works were

characterized by the depiction of several successive actions

of a subject at the same time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified

the new technology of the automobile and the beauty of

its speed, power, and movement. He exalted violence and

conflict and called for the sweeping repudiation of traditional

cultural, social, and political values and the destruction of

such cultural institutions as museums and libraries.

UNIVERS Adrian Frutiger

Neo-Grotesque San Serif

x-height: large

character width: wide

color: average

XxhgFuturism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when

the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by

the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti.

The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his

emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be the static

and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change,

originality, and innovation in culture and society. Futurism

rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly

by emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine and

motion. The works were characterized by the depiction

of several successive actions of a subject at the same

time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new technology

of the automobile and the beauty of its speed, power, and

movement. He exalted violence and conflict and called

for the sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural, social,

and political values and the destruction of such cultural

institutions as museums and libraries.

GOTHAM Tobias Frere-Jones

Geometric Serif

x-height: large

character width: wide

color: light

Xxhg

Page 50: Typography Deconstructed

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the

Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian

poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism,

coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what

he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and

celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and

society. Futurism rejected traditions and glorified contemporary

life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine

and motion. The works were characterized by the depiction

of several successive actions of a subject at the same time.

Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new technology of the

automobile and the beauty of its speed, power, and movement.

He exalted violence and conflict and called for the sweeping

repudiation of traditional cultural, social, and political values and

the destruction of such cultural institutions as museums

and libraries.

HELVETICA NEUEMax Miedinger

Neo-Grotesque San Serif

x-height: small

character width: medium

color: average

XxhgFuturismwasfirstannouncedonFebruary20,1909,whentheParis

newspaperLeFigaropublishedamanifestobytheItalianpoetand

editorFilippoTommasoMarinetti.ThenameFuturism,coinedby

Marinetti,reflectedhisemphasisondiscardingwhatheconceivedto

bethestaticandirrelevantartofthepastandcelebratingchange,

originality,andinnovationincultureandsociety.Futurismrejected

traditionsandglorifiedcontemporarylife,mainlybyemphasizing

twodominantthemes,themachineandmotion.Theworkswere

characterizedbythedepictionofseveralsuccessiveactionsofa

subjectatthesametime.Marinetti’smanifestoglorifiedthenew

technologyoftheautomobileandthebeautyofitsspeed,power,

andmovement.Heexaltedviolenceandconflictandcalledforthe

sweepingrepudiationoftraditionalcultural,social,andpolitical

valuesandthedestructionofsuchculturalinstitutionsasmuseums

andlibraries.

METAErikSpiekermann

HumanisticSansSerif

x-height:large

characterwidth:medium

color:dark

Xxhg

Page 51: Typography Deconstructed

51

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris

newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and

editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by

Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived

to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change,

originality, and innovation in culture and society. Futurism rejected

traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing

two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The works were

characterized by the depiction of several successive actions of a

subject at the same time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new

technology of the automobile and the beauty of its speed, power,

and movement. He exalted violence and conflict and called for the

sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural, social, and political

values and the destruction of such cultural institutions as museums

and libraries.

TRADE GOTHIC Jackson Burke

Grotesque Serif

x-height: large

character width: narrow

color: dark

XxhgFuturism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the

Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian

poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism,

coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what

he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and

celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and

society. Futurism rejected traditions and glorified contemporary

life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine

and motion. The works were characterized by the depiction

of several successive actions of a subject at the same time.

Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new technology of the

automobile and the beauty of its speed, power, and movement.

He exalted violence and conflict and called for the sweeping

repudiation of traditional cultural, social, and political values

and the destruction of such cultural institutions as museums

and libraries.

INTERSTATETobias Frere-Jones

Humanistic Sans Serif

x-height: large

character width: narrow

color: average

Xxhg

Page 52: Typography Deconstructed

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris

newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and

editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by

Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived

to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating

change, originality, and innovation in culture and society. Futurism

rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by

emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine and motion.

The works were characterized by the depiction of several successive

actions of a subject at the same time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified

the new technology of the automobile and the beauty of its speed,

power, and movement. He exalted violence and conflict and called

for the sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural, social, and

political values and the destruction of such cultural institutions as

museums and libraries.

SYNTAX Hans Eduard Meirer

Humanistic Sans Serif

x-height: large

character width: narrow

color: dark

XxhgFuturism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris

newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and

editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by

Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived

to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change,

originality, and innovation in culture and society. Futurism rejected

traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing

two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The works were

characterized by the depiction of several successive actions of a

subject at the same time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new

technology of the automobile and the beauty of its speed, power,

and movement. He exalted violence and conflict and called for the

sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural, social, and political

values and the destruction of such cultural institutions as museums

and libraries.

AKZIDENZ GROTESK Gunter Gerhard Lange

Transitional Serif

x-height: medium

character width: narrow

color: average

Xxhg

Page 53: Typography Deconstructed

53

FuturismwasfirstannouncedonFebruary20,1909,whentheParis

newspaperLeFigaropublishedamanifestobytheItalianpoetand

editorFilippoTommasoMarinetti.ThenameFuturism,coinedby

Marinetti,reflectedhisemphasisondiscardingwhatheconceived

tobethestaticandirrelevantartofthepastandcelebratingchange,

originality,andinnovationincultureandsociety.Futurismrejected

traditionsandglorifiedcontemporarylife,mainlybyemphasizing

twodominantthemes,themachineanditsmotion.Theworkswere

characterizedbythedepictionofseveralsuccessiveactionsofa

subjectatthesametime.Marinetti’smanifestoglorifiedthenew

technologyoftheautomobileandthebeautyofitsspeed,power,

andmovement.Heexaltedviolenceandconflictandcalledforthe

sweepingrepudiationoftraditionalcultural,social,andthepolitical

valuesandthedestructionofsuchculturalinstitutionsasmuseums

andlibraries.

SCALASANSMartinMajoor

Humanistic Sans Serif

x-height:medium

characterwidth:narrow

color:light

XxhgFuturism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris

newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and

editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by

Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived to

be the static and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change,

originality, and innovation in culture and society. Futurism rejected

traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing

two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The works were

characterized by the depiction of several successive actions of a

subject at the same time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new

technology of the automobile and the beauty of its speed, power, and

movement. He exalted violence and conflict and called for the sweeping

repudiation of traditional cultural, social, and political values and the

destruction of such cultural institutions as museums and libraries.

EUROSTILE Aldo Novarese

Geometric Sans Serif

x-height: large

character width: medium

color: light

Xxhg

Page 54: Typography Deconstructed
Page 55: Typography Deconstructed

55

Page 56: Typography Deconstructed
Page 57: Typography Deconstructed

57

COLUMN WIDTH

Columns are most commonly used to break up large bodies of text that cannot fit

in a single block of text on a page. Additionally, columns are used to improve page

composition and readability. Newspapers very frequently use complex multicolumn

layouts to break up stories and longer bodies of texts within a story. Column can

also generally refer to the vertical delineations created by a typographic grid system

which type and image may be positioned.

A COLUMN IS ONE OR MORE VERTICAL BLOCKS OF CONTENT POSITIONED ON A PAGE,

SEPARATED BY GUTTERS OR RULES.

SEVERAL FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN DETERMINING THE

WIDTH OF A COLUMN OF TEXT ARE:

TYPEFACE

The width of the individual glyphs and the overall typeface

design affect the word count per line.

POINT SIZE

The size of the type affects how many words fit in a line.

WORD LENGTH

You can fit a greater number of shorter words than longer

ones in a given column width.

THE NASTA TEXTBOOK STANDARD CALLS FOR THE FOLLOWING

MINIMAL ALLOWABLE MARGINS:

HEAD: 3/8' GUTTER: 5/8' FRONT: 1/2' FOOT: 5/8'

Page 58: Typography Deconstructed

The final factor to

take into account

when deciding

upon the appropri-

ate line length is

the nature of the

actual text.

The final factor to take into account

when deciding upon the appropriate

line length is the nature of the ac-

tual text. For instance, some content,

such as medical text – might involve

many longer words, lending itself to a

wider column width to avoid excessive

The final factor to take into account when deciding upon the

appropriate line length is the nature of the actual text. For

instance, some content – such as medical text – might involve

many longer words, lending itself to a wider column width to

avoid excessive hyphenations. On the other hand, text used

for children and younger readers might involve many short

words, allowing for a narrow column.

The final factor to take into account when deciding upon the appropriate line length is the nature of the actual text. For in-

stance, some content – such as medical text – might involve many longer words, lending itself to a wider column width to avoid

excessive hyphenations. On the other hand, text used for children and younger readers might involve many short words, allow-

ing for a narrow column.

WHICH DO YOU PREFER?

TOO NARROW JUST RIGHT JUST RIGHT

TOO WIDE

COLUMNS VARY DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT

OF TEXT YOU HAVE. WHAT WORKS FOR

THING MIGHT NOT WORK FOR ANOTHER.

Page 59: Typography Deconstructed

59

Page 60: Typography Deconstructed
Page 61: Typography Deconstructed

"I LOVE THE COMMENT, "YOU MUST LOVE

DESIGNING FOR A LIVING." AT THAT POINT, I

USUALLY START TO LAUGH OR BREAK INTO

UNCONTROLLABLE TEARS."

— ANDREW LEWIS

Page 62: Typography Deconstructed
Page 63: Typography Deconstructed

63

LEADING LEADING THE SPACE VERTICALLY BETWEEN LINES OF TEXT THE NAME COMES FROM

THE PHYSICAL PIECE OF LEAD THAT USE TO BE USED IN MECHANICAL PRINTING TO

SEPERATE THE LINES OF TEXT.

There are things now that can be done

to type, with aid of computers, that

were never intended to be possible by

the designers of the older typefaces.

Therefore one must know the limita-

tions and rules of type before they can

properly and effectively break the rules.

NORMAL

12 PT LEADING

There are things now that can be done to type, with aid of computers, that were never intended to be possible by the designers of the older typefaces. Therefore one must know the limita-tions and rules of type before they can properly and effectively break the rules.

NEGATIVE

0 PT LEADING

There are things now that can be done

to type, with aid of computers, that

were never intended to be possible by

the designers of the older typefaces.

Therefore one must know the limita-

tions and rules of type before they can

properly and effectively break the rules.

EXTREME

24 PT LEADING

NO! NO!YES!

