Questions and Answers
What is a typeface?
A typeface is the design of a single set of characters unified by consistent visual properties.
What does a type family include?
A type family includes many style variations of a single typeface.
What is an extended type family?
An extended type family contains more styles of a typeface than a traditional family.
What is a super family?
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6 picas = _____ inches
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72 points = ____ inches
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1 Point = _____ inch
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12 Points = _____ Pica(s)
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What is a font?
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What defines a serif font?
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What characterizes a sans serif font?
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What are humanist typefaces?
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What are transitional typefaces?
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What are modern serif typefaces characterized by?
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What defines geometric sans serif fonts?
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What is a slab serif?
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What are blackletter typefaces based upon?
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What are display fonts used for?
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What is the baseline in typography?
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What is cap height?
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What is x-height?
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What are ascenders in typography?
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What are descenders?
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What is leading?
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What is letterspacing/tracking?
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What is kerning?
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Study Notes
Typeface and Families
- A typeface is a unified design of characters, distinguished by consistent visual properties.
- A type family includes variations of a single typeface, typically including light, medium, and bold weights along with their italics.
- An extended type family offers more styles than a traditional family, featuring unique styles like hairline, extended, and condensed.
- A super family encompasses various styles across classifications, combining both serif and sans serif, providing versatility (e.g., ITC Stone).
Measurements
- 6 picas equals 1 inch.
- 72 points equals 1 inch.
- 1 point equals 1/72 inch.
- 12 points equals 1 pica.
Fonts
- A font is the digital file containing a complete character set of a specific typeface in various sizes.
- Serif fonts are characterized by small lines or flourishes at letter endpoints; examples include Times New Roman and Georgia.
- Sans serif fonts lack these extensions, featuring straight edges (e.g., Futura, Helvetica). Subcategories include Grotesque, Humanist, and Geometric.
Typeface Classifications
- Humanist typefaces emerged in the late 15th century, with characteristics such as angled serifs and varied stress (e.g., Caslon, Garamond).
- Transitional typefaces, from the 18th century, bridge old style and modern designs (e.g., Baskerville, Century).
- Modern serifs feature high contrast between thick and thin lines, typically with minimal brackets (e.g., Bodoni, Didot).
- Geometric sans serif fonts, like Futura, utilize geometric shapes, resulting in circular Os and sharp letter peaks.
- Slab serifs have strong, block-like serifs with consistent stroke weight (e.g., American Typewriter).
- Blackletter typefaces are based on medieval manuscripts, characterized by heavy strokes and condensed letters (e.g., Rotunda, Fraktur).
- Display fonts are ornate and heavy, used for titles and headers (e.g., Broadway, Copper Black).
Typography Fundamentals
- The baseline is the imaginary line upon which most letters rest.
- Cap height measures from the baseline to the top of capital letters, affecting letter size.
- X-height indicates the height of lowercase letters, specifically lowercase "x," omitting ascenders and descenders.
- Ascenders are portions of lowercase letters (like b, d, f) that extend above x-height.
- Descenders refer to segments of lowercase letters (e.g., g, j, p) that go below the baseline.
- Leading is the space between lines of text, measured from one baseline to the next.
- Letterspacing (tracking) defines the space between letters within a word.
- Kerning is the adjustment of horizontal space between specific pairs of letters for improved visual appeal.
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Test your knowledge of typography with these flashcards. Explore key concepts such as typefaces, type families, and understanding visual properties. Perfect for students and professionals in graphic design or typography.