Class 7 – Text Alignment, Tracking, Weights and Variations

This class was dedicated to the variations in type styles that are available. We discussed the differences in type — width, weight, posture, stress, serifs, and contrast. We also did several classes to help the class understand how to use the type variations to create emphasis and expression.

width – condensed or extended

weight – light or bold

posture – italic or oblique (fake italic)

stress – vertical or diagonal

contrast – extreme or medium or low/none

serif – bracketed or unbracketed

For more details on this topic, and new terminology, you can review with article: Styles, Weights, Widths — It’s All in the (Type) Family

 

Homework due – Monday 2/29/16

  • Study for Quiz #1 which will cover everything from the beginning of the semester.
  • Type Book—Weight & Variations exercise
  • Textbook reading: Letters, Words, Sentences, pgs 51 – 79
  • Bring in 3 magazine pages that have different grid structures
  • Bring in your tracing pads and pens

Class 6 – InDesign: Panels, MultiPage Documents and Master Pages

Today’s class we went through the process of creating a multi-page document and using master pages. If you missed today’s class, use the following videos for help:

How to Format Master Pages

 

How to Override Master Page Items

 

Vocabulary Terms:

  • drop caps – capital letter at the beginning of a paragraph that drops down at least 2 or more lines of text.
  • master pages – when you have a multipage document, a master page is a non printing page used in InDesign that serves as a template for the rest of the pages. Master pages can contain text and graphic elements, such as photos, headers, footers or page numbers, etc.
  • dummy text – placeholder text that is use in place of the real text.

Homework Due Wednesday 2/24

  • Type Book – Complete the 5 Families of Type exercise. You can download the instructions here.
  • Quiz #1 – Monday, 2/29

Class 5 – The Grid System and Why We Use It

Here’s a brief recap from last Wednesday’s class. One of the main things we covered was how to work with the grid system.

A grid is a non printing system of horizontal and vertical lines which help the designer align the elements of the layout. This system of alignment helps to create a more organized layout. In multiple page documents, the grid assists in the consistent placement of design elements. Think of the grid as the skeleton of the layout.

Vocabulary used:

  • text page – the area on a page, within the margins, where text appears.
  • margin – the area of the page around the text area.
  • folios – the page number. In most instances this is at the bottom of the page below or outside the text area.
  • header – the area at the top of the page, outside the text area. A running header is a header that is repeated across many pages
  • footer – the area at the bottom of the page, outside the text area. A running footer is a footer that is repeated across many pages.
  • gutter – the gutter separates the columns and rows from each other. It is also the area where two facing pages meet.
  • active corner – the upper left corner of any field in a grid system. This is where the top of the text is aligned.
  • passive corner – the bottom right corner of any field in a grid.

Review pages 177-221 of our textbook for full details.

In InDesign we learned to set up columns for a grid, how to use a temple, and how to save a file as a PDF. We did this as we were introduced to the Type Book project.

Homework Due Monday, 2/22

Is the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s New Logo a Win or a Fail?

It seems the Metropolitan Museum of Art is about to introduce a new logo, but it isn’t getting rave reviews. In the article,  Why Is the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Brand New Logo Already So Unpopular? (which appears online at artnet.com) a critic is quoted as saying:

“the whole ensemble looks like a red double-decker bus that has stopped short, shoving the passengers into each other’s backs.”

Read the article and let me know what you think. Is this a successful redesign or a failure? Why?

Class 4 – Introduction to Adobe InDesign CC

After a few exercises to review letterspacing, tracking and kerning, we began to explore the working environment of Adobe InDesign.

Areas covered:

  • Creating a new document
  • The InDesign workspace
  • Working with text boxes, fonts, point sizes, leading alignment
  • Leading, measurements, kerning

 

Forms of text alignment:

  • flush right (aka flush right/ragged left) = the text is aligned on the right edge and the left edge is ragged
  • flush left (aka flush left/ragged right) = the text is aligned on the left edge and the right edge is ragged
  • center = lines of text with the midpoints aligned
  • justified = the right and left edges are aligned

If you missed the class, here is a video that might help you out. It is a bit long but complete in helping your get started:

 

Homework — Due Wed, 2/17/16

  • Reading Assignment in textbook: Grid System pgs 177 -221 (be prepared to answer one quiz question on this topic)
  • Typography in your neighborhood – As you travel through your neighborhood, look and the typography and take photos of the different type you see. Write 2 paragraphs explaining with the typography in your neighborhood reflects about your neighborhood. Use Google Docs and add the photos to the document. Use no more than 4 images. The typography might be seen on signs, storefronts, buildings, etc.
  • Spend a some time reviewing the articles posted by your classmates and leave comments.
  • Watch the video: Typography & Design below

Good and Bad Letter spacing

Bad Letter spacing
Bad Letter spacing

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is an example of bad letter spacing. Where it says “Clean” for example the letters appear to be looser than the average text that may be slightly kerned.

 

image2
Good Letter spacing

This is an example of good letter spacing.  The letters appear to be tighter (kerned) in this image.  For example where it says “student government…” the letters seem to be a lot closer together.

 

Good and Bad Kerning/letterspacing

Eng Book Cover Bad Spacing

On this cover, in the word  “Literature” the letter “T” is a bit too far from the letter “A”, as well as the word “Composition” the letter “O” is too far from both the “I” or “N”

Gundam box

The type in this cover box has the perfect amount of space in between each letter, it makes them readable, it is maybe a little tight but they are large enough for easier reading.