Page 64: Typography Deconstructed
Page 65: Typography Deconstructed

65

METRIC KERNING

Uses the kerning tables that are built into the typeface.

When you select metric kerning in your page layout program,

you are using the spacing that was intended by the type

designer. Metric kerning usually looks good, especially at

small sizes. Cheap novelty fonts often have little or no built-in

kerning and will need to be optically kerned.

OPTICAL KERNING

Is executed automatically by the page layout program. Rather

than using the pairs addressed in the font’s kerning table,

optical kerning assesses the shapes of all characters and

adjusts the spacing wherever needed. There are ome graphic

designers that apply optical kerning to headlines and metric

kerning to text. You can make this process efficient and

KERNING IS AN ADJUSTMENT OF THE SPACE BETWEEN TWO LETTERS.

KERNING

The characters of the Latin alphabet emerged over time; they were never designed

with mechanical or automated spacing in mind. Thus some letter combinations

look awkward without special spacing considerations. Gaps occur, for example,

around letters whose forms angle outward or frame an open space (W, Y, V, T). In

metal type, a kerned letter extends past the lead slug that supports it, allowing two

letters to fit more closely together. In digital fonts, the space between letter pairs is

controlled by a kerning table created by the type designer, which specifies spaces

between problematic letter combinations. Working in a page layout program, a

designer can choose to use metric kerning or optical kerning as well as adjusting the

space between letters manually where desired. A well-designed typeface requires

little or no additional kerning, especially at text sizes.

Page 66: Typography Deconstructed

TOO MUCH TYPOGRAPHIC TERMS TO PROCESS? MAYBE THIS WILL HELP:

CONFUSED?

X

typex-height

leading

baseline

kerning

Page 67: Typography Deconstructed

67

X-HEIGHT

The height of a font’s main body, not including ascenders or descenders.

LEADING

The space vertically between lines of text, name comes from the physical piece of

lead that used to be used in mechanical printing process to separate lines of text.

BASELINE

The line accross the bottom of a font’s x-height, discounting descenders.

KERNING

The amount a character’s horizontal space encroaches into it’s neighbour.

Page 68: Typography Deconstructed
Page 69: Typography Deconstructed

69

ALIGNMENTS

In unjustified text, the text block is set with normal letter and word spacing. Because

if the even word spacing the text will have an even texture – no large spaces between

words. The lines will naturally vary in length. A RAGGED TEXT BLOCK can integrate with

the layout and add visual interest to the page. The difficulty is making the ragged edge

have a pleasing silhouette. When the first line in the text is longer than the second, it

becomes separate from the layout and creates a box-like shape. This destroys one of

the advantages of unjustified text.

The RAGGED EDGE needs to have a life, but a narrow column can be less active. An-

other advantage to ragged text is less hyphenation is needed. Therefore, names, dates

or words which are normally read together can stay together.

WHAT’S RIGHT, WHAT’S WRONG

IF THEY ARE BOTH WRONG, THEN WHAT'S RIGHT?!

IF TWO WRONGS DON'T

MAKE A RIGHT, WHAT

DOES THREE LEFTS MAKE?

IF SOMEONE INSISTS THAT JUSTIFIED TEXT IS BETTER THAN

LEFT-ALIGNED TEXT... TELL THEM THEY ARE WRONG.

IF SOMEONE INSISTS THAT LEFT- ALIGNED TEXT IS BETTER

THAN JUSTIFIED TEXT... TELL THEM THEY ARE WRONG.

Page 70: Typography Deconstructed

CHARACTERISTICS

Often considered more formal, less friendly than left-aligned text.

Usually allows for more characters per line, packing more into the same amount

of space (than the same text set left-aligned).

May require extra attention to word and character spacing and hyphenation to

avoid unsightly rivers of white space running through the text.May be more fa-

miliar to readers in some types of publications, such as books and newspapers.

Some people are naturally drawn to the "neatness" of text that lines up per-

fectly on the left and right.

CHARACTERISTICS

Often considered more informal, friendlier than justified text.

The ragged right edge adds an element of white space.

May require extra attention to hyphenation to keep right margin from being

too ragged.

Generally type set left-aligned is easier to work with (i.e. requires less time,

attention, and tweaking from the designer to make it look good).

JUSTIFIED TEXT

LEFT-ALIGNED, RAGGED RIGHT

RAGGED RIGHT REQUIRES LESS TIME,

ATTENTION, AND TWEAKING FROM

TO MAKE IT LOOK GOOD!

Page 71: Typography Deconstructed

71

WHEN IN DOUBT, DON'T CENTER IT.

There is nothing inherently wrong with centered text. As with ragged right or fully-

justified text alignment, what works for one design might be totally inappropriate

for another layout. There are simply fewer situations where centered text is

appropriate. When in doubt, don't center it.

As with all layouts, alignment depends on the purpose of the piece, the audience

and its expectations, the fonts, the margins and white space, and other elements

on the page. The most appropriate choice is the alignment that works for that

particular design.

There will be well-meaning friends, business associates, clients, and others who will

question your choices. Be prepared to explain why you chose the alignment you did

and be prepared to change it (and make necessary adjustments to keep it looking

good) if the person with final approval still insists on something different.

CENTERED

NO MATTER WHAT ALIGNMENT YOU USE, REMEMBER TO

PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO HYPHENATION AND WORD/

CHARACTER SPACING AS WELL TO INSURE THAT YOUR

TEXT IS AS READABLE AS POSSIBLE.

Page 72: Typography Deconstructed
Page 73: Typography Deconstructed

"WE SPEND A LOT OF EFFORT TRYING TO

MAKE THINGS LOOK EFFORTLESS."

— ALEXANDER ISLEY

Page 74: Typography Deconstructed
Page 75: Typography Deconstructed

75

HYPHENATION RULESDON'T RELY ON THE SOFTWARE.

Don’t rely on the software to judge where hyphens should be placed. At the end

of lines, leave at least two characters behind and take at least three forward. For

example, “ele-gantly” is acceptable, but “elegant-ly” is not because it takes too

little of the word to the next line. Avoid leaving the stub end of a hyphenated word

or any word shorter then four letters as the last line of a paragraph.

Avoid more then three consecutive hyphenated lines. Avoid hyphenating or break-

ing proper names and titles. Creating a non-breaking space before and after the

name will ensure that the name will not break. Avoid beginning three consecutive

lines with the same word. Since software programs deal with line breaks auto-

matically based upon a number of variables, it is possible to have paragraphs with

consecutive lines beginning with the same word. When this happens simply adjust

the text to avoid/fix the problem.

KEEP IN MIND:

HOW THE TEXT IS READ, AVOID WIDOWS

AVOID HYPHENATING OR LINE BRAKES OF NAMES

LEAVE A LEAST 2 CHARACTERS ON THE LINE AND 3 FOLLOWING

AVOID BEGINNING CONSECUTIVE LINES WITH THE SAME WORD

AVOID ENDING CONSECUTIVE LINES WITH THE SAME WORD

AVOID ENDING LINES WITH THE WORDS: THE, OF, AT, A, BY.

NEVER HYPHENATE ANY WORDS IN A HEADLINE AND AVOID

HYPHENATION IN A CALLOUT

Page 76: Typography Deconstructed
Page 77: Typography Deconstructed

77

Justify text only if the line is long enough to prevent awkward and inconsistent

word spacing. The only time you can safely justify text is if your type is small

enough and your line is long enough, as in books where the text goes all the way

across the page. If your line is shorter, as in newsletter, or if you don't have many

words on the line, than as the type aligns to the margins the words space them-

selves to accommodate it. It usually looks awkward. You've seen newspaper col-

umns where all text is justified, often with a word stretching all the way across the

column, or a little word on either side of the column with a big gap in the middle.

Gross. But that's what can happen with justified type. When you do it, the effect

might not be as radical as the newspaper column, but if your lines are relatively

short, you will inevitably end up with uncomfortable gaps in some lines, while other

JUSTIFICATION LET'S NOT GET AWKWARD...

When checking rivers in justified text,

print it out, turn it upside down and

squint at it.

OLDSTYLE FIGURES BLEND

Old style figures blend in without disturbing the color of the

body copy. They also work well in headlines since they’re not

as intrusive as lining figures. In fact, many people prefer them

overall for most uses except charts tables. It’s well worth the

extra effort to track down and obtain typefaces with oldstyle

figures; the fonts that contain them might well become some

of your favorites.

TRY THIS QUICK TIP!

Page 78: Typography Deconstructed

RIVERS

In typography, rivers, or rivers of white, are visually unattractive gaps appearing to

run down a paragraph of text. They can occur with any spacing, though they are

most noticeable with wide word spaces caused by either full text justification or

monospaced fonts.

PLEASE TRY NOT TO DROWN

SWIMMING IN THAT RIVER.

Page 79: Typography Deconstructed

79

WIDOWS AND ORPHANS

Never leave widows and orphans bereft on the page. Avoid both of these situations.

If you have editing privileges, rewrite the copy, or at least add or delete a word or

two. Sometimes you can remove spacing from the letters, words, or lines, depending

on which program you’re working in. Sometimes widening a margin just a hair will

do it. But it must be done. Widows and orphans on a page are wrong.

WIDOWS

ORPHAN

When a paragraph ends and leaves fewer than seven characters

(not words, characters) on the last line, that line is called a widow.

Worse than leaving one word at the end of a line is leaving part of

a word, the other part being paraphrased on the line

above.

When a paragraph ends and leaves

fewer than seven characters (not words,

characters) on the last line, that line is

called a widow. Worse than leaving one

word at the end of a line is leaving part

of a word, the other part being para-

phrased on the line

FOREVER ALONE.

NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND.

above.

Page 80: Typography Deconstructed

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when

the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by

the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti.

The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his

emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be the static

and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change,

originality, and innovation in culture and society. Futurism

rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly

by emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine and

motion. The works were characterized by the depiction

of several successive actions of a subject at the same

time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new technology

of the automobile and the beauty of its speed, power, and

movement. He exalted violence and conflict and called

for the sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural, social,

and political values and the destruction of such cultural

institutions as museums and libraries.

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when

the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the

Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name

Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on

discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant

art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and

innovation in culture and society. Futurism rejected traditions

and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two

dominant themes, the machine and motion. The works were

characterized by the depiction of several successive actions

of a subject at the same time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified

the new technology of the automobile and the beauty of its

speed, power, and movement. He exalted violence and conflict

and called for the sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural,

social, and political values and the destruction of such cultural

institutions as museums and libraries.

