Thinking With Type

01Typography isn't just about making text look good, it's about sending a message

Let's chat about typography. Ellen Lupton, a design guru, tells us it's not just about making words look pretty. It's about giving visual content a deeper meaning. Sounds a bit complicated, right? Don't worry, we'll break it down. First off, what is typography? It's the art and skill of arranging type - that's your letters and words - to make them easy to read and nice to look at. This involves picking the right typefaces, sizes, line lengths, and spaces, and tweaking the gaps between letters. So, how does typography give meaning to visuals? Picture this: you're designing a poster for a horror flick. You wouldn't use a fun, curly font for the title, right? You'd go for something bold, jagged, or spooky. Why? Because the font you pick says something about the movie. It sets the tone and gives the viewer a hint of what's to come. That's typography giving your visuals some oomph. Lupton tells us that typography isn't just about sticking to the rules. It's about knowing why those rules are there and how to bend them creatively to boost your message. For example, the general rule is to use serif fonts for print and sans-serif for web. But if you're designing a website for a vintage bookstore, a serif font might be a better fit because it has a classic, old-school vibe. Here, you're breaking the rule, but in a way that adds value to your content. Spacing is another big deal in typography, according to Lupton. The space around and between your letters can really affect how your text comes across. Too much space might make your text look scattered, while too little might make it hard to read. By tweaking the spacing, you can make your text easier to read and more visually pleasing, which boosts its meaning. To wrap it up, typography is a mighty tool that can add layers to your visual content. It's not just about making your text look snazzy, but about making it speak volumes. By getting the hang of typography principles, you can create designs that are not just eye-catching, but also packed with meaning.