sweiler compendium

8/10/2019 Sweiler Compendium

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Cover


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Anatomy of Type

Each typeface has unique uses and

appropriations and displays its own

personality; The designer must realize this

to fully utilize type within a composition.

The only similar and interchangeable

characteristics between font families are

baseline and stroke.

Anatomy of Type

eyte

stem

bowl

tail

loop

link

ear

counter

descender

serif

shoulder

ascender

terminal

finial

crossbar

fillet

apex

hairline

capheight

baseline

meanline

Archipelago

Individual letter forms have unique

parts which have changed in visual

form over the centuries. A nomencla-

ture helps identify major elements of

their construction. The evolution of

lettering styles over time is a result

of optical adjustments to the basic

components by type designers over the

ages.


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Fundamental to all typographic design

is the interplay between letterform and

background. Every letterform defines

a particular counter form. Form and

counterform are reciprocal values and

completely interdependent and integral to

a letters completeness as a design. The

counterform is not just what is left over in

the background. The counterform is a new

entity that emerges through interaction

with the form.

Typically, these counterforms are either

geometric or organic in qualit y depending

on the structure or style of the letter.

An awareness of this inter-rhelationship

of form and counterform is essential in

typographic design.

Anatomy of Type

When half a word is covered, it is most

legible when the top half is visible.

Ascenders and tall strokes are more

recognizable to the brain, as we are trailed

to read top-to-bottom, left-to-right.

Depending on the word, you may remove

significant parts of lett erform and have

the product remain legible. As long as

defining characteristics remain, the brain

will fill in the blanks for the reader. One

wonders how much the brain truly sees

while reading regular letterform, and how

much is assumed or sk immed over.

Anatomy of Type

ArchipelagoArchipelago

Archipelago


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Form/CounterformAnatomy Cropping

Form/Counterform


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Every letter has a personalit y you can

identify. Fragmentation is not the goal

in and of itself. Everything is adjustable

and its a case-by case decision of

how far to go.

When creating a visual hierarchy in

typographic space, a designer balances the

need for harmony, which unifies a design,

with the need for contrast, whic h lends

vitality and emphasis.

The form you seek is one that to be able

to read the word. So this determines

the degree of fracture. Its the

part(letterform) towhole (word). Both

must be juggled to value. You cant use th

same element over and over just because

it worked in one place. Every example

should change somewhat. Because range

is a persistent goal of design, you want to

invent in each example. Expect some nobl

necessary part of any assignment.

As in music, elements can have a

counterpart or a counterpoint relationship.

Typographic counterparts are elements

with similar qualities that bring harmony

to their spatial relationship. Elements

have a counterpoint relationship when

they have contrasting characteristics,

such as size, weight, color, tone, or

texture. Counterpoint relationships bring

opposition and dissonance to the design.

Anatomy of Type | Typographic KineticsAnatomy of Type | Counterpoint and Point

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a c A o

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The most elemtary forms of letters are

a visual code of simple strokes that is

recognizable through our experience with

handwriting.

Each of the upper and lower case letters

is distinct in structure. All are built by

combining vertical, horizontal, slanted and

curvilinear strokes. Letter forms derive

their character from combinations of these

basic strokes and not from being light or

bold, wide or narrow, Roman or italic, sans

serif or serif. An entire alphabet can be

categorized using only six basic underlying

fixual combinations of strokes as the

example illustrates.

Anatomy of Type | The Structure of Letters

While upper and lower case letters are

distinct in structure, they all are built by

combining 4 strokes; vertical, horizontal,

slanted, and curvilinear. These elementary

strokes form the foundation, a visual

code that is recognizable through our

long experience with reading and writing

regardless of style. Therefore, letter

forms derive their visual character from

combinations of these basic strokes andnot from being light or bold, wide or

narrow, Roman or italic, sans serif or serif.

An entire alphabet can be categorized

using only six basic underlying visual

combinations of strokes as the example

Title of the Project

EFHILT fijlt

KMNY k

VWX vwxy

AZ z

BDGJPRU abdghmnpqru

COQS ceos

A

B


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This unit focuses on the basic design

and structural principles that leads to

successful subdivision of hte space of

a page using typography and image

in a layout. We will be working both

analytically and experimentally in order to

arrive at a more complete understanding

of these principles.

Typographic page: Chair

Cover

weight + case

weight + slant


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case + slant

weight + width

size + width

size + cas e


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case + weight

size + case

width + weight

B5MARCEL BREUER

size + width


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weight + face

size + face

weight + slant

size + weight


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Type generally falls into two primary

categories; informational and or

expressive. Its not uncommon to have

a strategy for both present in layouts.

Informational text is more common and

the form responds to long traditions

and conventions of size, spacing and

established habits of organization on the

page. In a book or website it is information

design that takes the lead.

On a poster or motion graphics expression

could lead. The ratio is determined

by the designer and the needs of the

communication. An emphasis or hierarchy

must be clear and decisive so the roles

each plays in the communication are clear.

In design things are not equal.

Chair Hang Tag

MARCELBREUER


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