Annotated Bibliography on ‘Typography and its uses in design’
Sources : 2 Articles & 12 Books.
Article 1 :
Lee, J., Jun, S., Forlizzi, J. & Hudson, S. E. (2003). Using Kinetic Typography to Convey Emotion in Text-Based Interpersonal Communication, Pittsburgh : ACM. p41-49.
Communal tools such as instant messengers are quite popular today. Emotions in instant messengers convey the emotion of the person to an extent and doesn’t convey the intensity of the emotion sent. It lacks character and depth. This article talks about kinetic typography which will enhance the emotions in terms of character, intensity etc and helps to express the emotion much better than emoticons. This article discusses a study that is done with designers who enable the creation of kinetic effects that can be used by users to convey emotions. A new method was presented which was helpful for rating methods of the examples that were produced by designers using kinetic typography. Subjects such as design and identification issues, techniques that are important in displaying the kinetically designed messaged has been discussed in this study. It aims to include kinetic typography in a real-time communication tool based on text through further research and study on this topic. This is one of the topics that intrigued me to a deep extent as a masters student very much interested in typography and its relations with everyday life. It was very helpful for my research.
Article 2 :
Bodine, K. & Pignol, M. (2003). Kinetic Typography: Based Instant Messaging, New York: ACM. p914-915.
‘Kinetic Typography’ is typography where text that moves!! It used to showcase emotions through text. This article is all about how typography can be used in messaging and showcasing the actual emotions of people in their messages. To convey different emotions, tone of voice, intensity of text sent etc. While going through various types of typography for my reference , one such article that I was immensely interested was this, typography and emotion coming together as kinetic typography (a new form of expression). It talks about the normal emoticons that are available in instant messaging which doesn’t convey the exact intensity of the message that kinetic typography can reflect. This article has experiments conducted related to kinetic typography by them having their own Kinetic Instant Messenger (KIM) that gives solution to various design issues related to kinetic typography and instant messaging.
Book 1 :
Garfield, S., 2010. Just My Type : A Book About Fonts, London : Profile Books.
‘Just My Type’, study of fonts made interactive and entertaining. This is more than just a book of fonts. This book would draw the reader towards admiring every detail of every letter and element in the world of. The author talks as if the letters were living things. It is a major page tuner because of the humour used in the text. . The “seismic move” caused by Apple fellow benefactor Steve Jobs, after a school calligraphy course enlivened him to introduce a remarkable scope of typefaces on the primary Mac, is one such story discussed; another pursues the Face fashioner Neville Brody and his typographical guideline breaking during the 1980’s. So many stories about movies, posters, companies and their history with type are explained in this book. The book induces a feeling to every reader to trust that text types have souls too.
Book 2 :
Eskilson, S., 2007. Graphic Design – A New History, London : Laurence King Publishing.
The book talks about the evolution of graphic design from the 19th century to present day. Filled with interesting illustrations, the book contains works from various movements of art such as Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Bauhaus, Postmodernism etc. In each chapter, the author thoroughly explains each topic and discusses them. Throughout the ten chapters of this book, the reader is taken through a journey from the 19th century to the present day gradually and consistently. Some chapters in this book must be read together for better understanding of the context. A highly informative book by all means. The development in the field of graphic design, the change in trends and how a designer adapts to the sudden, continuous change in trends have been discussed towards the end of the book by the author. The impact of political, social, economic trends in the world of graphic design is highlighted in this book. The conclusion and glossary at the end can be very useful to beginners who are interested in this book.
Book 3 :
White, A.W., 2002. The Elements of Graphic Design, New York : Allworth Press.
The book is all about space, unity, page architecture & type in the field of graphic design. It talks about design, its white space and abstraction. It is very informative and helpful for those who want to know and learn more about the different levels of importance in graphic design. The book focuses on how space is essential and unavoidable and how it’s a must for a designer to use it in their work. This book is a guide for designers who are interested in the depth of design in aspects such as space, unity and type. The designer’s checklist at the end of the book is very useful and handy for every researcher as a beginner. This book is considered as one of the best guides to the creating of effective graphic design.
Book 4 :
Marshall, L. & Meachem, L., 2012. How to use type, London: Laurence King Publishing.
This book is a visual delight to every designer. It is an introduction to type in design for print and screen. This book is a must read for beginners in typography, it is more of a teaching book, very creatively designed. This book covers everything, from the basics of type (uses, anatomy, families, color, size, measurement etc) to combining different typefaces, layouts, generating ideas and forms of communication in typography.