GOTHAM 85 | 110 | 250

SERIFA 85 | 110 | 250

8/12

8/12

THE SOLUTION CREATES LOTS OF SMALL

RIVERS. THE WORD SPACING GETS LARGE AND

INCONSISTANT IN PLACES. THESE ERRORS ARE

MORE NOTICEABLE IN THE SANS SERIF.

THE SOLUTION CREATES LOTS OF SMALL

RIVERS. THE WORD SPACING GETS LARGE AND

INCONSISTENT IN PLACES. THESE ERRORS ARE

MORE LESS NOTICEABLE THAN IN THE SANS

SERIF, BUT NOT PERFECT.

QUALITY: POOR

QUALITY: FAIR

Page 81: Typography Deconstructed

81

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when

the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the

Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name

Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on

discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant

art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and

innovation in culture and society. Futurism rejected traditions

and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two

dominant themes, the machine and motion. The works were

characterized by the depiction of several successive actions

of a subject at the same time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified

the new technology of the automobile and the beauty of

its speed, power, and movement. He exalted violence and

conflict and called for the sweeping repudiation of traditional

cultural, social, and political values and the destruction of

such cultural institutions as museums and libraries.

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when

the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the

Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name

Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on

discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant

art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and

innovation in culture and society. Futurism rejected traditions

and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two

dominant themes, the machine and motion. The works were

characterized by the depiction of several successive actions

of a subject at the same time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified

the new technology of the automobile and the beauty of its

speed, power, and movement. He exalted violence and conflict

and called for the sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural,

social, and political values and the destruction of such cultural

institutions as museums and libraries.

GOTHAM 80 | 100 | 190

SERIFA 80 | 100 | 190

8/12

8/12

THERE ARE LESS RIVERS IN THIS SITUATION.

THE WORD SPACING IS STILL IN CONSISTENT, IN

PLACES THEY ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER.

THE SOLUTION CREATES MORE RIVERS FOR THE

SERIF. WORD SPACING IS STILL IN CONSISTENT

AND IT BECOMES DIFFICULT TO READ THE

SENTENCES IN PLACES.

QUALITY: FAIR

QUALITY: POOR

Page 82: Typography Deconstructed

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when

the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the

Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name

Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on

discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant

art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and

innovation in culture and society. Futurism rejected traditions

and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two

dominant themes, the machine and motion. The works were

characterized by the depiction of several successive actions

of a subject at the same time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified

the new technology of the automobile and the beauty of its

speed, power, and movement. He exalted violence and conflict

and called for the sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural,

social, and political values and the destruction of such cultural

institutions as museums and libraries.

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the

Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian

poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism,

coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what

he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and

celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and

society. Futurism rejected traditions and glorified contemporary

life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine

and motion. The works were characterized by the depiction

of several successive actions of a subject at the same time.

Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new technology of the

automobile and the beauty of its speed, power, and movement.

He exalted violence and conflict and called for the sweeping

repudiation of traditional cultural, social, and political values

and the destruction of such cultural institutions as museums

and libraries.

GOTHAM 50 | 60 | 70

SERIFA 50 | 60 | 70

8/12

8/12

THE SOLUTION GETS RID OF THE RIVERS AND

INCONSISTENT SPACING BETWEEN WORDS. THE

WORDS LOOK A LITTLE TIGHT, BUT READABLE.

ONLY ONE COUNT OF STRANGE SPACING,

BUT NOT NOTICEABLE UNLESS SOMEONE IS

SEARCHING FOR IT.

ERASES ALL RIVERS AND INCONSISTENT

SPACING. WORDS ARE A LITTLE TIGHT, BUT IS

STILL READABLE.

QUALITY: FAIR

QUALITY: GOOD

Page 83: Typography Deconstructed

83

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when

the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the

Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name

Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on

discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant

art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and

innovation in culture and society. Futurism rejected traditions

and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two

dominant themes, the machine and motion. The works were

characterized by the depiction of several successive actions

of a subject at the same time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified

the new technology of the automobile and the beauty of

its speed, power, and movement. He exalted violence and

conflict and called for the sweeping repudiation of traditional

cultural, social, and political values and the destruction of

such cultural institutions as museums and libraries.

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the

Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian

poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism,

coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what

he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and

celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and

society. Futurism rejected traditions and glorified contemporary

life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine

and motion. The works were characterized by the depiction

of several successive actions of a subject at the same time.

Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new technology of the

automobile and the beauty of its speed, power, and movement.

He exalted violence and conflict and called for the sweeping

repudiation of traditional cultural, social, and political values

and the destruction of such cultural institutions as museums

and libraries.

GOTHAM 70 | 130 | 140

SERIFA 70 | 130 | 140

8/12

8/12

THIS SOLUTION CREATED THE BEST WORD

SPACING THUS FAR. THERE ARE A FEW RIVERS,

BUT NOT TOO NOTICEABLE.

LOT OF RIVERS. THE WORD SPACING IS VERY

INCONSISTENT AND DISTRACTING.

QUALITY: FAIR

QUALITY: POOR

Page 84: Typography Deconstructed

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when

the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by

the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti.

The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his

emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be the

static and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change,

originality, and innovation in culture and society. Futurism

rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly

by emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine and

motion. The works were characterized by the depiction

of several successive actions of a subject at the same

time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new technology

of the automobile and the beauty of its speed, power,

and movement. He exalted violence and conflict and called

for the sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural, social,

and political values and the destruction of such cultural

institutions as museums and libraries.

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when

the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by

the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti.

The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his

emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be the static

and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change,

originality, and innovation in culture and society. Futurism

rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by

emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine and motion.

The works were characterized by the depiction of several

successive actions of a subject at the same time. Marinetti’s

manifesto glorified the new technology of the automobile

and the beauty of its speed, power, and movement. He

exalted violence and conflict and called for the sweeping

repudiation of traditional cultural, social, and political values

and the destruction of such cultural institutions as museums

and libraries.

GOTHAM 100 | 150 | 190

SERIFA 100 | 150 | 190

8/12

8/12

THE SOLUTION CREATES CONSISTENT WORD

SPACING BUT TOO MANY DISTRACTING RIVERS.

THE RIVERS ARE LESS NOTICEABLE THAN IN THE

SERIFA, SINCE GOTHAN IS MORE OPEN.

THE SOLUTION CREATES CONSISTENT AND

READABLE WORD SPACING, BUT OPENS UP TOO

MANY RIVERS.

QUALITY: FAIR

QUALITY: FAIR

Page 85: Typography Deconstructed

85

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when

the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the

Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name

Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on

discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art

of the past and celebrating change, originality, and innovation in

culture and society. Futurism rejected traditions and glorified

contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant

themes, the machine and motion. The works were characterized

by the depiction of several successive actions of a subject at the

same time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new technology

of the automobile and the beauty of its speed, power, and

movement. He exalted violence and conflict and called for

the sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural, social, and

political values and the destruction of such cultural institutions

as museums and libraries.

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris

newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and

editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by

Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived

to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change,

originality, and innovation in culture and society. Futurism rejected

traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing

two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The works were

characterized by the depiction of several successive actions of

a subject at the same time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the

new technology of the automobile and the beauty of its speed,

power, and movement. He exalted violence and conflict and called

for the sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural, social, and

political values and the destruction of such cultural institutions as

museums and libraries.

GOTHAM 10 | 20 | 100

SERIFA 10 | 20 | 100

8/12

8/12

THE WORDS ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER,

MAKING IT TOO HARD TO READ.

TOO DIFFICULT TO READ

QUALITY: POOR

QUALITY: POOR

Page 86: Typography Deconstructed
Page 87: Typography Deconstructed

87

COMBINING TYPEFACES

When combining serif and sans serif text fonts, one shroud try and match the char-

acteristics of FORM and type COLOR: proportion, x-heights.

Although there is no recipe, there is a place to start: keep an eye on the character-

istic shapes of the letterform. A well designed page contains no more than TWO

different typefaces or four different type variations such as type size and bold or

italic style.

USING TWO DIFFERENT SERIF FONTS OR TWO DIFFERENT SANS SERIFS FONTS IN THE

SAME COMPOSITION IS NEVER A GOOD IDEA.

Try mixing a sanserif typeface with a

serif, they typically have the most

appealing type combinations.

AND SOMETIMES THESE TYPOGRAPHIC COMBINA-

TIONS WILL BURN A HOLE IN YOUR SOUL.

BUT DON'T WORRY! EVEN

THE EXPERTS MAKE UGLY

TYPE COMBINATIONS.

THERE IS NO PERFECT RECIPE FOR COMBINATING TYPE.

IT IS A MATTER OF TYPOGRAPHIC SENSITIVITY AND ONES

EXPERIENCE. EXPERIEMENT WITH DIFFERENT X-HEIGHTS AND

WEIGHTS. GREAT COMBINATIONS WILL TAKE YOU BY SUPRISE.

TRY THIS QUICK TIP!

Page 88: Typography Deconstructed

aa BB ee GG gg GOUDY 9/12 AND DIN 18/12

OLD STYLE + GROTESQUE SANS SERIF

THE TYPEFACES WORK IN A COHESIVE MANNER DUE

TO THEIR CLASSIFICATION AND X-HEIGHT. DIN'S A BOLD

FONT THAT CONTRASTS WELL WITH GOUDY'S SIZE.

WORDS IN LIBERTYA Prologue to Futurism: Futurism was first announced

on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper Le Figaro

published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo

Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti,

reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be

the static and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change,

originality, and innovation in culture and society. Futurism

rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by

emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The

works were characterized by the depiction of several successive

actions of a subject at the same time. Marinetti’s manifesto

glorified the new technology of the automobile and the beauty

of its speed, power, and movement. He exalted violence and

conflict and called for the sweeping repudiation of traditional

cultural, social, and political values and the destruction of such

cultural institutions as museums and libraries.

WORDS IN LIBERTYA Prologue to Futurism: Futurism was first

announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris

newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian

poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name

Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis

on discarding what he conceived to be the static and

irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change,

originality, and innovation in culture and society. Futurism

rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly

by emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine and

motion. The works were characterized by the depiction

of several successive actions of a subject at the same

time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new technology

of the automobile and the beauty of its speed, power, and

movement. He exalted violence and conflict and called for

the sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural, social,

and political values and the destruction of such cultural

institutions as museums and libraries.

aa BB ee GG gg BEMBO 9/12 AND FRUTIGER 18/12

OLD STYLE + HUMANIST SANS SERIF

THERE IS A NOTICABLE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE TWO

TYPEFACES. MAKING THE BOLD STYLE OF THE SANS

SERIF FONT MORE PROMINENT.

