Typography Worksheet
Explain IN YOUR OWN WORDS what typography is.
• The study of type and type faces, the evolution of printed letters.
• In graphic design: The selection of appropriate typefaces and their
arrangement on a page;
• A means of visual communication
What is calligraphy often used for? Wedding
invitations
Roman and Italic are two postures of type. What is the main difference between the two?
Roman: Letterforms that have vertical upright strokes – both thick and thin
Italic: Letterforms that have an angle / slant to the right and are NOT joined
What is the difference between italic and script type?
Italic letters slant to the right and are NOT joined;
Script letters also slant to the right and ARE joined
What type is based on everyday handwriting? Script
Define penmanship IN YOUR OWN WORDS.
• The quality and style of handwriting
• The art of writing clearly, quickly, beautifully
Name the 6 different categories of type, along with one specific typeface the you already have on
your computer that fits that category.
Serif – Times New Roman
Sans Serif – Helvetica
Script – Bickhman Script
Old English – Cloister Black
Decorative – A.C.M.E. Secret Agent
Calligraphy – Zapf Chancery
Handwriting – Edwin
VOCABULARY
➋
❶
❹
➌
❺
❻
❼
➌x-height
The distance between the baseline and the top of the lower case letters
(excluding ascenders or descenders), or the height of the letter “x”.
Letters that can be measured by x-height: acemnorsuvwxz
➋ascender
The part of some lowercase letters with an upward vertical stem that extends
above the x-height.
Ascenders: bdfhklt (ij may also be considered ascenders)
❼descender
The part of some lowercase letters that extends below the baseline.
Descenders: gjpqy
is type size measured (from __________ to __________)?
❹ How
From the top of the ascender to the bottom of the
descender (see example)
If you set type that measured 2 inches high, what would that size
be in PICAS? _____ 12 picas
in POINTS?_____ 144 points
❺baseline
The imaginary line on which a line of text rests. Descenders fall below
this line. The baseline is the point from which some elements of type are
measured including x-height and leading.
height
❶cap
The size of most uppercase characters in a font. Measured from the ascender
line to the baseline.
kerning
Selective letterspacing - the adjustment of space between pairs of letters.
Some pairs of letters create awkward spaces, so a designer might add or
subtract space between those letters.
tracking
Overall letterspacing – the adjustment of space for groups of letters and entire
blocks of text. Tracking can change the overall appearance and readability of
the text, making it more open and airy or more dense.
❻leading
The space between lines of text. Pronounced ledd-ing, its name comes from
the practice of using metal strips (usually lead) of varying widths to separate
lines of text in the days of metal type (may also be called line spacing).
How is leading measured (from __________ to __________)?
From baseline to baseline (see example)
What is the “rule of thumb” for the proper amount of leading?
120% of your typesize (for best readability)
Example: 10 point font / 12 point leading
How would type that is set in 12 point size with a leading of 14 be written out? 12/14
widow
A short line at the end of a paragraph or column. It is considered “poor
typography” because too much white space is left between paragraphs.
Lessens readability.
orphan
A single word or short line that appears at the beginning of a column or page.
Explain the difference between a widow and an orphan.
Widow: A short line at the end of a paragraph or column.
Orphan: A single word or short line at the beginning of a column or page.
alignment
Lining up (or not) the edges of text.
Name the 4 most common types of alignments.
Left justified (ragged right)
Right justified (ragged left)
Centered
Justified
Left justified (ragged right)
Can also be called “flush left”
Right justified (ragged left)
Can also be called “flush right”
Centered
Justified
Minisi. Uptat. Ut alit nit non
vullaoreet, quat vullan etue consecte
mincilla con eui blandiat prat ut nos
nis dionsenit alit lut lobortie corero
doloreet nissi.Im esectem zzriuscidunt
lortisi tem quisciduipit in utem ea
facil eumsandre ming erosto dolenibh
Minisi. Uptat. Ut alit nit non
vullaoreet, quat vullan etue consecte
mincilla con eui blandiat prat ut nos
nis dionsenit alit lut lobortie corero
doloreet nissi.Im esectem zzriuscidunt
lortisi tem quisciduipit in utem ea
facil eumsandre ming erosto dolenibh
ex erostisim zzrit wis nulla facipit,
Which one is most easily read?
Left justified (ragged right)
Minisi. Uptat. Ut alit nit non
vullaoreet, quat vullan etue consecte
mincilla con eui blandiat prat ut nos
nis dionsenit alit lut lobortie corero
doloreet nissi.Im esectem zzriuscidunt
lortisi tem quisciduipit in utem ea
facil eumsandre ming erosto dolenibh
Minisi. Uptat. Ut alit nit non vullaoreet,
quat vullan etue consecte mincilla con
eui blandiat prat ut nos nis dionsenit
alit lut lobortie corero doloreet nissi.
Im esectem zzriuscidunt lortisi tem
quisciduipit in utem ea facil eumsandre
ming erosto dolenibh ex erostisim
zzrit wis nulla facipit, siscidunt iusto
What is a river in typography?
Artificial word spacing – exaggerated white space between words
How do you think a river can be avoided?
Keep columns from being too narrow
Don’t “force justify”
What size of type is considered “body text?”
Sizes below 14 point
What size of type is considered “display size?”
Sizes above 14 point (used for headlines – main and sub)
Name 3 things that contribute to readability. Explain why each is important.
Letterspacing: Words aren’t read, they’re recognized
Word spacing: Establishes a rhythm, a pace at which the viewer reads
Line spacing: Too close – lines run together; too far apart – viewers’ eyes
have to “jump” to the next line
Line breaks: Widows, orphans
Line length: Too long and eyes tend to “jump” lines;
lines that are too short can end up with only one or two words
Typeface: Some fonts are difficult to read.
If people have difficulty reading something, they will probably lose interest!
Type style: NO CAPS!
Bold and Italics are best used for emphasis - not large blocks of text;
Condensed or expanded letters are difficult to read
(the word shapes - how they are recognized - tend to change);
Weight – Too light - hard to see; too bold - too much contrast
Color: Should enhance communication and expression
How do readers normally view a layed out page?
Biggest elements first (headlines or titles)
Second: Subheads or pull quotes
Third: Captions
Last: Text type
What are 3 type styles / treatments that are difficult to read? Why?
(See “Name 3 things that contribute to readability”)
Proofreaders’ Marks
Explain the proofreaders’ mark in each of the numbered items.
1) Indent; make a new paragraph here
2) Transpose the letters to read “be”
3) Insert the word “of” right here
4) Change the capital “G” to a lowercase “g”
❶
❷
The practice of typography, if it eb followed
faithfully, is hard work — full of detail, full
petty restrictions full of drudgery, and not
❹ Greatly reworded as rewards are now counted
There are times when we need to bring
to it, all the history and art and feeling that w
5) Insert a period here
can, to make it bearable.
6) Close up this space
knowledge and of humans achievement, it is
❻
as interesting a work as exists — a broad and
❼
❽
hummanizingemployment which can indeed
7) Take out the circled letter
8) Insert space between those two words
9) Let it stand (editor changed her mind)
10) Don’t abbreviate – spell out the word
❸
But in the lighy of history art,
be followed merely as a trade, but which
if perfected into an art, or even broadened
❾
into a profession, will perpetually open new
horizons to eyes our and opp. to our hands.
❿
❺