Lupton's Letters - Typefaces and Their Personalities

It seems almost too easy to ignore the importance of typeface. I, for one, never put much thought into the typeface I chose to use. It seemed so minor a detail in comparison to writing the actual body of the text itself. However, it is the typeface that decorates the page and brings it to life, ultimately attracting the reader or pushing him away. Typeface, and the way it is used, is essential to successfully delivering the intended message of the text. To discard this "minor detail" and pay little attention to the typeface, therefore, seems foolish.

A typeface has many distinct personalities that are portrayed through small details. For the most part, I thought these details were insignificant. So what if one part of the text was bolded and the other italicized? What did that really mean? These details, however, can change the entire vibe, the look and feel, of a text. For instance, the Louis Vuitton logo can be recognized almost immediately by two letters: L and V. They put their Louis Vuitton logo on nearly every bag they produce, but they change little details in the logo that gives the bags different personalities. In the picture shown above, the same Louis Vuitton logo is used to decorate the bag, but in different colors. The first bag looks sophisticated, and the usage of only two colors suggests a more mature feel. The second bag, on the other hand, looks playful, and the usage of many bright colors suggests a more energetic and younger feel. The first bag probably attracts the attention of people who are older, and the second bag is probably targeted towards a younger crowd. The mere change in the color of the typeface, therefore, has different effects on the bags.

Without a doubt, I have underestimated the importance of typefaces thus far. Fortunately, reading Lupton's "Thinking with Type" helped me realize the distinct personalities of different typefaces, and has made me more aware of their versatility.

characters & calligraphy

Fonts that I used on my macbook used to seem like mundane characters that I utilized to get my points across - black scribbles on a white piece of paper - nothing special. But after the reading and class lectures, my font world has opened and I now view calligraphy and typefaces as not merely characters, but accessories to the world that surround me.

The beauty that I find in typefaces and characters is the story that it tells. Never before have I ever analyzed a logo without putting in so much thought and effort. San serifs and serifs have made me more observant, but most importantly, present in the current social media limbo that we are all actively taking part in. Never did I imagine that there could be "good" and "bad" typefaces, and like many minute details in the world, I have often overlooked the construction and history that goes behind these characters and fonts.

I do agree with the other students that the first 20 or so pages in the reading were not as interesting that I imagined or hoped it to be. But what is so fascinating about this subject is the fact that we can finally apply something we're learning right here and right now into the real world that so desperately awaits us. The transformation of fonts and typefaces has transcended just beyond logos and brands, but it has slowly sneaked into our daily lives, bombarding us.

One of my favorite logos is by a shoe company based out of Los Angeles that aims to provide shoes for children in Argentina. Its logo TOMS speaks of the simplicity beyond this concept. The company's One for One campaign gives buyers the reality of giving one pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair that they purchase themselves. The idea is simple and direct, and the logo conveys the idea.

Lupton "Text" chapter

I began to pay much more attention to text after reading the "Text" chapter from Lupton. Although I always found myself more attracted to certain logos more than others, or doodling my name in different fonts to find which shapes and structures of the letters looked best, I did not really see the importance of choosing text.

What I found to be fascinating about the chapter was the fact that Lupton could talk about the alphabet and its letters in a way that actually made me think about its importance not only for reading purposes but for its appearance as well. Like he mentioned in the chapter on pg. 67, the alphabet developed its own resources by becoming a representation of the words people spoke. Speaking of text representing not only the word people speak, but also what the word stands for,

one of my favorite logos to look at is the Vogue logo. Its letters are elongated and all capitalized, standing tall and so glamorous! The text is also bolded, indicating what Vogue stands for in the fashion industry as the bold, trendsetting magazine. It's interesting to think about if the logo lacked these characteristics of the text, what kind of impression it would leave on the readers or anybody who saw the logo.

