Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Know What and Why: The Details
Selecting a typeface for its feeling or mood is a
tricky endeavor that often comes down to a designer's gut reaction to the rhythm or
shapes inherent in a particular style. Some typefaces, for example, feel fast or slow,
heavy or light; these qualities can be quickly attributed to the interplay of counter-
spaces, stroke weights and contrasts, joints, and so on. Many type-faces also conjure
associations with cultural motifs because of their common use in advertising or other
pop-culture venues for specific kinds of subject matter: gothic blackletters or textura
faces, for example, commonly evoke horror or fantasy because they are tied to certain
historical time periods and because they have been used widely in posters and advert-
ising for movies and topics in this genre. However, the intrinsic drawing of a type-face
may involve shapes that can be read as other shapes that are found in our environments.
Sinewy, curved shoulders that seem to sprout from the vertical stems of letters, or leafy
terminals, allude clearly to natural forms such as plants or animals. When thinking
about choosing an appropriate typeface, look at the images that accompany the text or
think about objects or places related to the subject matter of the text as inspiration.
