GD154 Typography

An Introduction to Typography

Wood Type by Amador Loureiro on Unsplash.

Course Overview

This course explores the history and foundation of typography beginning in the 19th century to present day. Students will gain an understanding of typographic best practices, and an appreciation for the expressive qualities of type through lectures, projects and presentations.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Describe the historical development of typography
• Use industry standard typographic terminology
• Identify systems for type classification, type families, and letterforms
• Define the anatomy of type
• Demonstrate an understanding of font formats, usage and licensing
• Calculate units of measurement
• Use best practices in the application of typography
• Use grids for page structure in the application of typography
• Create custom typographic solutions using hand lettering and digital tools
• Use type as image
• Evaluate the readability of text in print and digital media
• Assess and articulate the successful application of typography

Weekly Schedule

Week 1

January 9 | Room C1031

• Review: Course schedule and course introduction.
• Video: Brief history of Typography.
• In-class exercise: Rendering of geometric letter forms.
• Assigned: Project 1: Type as Form. Due January 30.

Homework

• Project 1 — Work on geometric letterforms.
• Come to next class with alphabet.

Week 2

January 16 | Room C1031

• Understanding the Lingo: Anatomy and terminology of type.
• Working with letterforms and testing words.
• Basics of critique.
• Critique: Project 1 Type as form.
• Assigned: Project 2 Type Classification Presentation.

Homework

• Project 1: Continued work on geometric typeface. Develop the entire alphabet.
• Project 2: Exchange contact information. Assign tasks and begin working on the project.

Week 3

January 23 | Room C1120 MAC Lab

• Introduction to InDesign.
• Exploring digital type tools.
• Font formats, usage, and licensing.
• Accessing Universal Type Server (UTS).

Homework

• Project 1: Completion of digital alphabet and specimen.

Week 4

January 30 | Room C1120 MAC Lab

• Type Presentation: Script.
• Working with alignment.
• Working with type families.
• Working with InDesign, accessing colour libraries, images.
• Due: Project 1 Type as Form.
• Assigned: Project 3 Business Cards. Due February 20.

Homework

• Business card thumbnails and completion of 3 digital layouts.

Week 5

February 6 | Room C1120 MAC Lab

• The Cascade, UFV Student Press. A 10-minute presentation.
• Guest Speaker: Alanna Munro.
• Type Presentation: Old Style.
• Editing Marks.
• Assigned: Project 4 Exploration Series. Due March 20.
• Review and in-class refinement: Project 3 Business Cards.

Homework

• Project 3: Complete business card project.

Week 6

February 20 | Room C1120 MAC Lab

• Type Presentation: Modern.
• Review: Project 4 incremental work.
• Refine: Project 3: 12 business cards and submit on server.
• Due: Project 3 Business Cards.

Homework

• Project 4: Work on Exploration Series.

Week 7

February 27 | Room C1120 MAC Lab

• Type Presentation: Transitional.
• Review: Project 4 Exploration Series.
• Book cover design.

Week 8

March 6 | Room C1120 MAC Lab

• Type Presentation: Slab Serif.
• Review: Project 4 Exploration Series.
• Grids, grids and grids.
• Book and Poster layouts.
• Book cover design.
• Assigned: Project 5 Book Design. Due April 10.

Homework

• Project 4: Work on Exploration Series.

Week 9

March 13 | Room C1120 MAC Lab

• Type Presentation: Sans Serif.
• Type Presentation: Script.
• Book and publication design.
• Typographic solutions using hand lettering and digital tools.

Homework

• Project 4: Work on Exploration Series. Due March 27.
• Project 5: Work on concepts, moodboard and cover design thumbnails.

Week 10

March 20

Field Trip: Type Brigade.

This date was switched with the previous week, based on the recently announced event. For more details, view the links noted below.

Type Brigade №42

Type Brigade is Vancouver’s typography speaker series. For their second event of the year, there will be presentations from Arabic calligrapher Tauheed Faheem and graphic designer Lidia Perez!

Tuesday, March 20, 2018
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
CodeCore
142 W Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC

CodeCore Bootcamp - Learn Web Development

Note: Visit the typebrigade.com site and the Meetup page for more details. Become a member of the Print Club on Patreon for priority entry to the event.

Week 11

March 27 | Room C1120 MAC Lab

• Type Presentation: Blackletter.
• Type Presentation: Decorative and Display.
• Page design. Typographic hierarchy, colour, and legibility.
• Monotype Webinar: https://goo.gl/SmleQA
• Due and critique: Project 4 Exploration Series.
• Quiz review.
• Assigned: Project 6 Hand Lettering Quote. Due April 10.

Homework

• Study for quiz.
• Project 5: Working on book cover and page spreads for critique.
• Project 6: Research and commit to a quote you would like to use.

Week 12

April 3 | Room C1031 | Last Class

• Quiz.
• Lettering vs. Calligraphy vs. Typography
• Critique: Project 5 Book Design.
• Movie: Sign Painters Documentary, by Faythe Levine and Sam Macon

Homework

• Project 5: Refine book cover and work on page spreads.
• Project 6: Refine and complete project.

Week 13

April 10 | Lab Open

• Continue to work on projects.
• Project 5: Refine book cover and work on page spreads.
• Project 6: Refine and complete project.

Project Submissions

• Project 5 Book Design. Due at 1:00 pm, Tuesday, April 17, 2018.
• Project 6 Hand Lettering Quote. Due at 1:00 pm, Tuesday, April 17, 2018.

Recommended

Lynda.com: Online InDesign Typography

Skillshare: Online Tutorials

Bringhurst, Robert. The Elements of Typographic Style, 2nd ed. Vancouver: Hartley & Marks, 1996.

Felici, James. The complete manual of typography: A guide to setting perfect type, 2nd ed. Adobe Press, 2012.

Gonzales Crisp, Denise. Graphic Design in Context: Typography. Thames & Hudson, 2012.

Lupton, Ellen. Thinking with Type: A critical guide for designers, writers, editors, & students. 2nd ed. Princeton Architectural Press, 2009.

Saltz, Ina. Typography essentials: 100 design principles for working with type. Rockport, 2009.

Strizver, Ilene. Type Rules! The Designer’s Guide to Professional Typography, 4th ed. Wiley, 2014.

Willen, Bruce; Strals, Nolen. Lettering & Type: Creating Letters and Designing Typefaces. Princeton Architectural Press, 2009.