Good Type
Understanding the principles of typography is essential to being able to apply them to our own design work. This living document is my evaluation of examples of good typography and is intended to act as a resource for students to note why these are successful. By no means does this express the vastness of good typography, but is only a starting point. At the end of the day, we must draw our own conclusions of what works and what doesn’t. I am merely trying to highlight some of the elements within each piece as a way to experiment and utilize within our own work.


Digital




Text Only

Images are not always necessary. Text can become a form within itself. The following are examples of how type itself can convey meaning and also be the primary form used by the designer to compose a space. Contrast in type choice and size makes these examples of how to use type well.


Contrast is pushed on type size and information density on both pages. On the left page, the body of text is relegated to two columns. A rule spans the two columns of body text reinforcing the grid. A third column is used for a side-note. The page is a dullish gray that reduces the overall contrast of color, but it’s dark enough to see white/reversed-out text. On the right page, the text is much larger, denser, and all caps. It’s on a lighter page make the contrast even more apparent. The text aligns with the rule on the left page. It is not clear, but there seems to be the use of two typefaces.




The grid is less-noticable on this spread although there is an underlying system. Body text is at a much larger size with side-notes being small. Page numbers feel bulky but add to the character of descriptor elements like title, magazine name, section title, etc. Two typefaces are used (a serif and a sans-serif).




The text is broken up into four columns. Two different typefaces make up the cover. One being a sharp, high-contrast serif typeface for the title and a sans-serif typeface for the supporting text. The type is reversed out on a black background. There are essentially two, maybe three different sizes of the type.




What is particularly interesting about this spread is that there are different formats of indention being used. This divides the text without having to skip any lines or use other conventional paragraph breaks. The text does get a little uncomfortable on those outside margins, but the indentions are worth possibly implementing.




The text is divided into three columns; two wider columns for the body text and one column of footnotes. What is interesting is that the footnote column runs through the two body columns. I’m not sure why, but the footnote text switches from left alignment to right alignment. Sections of the text have large numbers that are white/glossy. There are two typefaces including a simple sans-serif for body copy and a spidery, sharp serif for the title.




Both pages are set to the same column width, but the text is at two different sizes. The typeface appears to be the same for the body copy and the front matter (title, section header, page number) is in a serif typeface. The paragraph on the left page could use hanging quotation marks. The page colors are subtle, yet different.