Page 89: Typography Deconstructed

89

WORDS IN LIBERTYA Prologue to Futurism: Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and society. Futurism rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The works were characterized by the depiction of several successive actions of a subject at the same time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new technology of the automobile and the beauty of its speed, power, and movement. He exalted violence and conflict and called for the sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural, social, and political values and the destruction of such cultural institutions as museums and libraries.

WORDS IN LIBERTYA Prologue to Futurism: Futurism was first announced

on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper

Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet

and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name

Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis

on discarding what he conceived to be the static

and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change,

originality, and innovation in culture and society.

Futurism rejected traditions and glorified contemporary

life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant themes, the

machine and motion. The works were characterized by

the depiction of several successive actions of a subject

at the same time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the

new technology of the automobile and the beauty of

its speed, power, and movement. He exalted violence

and conflict and called for the sweeping repudiation of

traditional cultural, social, and political values and the

destruction of such cultural institutions as museums

and libraries.

aa BB ee GG gg BASKERVILLE 9/12 AND FUTURA 18/12

TRANSITIONAL + GEOMETRIC SERIF

THERE IS A LARGE DIFFERENCE IN THE HEADING

AND BODY CONTENT, THEIR SIMILAR STROKE WIDTH

ALLOWS FOR THEM TO WORK TOGETHER NICELY.

aa BB ee GG gg MELIOR 9/12 AND ROTIS SANS 18/12

TRANSITIONAL + HUMANIST SANS SERIF

THE TYPEFACES WORK IN A COHESIVE MANNER DUE

TO THEIR CLASSIFICATION AND X-HEIGHT. DIN'S A BOLD

FONT THAT CONTRASTS WELL WITH GOUDY'S SIZE.

Page 90: Typography Deconstructed

WORDS IN LIBERTYA Prologue to Futurism: Futurism was first

announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris

newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the

Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti.

The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected

his emphasis on discarding what he conceived

to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and

celebrating change, originality, and innovation in

culture and society. Futurism rejected traditions and

glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing

two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The

works were characterized by the depiction of several

successive actions of a subject at the same time.

Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new technology of

the automobile and the beauty of its speed, power, and

movement. He exalted violence and conflict and called

for the sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural,

social, and political values and the destruction of such

cultural institutions as museums and libraries.

WORDS IN LIBERTYA Prologue to Futurism: Futurism was announced on

February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper Le Figaro

published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor

Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined

by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what

he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the

past and celebrating change, originality, and innovation

in culture and society. Futurism rejected traditions and

glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two

dominant themes, the machine and motion. The works

were characterized by the depiction of several successive

actions of a subject at the same time. Marinetti’s

manifesto glorified the new technology of the automobile

and the beauty of its speed, power, and movement. He

exalted violence and conflict and called for the sweeping

repudiation of traditional cultural, social, and political

values and the destruction of such cultural institutions as

museums and libraries.

aa BB ee GG gg WALBAUM 9/12 AND INTERSTATE 18/12

MODERN + GEOMETRIC SANS SERIF

THESE TWO TYPEFACES CONTRAST EACH OTHER IN A

BEAUTIFUL WAY. INTERSTATE IS VERY UNIFORM AND

MODERN, WHEREAS WALBAUM HAS MORE CONTRAST.

aa BB ee GG gg DIDOT 9/12 AND AKZIDENZ GROTESK 18/12

MODERN + GROTESQUE SANS SERIF

HEIRARCHY IS DEMONSTRATED WITH THIS COMBINA-

TION. THE TITLE SEPARATES ITSELF FROM THE BODY

CONTENT IN A CLEAR, BUT COHESIVE WAY.

Page 91: Typography Deconstructed

91

WORDS IN LIBERTYA Prologue to Futurism: Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and society. Futurism rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The works were characterized by the depiction of several successive actions of a subject at the same time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new technology of the automobile and the beauty of its speed, power, and movement. He exalted violence and conflict and called for the sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural, social, and political values and the destruction of such cultural institutions as museums and libraries.

WORDS IN LIBERTYA Prologue to Futurism: Futurism was first announced

on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper Le Figaro

published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo

Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti,

reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be

the static and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change,

originality, and innovation in culture and society. Futurism

rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by

emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine and motion.

The works were characterized by the depiction of several

successive actions of a subject at the same time. Marinetti’s

manifesto glorified the new technology of the automobile and

the beauty of its speed, power, and movement. He exalted

violence and conflict and called for the sweeping repudiation

of traditional cultural, social, and political values and the

destruction of such cultural institutions as museums

and libraries.

aa BB ee GG gg FUTURA 9/12 AND MRS. EAVES 18/12

GEOMETRIC SERIF + NEW TRANSITIONAL

NICE CONTRAST IS CREATED WITH THE TALL X-HEIGHT

OF FUTURA AND THE SMALL X-HEIGHT OF MRS. EAVES.

THEY ALSO SHARE SIMILAR COLORS.

aa BB ee GG gg CASLON 9/12 AND HELVETICA 18/12

NEW TRANSITIONAL + GROTESQUE SANS SERIF

THEY HAVE SIMILAR LETTER FORMATIONS, WHAT

HELPS SEPARATES THE TWO AREW THEIR STROKE

WEIGHTS. HELVETICA HAS A SMALLER X-HEIGHT.

Page 92: Typography Deconstructed

WORDS IN LIBERTYA Prologue to Futurism: Futurism was first announced

on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper Le

Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and

editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism,

coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discard-

ing what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant

art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and

innovation in culture and society. Futurism rejected tradi-

tions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by empha-

sizing two dominant themes, the machine and motion.

The works were characterized by the depiction of sev-

eral successive actions of a subject at the same time.

Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new technology of

the automobile and the beauty of its speed, power, and

movement. He exalted violence and conflict and called

for the sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural,

social, and political values and the destruction of such

cultural institutions as museums and libraries.

WORDS IN LIBERTYA Prologue to Futurism: Futurism was first

announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris news-

paper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian

poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name

Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis

on discarding what he conceived to be the static and

irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change, origi-

nality, and innovation in culture and society. Futurism

rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life,

mainly by emphasizing two dominant themes, the

machine and motion. The works were characterized by

the depiction of several successive actions of a subject

at the same time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the

new technology of the automobile and the beauty of its

speed, power, and movement. He exalted violence and

conflict and called for the sweeping repudiation of tra-

ditional cultural, social, and political values and the

destruction of such cultural institutions as museums

and libraries.

aa BB ee GG gg ROCKWELL 9/12 AND FUTURA 18/12

SLAB SERIF + GEOMETRIC SANS SERIF

THE LARGE SANS SERIF IS A NICE CONTRAST TO

FUTURA'S MONO-WEIGHT STROKES.

aa BB ee GG gg MEMPHIS 9/12 AND GILL SANS 18/12

SLAB SERIF + GROTESQUE SANS SERIF

HEIRARCHY IS DEMONSTRATED WITH THIS COMBINA-

TION. THE TITLE SEPARATES ITSELF FROM THE BODY

CONTENT IN A CLEAR, BUT COHESIVE WAY.

Page 93: Typography Deconstructed

93

aa BB ee GG gg GOUDY 9/12 AND DIN 18/12

OLD STYLE + GROTESQUE SANS SERIF

THE TYPEFACES WORK IN A COHESIVE MANNER DUE

TO THEIR CLASSIFICATION AND X-HEIGHT. DIN'S A BOLD

FONT THAT CONTRASTS WELL WITH GOUDY'S SIZE.

WORDS IN LIBERTYA Prologue to Futurism: Futurism was first announced

on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper Le Figaro

published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo

Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti,

reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be

the static and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change,

originality, and innovation in culture and society. Futurism

rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by

emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The

works were characterized by the depiction of several successive

actions of a subject at the same time. Marinetti’s manifesto

glorified the new technology of the automobile and the beauty

of its speed, power, and movement. He exalted violence and

conflict and called for the sweeping repudiation of traditional

cultural, social, and political values and the destruction of such

cultural institutions as museums and libraries.

WORDS IN LIBERTYA Prologue to Futurism: Futurism was first

announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris

newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian

poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name

Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis

on discarding what he conceived to be the static and

irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change,

originality, and innovation in culture and society. Futurism

rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly

by emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine and

motion. The works were characterized by the depiction

of several successive actions of a subject at the same

time. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new technology

of the automobile and the beauty of its speed, power, and

movement. He exalted violence and conflict and called for

the sweeping repudiation of traditional cultural, social,

and political values and the destruction of such cultural

institutions as museums and libraries.

aa BB ee GG gg BEMBO 9/12 AND FRUTIGER 18/12

OLD STYLE + HUMANIST SANS SERIF

THERE IS A NOTICABLE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE TWO

TYPEFACES. MAKING THE BOLD STYLE OF THE SANS

SERIF FONT MORE PROMINENT.

Page 94: Typography Deconstructed
Page 95: Typography Deconstructed

"DO THE OBVIOUS, THEN THROW IT OUT."

— GLENN MITSUI

Page 96: Typography Deconstructed
Page 97: Typography Deconstructed

97

PARAGRAPH BREAKSIN TYPOGRAPHY THERE ARE FOUR RULES REGARDING PARAGRAPH BREAKS:

First line at the beginning of an article should be flush left

Block paragraphs are flush left and are separated by extra

leading not a full return

The amount indent is = to the leading

Never hit two returns between paragraphs

Using the TSCHICHOLD grid system

will allow for consistant page layouts.

TRY THIS QUICK TIP!

Page 98: Typography Deconstructed

FUTURISM WAS FIRST ANNOUNCED ON FEBRUARY 20, 1909, WHEN THE IN STYLE,

Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor

Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his

emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the

past and celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and society.1

Futurism rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing

two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The manifesto's rhetoric was

passionately bombastic; its tone was aggressive and inflammatory and was

purposely intended to inspire public anger and amazement, to arouse controversy,

and to attract widespread attention.

BUT IT IS THE MOVEMENTS WHICH SURVIVE, ODDLY, HERE WHERE WE LIVE AND WORK as poets and artists: or, if not the movements, then their sense of art as an life itself.