The glossary and other useful resources such as the links and websites mentioned at the end of the book can be very useful for further research. The book is filled with illustrations and examples of how typography is used in design.
Book 5 :
Tschichold, J., 1967. Asymmetric Typography, London : Faber & Faber Limited.
This book is a translation of Jan Tschihold’s Typographische Gestaltung written in 1935. It dates to the history of typography in the 19th century. The author emphasis on elements such as line and its properties, headings and type mixtures. The book illustrates different forms of abstract art. He highlights on specific types of typography like decorative, functional typography etc. The author summarizes the content of the whole book in the last few pages of the book. The book also provides additional information on the other books of the author which can be referred for further reading.
Book 6 :
Swann, C., 1969. Techniques of Typography. 1st ed, London : Lund Humphries.
This book deals with the techniques of alphabetic communication and the variety of ways in which a word can be represented in print. The book highlights the different methods of printing such as letterpress, lithography and details of their processes and their outcomes. It illustrates examples using words or letters and showcases the differences in terms of style, space, size, font, form and alignment. The principles of symmetric and asymmetric designs are discussed in this text. It concludes with different typographic styles used for text composition. The book is suitable for beginners in typography, who are interested in the basic principles of handling type.
Book 7 :
Vaid, H., 2003. Branding, London : Cassell Illustrated.
This book is about the history of branding in the past and present. A highly illustrated book which showcases different methodologies of creating a brand and talks about components required in creation of a brand. Components like personality, architecture, management and experience are discussed. Internationally recognized brands and icons are included in this book which are known for its quality of design. The author analyses the importance of the valuation of a brand, its creation, its marketing and its exposure to the outer world. The book contains case studies, colorful illustrations and insights which act as essential guidelines for every designer.
Book 8 :
Samara, T., 2007. Design elements, Massachusetts : Rockport Publishers.
The book describes graphic design & its elements. It sets 20 ground rules for creating an effective design. The author emphasizes on the elements of graphic design like form & space, color fundamentals and use of type. The author talks about how a graphic designer can use color fundamentals to convey different emotions and messages for a particular work. The author focuses on the use of visual imagery, abstraction, media and its methods. It also talks about the importance of images, how no longer they are just mere representations but they are visualizations of human creativity. The book concludes on how using all the fundamentals together brings about an effective layout as an output.
Book 9 :
Day, A., 1998. Designers Handbook of Logos & Symbols, New York : R.C Publications. Inc.
Filled with visuals, this book highlights various logos and symbols used in different industries such as graphic design firms, entertainment & leisure, printing, products, events and services. The book talks about creating logos that work demands in terms of concept and visual innovative solutions. It gives examples of various logos and symbols and talks about the history of their creation. This book can be recommended to designers who are keen on branding, marketing and advertising.
Book 10 :
Heller, S. & Talarico, L., 2011. Typography sketchbooks, London: Thames & Hudson.
As the title suggests, the book is filled with sketches which illustrates different styles of typography. It is a collection of works by various artists from different backgrounds of the world, who share their stories and how their experiences helped them to attain success in their projects. These far reaching typographic thoughts give interesting bits of knowledge to express the nature of letters and words to the reader. The book draws attention to the importance of how basic sketches play an integral role in every work of a designer. This book can be an inspirational guide to upcoming designers who want to focus on typography in particular.
Book 11 :
Mitchell, M. & Wightman, S., 2005. Book Typography, A Designer’s Manual, Wiltshire : Libanus Press Ltd.
This book focuses on designing and typesetting of books. It contains many examples, illustrations and diagrams in terms of the processes of typesetting of books. Taken from works of the Libanus Press over 20 years, it is an experimental guidance to the publishing industry. It talks about the works of a designer abiding by the rules, principles and conventions in the typesetting of books. It is a step by step guide to design in the field publishing. It is very useful to beginners who are interested in publishing.
Book 12 :
Anon, 1997. Applied Typography, Japan : Graphic-sha Publishing Co., Ltd.
A bilingual guide to typography, it talks about various parts in visual media, such as visual identity, pictogram, graphics, editorials etc. It represents the use of type in selected works in the field of visual communication. It depicts various logos, symbols and marks that are well-known in Japan. It gives detailed examples of posters on branding, culture & project works.
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