Volume 01 // Number 06
June 2007
In this issue
- Typography
- Transitions
- Find of the Month
Hi,
This email newsletter comes to you in our never-ending pursuit of helping our friends and clients succeed because your success is our success.
Typography
The effective use of typography is a hidden art. I can say with confidence that the average person never takes notice of how well a line of text is typeset, how a ligature can add meaning, or adjustments in kerning can evoke a specific mood. However, something as simple as selecting an appropriate typeface can make all the difference in communicating your message effectively. Most people setting type themselves are at the mercy of what typefaces come preinstalled on their computers. There are a numerous websites that offer typefaces for sale to add to your collection, for example MyFonts is a good start. Over the years we have built our typography collection to somewhere over 3,000 typefaces. We have a typeface for just about any circumstance.
Good typography is a crucial element to the success of any visual design project and it has to do with personality. Matching up the “personality” that type conveys with the message being communicated is essential. For example, you would not use a “grunge” typeface—typical of the surfing or skateboarding world—in an advertisement about a law firm. You would want something clean and conservative to strike the right mood for what the typography is representing.
As we said earlier, effective use of typography is a hidden art. Terms like x-height, line-height, kerning, and baseline shift have no meaning to someone who does not hand-tweak type letter-by-letter. However, there is one aspect of typography that anyone can understand and use and that is the combination of different typefaces. Combining different typefaces within the same font, for example Arial, Arial italic, and Arial Bold is a reliable way to create variation and emphasis. However using another font with Arial can create even more visual contrast. The key is to never use more than 2 fonts because it will create confusion for the viewer. Understanding the message you are communicating is paramount, and typeset elements are important in comprehending what is being communicated if only on a subtle level. Additionally, the two typefaces should not be too similar like Arial and Helvetica.
Transitions
A big month of transition is at work for us here at HamiltonBerchman. School is ending so summer is just around the corner. We are in the midst of moving into a new office in downtown Ojai (further details to come soon). Our new web site is very close to being launched, and we are going to take our first real vacation in nearly two years.
Finally, Find of the Month
Every issue we share an Internet destination we have come across that has some application to doing business, getting things done, or is just plain cool. This month its Zoho. This website is home to a complete suite of online office tools, productivity applications and more. Many are 100% free. Take a look, you may find something of interest.
That’s it for this month of DesignDetails. We’ll talk to you again in July.
Bert Mahoney
Publisher, DesignDetails
Principal and Creative Director, HamiltonBerchman Design Group, Inc.
details@hamiltonberchman.com