All of which, as futurism, had come sharply into focus by the start of the world war:

a first radical mix of art and life, the epitome in the poplar mind of an avant-garde.

It was, on both its Russian & Italian sides, the first great "art" movement led by

poets; and if its means now sometimes seem exaggerated or unripe in retrospect,

they carry within them the seed of all that we were later to become.

WHILE MARINETTI'S OPENING MANIFESTO FOR ITALIAN FUTURISM BRISTLED WITH A polemical stance in favor of the transformed present (1909), the later manifestos

of Futurist poets and artists offered formal, "technical" approaches to the works

then getting under way. The key term--still resonant today--was parole in liberta2,

by which poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of new images… (a)

strict bet of images or analogies, to be cast into the mysterious sea of phenomena."

This freedom-of-the-world, while it resembled other forms of collage and of

image juxtaposition, more fully explored the use of innovative and expressive

typography in the visual presentation of language, as set in motion by forerunners

like Mallarme. Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists' performances mixed

declamation and gesture, events and surroundings, indifference and engagement,

to break the barriers between themselves and those who came to jeer or cheer

them. Wrote Marinetti selbst3 (circa 1915), "Everything of any value is theatrical."

Page 99: Typography Deconstructed

99

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper

Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso

Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on

discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and

celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and society.1 Futurism

rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing

two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The manifesto's rhetoric was

passionately bombastic; its tone was aggressive and inflammatory and was

purposely intended to inspire public anger and amazement, to arouse controversy,

and to attract widespread attention.

But it is the movements which survive, oddly, here where we live and work as poets

and artists: or, if not the movements, then their sense of art as an life itself. All of

which, as futurism, had come sharply into focus by the start of the world war: a first

radical mix of art and life, the epitome in the poplar mind of an avant-garde. It was,

on both its Russian & Italian sides, the first great "art" movement led by poets; and

if its means now sometimes seem exaggerated or unripe in retrospect, they carry

within them the seed of all that we were later to become.

While Marinetti's opening manifesto for Italian Futurism bristled with a polemical

stance in favor of the transformed present (1909), the later manifestos of Futurist

poets and artists offered formal, "technical" approaches to the works then getting

under way. The key term--still resonant today--was parole in liberta2, by which

poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of new images… (a) strict

bet of images or analogies, to be cast into the mysterious sea of phenomena."

This freedom-of-the-world, while it resembled other forms of collage and of

image juxtaposition, more fully explored the use of innovative and expressive

typography in the visual presentation of language, as set in motion by forerunners

like Mallarme. Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists' performances mixed

declamation and gesture, events and surroundings, indifference and engagement,

to break the barriers between themselves and those who came to jeer or cheer

them. Wrote Marinetti selbst3 (circa 1915), "Everything of any value is theatrical."

Page 100: Typography Deconstructed

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper

Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso

Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on

discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and

celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and society.1 Futurism

rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing

two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The manifesto's rhetoric was

passionately bombastic; its tone was aggressive and inflammatory and was

purposely intended to inspire public anger and amazement, to arouse controversy,

and to attract widespread attention.

But it is the movements which survive, oddly, here where we live and work as poets

and artists: or, if not the movements, then their sense of art as an life itself. All of

which, as futurism, had come sharply into focus by the start of the world war: a first

radical mix of art and life, the epitome in the poplar mind of an avant-garde. It was,

on both its Russian & Italian sides, the first great "art" movement led by poets; and

if its means now sometimes seem exaggerated or unripe in retrospect, they carry

within them the seed of all that we were later to become.

While Marinetti's opening manifesto for Italian Futurism bristled with a polemical

stance in favor of the transformed present (1909), the later manifestos of Futurist

poets and artists offered formal, "technical" approaches to the works then getting

under way. The key term--still resonant today--was parole in liberta2, by which

poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of new images… (a) strict

bet of images or analogies, to be cast into the mysterious sea of phenomena."

This freedom-of-the-world, while it resembled other forms of collage and of

image juxtaposition, more fully explored the use of innovative and expressive

typography in the visual presentation of language, as set in motion by forerunners

like Mallarme. Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists' performances mixed

declamation and gesture, events and surroundings, indifference and engagement,

to break the barriers between themselves and those who came to jeer or cheer

them. Wrote Marinetti selbst3 (circa 1915), "Everything of any value is theatrical."

Page 101: Typography Deconstructed

101

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper

Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso

Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on

discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and

celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and society.1 Futurism

rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing

two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The manifesto's rhetoric was

passionately bombastic; its tone was aggressive and inflammatory and was

purposely intended to inspire public anger and amazement, to arouse controversy,

and to attract widespread attention.

But it is the movements which survive, oddly, here where we live and work as poets

and artists: or, if not the movements, then their sense of art as an life itself. All of

which, as futurism, had come sharply into focus by the start of the world war: a first

radical mix of art and life, the epitome in the poplar mind of an avant-garde. It was,

on both its Russian & Italian sides, the first great "art" movement led by poets; and

if its means now sometimes seem exaggerated or unripe in retrospect, they carry

within them the seed of all that we were later to become.

While Marinetti's opening manifesto for Italian Futurism bristled with a polemical

stance in favor of the transformed present (1909), the later manifestos of Futurist

poets and artists offered formal, "technical" approaches to the works then getting

under way. The key term--still resonant today--was parole in liberta2, by which

poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of new images… (a) strict

bet of images or analogies, to be cast into the mysterious sea of phenomena."

This freedom-of-the-world, while it resembled other forms of collage and of

image juxtaposition, more fully explored the use of innovative and expressive

typography in the visual presentation of language, as set in motion by forerunners

like Mallarme. Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists' performances mixed

declamation and gesture, events and surroundings, indifference and engagement,

to break the barriers between themselves and those who came to jeer or cheer

them. Wrote Marinetti selbst3 (circa 1915), "Everything of any value is theatrical."

Page 102: Typography Deconstructed

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper

Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso

Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on

discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and

celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and society.1 Futurism

rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing

two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The manifesto's rhetoric was

passionately bombastic; its tone was aggressive and inflammatory and was

purposely intended to inspire public anger and amazement, to arouse controversy,

and to attract widespread attention.

But it is the movements which survive, oddly, here where we live and work as poets

and artists: or, if not the movements, then their sense of art as an life itself. All of

which, as futurism, had come sharply into focus by the start of the world war: a first

radical mix of art and life, the epitome in the poplar mind of an avant-garde. It was,

on both its Russian & Italian sides, the first great "art" movement led by poets; and

if its means now sometimes seem exaggerated or unripe in retrospect, they carry

within them the seed of all that we were later to become.

While Marinetti's opening manifesto for Italian Futurism bristled with a polemical

stance in favor of the transformed present (1909), the later manifestos of Futurist

poets and artists offered formal, "technical" approaches to the works then getting

under way. The key term--still resonant today--was parole in liberta2, by which

poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of new images… (a) strict

bet of images or analogies, to be cast into the mysterious sea of phenomena."

This freedom-of-the-world, while it resembled other forms of collage and of

image juxtaposition, more fully explored the use of innovative and expressive

typography in the visual presentation of language, as set in motion by forerunners

like Mallarme. Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists' performances mixed

declamation and gesture, events and surroundings, indifference and engagement,

to break the barriers between themselves and those who came to jeer or cheer

them. Wrote Marinetti selbst3 (circa 1915), "Everything of any value is theatrical."

Page 103: Typography Deconstructed

103

But it is the movements which survive, oddly, here where we live and work as poets

and artists: or, if not the movements, then their sense of art as an life itself. All of

which, as futurism, had come sharply into focus by the start of the world war: a first

radical mix of art and life, the epitome in the poplar mind of an avant-garde. It was,

on both its Russian & Italian sides, the first great "art" movement led by poets; and

if its means now sometimes seem exaggerated or unripe in retrospect, they carry

within them the seed of all that we were later to become.

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper

Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso

Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on

discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and

celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and society.1 Futurism

rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing

two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The manifesto's rhetoric was

passionately bombastic; its tone was aggressive and inflammatory and was

purposely intended to inspire public anger and amazement, to arouse controversy,

and to attract widespread attention.

While Marinetti's opening manifesto for Italian Futurism bristled with a polemical

stance in favor of the transformed present (1909), the later manifestos of Futurist

poets and artists offered formal, "technical" approaches to the works then getting

under way. The key term--still resonant today--was parole in liberta2, by which

poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of new images… (a) strict

bet of images or analogies, to be cast into the mysterious sea of phenomena."

This freedom-of-the-world, while it resembled other forms of collage and of

image juxtaposition, more fully explored the use of innovative and expressive

typography in the visual presentation of language, as set in motion by forerunners

like Mallarme. Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists' performances mixed

declamation and gesture, events and surroundings, indifference and engagement,

to break the barriers between themselves and those who came to jeer or

cheer them. Wrote Marinetti selbst3 (circa 1915), "Everything of any value

is theatrical."

Page 104: Typography Deconstructed

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper

Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso

Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on

discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and

celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and society.1 Futurism

rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing

two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The manifesto's rhetoric was

passionately bombastic; its tone was aggressive and inflammatory and was

purposely intended to inspire public anger and amazement, to arouse controversy,

and to attract widespread attention.

But it is the movements which survive, oddly, here where we live and work as poets

and artists: or, if not the movements, then their sense of art as an life itself. All of

which, as futurism, had come sharply into focus by the start of the world war: a first

radical mix of art and life, the epitome in the poplar mind of an avant-garde. It was,

on both its Russian & Italian sides, the first great "art" movement led by poets; and

if its means now sometimes seem exaggerated or unripe in retrospect, they carry

within them the seed of all that we were later to become.

While Marinetti's opening manifesto for Italian Futurism bristled with a polemical

stance in favor of the transformed present (1909), the later manifestos of Futurist

poets and artists offered formal, "technical" approaches to the works then getting

under way. The key term--still resonant today--was parole in liberta2, by which

poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of new images… (a) strict

bet of images or analogies, to be cast into the mysterious sea of phenomena."

This freedom-of-the-world, while it resembled other forms of collage and of

image juxtaposition, more fully explored the use of innovative and expressive

typography in the visual presentation of language, as set in motion by forerunners

like Mallarme. Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists' performances mixed

declamation and gesture, events and surroundings, indifference and engagement,

to break the barriers between themselves and those who came to jeer or cheer

them. Wrote Marinetti selbst3 (circa 1915), "Everything of any value is theatrical."

