Podcast 4- Typography

Define typography. The art of expressing ideas through a selection of certain typefaces and creating and modifying text for various illusions.
Where did the word "typography" originate from? Greek words of form and writing.
What does typography involve? Various typefaces and words.
What is a typeface? Distinctive designs of visual symbols that are used to compose a printed image/design.
What is another term for typeface? Fonts.
What is a character? Individual symbols that make up a typeface. They contain letters, numerals, and punctuation marks.
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? Size, age, depth.
What is the waist line and what does it indicate? Imaginary line drawn at the middle of the characters.
What is a base and what does it indicate? Imaginary line drawn at the bottom of the characters.
What is an ascender? Lower case letter that extends above the waist line.
What is a descender? Lower case letters that go below the base line.
Describe a serif. Top, finishing stroke on the top of a character.
How can the size of the typeface be identified? Point size is the standard unit measuring from ascenders to descender.
What is a point? Standard size of fonts.
How many points are in an inch? 72 points per inch.
What is a pica and how many are in an inch? A pica is an "old school" typeface size used mostly in newspapers today.
How many points are in a pica? 12 points, six picas in an inch.
What is body type and where can it be found? Body type is 12 points or smaller text.
What is the key to selecting appropriate typefaces to be used as body type? Readability
What is display type and how is it used? Headlines, the title. Usually big.
What is reverse type and when would it be used? White type on a colored background so it stands out.
What is a typeface classification? A way of classifying and grouping certain fonts for a design or a fancy invitation. Or a blog :)
When was Blackletter invented and how was it used? Around the 1400's, it was used for calligraphy, certificates.
Describe the characteristics of Blackletter. Calligraphy.
When was Old Style invented and what was it based on? 15th and 16th centuries, based on Ancient Roman inscriptions to replace Blackletter.
When were formal scripts developed? 16th century
When were casual scripts developed? 20th century, more fun looking handwriting.
Describe the characteristics of a Script typeface? Text that looks like handwriting
When was Modern typefaces developed and why? 18th and 19th centuries, everything was more formal and this was the new radical font.
Describe the characteristics of a Modern typeface. Thick and thin curves, serifs are horizontal.
How early can Sans Serif typefaces be found? What happened? 15th century, but it didn't have a place until...
When did they become popular? Later on, in the 19th century.
What does "sans serif" mean? No serifs.
Describe the characteristics of a Sans Serif typeface. Uniform in weight, height, and pretty chunky.
Describe Decorative typefaces? Fun looking, crazy, draws to the eye.
Why were they developed? To make it look like a party.
What are they best used for? Large point sizes, originally they are small.