Typography Reading Chapter 3: 103, 110-132.
Chapter 3 deals with formal systems of type. They talk about how pattern, variation, and
contrast work together to unify typefaces.
The chapter ends with the aesthetic decisions when dealing with
typefaces.
The aesthetics of type is a je ne sais quoi feeling. That you just recognize good taste, but
cannot necessarily define it. Good taste
reflects social standards.
Mediating formal systems
How
typography should look vs. what it must do
Pragmatic and Aesthetic Rules
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Text color and texture: the texture refers to
the perceived surface quality of a paragraph.
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Paragraphs should be mid range value so as to
not tire the reader.
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Text color can be lightened or darkened by the
spacing around it.
Rags, breaks, and other cruelties
-
Rags can either distract or emphasize a
paragraph.
Color Systems
-
Very relational
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Saturation, tinting, and shading
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Figure-ground relationship
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Using color to distinguish hierarchy
Gestalt Principles
Pattern, Variation, and Contrast
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We seek patterns to avoid chaos.
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We use variation to accentuate and distinguish.
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Contrast helps to serve hierarchical order.
The Form of the Grid
- Brigades of intersecting, invisible lines
that demarcate space
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Margins and armatures help us to keep text organized
when we read.
