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Individual letters have unique parts which
have changed in visual form over the
centuries. A nomenclature helps identify
major elements of their construction. The
evolution of lettering styles over time is a
result of optical adjustments to these basic
components by type designers over the ages.
Manipulation or drafting letter forms requires
an application of these basic elements
successfully.
Anatomy of Type
Overlap to discover the remarkable range
that exists between historic families of type
even though they have the same point size.
What does this mean for the designer? This
means that there are a multitude of options
when it comes to the function and purpose
of type. When it comes to mixing families of
type what can be done and what cannot be
done? Serif fonts and sans-serif fonts cannot
be mixed successfully. What are the only 2
anatomical attributes that all families share?
Stroke and Baseline
Overlap
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Descender
Baseline
Meanline
X-Height
Capline
Heffalump
Hefalump Heffalump Heffalump
Fundamental to all typographic design is the
interplay between letterform and background.
Every letterform denes a particular counter
form. Form and counterform are reciprocal
values and completely interdependent and
integral to a letters completeness as a design.
The counterform is not just what is left over
in the background. The counterform is a new
entity that emerges through interaction with
the form.
Typically, these counterforms are either
geometric or organic in quality depending
on the structure or style of the letter. An
awareness of this inter-relationship of form
and counterform is essential in typographic
design.
Single Letter
Which is more legible when covered, the
bottom half of the word or the top half of the
word? When the bottom half of the word is
covered it is more legible.
How much of the letterform can you remove
and still read the word? What do you become
aware of? Quite a bit can be removed from
the letterform before it becomes illegible - it is
most important to keep the dening aspect of
each letter that is unique to that letter alone.
Legibility Word Legibility Letter
Heffalump
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Counterpart and Counterpoint Cropping Studies
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When creating a visual hierarchy in
typographic space, a designer balances the
need for harmony, which unies a design,
with the need for contrast, which lends vitality
and emphasis.
As in music, elements can have a counterpart
or a counterpoint relationship. Typographic
counterparts are elements with similar
qualities that bring harmony to their spatial
relationship. Elements have a counterpoint
relationship when they have contrasting
characteristics, such as size, weight, color,
tone, or texture. Counterpoint relationships
bring opposition and dissonance to the design.
Counterpart and Counterpoint
Every letter has a personality you can identify.
Fragmentation is not the goal in and of itself.
Everything is adjustable and its a case-by
case decision of how far to go.
The form you seek is one that to be able
to read the word. So this determines the
degree of fracture. Its the part(letterform)
towhole (word). Both must be juggled to
value. You cant use the same element over
and over just because it worked in one place.
Every example should change somewhat.
Because range is a persistent goal of design,
you want to invent in each example.
Expect some noble necessary part of any
assignment.
Typographic Kinetics
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The most elementary forms of letters are
a visual code of simple strokes that is
recogniz- able through our experience with
handwriting.
Each of the upper and lower case letters is
distinct in structure. All are built by combining
vertical, horizontal, slanted, and curvilinear
strokes. Letter forms derive their character
from combinations of these basic strokes
and not from being light or bold, wide or
narrow, Roman or italic, sans serif or serif. An
entire alphabet can be categorized using only
six basic underlying visual combinations of
strokes as the example illustrates.
The Structure of Letters
While upper and lower case letters are distinct
in structure, they all are built by combining
4 strokes; vertical, horizontal, slanted, and
curvilinear. These elementary strokes
form the foundation, a visual code that is
recognizable through our long experience
with reading and writing regardless of style.
Therefore, letter forms derive their visual
character from combinations of these basic
strokes and not from being light or bold, wide
or narrow, Roman or italic, sans serif or serif.
An entire alphabet can be categorized using
only six basic underlying visual combinations
of strokes as the example illustrates.
The Structure of Letters
EFHILT jlt
KMNY k
VWX vwxy
AZ z
BDGJPRU abdghmnpqru
COQS ceos
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Using the initials of your designer, impose the
letterforms in a typographic study
that interprets a relationship to the form
of the chair they designed. The goal is to
discover relationships in form and division
of space. Then, using the designers name,
the name of the chair, and the date of its
manufacture, impose the words in
a typographic study that demonstrates
relationships to the chair.
Typographic Page with Chair Typographic Page with Chair
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size | weight
size | case
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Typographic Page with Chair Typographic Page with Chair
weight | slant
weight | face | size
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case | face | size
weight | face
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Typographic Page with Chair Typographic Page with Chair
size | weight
slant | size
R K
1
9
4
9 no. 939
lounge chair
Ray Komai
lo
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a
ir
1949
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3
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size | width
R
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9
4
9
no. 939 lounge chair
size | weight | width
Ray Komai
1949
Type generally falls into two primary
categories; informational and or expressive.
Its not uncommon to have a strategy for
both present in layouts. Informational text is
more common and the form responds to long
traditions and conventions of size, spacing and
established habits of organization on the page.
In a book or website it is information design
that takes the lead. On a poster or motion
Chair Hang Tag
There is not much on the web written about
textile designer Ray Komai. Komai was born and
raised in Los Angeles in 1918. He was apparently
placed in a Japanese internment camp for a
time, before designing the side chair in 1949.
After World War II he started his own design frm,
and was later discovered by Laverne Originals.
From there he fourished, designing modern and
expensive furniture for American consumers.
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R K
1
9
4
9 no. 939
lounge chair
Ray Komais molded plywood chair was
manufactured in Brooklyn in 1949, using the latest
American technology. Although European designers
such as Marcel Breuer and Alvar Aalto designed
plywood furniture in the 1930s, it was the Americans
Charles and Ray Eames, in the years immediately
after World War II, who realized the full potential
of this material and bent one sheet of plywood in
several directions. Komais chair adds a sophisticated
anthropomorphic twist. If you look closely, the chairs
design suggests a human face.
R
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y
K
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m
a
i
no. 939 Lounge Chair
1949 There is not much on the web written
about textile designer Ray Komai. Komai
was born and raised in Los Angeles in
1918. He was apparently placed in a
Japanese internment camp for a time,
before designing the side chair in 1949.
After World War II he started his own
design rm, and was later discovered by
Laverne Originals. From there he our-
ished, designing modern and expensive
furniture for American consumers.
Ray Komai
1949
graphics expression could lead. The ratio is
determined by the designer and the needs of
the communication. An emphasis or hierarchy
must be clear and decisive so the roles each
plays in the communication are clear. In
design things are not equal.
Natalie Anne Constable