Letters

Stefania Maria Padalino | Art 227 - Typography: Structures | Instructor: John Nettleton | Oregon State University | June 9, 200 4

Foreword

This book is a very short summary of a course I took this year at Oregon State University,Art 227 Typography:Structures with John Nettleton.

What I have learned about letterforms and typography is that letters have a life and dignity of their own, as Robert Bringhurst said.“Letterforms that honor and elucidate what humans see and say deserve to be honored in their turn. Well-chosen words deserve well-chosen letters;these in turn deserve to be set with affection, intelligence, knowledge,and skill.Typography is a link,and it ought, as a matter of honor,courtesy, and pure delight,to be as strong as the others in the chain.”

I am impressed with the way the textbooks I have read for this class talk about letters and typography. I feel like I am approaching almost a sacred subject,and if nothing else,I should regard it with respect.

SMP “Typography is concerned with the structuring and arranging of visual language.Both typeform and typography are designed to convey a message. The question of how typography is used to convey a message can be divided into two parts,typography as appearance or style,and the practicalities of working with typography,such as legibility, scale and formatting.”

Phil Baines & Andrew Haslam

“In all stages of the historical development of the world,the written word and typography have [sic] been a fundamental ingredient in human culture.

Only a few specialists are,however,familiar with their background and effect.Whereas the names of the innovators in the “classical disciplines”,[sic] such as painting,music and literature,are common knowledge,those of type designers and typographers of all historical periods are largely unknown; only a few appreciate the significance of their work. Yet the effects of text and typography on all spheres of human activity are constantly present.They influence the fields of aesthetics and technology,of the arts and economics. Without them the rapid exchange of information we take for granted in our contemporary world would be inconceivable.”

Typography–An Encyclopedic Survey of Type Design and Techniques