Typography
Typography is the practice of arranging text and typefaces (or fonts) to make language legible, readable, and visually appealing.
Type Classification
Type classification is dividing typefaces into categories.
There are many different classification systems around, some going into more detail, some less.
Here’s a very simple classification:
Serif
Old Style, Transitional, Neoclassical, Didone, Slab, Clarendon, Glyphic
Sans Serif
Grotesque, Square, Humanistic, Geometric
Script
Formal, Casual, Calligraphic, Blackletter, Lombardic
Decorative
Grunge, Psychedelic, Graffiti
Want to learn about the history of typography? Take a look at this article:
Typeface
A typeface is overall style of lettering that often includes variations in size, weight, slope, width, etc.
Serif Typefaces
Sans Serif Typefaces
Font
Font refers to a specific weight, width, and style within a typeface.
Typeface
Font
Typographic Hierarchy
Typographic hierarchy is using typography (size, font, weight, etc.) to create a hierarchical division that helps users to find important information.
And you will read this last
You will read this first
And then you will read this
Then this one
Other Typographic Terms
Initial
Initials are letters at the beginning of a paragraph that are larger than the rest of the text.
Justification
Justified text adds gaps between words in order to make the margins even. I am adding some more completely unnecessary words to this paragraph in order to make justification clearer.
Rag
Rags refer to uneven (oftentimes right) vertical margin of a block of type. In this case the uneven right margin is hard to see, because this paragraph is quite short. That’s why I am adding more words than necessary. Enjoy why it lasts.
Kerning
Kerning
is the result of improper kerning (adjusting space between characters).
Ligature
ff
is an example of a ligature. It occurs when two or more letters are joined as a single glyph.
Orphan
orphan.
Similar to widow, an orphan is usually a single word, except it appears at the beginning of a column or page.
Tracking
Tracking
refers to increasing or decreasing the horizontal spacing between a range of characters.
Widow
A widow is a single word (sometimes even hyphenated) at the end of a paragraph or
column.
This article is neither painting a complete picture of the topic nor is it trying to. It serves as a mnemonic and notebook for Marvin.
If you found a mistake, want to add something or found the article helpful, please get in touch.