Typography in Graphic Design

Typography in Graphic Design covers the role of typefaces as cultural artifacts and how the influences and concerns of the day are reflected in type vernaculars. Very fine detail on font characteristics will also be explored (stroke widths, x-heights, serif qualities, etc.) and how these affect usage and emotional impact. Choosing the right typeface for a project and mixing typefaces in a design will be explained in depth.

• How to Combine Typefaces
• It’s time to start putting it all together. So far you have learned how to navigate the options of typefaces available to you, how to consider and select typefaces for your project and how to compose with them. Today we will talk about working with multiple typefaces. In this session we will also be talking with Kevin Brainard, partner at Areas of Practice, a design firm in New York, and Raul Aguila, an Art Director at Esquire Magazine.
• Adapting the Typographic Vernacular
• This session begins with a type tour of lower Manhattan, where we'll get a glimpse of the role of lettering in the history of the city. This discussion will continue in Tobias Frere Jones' Brooklyn studio, where Tobias will share some special items from his collection of type specimens and other type artifacts. We'll discuss the historical intersection of type and technology and the importance of a strong foundation in type history for contemporary designers.
• Don't Be Afraid of Type
• In this session we'll begin by reviewing the main typeface styles and discussing their strengths and weaknesses in various applications. We'll also talk with typeface designer and Creative Director Stéphane Elbaz about why we look to history in order to make design decisions today, why typeface designers still find the need to revive classical typefaces and how he, as a Creative Director, chooses the right typeface for his projects.
• Nuances of Typography in Use
• In today’s session, we are going to take it one step forward, and instead of looking at typefaces as objects and abstract shapes, we are going to start looking at type in the context of words, sentences, and paragraphs and dealing with composition. And seeing how the shape of a letterform, its width and weight, or spacing between letters or words can be used as important design tools. We will also be hearing from designers Jessica Svendsen and Zipeng Zhu on how they adapt the typographic vernacular and how the world around them influences their work.