Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Typography notes


Design

Typography
“Fonts are the clothing that our ideas wear.”

Legibility
-choose classical time tested typefaces
Sans-serif (reads better for large) v. serif (reads better for small)
can be complementary

Font variance
-too many confuse the reader

Definition
-if fonts are too similar then it causes ambiguity

Readability
-Use upper and lower case letters for optimum clarity
capital letters are the equivalent of shouting and are difficult to read

Alignment
-left alignment reads easiest, consider eye flow as it moves down a page

Emphasis
-use these tools with discretion and without disturbing eyeflow
  1. italics
  2. bold
  3. size
  4. color
  5. typestyle change

Integrity
-avoid stretching or distorting type
arbitrarily distorting fonts compromises their integrity

Weight
-strive for a sense of balance
is the font heavy or light

Kerning
-space between the letters individually


Tracking
-spacing from one letter to the next

Large text blocks: rags
-ragged edges in text blocks

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Design elements and principles notes


Graphic Design Principles and Elements

What is Design?
-Design elements are basic units of a visual image
-The principles are the relationship of the elements used and organised as a whole
-All imagery, art, design, and photography alike, are comprised of this and can be broken down and analysed

Design Elements
  • space
-exists in two or three dimensions
-can refer to a positive space or a negative one
-can create the illusion of depth
  • line
-can taper
-creates style
  • color
-color palettes
-evokes mood
-evokes place
-evokes time
  • shape
-simple to complex
-organic
-geometric
-manmade
  • texture
-can be implied
-can be actual, used in fine art
  • value
-refers to shading
-helps create depth and shape


Design Principles
  • unity
-Creates a sense of order
-creates a consistency in size and shape
-other elements disrupt unity
  • variety
-be able to adapt
-can still be w/ unity
  • repetition
-uses something over but can change an element
-used to create unity
-creates consistency
  • harmony
-everything has a place
-color is important for this
  • proximity
-white space is used to create room
-hierarchy of info needed
-makes info easy to access
  • proportion
-can flipflop a design
- can trick eye
-used in optical illusions
  • functionality
-determines style