This one is guaranteed to confuse graphic designers. Like those posters that have the word “red” written in green writing. They don’t fool me. I’m colourblind.
But I’m not font blind.
Tag: typography
Lots of ands
Can you put the word and in a sentence five times in a row?
I can. The signwriter said there had to be more space between pig and and, and and and whistle. If you like your ands as ampersands – pig & & & & & whistle – then you should check out this tumblog of 300&65 ampersands. Each one in a different typeface. They say you can judge a typeface by its ampersand.
Typesetting Acronyms
Should you set acronyms in small caps like some style guides suggest?
This nonsense, promulgated by snobs like that bore Bringhurst who have not read anything written after Jane Austen croaked, ostensibly improves typographic colour. What it actually does is inhibit reading: Acronyms are not regular words. All-small-caps setting fools the reader into thinking an acronym is a real world. That discomfort you feel is a reverse fixation you underwent trying to reread the word.
This was always a bad idea, but it’s much worse with abbreviations that mix case (ATypI) and, indeed, with alphanumeric abbreviations (H1N1). Then what happens when you pluralize one of those? Plural s is almost exactly the height of the small caps.
But wait. You say. Acronyms are initialisations designed to be read as words.
Or there’s the equally nonsensical habit of using small caps solely for word-pronounceable acronyms, some of which are mated to acronyms you read letter by letter.
Like this example:
The conclusion…
Use of small caps for acronyms and abbreviations is a surefire indication your compositor is a snob. Stop acting like acronyms are dirt you need to sweep under the rug.
Typography Textbook
Tips like:
“In the nineteenth century, which was a dark and inflationary age in typography and type design, many compositors were encouraged to stuff extra space between sentences. Generations of twentieth century typists were then taught to do the same, by hitting the spacebar twice after every period [full stop]. Your typing as well as your typesetting will benefit from unlearning this quaint Victorian habit. As a general rule, no more than a single space is required after a period, colon or any other mark of punctuation.”
And:
If you do need to insert more than a single word space between sentences, or any other characters, then use one of the many space characters available in Unicode. Even if the character itself isn’t included in the current font, Unicode-aware browsers will display a good approximation. Avoid the temptation to use a non-breaking space,
, as this has a meaning in and of itself.For example:
 en space em space
Typekit try out
I’m using this blog as a bit of a typography sandbox today because we’re doing a long awaited redesign to our work websites.
I’m currently trialling TypeKit – a webapp that lets you dynamically use non-standard fonts.
Here are three handy articles I’ve read today.
On typology
I’ve had a fair bit to say about typography lately – so don’t get confused here. The first one is about the patterns made by letters, typology is the study of “types” and theologically it’s a way of linking the Old Testament to the New Testament.
Think of the way we use the words archetype and prototype and you’re getting close.
One of the foundational reasons that I think Jesus is something special is the way he fulfils the Old Testament. I don’t mean just the specific prophecies regarding the coming saviour that atheists are so keen to claim are debunked on the basis of generality or whatever other reasons they give. I mean the way he is the fulfillment of the narrative of the Old Testament. In particular the pivotal characters of the Old Testament. And I don’t see how it’s possible for that to be debunked any time soon. Here’s a cool list from a Tim Keller sermon via the new Evangel group blog…
- Jesus is the true and better Adam, who passed the test in the garden and whose obedience is imputed to us.
- Jesus is the true and better Abel, who, though innocently slain, has blood now that cries out not for our condemnation, but for our acquittal.
- Jesus is the true and better Abraham who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar, and go out into the void, not knowing whither he went, to create a new people of God.
- Jesus is the true and better Isaac, who was not just offered up by his Father on the mount,but was truly sacrificed for us. And when God said to Abraham, “now I know you love me, because you did not withhold your son, your only son whom you love from me, now we can look at God, taking his son up the mountain and sacrificing Him, and say,” now we know that you love us, because you did not withhold your son, your only son whom you love from us.”
- Jesus is the true and better Jacob who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserve, so we, like Jacob, only receive the wounds of grace to wake us up and discipline us.
- Jesus is the true and better Joseph, who at the right hand of the king, forgives those who betrayed and sold Him, and uses His new power to save them.
- Jesus is the true and better Moses, who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant.
- Jesus is the true and better rock of Moses who was struck with the rod of God’s justice, and now gives us water in the desert.
- Jesus is the true and better Job, the truly innocent sufferer who then intercedes for and saves his stupid friends.
- Jesus is the true and better David, whose victory becomes his people’s victory though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.
- Jesus is the true and better Esther, who didn’t just risk losing an earthly palace, but lost the ultimate and heavenly one, who didn’t just risk his life, but gave his life to save his people.
- Jesus is the true and better Jonah, who was cast out into the storm so we could be brought in.
- He is the real passover lamb, innocent, perfect, helpless, slain so that the angel of death would pass over us
It’s not an exhaustive list – there’s no mention of any of the judges or many of the prophets. But until atheists get this, and critique this properly, they don’t have a leg to stand on when it comes to the claim that anyone can “fulfill the Old Testament” given the right mix of intention and coincidence.
M a x K e r n i n g
Kudos to Aaran for posting this link in a comment. It’s awesome.
Max Kerning has dedicated his life to properly spaced type. His homepage is probably not something you want to visit with the sound turned up in your office. You can also follow him on Twitter.
He wrote a manifesto – called “Letters to Live By” which contains many useful typographic tips.
Like these:
“Typographic integrity cannot be feigned, and pretending with type only leads to disillusionment. Never, ever, ever fake condensed type. Do not try to create your own kerning pair when a master has already done it for you. Emulating a type style with a word processing button should never be done if the font includes a typeface in that style.
For example, you must not italicize Gill Sans when you can set it in Gill Sans Italic. It may seem like the same thing, but it’s impertinent and inconsiderate.”
It is not the shortening of words into grunt-like abbreviations that troubles me so. Instead, it is the fact that 96 percent of all written communications in the world contain words that by their very appearance dissuade people from reading them.
The reason more people do not glean wisdom from War and Peace is not because it is dull. The reason people only pretend to have read Ulysses is not because of the maddening run-on sentences and dearth of punctuation. No. Absolument non! It is because no one has taken the time and care to properly set the type, thus rendering the words useless.
Let us never underestimate the importance of kerning…
“To truly increase literacy, typography must be taught in even the earliest grades. If we do not instill in our young citizens the importance of properly set type— and the ability to kern—then we will perpetuate the cycle of creating literature with unattractive letter spacing that no one wants to read (and no one will read), causing people’s literacy to grow sloppy and feeble and atrophied.”
Shirt of the day (two): You kern make a difference
As a sequel of sorts to the kerning shirt from earlier today I suggest you consider this “keming” shirt – when kerning goes bad…
Shirt of the Day: You kern, do it
Ahh kerning. The art of bringing letters closer together… or tearing them further apart.
Here’s a shirt that celebrates the majesty of perfectly spaced typography.
ABC of geography
Melbourne designer Rhett Dashwood has been combing the earth – literally – for landmarks that look like letters.
He’s found the whole alphabet in Victoria (on google earth) – and released them to the world. On his website. And here they are…