Page 105: Typography Deconstructed

105

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper

But it is the movements which survive, oddly, here where we live and work as poets

While Marinetti's opening manifesto for Italian Futurism bristled with a polemical

Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor

Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by

Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what he

conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and

celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture

and society.1 Futurism rejected traditions and glorified

contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant

themes, the machine and motion. The manifesto's rhetoric

was passionately bombastic; its tone was aggressive and

inflammatory and was purposely intended to inspire public

anger and amazement, to arouse controversy, and to attract

widespread attention.

and artists: or, if not the movements, then their sense of art as

an life itself. All of which, as futurism, had come sharply into

focus by the start of the world war: a first radical mix of art

and life, the epitome in the poplar mind of an avant-garde. It

was, on both its Russian & Italian sides, the first great "art"

movement led by poets; and if its means now sometimes seem

exaggerated or unripe in retrospect, they carry within them

the seed of all that we were later to become.

stance in favor of the transformed present (1909), the later

manifestos of Futurist poets and artists offered formal,

"technical" approaches to the works then getting under way.

The key term--still resonant today--was parole in liberta2, by

which poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of

new images… (a) strict bet of images or analogies, to be cast

into the mysterious sea of phenomena." This freedom-of-the-

world, while it resembled other forms of collage and of image

juxtaposition, more fully explored the use of innovative and

expressive typography in the visual presentation of language

and was set in motion by many forerunners like Mallarme.

Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists' performances

mixed declamation and gesture, events and surroundings,

indifference and engagement, to break the barriers between

themselves and those who came to jeer or cheer them. Wrote

Marinetti selbst3 (circa 1915), "Everything of any value is

know as theatrical."

Page 106: Typography Deconstructed

+++ Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper

Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso

Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on

discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and

celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and society.1 Futurism

rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing

two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The manifesto's rhetoric was

passionately bombastic; its tone was aggressive and inflammatory and was

purposely intended to inspire public anger and amazement, to arouse controversy,

and to attract widespread attention. +++ But it is the movements which survive,

oddly, here where we live and work as poets and artists: or, if not the movements,

then their sense of art as an life itself. All of which, as futurism, had come sharply

into focus by the start of the world war: a first radical mix of art and life, the epitome

in the poplar mind of an avant-garde. It was, on both its Russian & Italian sides,

the first great "art" movement led by poets; and if its means now sometimes seem

exaggerated or unripe in retrospect, they carry within them the seed of all that we

were later to become. +++ While Marinetti's opening manifesto for Italian Futurism

bristled with a polemical stance in favor of the transformed present (1909), the later

manifestos of Futurist poets and artists offered formal, "technical" approaches to

the works then getting under way. The key term--still resonant today--was parole

in liberta2, by which poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of new

images… (a) strict bet of images or analogies, to be cast into the mysterious sea of

phenomena." This freedom-of-the-world, while it resembled other forms of collage

and of image juxtaposition, more fully explored the use of innovative and expressive

typography in the visual presentation of language, as set in motion by forerunners

like Mallarme. Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists' performances mixed

declamation and gesture, events and surroundings, indifference and engagement,

to break the barriers between themselves and those who came to jeer or cheer

them. Wrote Marinetti selbst3 (circa 1915), "Everything of any value is theatrical."

Page 107: Typography Deconstructed

107

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper Le

Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Mari-

netti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding

what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating

change, originality, and innovation in culture and society.1 Futurism rejected tradi-

tions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant themes,

the machine and motion. The manifesto's rhetoric was passionately bombastic; its

tone was aggressive and inflammatory and was purposely intended to inspire public

anger and amazement, to arouse controversy, and to attract widespread attention.

But it is the movements which survive, oddly, here where

we live and work as poets and artists: or, if not the move-

ments, then their sense of art as an life itself. All of which,

as futurism, had come sharply into focus by the start of the

world war: a first radical mix of art and life, the epitome in

the poplar mind of an avant-garde. It was, on both its Russian

& Italian sides, the first great "art" movement led by poets;

and if its means now sometimes seem exaggerated or unripe

in retrospect, they carry within them the seed of all that we

were later to become.

While Marinetti's opening manifesto for Italian Futurism bristled with a polemical

stance in favor of the transformed present (1909), the later manifestos of Futurist

poets and artists offered formal, "technical" approaches to the works then getting

under way. The key term--still resonant today--was parole in liberta2, by which

poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of new images… (a) strict bet

of images or analogies, to be cast into the mysterious sea of phenomena." This

freedom-of-the-world, while it resembled other forms of collage and of image jux-

taposition, more fully explored the use of innovative and expressive typography in

the visual presentation of language, as set in motion by forerunners like Mallarme.

Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists' performances mixed declamation and

gesture, events and surroundings, indifference and engagement, to break the barri-

ers between themselves and those who came to jeer or cheer them. Wrote Marinetti

selbst3 (circa 1915), "Everything of any value is theatrical."

Page 108: Typography Deconstructed
Page 109: Typography Deconstructed

109

THIS IS A HEADER

Itio dolo et, volupid ellautemque cus il illor re odiati tendipid quuntia dollestem lam

venditatibus volores militatqui ut lab incias esci que laborerrorem alit et pore eos

nonsedit ma quam num sam se voluptatinus endionsequi optae volupta volorrum dis

dolut ilictate odiassi te si qui dolenda alicate dioreptatiam audam dis rehendae ip-

sam alibus eri occabo. Itaquas pelianiminum am quam, sam nitatqu amusant iuntior

sus molo corum ne doluptat resequa ereperoribus reperiae volupid eumque eatem

ne laborrum nemodia volorat ionsequatet alis maio qui doluptatur?

THIS IS A CROSSHEADER quos voloreh enditis dent am, sitates remolenieni od molup-

taque nonsequature laborum qui cuptiore cus, sit, santota dolupti umquid entis-

quatem quae. Itaecta quissi ipsapeliquis aliandi si offic tem vellent otaturibus ipid

eumquiam lam, ut ut volorum, sam fugit eum aborro ommolorum ut queEruptatu

ritatur re rehendiatur, ut lam re voluptiam in rate sum, ipsunt autestio tes venia si

toria ipietust odit eata is culpa veriam ium nihit asperibusa quo et, ut latumqui con

pe comnima gnimaios excerspis explab il idendus, sus, conseca borrovit, occatur,

neceperum a volor sequamus dolo omnisqu iducimu

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A SUBHEADER

HEADERS

Headings are often set in all caps or

in caps and small caps. The rule once

was that the type for chapter headings

hsould be larger than the text type, but

not so large that itshould dwarf the text.

Allow it's an older concept, certain typo-

graphic conventions still apply.

SUBHEADS

Subheads have two roles: to graphically

separate sections of text and to identify

the relative significance of the text

they introduce. Ususally three levels of

subheadings in any work are sufficient,

anything beyond this and the reader is

being asked to consume too much infor-

mation at once.

CROSSHEADS

Found between paragraphs, breaking

up longers pieces of text

Page 110: Typography Deconstructed

A PROLOGUE TO FUTURISM

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the in style, Paris

newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo

Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis

on discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and

celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and society.1 Futurism

rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two domi-

nant themes, the machine and motion. The manifesto's rhetoric was passionately

bombastic; its tone was aggressive and inflammatory and was purposely intended

to inspire public anger and amazement, to arouse controversy, and to attract wide-

spread attention.

RADICAL MIX OF ART AND LIFE

But it is the movements which survive, oddly, here where we live and work as poets

and artists: or, if not the movements, then their sense of art as an life itself. All of

which, as futurism, had come sharply into focus by the start of the world war: a first

radical mix of art and life, the epitome in the poplar mind of an avant-garde. It was,

on both its Russian & Italian sides, the first great "art" movement led by poets; and

if its means now sometimes seem exaggerated or unripe in retrospect, they carry

within them the seed of all that we were later to become.

While Marinetti's opening manifesto for Italian Futurism bristled with a polemical

stance in favor of the transformed present (1909), the later manifestos of Futurist

poets and artists offered formal, "technical" approaches to the works then getting

under way. The key term--still resonant today--was parole in liberta2, by which

poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of new images… (a) strict

bet of images or analogies, to be cast into the mysterious sea of phenomena."

This freedom-of-the-world, while it resembled other forms of collage and of

image juxtaposition, more fully explored the use of innovative and expressive

typography in the visual presentation of language, as set in motion by forerunners

like Mallarme. Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists' performances mixed

declamation and gesture, events and surroundings, indifference and engagement,

to break the barriers between themselves and those who came to jeer or cheer

them. Wrote Marinetti selbst3 (circa 1915), "Everything of any value is theatrical."

WORDS IN LIBERTY

Page 111: Typography Deconstructed

111

A PROLOGUE TO FUTURISM

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the in style, Paris newspaper Le Figaro

published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism,

coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be the static and

irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and society.

Futurism rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant

themes, the machine and motion. The manifesto's rhetoric was passionately bombastic; its tone was

aggressive and inflammatory and was purposely intended to inspire public anger and amazement, to

arouse controversy, and to attract widespread attention.

RADICAL MIX OF ART AND LIFE

But it is the movements which survive, oddly, here where we live and work as poets and artists: or, if

not the movements, then their sense of art as an life itself. All of which, as futurism, had come sharply

into focus by the start of the world war: a first radical mix of art and life, the epitome in the poplar

mind of an avant-garde. It was, on both its Russian & Italian sides, the first great "art" movement led

by poets; and if its means now sometimes seem exaggerated or unripe in retrospect, they carry within

them the seed of all that we were later to become.

While Marinetti's opening manifesto for Italian Futurism bristled with a polemical stance in favor

of the transformed present (1909), the later manifestos of Futurist poets and artists offered formal,

"technical" approaches to the works then getting under way. The key term--still resonant today--was

parole in liberta2, by which poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of new images… (a)

strict bet of images or analogies, to be cast into the mysterious sea of phenomena." This freedom-of-

the-world, while it resembled other forms of collage and of image juxtaposition, more fully explored

the use of innovative and expressive typography in the visual presentation of language, as set in

motion by forerunners like Mallarme. Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists' performances mixed

declamation and gesture, events and surroundings, indifference and engagement, to break the barriers

between themselves and those who came to jeer or cheer them. Wrote Marinetti selbst3 (circa 1915),

"Everything of any value is theatrical."

