Reading Chapter 2 of Typographic Design: Form and Communication was very informative to say the least. Although I have always found typography to be interesting, I have never studied it in depth--and there is a lot to learn. I found learning about the historical facts behind the creation of typography to be particularly interesting. For instance, how the properties of the brush, reed pen, and stone engraving were the major influences for the development of the early alphabet.
Beyond the extensive vocabulary, I never realized how much math and measurement was involved in typography. The American measurement system adopted in the late 19th century uses the “point” and the “pica” as units of measurement. There are 72 points in an inch and 12 points in a pica. In hindsight, it makes complete sense that typography be so methodical and precise, however I never really considered the way things were measured beyond what point I had to write a paper in or which point felt most aesthetically balanced on a poster I was making for class.
Another important aspect discussed in chapter 2 was the optical relationships within a font. Similar to the importance of negative space in a work of art, it comes as no surprise to me to address the unity and equilibrium of type. This is something that I feel is often overlooked. It is interesting though to note how the slightest changes can all the difference. I never would have known that in two-sided capitals/figures the top halves are drawn slightly narrower than the bottom half to optically balance the letters.
The first sentence to introduce the chapter acknowledges the fact that typography is “a complex area of human activity, requiring a broad background for informed practice (29)”. I found this particular statement interesting because although it is very true—most people do not have this knowledge. I look forward to learning more about typography because we encounter so many different varieties of type on a daily basis.
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