Typefaces are everywhere around us, quietly shaping our world: they are present when we type and send text messages, when we read the newspaper, and when we glance at the signs on the street. These typefaces are the result of a long creative process carried out by truly diligent individuals. These individuals, the type designers, create the alphabets that will be used by graphic designers to engage with the readers. Type designers, also called font developers, could be compared to the creators of colors of paint. The creators of the paint colors do not design houses, they just supply the color palette that could be used to paint houses. In a similar way, the creators of typefaces supply the fonts that will be used by graphic designers.
There are various fundamentals that contribute to the success of a typeface. The first concept is called overshoot. Overshoot is found in the round letters like ‘C’ that exceed the flat ones like ‘T’. A second thing that type designers strive to achieve within an alphabet is balance. Balance is sometimes harder to achieve than it seems. To create balance within the letter ‘B’ for instance, the lower half is slightly larger than the upper half. Without this, the letter would not feel balanced. Furthermore, contrast is needed in letters like the ‘T’. Contrast is created by making the vertical stroke thicker than the horizontal stroke. A common misconception surrounding typeface design is the thought that typeface design is only about designing letters. This is not the case. Instead, typeface design is about designing systems of letters that together create one common aesthetic. Through concepts like overshoot, balance and contrast, unity between all of the letters is achieved.
Figure 1: A visual explanation to the previously mentioned examples of typeface fundamentals, own image
Another concept within typeface design that is important to understand when designing a font is optical size. This is the size in which a font is optimal to read. Fonts with a small optical size have thick strokes and blunt corners. Meanwhile fonts with a large optical size have thin strokes and sharp corners. The medium that a font will be used on is therefore important to know when designing typefaces. Smaller letters on mobile phones have to be relatively thicker than letters on street signs in order to still be readable.
The spacing between letters plays a crucial role in the readability and aesthetics of a typeface. As the name suggests, spacing is the amount of space between letters. Through spacing, the rhythm of a sentence is decided. Within fonts, the spacing between a specific pair of letters can be changed to increase the readability and rhythm. This is called Kerning and often happens when a pair of letters creates an unnecessary white space. Two letters could also be turned into one shape when placed together to create a ligature. Again this could be beneficial for the rhythm. It could also be just a stylistic choice.
Figure 2: A visualisation of spacing, kerning and ligature within typeface, own image
These were just a view of the design principles that help to create effective fonts. Hopefully, the next time you open a magazine, read the subtitles to a movie or browse the ingredients of a meal, you realize the hard work and creativity that went into creating the fonts that you are observing. Creating fonts is a process that could sometimes take decades to perfect and deserves to get praise.