WORDS IN LIBERTY

Page 112: Typography Deconstructed

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and society.1 Futurism rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The manifesto's rhetoric was passionately bombastic; its tone was aggressive and inflammatory and was purposely intended to inspire public anger and amazement, to arouse controversy, and to attract widespread attention.

But it is the movements which survive, oddly, here where we live and work as poets and artists: or, if not the movements, then their sense of art as an life itself. All of which, as futurism, had come sharply into focus by the start of the world war: a first radical mix of art and life, the epitome in the poplar mind of an avant-garde. It was, on both its Russian & Italian sides, the first great "art" movement led by poets; and if its means now sometimes seem exaggerated or unripe in retrospect, they carry within them the seed of all that we were later to become.

While Marinetti's opening manifesto for Italian Futurism bristled with a polemical stance in favor of the transformed present (1909), the later manifestos of Futurist poets and artists offered formal, "technical" approaches to the works then getting under way. The key term--still resonant today--was parole in liberta2, by which poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of new images… (a) strict bet of images or analogies, to be cast into the mysterious sea of phenomena." This freedom-of-the-world, while it resembled other forms of collage and of image juxtaposition, more fully explored the use of innovative and expressive typography in the visual presentation of language, as set in motion by forerunners like Mallarme. Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists' performances mixed declamation and gesture, events and surroundings, indifference and engagement, to break the barriers between themselves and those who came to jeer or cheer them. Wrote Marinetti selbst3 (circa 1915), "Everything of any value is theatrical."

A P

rolo

gu

e to F

utu

rismR

adica

l mix

of art a

nd life

WORDS IN LIBERTY

Page 113: Typography Deconstructed

113

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper

But it is the movements which survive, oddly, here where we live and work as poets

While Marinetti's opening manifesto for Italian Futurism bristled with a polemical

Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor

Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by

Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what he

conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and

celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture

and society.1 Futurism rejected traditions and glorified

contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant

themes, the machine and motion. The manifesto's rhetoric

was passionately bombastic; its tone was aggressive and

inflammatory and was purposely intended to inspire public

anger and amazement, to arouse controversy, and to attract

widespread attention.

and artists: or, if not the movements, then their sense of art as

an life itself. All of which, as futurism, had come sharply into

focus by the start of the world war: a first radical mix of art

and life, the epitome in the poplar mind of an avant-garde. It

was, on both its Russian & Italian sides, the first great "art"

movement led by poets; and if its means now sometimes seem

exaggerated or unripe in retrospect, they carry within them

the seed of all that we were later to become.

stance in favor of the transformed present (1909), the later

manifestos of Futurist poets and artists offered formal,

"technical" approaches to the works then getting under way.

The key term--still resonant today--was parole in liberta2, by

which poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of

new images… (a) strict bet of images or analogies, to be cast

into the mysterious sea of phenomena." This freedom-of-the-

world, while it resembled other forms of collage and of image

juxtaposition, more fully explored the use of innovative and

expressive typography in the visual presentation of language

and was set in motion by many forerunners like Mallarme.

Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists' performances

mixed declamation and gesture, events and surroundings,

indifference and engagement, to break the barriers between

themselves and those who came to jeer or cheer them. Wrote

Marinetti selbst3 (circa 1915), "Everything of any value is

know as theatrical."

RADICAL MIX OF ART AND LIFE

A PROLOGUE TO FUTURISM

WORDS IN LIBERTY

Page 114: Typography Deconstructed

A PROLOGUE TO FUTURISM Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909,

when the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet

and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti,

reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be the static and

irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and innovation in

culture and society.1 Futurism rejected traditions and glorified contemporary

life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine and motion.

The manifesto's rhetoric was passionately bombastic; its tone was aggressive

and inflammatory and was purposely intended to inspire public anger and

amazement, to arouse controversy, and to attract widespread attention.

RADICAL MIX OF ART AND LIFE But it is the movements which survive, oddly, here

where we live and work as poets and artists: or, if not the movements, then their

sense of art as an life itself. All of which, as futurism, had come sharply into

focus by the start of the world war: a first radical mix of art and life, the epitome

in the poplar mind of an avant-garde. It was, on both its Russian & Italian sides,

the first great "art" movement led by poets; and if its means now sometimes seem

exaggerated or unripe in retrospect, they carry within them the seed of all that we

were later to become.

While Marinetti's opening manifesto for Italian Futurism bristled with a polemical

stance in favor of the transformed present (1909), the later manifestos of

Futurist poets and artists offered formal, "technical" approaches to the works

then getting under way. The key term--still resonant today--was parole in

liberta2, by which the poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of new

images… (a) strict bet of images or analogies, to be cast into the mysterious

sea of phenomena." This freedom-of-the-world, while it resembled other forms

of collage and of image juxtaposition, more fully explored the use of innovative

and expressive typography in the visual presentation of language, as set in

motion by forerunners like Mallarme. Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists'

performances mixed declamation and gesture, events and surroundings,

indifference and engagement, to break the barriers between themselves and those

who came to jeer or cheer them. Wrote Marinetti selbst3 (circa 1915), "Everything

of any value is theatrical."

W O R D S I N L I B E R T Y

Page 115: Typography Deconstructed

115

A PROLOGUE TO FUTURISM

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper

Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso

Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis

on discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past

and celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and society.1

Futurism rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by

emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The manifesto's

rhetoric was passionately bombastic; its tone was aggressive and inflammatory

and was purposely intended to inspire public anger and amazement, to arouse

controversy, and to attract widespread attention.

RADICAL MIX OF ART AND LIFE

But it is the movements which survive, oddly, here where we live and work as

poets and artists: or, if not the movements, then their sense of art as an life itself.

All of which, as futurism, had come sharply into focus by the start of the world

war: a first radical mix of art and life, the epitome in the poplar mind of an avant-

garde. It was, on both its Russian & Italian sides, the first great "art" movement

led by poets; and if its means now sometimes seem exaggerated or unripe in

retrospect, they carry within them the seed of all that we were later to become.

While Marinetti's opening manifesto for Italian Futurism bristled with a polemical

stance in favor of the transformed present (1909), the later manifestos of

Futurist poets and artists offered formal, "technical" approaches to the works

then getting under way. The key term--still resonant today--was parole in

liberta2, by which the poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of new

images… (a) strict bet of images or analogies, to be cast into the mysterious

sea of phenomena." This freedom-of-the-world, while it resembled other forms

of collage and of image juxtaposition, more fully explored the use of innovative

and expressive typography in the visual presentation of language, as set in

motion by forerunners like Mallarme. Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists'

performances mixed declamation and gesture, events and surroundings,

indifference and engagement, to break the barriers between themselves and those

who came to jeer or cheer them. Wrote Marinetti selbst3 (circa 1915), "Everything

of any value is theatrical."

WO

RD

S IN LIB

ERTY

Page 116: Typography Deconstructed
Page 117: Typography Deconstructed

117

CAPTIONS AND NOTES

Footnotes and endnotes are necessary components of scholarly and technical

writing. They’re also frequently used by writers of fiction, from Herman Melville

(Moby Dick) to contemporary novelists. Whether their intent is academic or artistic,

footnotes present special typographic challenges.

Specifically, a footnote is a text element at the bottom of a page of a book or

manuscript that provides additional information about a point made in the

main text. The footnote might provide deeper background, offer an alternate

interpretation or provide a citation for the source of a quote, idea or statistic.

Endnotes serve the same purpose but are grouped together at the end of a

chapter, article or book, rather than at the bottom of each page.

These general guidelines will help you design footnotes and endnotes that are

readable, legible and economical in space.

GUIDELINES FOR FOOTNOTES AND CAPTIONS

NUMBERS OR SYMBOLS

Footnotes are most often indicated by placing a superscript

numeral immediately after the text to be referenced. The

same superscript numeral then precedes the footnoted text

at the bottom of the page. Numbering footnotes is essen-

tial when there are many of them, but if footnotes are few

they can be marked with a dagger, asterisk, or other symbol

instead. Endnotes should always use numerals to facilitate

easy referencing.

SIZE

Footnotes and endnotes are set smaller than body text. The

difference in size is usually about two points, but this can

vary depending on the size, style and legibility of the main

text. Even though they’re smaller, footnotes and endnotes

should still remain at a readable size.

Page 118: Typography Deconstructed

A PROLOGUE TO FUTURISM

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the in style, Paris

newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo

Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his empha-

sis on discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past

and celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and society.1 Futurism

rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two domi-

nant themes, the machine and motion. The manifesto's rhetoric was passionately

bombastic; its tone was aggressive and inflammatory and was purposely intended

to inspire public anger and amazement, to arouse controversy, and to attract wide-

spread attention.

RADICAL MIX OF ART AND LIFE

But it is the movements which survive, oddly, here where we live and work as poets

and artists: or, if not the movements, then their sense of art as an life itself. All of

which, as futurism, had come sharply into focus by the start of the world war: a first

radical mix of art and life, the epitome in the poplar mind of an avant-garde. It was,

on both its Russian & Italian sides, the first great "art" movement led by poets; and

if its means now sometimes seem exaggerated or unripe in retrospect, they carry

within them the seed of all that we were later to become.

While Marinetti's opening manifesto for Italian Futurism bristled with a polemical

stance in favor of the transformed present (1909), the later manifestos of Futurist

poets and artists offered formal, "technical" approaches to the works then getting

under way. The key term--still resonant today--was parole in liberta2, by which

poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of new images… (a) strict

bet of images or analogies, to be cast into the mysterious sea of phenomena."

This freedom-of-the-world, while it resembled other forms of collage and of

image juxtaposition, more fully explored the use of innovative and expressive

typography in the visual presentation of language, as set in motion by forerunners

like Mallarme. Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists' performances mixed

declamation and gesture, events and surroundings, indifference and engagement, to

break the barriers between themselves and those who came to jeer or cheer them.

Wrote Marinetti selbst3 (circa 1915), "Everything of any value is theatrical."

WORDS IN LIBERTY

Philip Meggs, History

of Graphic Design, Van

Nostrand Reinhold, 1988

Parole in liberta = words

set free (liberty)

selbst = himself

Page 119: Typography Deconstructed

119

A PROLOGUE TO FUTURISM

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the in style, Paris newspaper Le Figaro

published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism,

coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be the static and

irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and society.1

Futurism rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant

themes, the machine and motion. The manifesto's rhetoric was passionately bombastic; its tone was

aggressive and inflammatory and was purposely intended to inspire public anger and amazement, to

arouse controversy, and to attract widespread attention.

