For this week’s exploration of visual design I studied typography. There is so much depth to how text is presented that many – myself included, until now – take for granted. For example, there are many terms for the anatomy of a letter, as explored in this diagram from Thinking With Type:

Beyond the specific terms of each part of an induvial letter, there are also terms for how characters interact with each other. Kerning is the spacing between two characters which makes sure that characters flow from one to the next with optimal readability.

Leading, like kerning, is a type of spacing. It is the amount of space from one baseline to the next. As you can see from the image below, it is important to adjust the line spacing when integrating different fonts and point sizes.

There is also a rich history of type classifications. According to Robin Landa’s Graphic Design Solutions the main classifications include Old Style (roman with angled/bracketed serifs), Transitional (with less defined serifs), and Modern (smaller serifs, more geometric, with a larger contrast between thick and thin strokes). Along with these there is also slab serif, sans serif, blackletter, script, and display.

After getting an understanding of the fundamentals of typography, it was time for me to give it a go. I chose one word to design in a meaningful way. I chose “Organization” – as both a noun and a verb – since this week I began an internship which has made me motivated to get organized as I join a new organization.

The elements that I most wanted to incorporate were a tight kerning and a suitable type. The type classification for this would be a modern, geometric sans-serif. When one thinks of the word “organization” it is something that is structured in some way – there is no need for serifs or other unnecessary adornments when productivity and efficiency is involved.

At the same time, organizations are fluid and each character within an organization takes on a different position while still being tightly knit into a cohesive team. To get this element of the word into the type I manipulated the points (in Adobe Illustrator) to form around the other characters and be their own unique part of the whole, which allowed me to make the kerning super tight.

The maximum cap height of all of the characters is the same, but I decided to have the O also reach beyond the baseline like a descender would (like the g does). I wanted to do this to represent an organization’s leader – someone who is an all-encompassing character. However, they are not as integrated with the rest of the organization – while all of the other characters are woven together, the O stands alone, leading the group.

Another element that I wanted to be sure to incorporate is the roundness of the counters (the space enclosed by the strokes of a letter). The contrast of the roundness mixes with the straight, sharp lines adds a bit of bubbliness and a lighter emotion. The “direction”, of path the eye takes to follow the word, is also dynamic and creative – much like an organization should be.

While I am sure I could do more if I had more practice in Illustrator, I think that the simplicity of the type I created works well. This is a creative exercise I would love to do again in the future when I am inspired by another word.

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^{_{Landa, Robin. Graphic Design Solutions. 6th ed., Cengage, 2019.
Thinking With Type. Ellen Lupton, 2009, http://thinkingwithtype.com/. Accessed 11 Feb. 2021.}}