This document provides an overview of typography and its role in visual communication. It discusses key typographic concepts like hierarchy, colour, texture, and using type as an image. Examples are given to illustrate these concepts, showing how typography can clarify or disguise meaning, emphasize important information, add visual interest, and enhance messages. Typography is presented as a craft that can honour content or knowingly disguise it, and its power to influence perception through visual language is emphasized.

1. Class 1

2. typography and communication design • lesson 01

3. what is
?
art and technique
of arranging type
copy legibility greater insight
on the subject
of design
create a
well-rounded
design (with layout,
grid & colours)

4. typography
exist to
honor
content.
Like oratory, music, dance,
calligraphy – like anything
that lends its grace to
language – typography
is an art that can be
deliberately misused.
It is a craft by which the
meanings of a text (or its
absence of meaning) can be clarified, honored and
shared, or knowingly disguised.

6. usage of
• type is visual
• typographic colour
• typographic hierarchy
• texture as language
• type as image
• type in the environment
• visual vernacular
• type ownership
in print communication

7. type is visual
when
typography
speaks
louder
than
words

8. verbal
language
the meanings created by the
visual appearance of both text
and image through carefully
selected typography
visual
language
the literal meaning of words,
phrases and sentences
translate verbal language
manipulate feelings and reactions

9. friendly
enthusiastic
confident

10. hesitant
distant
quiet

11. effects of visual language
There is an infinite range of typographic alternatives that achieve subtle or
dramatic changes in volume and tone of voice.

12. type is visual examples

13. ppcrn
oo

17. typographic
colour
overall
shade
of grey
perceived
by the eye

18. typographic
colour
result from font type, font size,
kerning and leading
visual weight of text
eg. density of a block of text resulting from
the spaces in between alphabets
affects legibility of font
controls message
eg. header, body copy, captions etc

21. examples of density
How typographic control can affect the legibility of your body copy
The tighter the leading (and other type properties)
the more dense the block of text appears

22. typographic colour
IS NOTthe weight of the face

23. typographic
colour examples

30. typographic
hierarchy
organising
text-based
content in
order of
importance
> visual hierarchy

31. key to creating hierarchy is
contrast
font type
weight
scale
position
colour
tone
space
grid

32. YOUR EYES HERE
[then here]
Isn’t it fascinating?

33. YOUR EYES HERE then here...

34. Isn’t it fascinating?

35. typographic
hierarchy examples

41. texture as
language
powerful
addition
to design
through
typography
manipulation

42. texture as
language
give dimension
increase visual interest
enhance message

43. texture as
language examples

49. type as image
typography
as a
visual
concept

50. type as
image
enhance message
strengthen connection
between visual and copy

51. type as image examples

59. type in the
environment
influence of
type is
everywhere,
all around us

60. type in the
environment examples

70. visual
vernacular
visual
representation
of a
language

71. plain, everyday, ordinary language
express or written by a group of people that
includes slang and regional phrasing
vernacular

72. visual
vernacular examples

77. strong
typographic
linked
of the product,
organisation
or event
type
ownership

78. type
ownership examples

79. Font type: Avant Garde

80. Font type: Rockwell

81. Font type: Bodoni

82. Font type: Futura Condensed

83. type
ownership others

88. Take note and remember ...

89. type should be a
vehicle of communication,
and not the message itself.

90. SEE YOU IN THE NEXT LESSON
THANK YOU