Podcast #4

Define typography?
The art of expressing ideas throught the selection of appropriate type faces


Where did the word "typography" originate from?
Form and writing


What does typography involve?
Creating and modifying the type using a variety of illustration techniques


What is a typeface?
Distinctive designs of visual sbols that are used to compos a printed image/design


What is another term for typeface?
font


What is a character?
Individual symbols that make up a typeface (letters, numerals, punctuation)


What is type style?
Modifications in a typeface that create design variety while maintaining the visual style of the typeface


What does type style "create" within a design?


What is the waist line and what does it indicate?
Imaginary line drawn at the middle of the characters


What is a base line and what does it indicate?
Imaginary line drawn t the bottom of the characters


What is an ascender?
Part of the character that extends above the waist line


What is a descender?
Part of the character that extends above the waist line


Describe a serif?
Smaller line used to finish off a main stroke of a letter, usually at the top and bottom of a character


How can the size of the typeface be identified?
Point size (from the top of the ascender to the bottom of the descender)




What is a point?
Unit measuring point size


How many points are in an inch?
72


What is a pica and how many are in an inch?
Another unit of measure


How many points are in a pica?
6 pica per inch


What is body type and where can it be found?
Type sizes that range from 4 pt through 12 pt type. These sizes are found in places where there is a lot of text to be read.


What is the key to selecting appropriate typefaces to be used as body type?
Readability


What is display type and how is it used?
Type sizes abover 12 pt. Typically, these sizes are used to draw attention to a message (headlines, subheadlines, etc)


What is reverse type and when would it be used?
Conists of white type on a solid black or darker color background. If the text is too small, reverse type can be difficult on the reader’s eye.


What is a typeface classification?
Categorizing the different font faces


When was Blackletter invented and how was it used?
mid 1400’s


Describer the characteristics of a Blackletter typeface?
Resemble the calligraphy of the time and are highly ornamental with elaborate thick and thin lines


When was Old Style invneted and what was is based on?
Based on ancient Roman inscriptions and created to replace blackletter typefaces




Describe the characteristics of an Old Style typeface?
Have serifs, wedge shaped, thick and thin elements,




When were formal scripts developed?
17th to 18th centuries


When were casual scripts developed?
20th century


Describe the characteristics of a Script typeface?
Based on forms made with flexible brushes or pens, has strokes resemblant to handwriting


When was Modern typefaces developed and why?
late 18th and 19th centuries, radical break from traditional typography


Describe the characteristics of a Modern typeface?
sharp contrast between thick and thin strokes and thin flat serifs


How early can Sans Serif typefaces be found? What happened?
5th century


When did they become popular?
1920's


What does "sans serif" mean?
without serifs


Describe the characteristics of a Sans Serif typeface?
uniform weight and monitone appearance


When was Slab Serif developed and why?
Developed in 19th century for advertizing purposes


Describe the characteristics of a Slab Serif typeface?
Specifically for advertising, uniform weight line, thick square serifs


Describe Decorative typefaces?
typefaces developed with particular purpose or theme


Why were they developed?
Specific themes or purposes


What are they best used for?
larger point size or display type