I also decided to compare the Vogue logo with the TeenVogue logo. In order to acknowledge the fact that TeenVogue is a branch off of Vogue, the magazine kept its original logo. However, to represent the younger generation, the hipness, and the less classic trends and fashion, TeenVogue used an all lower case approach to it. The all lower case to me tells me that this magazine is less serious than the original Vogue, and something a little more flirty and young. In order to add to that concept, the magazine also used a flashy and bright red for the color of the font. I also have to point out that Vogue used a good technique that is emphasized in Lupton's reading that talks about the importance of spacing and the contribution it makes to the design. I also believe that spacing makes all the difference in the world and is important in logos. In TeenVogue's case for example, the absence of the space in between TeenVogue allows the magazine to show readers that they are not simply producing a mini version of Vogue with all the same ideas and pictures for the younger generation. Instead, they are branding TeenVogue as its separate magazine and to have its own personality.

Response to Lupton

                                       Image source: http://www.chanel.com

Although some typefaces and designs seem quite simple, it most likely took a very long process to produce the outcome. This directly applies to brand logos. Brands such as Chanel have a very simple design. The two C's simply overlap in the middle, and the letters are capitalized. Despite the simplicity of the logo, designers would have gone through multiple processes before the design was finalized. I would have never actually thought about this before I encountered Lupton's writing. 

Lupton allowed me to think more in depth about letters and designs. I never paid much attention to them, yet now I realize that there are so many different typefaces that exist around me. It almost seems as though each and every typeface has different personalities. Depending on such things as the width, height, and size, each letter can portray different characteristics. For instance, if a letter is wide and round, it gives a bright and bubbly personality. Referring back to Chanel, the capital letters and the space between each letter portray simplicity and chicness. It represents the brand very well. Thus, typefaces can represent different personalities and originality. 

Furthermore, it is very interesting to me how the letters evolve along with the various time periods. In fact, it was greatly part of an industrial process. Depending on the time period, certain typefaces were more widely used and preferred. Prior to the 1960s and 1970s, typefaces were cast from lead. Then came the digital typefaces. With the arrival of computers, more people began to use them. Thus, it seems as though they became more intricate and complicated. 

                   image source: http://dkdesignstudio.wordpress.com

This is called the Periodic Table of Typefaces that I found online. It consists of popular typefaces that are widely used among people today. Designers Squidspot created this. They are placed in the table according to its respective family. As more ages come along, hopefully there will be more typefaces added on to this table. 

Lupton's Letters: more than spelling words, Ryan Gerhardt

I've been using fonts for years on various processors and Word type programs not really comprehending the difference in fonts. Certainly some had appeal because they were different, cool, or had interesting names yet I used the same one or two fonts over ninety percent of the time. Why is this? Practicality. Teachers, the main receptacle for things I had typed, required no frills fonts so why would I need to use Garamond or Palatino? To me those names were gibberish and remained that way until I started reading Lupton's book.

Fortunately for me, Lupton's book provided solutions to both of my problems in the very first chapter. What I had long thought were names made up for different fonts by computer programmers with too much time on their hands I soon learned had a long historical significance. Bodoni, Didot, and Baskerville were names that I had scrolled by frequently on Microsoft Word and now had a connection to the real world. Being someone interested in history, I was intrigued to discover that these fonts were anchored in the works and writings of printers and calligraphers that lived hundreds of years ago. I had always figured that script and calligraphy was the basis of many fonts but the fact that the slight stylistic differences found among the fonts created typography that is still used today was something I had not known. Type stamped on the pages of a book, talk about a lasting impression. 

The other main clarification Lupton's book opened my eyes to was the fact that practicality is not reserved for the few fonts I had used in high school. Most, if not all fonts, can be used practically depending on the nature of the situation. Typography conveys as much of a message as the actual text itself which for me was a new concept. As I said, I would pick fonts because they looked cool and never much thought about the subtle message that was conveyed in the way a type presented the text. I realize now that the attributes associated with certain styles create messages to go along with the text message. A perfect example of this is the Hummer wordmark. Regardless of what type used, Hummer is still spelled the same and still represents a car company. However, the use of bold and heavy type creates the rugged attribute that Hummer wants associated with their vehicles. Had a type with thin structures been used, the same message of ruggedness would not have been conveyed.  

