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How to Understand Typography Like a Professional Designer

32 points by Garbage 16y ago

GiraffeNecktie 16y ago
Title is a bit misleading. It's actually just a brief introduction to typefaces and contains almost nothing about how professional designers work with typography.
- Garbage 16y ago
  hmm.. Actually, its the title of the post on howtogeek. I kept it as it is.
- coderdude 16y ago
  I don't see anything in the title about working with typography. It suggests you will understand typography (like a professional designer does).
seanstickle 16y ago
The graphic opening the "Typographic Terms You Should Know" section is seriously broken. Arrows point to all sorts of wrong things. With a graphic like that, on a topic so graphically important, my rule of thumb is to disregard the article rather than spend the time to discern what is true and what is false in the text. But if you're interested in typography, by all means buy "The Elements of Typographic Style" which is a sound and beautiful work on the subject.
- limedaring 16y ago
  Another great book, introductory and small but still really great info is http://www.papress.com/thinkingwithtype/ http://www.papress.com/thinkingwithtype/.
marcusbooster 16y ago
The most important thing I've learned is that every (good) typeface is designed for a specific reason, otherwise they would have used an existing one. That reason may be overcoming a technical limitation of the time, or there is a quality in the content that needs additional emphasis. All of the great typefaces have some kind of history. An original use case (the brief), influences, designer biography, etc. - which can be looked up on wikipedia or elsewhere. As a general rule, if your project meets the original requirements of the typeface, it should be appropriate. Sometimes a face will pick up additional cultural connotations along the way, depending where it's used. And great graphic designers know when they can mix-and-match history for style.
- pbhjpbhj 16y ago
  >The most important thing I've learned is that every (good) typeface is designed for a specific reason Making money is probably the specific reason in an awful lot of cases.

32 points by Garbage 16y ago

Title is a bit misleading. It's actually just a brief introduction to typefaces and contains almost nothing about how professional designers work with typography.

Garbage 16y ago
hmm.. Actually, its the title of the post on howtogeek. I kept it as it is.
coderdude 16y ago
I don't see anything in the title about working with typography. It suggests you will understand typography (like a professional designer does).

seanstickle 16y ago

The graphic opening the "Typographic Terms You Should Know" section is seriously broken. Arrows point to all sorts of wrong things. With a graphic like that, on a topic so graphically important, my rule of thumb is to disregard the article rather than spend the time to discern what is true and what is false in the text. But if you're interested in typography, by all means buy "The Elements of Typographic Style" which is a sound and beautiful work on the subject.

limedaring 16y ago
Another great book, introductory and small but still really great info is http://www.papress.com/thinkingwithtype/ http://www.papress.com/thinkingwithtype/.

marcusbooster 16y ago

The most important thing I've learned is that every (good) typeface is designed for a specific reason, otherwise they would have used an existing one. That reason may be overcoming a technical limitation of the time, or there is a quality in the content that needs additional emphasis. All of the great typefaces have some kind of history. An original use case (the brief), influences, designer biography, etc. - which can be looked up on wikipedia or elsewhere. As a general rule, if your project meets the original requirements of the typeface, it should be appropriate. Sometimes a face will pick up additional cultural connotations along the way, depending where it's used. And great graphic designers know when they can mix-and-match history for style.

pbhjpbhj 16y ago
>The most important thing I've learned is that every (good) typeface is designed for a specific reason Making money is probably the specific reason in an awful lot of cases.