Experiment with Typefaces
Exercise One + Two
Least Favorite
Times (New Roman) is the standard font we use for writing papers or formal circumstances. The pro of it is that all the words are very legible so that people can understand the word right away. However, when we want to emphasize on a word, or to make a headline, Times (New Roman) is very flat and dull. For the word “rebellion”, it doesn’t add any weight on the meaning of this word.
Let’s try another typeface: PT Banana Split. The name of the typeface is very cute, and the typeface itself matches the name pretty well. Here, although we’ve added weight on the word “rebellion”, the typeface actually weaken the meaning of “rebellion” and turns it into “cute”. So this is an example of misusing typeface.
This time the typeface is better than the last one. The edginess of the word “rebellion” is emphasized by pixel-like typeface. And it reminds of typefaces used in video game as well. However, all the letters are the same sizes, the bottom and the top of the letters are lined up, and the kernings between each two letters are equal. This is not “rebellious” enough.
What about this one? The name of this typeface is pretty “rebellious” and it turns out to match the feature of the word “rebellion” pretty well. The dripping of the letters makes it look like a Graffiti, as if some rebellious teenage kid’s protest for school or family. The kerning between each two letters are different, and each letter looks very rough, unpolished. These features bring out the meaning of the word even more.
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The name of this typeface is not quite accurate. Here, the first letter “R” is bigger than any other following letters, which grabs people attention even more. The typeface makes the word look like as if they are angrily written with a marker. The different kernings between each two letters creates a sense of handwriting instead of typeface, and that adds more emotion into the word. Overall, this typeface brings out the edginess and spirit of the word “rebellion”.