One of my favorite uses of typography are tattoos. Stylistically, tattoos seem to present unique twists on set typography which in turn create a personalized message. Having recently watched the film "The Boondock Saints," one typography in particular came to mind:

Image source: http://images.chron.com/blogs/blog9/veritas.jpg

A simple word, veritas. In Latin, the word veritas means truth which in reference to the movie represented the main characters' quest for truth and goodness in the world. Looking closely at the type, more of the story can be told. By using a bold, heavy, and all capital text the brothers' resolve and fortitude to clean up the world is conveyed. What I particularly like about this tattoo is the very archaic nature of the font. To me, the word is not only Latin and ancient but so is the type. The brothers in the movie use force and a very brutal and archaic method to eradicate evil, furthering the connection. 

Typography is a far more calculated process than I had first believed it to be. No longer will I see it as arbitrary, especially when it comes time to choose a type for my tattoo. 

As Told By Lupton, Interpreted by Lilian

I've always thought that typeface was limited to what was found in the font toolbar of Microsoft Word. Needless to say, I've always been a Windows user (though I am slowly switching to a Mac...), and I've always encountered moments of frustration when Microsoft Word doesn't provide the typeface I want.

Now, after reading the first chapter of Lupton's book, I realize that while I may not have used the ideal typeface all these years, what I did not realize is how much I've underestimated typography. Who knew that there would be this many different types of typefaces? And, who knew that just like human beings, typeface would have anatomy?

Just like music and other various aspects of life, the modern typeface that we have now did not just magically appear. Through different eras, different typefaces were formed. As Lupton wrote, the first typefaces were modeled on the forms of calligraphy. Despite all the new and hip typeface that has been created, my personal favorites have always been those that resembled calligraphy/handwriting just because such typeface has a more personal feel to it.

Though said typeface may appeal to me, they might not work in some situations. That's when typeface becomes more than just a font you use to type in a computer and becomes an important part of everyday life. Here's an example of a typeface that I found interesting:

image source: http://creativereview.co.uk

Most of us know Kate Moss as an international supermodel but it wasn't until she created a line for British's high street brand TOPSHOP that she became a brand herself. This woodmark is actually for her line for TOPSHOP; it has since then became her new identity formed by Peter Saville who collaborated with typographer Paul Barnes. In the article, Saville mentioned that for the brand, he needed something that was popular, boho and long-lasting. He consulted Barnes who then suggested Brodovitch Albro, a typeface by Alexey Brodovitch.

Personally, I feel that the typeface for this woodmark did not strike as particularly popular and boho, but it did seem different compared to the other brands I've seen. I would've like to see a more striking typeface but I guess my personal opinion probably doesn't matter since the line Kate Moss for TOPSHOP has been selling incredibly well in many countries, my own included!

LUPTON: Letter (Starter Post)

Type bombards your everyday life. Every waking moment you are surrounded by messages expressed in typographic form, whether it is the box of your favorite morning cereal to your school textbooks. Designers take a lot of time and consideration to select the most appropriate typeface to convey that message to you.

In the first section of your reading entitled "Letter" from Ellen Lupton's Thinking with Type, she discusses how typography derived from handwriting and evolved over the years.

Through the evolution of type during the Renaissance, Baroque, and the Enlightenment periods up to present day, the preservation of type heritage became very important in the classification and identification of typefaces.

As a graphic designer, it is through these classifications (humanist, transitional, modern, etc.) that you will be able to express certain moods and emotions by selecting an appropriate typeface(s) to accomplish the message you are trying to send to your audience.

From page 30 of Thinking with Type:

There is no playbook that assigns a fixed meaning or function to every typeface; each designer must confront the library of possibilities in light of a project's unique circumstances.

Now take time to explore the use of type in your everyday life. Find, post, and discuss examples of type in design used appropriately, or even inappropriately, and the message the designer is trying to send to his/her audience. Keep in mind the discussions we've had in class including the lectures on gestalt and typography.