Course Description
Aesthetics and legibility of type through applied design. Specifying type, type terminology, type as compositional element, cultural considerations of type and image. Introduction to drawing and page layout software.
This course is one of the requirements for students planning to apply for the BFA in Graphic Design at Georgia State University.
Typography & Graphic Design
Graphic design is comprised of imagery and type working together to communicate a message to the intended audience. Skillful management of type and type variables is what distinguishes between strong and weak designers. Learning typography is about paying very close attention to details and the text content.
Course Objectives
- To understand, use, and apply correct typographic terminology
- To identify and apply typefaces appropriate to solving a problem
- To understand typographic rules and conventions, and skillfully manage type variables (kerning, tracking, linespacing, alignment, hierarchy, line length)
- To communicate through typography according to its content, audience, and purpose
Related blog posts
Project 3: Expressive Typography – Resources
Resources and inspiration for completing your expressive type project.
read more
Project 2: Type progression – critique details
Critique is on Monday, 20 February 2017. For critique, you should have: Prints of the three panels that make your progression. These can be on as many or as few sheets as you need, but the paper should be quality enough to show color accurately. Write your name and...
read moreCourse Documents
- Syllabus
- Project 1: Letter
- Exercise 1: Drawn Letterforms
- Project 2: Type Progression
- 30 Good Typefaces
- Exercise 2: Type Identification
- Project 3: Expressive Typography
- Exercise 3: Kerning
- Exercise: 3x3 Grid
- Project 4: Hierarchy
- Project 4 Grid
- Project 5: Booklet
- Project 5: 4-column grid
- Project 5: 5-column grid
Presentations
- History of Typography
- Anatomy of Type
- Doyald Young: Logotype Designer (Lynda video – will need to login)
- Typographic Grid
- More Grid
- Helvetica Documentary (Lynda video – will need to login)
More reference material
- Comprehensive Anatomy of Type Guide
- Introduction to InDesign (Lynda video – will need to login)
Suggested reading
- Thinking With Type • Ellen Lupton
- Design With Type • Carl Dair
- The Elements of Typographic Style • Robert Bringhurst
- Typographic Design: Form and Communication • Carter/Day/ Meggs
- A Type Primer • John Kane
- Typography Workbook • Timothy Samara
- Stop Stealing Sheep and Find Out How Type Works • Erik Spiekermann
- Typography: Macro and Microaesthetics • Willi Kunz