I suck at typography
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- fate
really, I do.
...resources to make me better?
- BonSeff0
just experiment with scale and different faces. a fun exersise we used to do in school was to take your favorite song lyrics or a poem and do a layout study. like 8" wide by 15 tall. and use thicks and thins, upper, ;ower cases to put emphasis on the lines or words you like. just go nuts and hava a little fun
- fate0
I'll try that Bonseff, thanks.
It seems like my use of fonts never looks as good a others. Even if it's arial, I end up making it look shoddy. I have a fairly decent collection of Sans-Serif too.
- fate0
I've seen that book recommended before, but it's not available :(
perhaps? http://www.amazon.com/exec/obido…
- Epictive0
I got my copy at the local bookstore. Never read the other, so can't say.
- nick0
check your local library, you'll be surprised by some of the books you might find..
- gavinnosler0
i've always been pretty good at designing with type. maybe it's cause i rarely read and i see type more as a graphical element than words...
- sauerbraten0
practice. practice. i think reading only partially helps in typographic skill. keep working with it and you'll find size relationships and pairs that work together and ones that don't. know when to use what kind of letterform, etc.
Stop Stealing Sheep & Find Out How Type Works is a good start:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obido…I'd stay away from elements of typographical style and die neue typography until you've got the groundwork laid out. there's some awesome books that talk more about technical issues and the philosophy of type, but are seldom 'how-to' manuals.
good luck.
- pascii0
be inspired from the old masters!
- eggnog0
nah. stop stealing sheep is pretty rudimentary. if you want to get to the real meat and potatos buy "the elements of typographic style" by robert bringhurst. this is the most comprehensive book on typography i've ever seen. bear in mind though, you have to WANT to read this book. it's not exactly what most people would call exciting reading material.
- kpl0
actually, don't think elements of typographic style will be that much help... it's foremost a typesetter's book, and the rules it sets make your type look ordinary (albeit subtly excellent). It's a good read, definitely do it, but it might not get you all the way to where you want to be, which are more experimental, unconventional styles. may be a step in the right direction tho...
- ericj0
Typography is something you feel, not something you learn.
First, forget all the rules that you have ever been taught or not taught. Good typography is a rare skill that is only aquired when your eye is able to look upon a piece with complete clarity and not see any holes in the composition. The type should round out the piece leaving you "question-less", and yet "question-full" :)
- JamesEngage0
typography is equally about composition... at our college we started out with just different thicknesses of line to portray type... and made books of loads of different layouts... very useful for the future.
- fate0
*wakes up*
Thanks for the responses all. I normally stay away from design books because I find them boring, but I'll try out both "Elements of..." and the sheep one.
(kind of surprised to see ericj. Thanks for the responses Bonseff, Epicitive, mock, saur, pascii, eggnogg, kpl, Eric, James and plamenski)
- Epictive0
Totally forgot about his book. Good starting book. Teaches you the basics about type and has projects that help you grow with it. Might give it a try.
- tara|gee0
i agree with gavennoster - its liek you have to just see each letter as an image not a letter or words - u know?
- Bunkum0
Think kerning. It's fun once you get into it (kinda).
- kpl0
kerning is like drugs. you do it too much, you might ruin your life.
- North_20
There are some good primers available. Stop stealing sheep was a bible to me at uni, but there are also these...
Willi Kunz—Formation & Transformation, good for understanding composition...
http://youworkforthem.com/produc…But as primers...
John Kane—A type primer
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obi…David Jury—About Face
[I do recommend this book, intresting and well designed]
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obi…