Typography

"Typographer" redirects here. For the typewriter, see Typographer (typewriter).
Not to be confused with Type design, Topography, Typology, or Topology.

A specimen sheet of the Trajan typeface, which is based on the letter forms of capitalis monumentalis or Roman square capitals used for the inscription at the base of Trajan's Column, from which the typeface takes its name
Movable type being assembled on a composing stick using pieces that are stored in the type case shown below it

Typography is the art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable and appealing when displayed. The arrangement of type involves selecting typefaces, point sizes, line lengths, line spacing, letter spacing, and spaces between pairs of letters.[1] The term typography is also applied to the style, arrangement, and appearance of the letters, numbers, and symbols created by the process. Type design is a closely related craft, sometimes considered part of typography; most typographers do not design typefaces, and some type designers do not consider themselves typographers.[2][3] Typography also may be used as an ornamental and decorative device, unrelated to the communication of information.

Typography is also the work of graphic designers, art directors, manga artists, comic book artists, and, now, anyone who arranges words, letters, numbers, and symbols for publication, display, or distribution, from clerical workers and newsletter writers to anyone self-publishing materials. Until the Digital Age, typography was a specialized occupation. Personal computers opened up typography to new generations of previously unrelated designers and lay users. As the capability to create typography has become ubiquitous, the application of principles and best practices developed over generations of skilled workers and professionals has diminished.[4][5]

  1. ^ Bringhurst 2004, p. 32.
  2. ^ Pipes, Alan (1997), Production For Graphic Designers (2nd ed.), Prentice Hall
  3. ^ Berry, John D. (16 August 2004). "dot-font: Being a Typographer". CreativePro. Creative Publishing Network and CreativePro. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  4. ^ Koch, Beth E (2012). "Emotion in Typographic Design: An Empirical Examination". Visible Language. 46 (3): 208–227.
  5. ^ Walker, Sue (2014) [2001]. Typography and language in everyday life: Prescriptions and practices. London, New York: Routledge. ISBN 9780582357556.