RADICAL MIX OF ART AND LIFE

But it is the movements which survive, oddly, here where we live and work as poets and artists: or, if

not the movements, then their sense of art as an life itself. All of which, as futurism, had come sharply

into focus by the start of the world war: a first radical mix of art and life, the epitome in the poplar

mind of an avant-garde. It was, on both its Russian & Italian sides, the first great "art" movement led

by poets; and if its means now sometimes seem exaggerated or unripe in retrospect, they carry within

them the seed of all that we were later to become.

While Marinetti's opening manifesto for Italian Futurism bristled with a polemical stance in favor

of the transformed present (1909), the later manifestos of Futurist poets and artists offered formal,

"technical" approaches to the works then getting under way. The key term--still resonant today--was

parole in liberta2, by which poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of new images… (a)

strict bet of images or analogies, to be cast into the mysterious sea of phenomena." This freedom-of-

the-world, while it resembled other forms of collage and of image juxtaposition, more fully explored

the use of innovative and expressive typography in the visual presentation of language, as set in

motion by forerunners like Mallarme. Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists' performances mixed

declamation and gesture, events and surroundings, indifference and engagement, to break the barriers

between themselves and those who came to jeer or cheer them. Wrote Marinetti selbst 3 (circa 1915),

"Everything of any value is theatrical."

WORDS IN LIBERTY

1. Philip Meggs, History of

Graphic Design, Van

Nostrand Reinhold, 1988

2.Parole in liberta = words

set free (liberty)

3.selbst = himself

Page 120: Typography Deconstructed

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and society.1 Futurism rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine and motion. The manifesto's rhetoric was passionately bombastic; its tone was aggressive and inflammatory and was purposely intended to inspire public anger and amazement, to arouse controversy, and to attract widespread attention.

But it is the movements which survive, oddly, here where we live and work as poets and artists: or, if not the movements, then their sense of art as an life itself. All of which, as futurism, had come sharply into focus by the start of the world war: a first radical mix of art and life, the epitome in the poplar mind of an avant-garde. It was, on both its Russian & Italian sides, the first great "art" movement led by poets; and if its means now sometimes seem exaggerated or unripe in retrospect, they carry within them the seed of all that we were later to become.

While Marinetti's opening manifesto for Italian Futurism bristled with a polemical stance in favor of the transformed present (1909), the later manifestos of Futurist poets and artists offered formal, "technical" approaches to the works then getting under way. The key term--still resonant today--was parole in liberta2, by which poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of new images… (a) strict bet of images or analogies, to be cast into the mysterious sea of phenomena." This freedom-of-the-world, while it resembled other forms of collage and of image juxtaposition, more fully explored the use of innovative and expressive typography in the visual presentation of language, as set in motion by forerunners like Mallarme. Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists' performances mixed declamation and gesture, events and surroundings, indifference and engagement, to break the barriers between themselves and those who came to jeer or cheer them. Wrote Marinetti selbst3 (circa 1915), "Everything of any value is theatrical."

A P

rolo

gu

e to F

utu

rismR

adica

l mix

of art a

nd life

WORDS IN LIBERTY1.Philip Meggs, History of Graphic Design, Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1988

2.Parole in liberta = words set free (liberty)

3. Selbst is playing himself

Page 121: Typography Deconstructed

121

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper

But it is the movements which survive, oddly, here where we live and work as poets

While Marinetti's opening manifesto for Italian Futurism bristled with a polemical

Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet and

editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism,

coined by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding

what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant art of the

past and celebrating change, originality, and innovation in

culture and society.1 Futurism rejected traditions and glorified

contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant

themes, the machine and motion. The manifesto's rhetoric

was passionately bombastic; its tone was aggressive and

inflammatory and was purposely intended to inspire public

anger and amazement, to arouse controversy, and to attract

widespread attention.

and artists: or, if not the movements, then their sense of art as

an life itself. All of which, as futurism, had come sharply into

focus by the start of the world war: a first radical mix of art

and life, the epitome in the poplar mind of an avant-garde. It

was, on both its Russian & Italian sides, the first great "art"

movement led by poets; and if its means now sometimes seem

exaggerated or unripe in retrospect, they carry within them

the seed of all that we were later to become.

stance in favor of the transformed present (1909), the later

manifestos of Futurist poets and artists offered formal,

"technical" approaches to the works then getting under way.

The key term--still resonant today--was parole in liberta2, by

which poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of

new images… (a) strict bet of images or analogies, to be cast

into the mysterious sea of phenomena." This freedom-of-the-

world, while it resembled other forms of collage and of image

juxtaposition, more fully explored the use of innovative and

expressive typography in the visual presentation of language

and was set in motion by many forerunners like Mallarme.

Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists' performances

mixed declamation and gesture, events and surroundings,

indifference and engagement, to break the barriers between

themselves and those who came to jeer or cheer them. Wrote

Marinetti selbst3 (circa 1915), "Everything of any value is

know as theatrical."

RADICAL MIX OF ART AND LIFE

A PROLOGUE TO FUTURISM

WORDS IN LIBERTY

2.Parole in liberta =

words set free (liberty)

1.Philip Meggs, History

of Graphic Design, Van

Nostrand Reinhold, 1988 3. selbst = himself

Page 122: Typography Deconstructed

A PROLOGUE TO FUTURISM Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909,

when the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published a manifesto by the Italian poet

and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined by Marinetti,

reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be the static and

irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and innovation in

culture and society.1 Futurism rejected traditions and glorified contemporary

life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant themes, the machine and motion.

The manifesto's rhetoric was passionately bombastic; its tone was aggressive

and inflammatory and was purposely intended to inspire public anger and

amazement, to arouse controversy, and to attract widespread attention.

RADICAL MIX OF ART AND LIFE But it is the movements which survive, oddly, here

where we live and work as poets and artists: or, if not the movements, then their

sense of art as an life itself. All of which, as futurism, had come sharply into

focus by the start of the world war: a first radical mix of art and life, the epitome

in the poplar mind of an avant-garde. It was, on both its Russian & Italian sides,

the first great "art" movement led by poets; and if its means now sometimes seem

exaggerated or unripe in retrospect, they carry within them the seed of all that we

were later to become.

While Marinetti's opening manifesto for Italian Futurism bristled with a polemical

stance in favor of the transformed present (1909), the later manifestos of

Futurist poets and artists offered formal, "technical" approaches to the works

then getting under way. The key term--still resonant today--was parole in

liberta2, by which the poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of new

images… (a) strict bet of images or analogies, to be cast into the mysterious

sea of phenomena." This freedom-of-the-world, while it resembled other forms

of collage and of image juxtaposition, more fully explored the use of innovative

and expressive typography in the visual presentation of language, as set in

motion by forerunners like Mallarme. Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists'

performances mixed declamation and gesture, events and surroundings,

indifference and engagement, to break the barriers between themselves and those

who came to jeer or cheer them. Wrote Marinetti selbst3 (circa 1915), "Everything

of any value is theatrical."

W O R D S I N L I B E R T Y

1. Philip Meggs, History of Graphic Design,

Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1988

2. parole in liberta = words set free (liberty)

3. selbst = himself

Page 123: Typography Deconstructed

123

A PROLOGUE TO FUTURISM

Futurism was first announced on February 20, 1909, when the Paris newspaper Le Figaro published

a manifesto by the Italian poet and editor Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The name Futurism, coined

by Marinetti, reflected his emphasis on discarding what he conceived to be the static and irrelevant

art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and society.1 Futurism

rejected traditions and glorified contemporary life, mainly by emphasizing two dominant themes, the

machine and motion. The manifesto's rhetoric was passionately bombastic; its tone was aggressive

and inflammatory and was purposely intended to inspire public anger and amazement, to arouse

controversy, and to attract widespread attention.

RADICAL MIX OF ART AND LIFE

But it is the movements which survive, oddly, here where we live and work as poets and artists: or, if

not the movements, then their sense of art as an life itself. All of which, as futurism, had come sharply

into focus by the start of the world war: a first radical mix of art and life, the epitome in the poplar

mind of an avant-garde. It was, on both its Russian & Italian sides, the first great "art" movement led

by poets; and if its means now sometimes seem exaggerated or unripe in retrospect, they carry within

them the seed of all that we were later to become.

While Marinetti's opening manifesto for Italian Futurism bristled with a polemical stance in favor

of the transformed present (1909), the later manifestos of Futurist poets and artists offered formal,

"technical" approaches to the works then getting under way. The key term--still resonant today--was

parole in liberta2, by which the poetry was to become "an uninterrupted sequence of new images…

(a) strict bet of images or analogies, to be cast into the mysterious sea of phenomena." This freedom-

of-the-world, while it resembled other forms of collage and of image juxtaposition, more fully

explored the use of innovative and expressive typography in the visual presentation of language, as set

in motion by forerunners like Mallarme. Outrageous and aggressive, the Futurists' performances mixed

declamation and gesture, events and surroundings, indifference and engagement, to break the barriers

between themselves and those who came to jeer or cheer them. Wrote Marinetti selbst3 (circa 1915),

"Everything of any value is theatrical."

WO

RD

S IN LIB

ERTY

Philip Meggs, H

istory of Graphic D

esign, Van N

ostrand Reinhold, 1988 | Parole

in liberta = w

ords set free (liberty) | selbst = him

self

Page 124: Typography Deconstructed
Page 125: Typography Deconstructed

125

DESIGNED BY SYDNEY GOLDSTEIN. CLASS PROJECT

FOR TYPOGRAPHIC SYSTEMS AT THE UNIVERSITY

OF KANSAS, SPRING 2013. THE TEXT WAS COMPILED

FROM THE FOLLOWING SOURCES: ELEMENTS OF

TYPOGRAPHIC STYLE BY ROBERT BRINGHURST,

GETTING IT RIGHT WITH TYPE: THE DO'S AND DON'TS

OF TYPOGRAPHY BY VICTORIA SQUARE, MAC IS NOT A

TYPEWRITER BY ROBIN WILLIAMS. THIS BOOK IS NOT

TO BE SOLD TO THE PUBLIC AND TO ONLY BE USED BY

THE DESIGNER FOR THEIR REFERENCE AND STUDENT

DESIGN PORTFOLIO.

Page 126: Typography Deconstructed