I n t e r r o -

n
e
R
i
r
stem
stroke
crossbar
nial
serif
bracket
counter
spur
bowl
aperture
loop
eye
terminal
hairline
ascender
shoulder
link
ear
N
T
e
r
R
O
i
I
n
t
e
r
r
o
I
n
t
e
r
r
o
In-
ter-
ro-
i
N
Interro-
I n t e r r o -
Interro
Interro
I
n
t
e
r
r
o
In-
ter-
ro-
The vast differences between type
families opens up innte possibilities
for the designer. Each family has its own
personality and characteristics that make
them suitable for different tasks; the only
attributes all of them have in common are
the baseline and the strokes.
Overlap
Individual letter forms 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 the basic components by
type designers over the ages
Anatomy of Type
s
t
e
m
s
t
r
o
k
e
c
r
o
s
s
b
a
r

n
ia
l
s
e
r
if
b
r
a
c
k
e
t
c
o
u
n
t
e
r
s
p
u
r
b
o
w
l
a
p
e
r
t
u
r
e
lo
o
p
baseline
meanline
capline
by ll
by outline
e
y
e
t
e
r
m
in
a
l
h
a
ir
lin
e
a
s
c
e
n
d
e
r
s
h
o
u
ld
e
r
lin
k
e
a
r
Interrobang Interrobang Interrobang Interrobang
Garamond
Baskerville
Univers
Futura
Interrobang
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.
Anatomy Cropping
A word is far more legible when the
bottm half is covered than the top half.
This is because, in regards to the English
language, people are trained to read from
left to right and top to bottom.
That being said, every letter has an unique
shape, and certain letters are more legible
with the top or left side covered rather
than the bottom or right.
Legibility of Word Legibility of Letter
Interrobang
Interrobang
Interrobang
a
Counterpart and Counterpoint Cropping Studies
Counterpart and Counterpoint
T
N
R
e
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.
Kinetics
n
e
R A
i
g
n
r
N
T
e
r
R
O
B
a
n
G
i
N
i
E
T
r
O
n
G
A
i
N
r
Ob
G
A
The most elementary forms of letters are
a visual code of simple strokes that is
recognizable 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
KMNY
jlt
k
VWX vwxy
AZ z
BDGJPRU
COQS ceos
abdghmnpqru
B
A

Using the initials of your designer, impose
the letterforms in a typographoc study that
interprets a relationship to the the form
of the chair they designed. The goal is to
discover relationshios in form and devision
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
s
G
size + weight
weight + face
G
S
S
size + face + case
S
size + width
S
G
G
weight + width
size + case
g
s
G
e
r
a
l
d
S
u
m
m
e
rs
1
9
3
3
P
L
Y
W
O
O
D
A
R
M
C
H
A
IR
size + case
G
E
R
A
L
D
P
ly
w
o
o
d

A
r
m
c
h
a
ir
S
u
m
m
e
r
s
1
9
3
3
G
E
R
A
L
D
S
U
M
M
E
R
S
P
LYW
O
O
D
A
R
M
C
H
A
IR
1
9
3
3
1933
GERALD
SUMMERS
Plywood Armchair
size + face
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 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.
Chair Hang Tag
There is hardly a design
that better illustrates the
ideal unity of m
aterial,
production and form
,
however, than this arm
-
chair by Gerald Sum
m
ers.
G
E
R
A
L
D
S
U
M
M
E
R
S
P
L
Y
W
O
O
D
A
R
M
C
H
A
IR
1
9
3
3
His adm
irably sim
ple construction dis-
penses with connectors and alm
ost with
off-cuts, using one single sheet of ply-
wood. Following a sim
ple pattern, Sum
-
m
ers separated the back legs from
the
back and arm
rests and bent the segm
ents
thus created in different directions. The
result was an organically shaped arm
chair,
com
fortable even without cushions.

In
p
u
re d
esig
n
w
e ex
p
ect ea
ch
p
a
rt a
n
d

m
em
b
er to
p
u
ll its fu
ll w
eig
h
t in
m
a
k
in
g

th
e d
esig
n
su
ita
b
le fo
r its p
u
rp
o
se.
Front
Front
B a c k
G E R A L D S U M M E R S
G
E
R
A
L
D

S
U
M
M
E
R
S
There is hardly a design that better illus-
trates the ideal unity of material, production
and form than this armchair by Gerald
Summers. His admirably simple construction
dispenses with connectors and almost with
off-cuts, using one single sheet of plywood.
In pure design we expect each part and
member to pull its full weight in making the
design suitable for its purpose.
Plywood Armchair
Following a simple pattern, Summers
separated the back legs from the back
and armrests and bent the segments
thus created in different directions. The
result was an organically shaped armchair,
comfortable even without cushions.
G E R A L D S U M M E R S
P l y w o o d A r m c h a i r
1 9 3 3
P
l y
w
o
o
d
A
r
m
c
h
a
i r
n i a l
s e r i f
b r a c k e t
c o u n t e r
s p u r
b o w l
a p e r t u r e
l o o p
b
a
s
e
l
i
n
e
m
e
a
n
l
i
n
e
c
a
p
l
i
n
e
e y e
t e r m i n a l
h a i r l i n e
a s c e n d e r
s h o u l d e r
l i n k
e a r
B
a
n
G
b
A
b a n g !
Bang!
bang
b
a
n
g
bang
bang
BANG!
A
g
n
B
a
n
g
!
bang