Kerning Tips

TypeTalk is a regular blog on typography. Post your questions and comments by clicking on the Comments icon above. If Ilene answers your question in the blog, you'll receive one Official Creativepro.com T-Shirt!

Q. Kerning is a black art I have yet to get my head around. How much is too much? Is it purely visual or can it be mathematical?

A. Kerning is the adjustment of space between two specific characters. While there usually are hundreds of kern pairs built into a font, sometimes you have to make manual kern adjustments -- mostly to display type -- to balance out the negative spaces between some letter combinations.

Continue reading more......

Part 1: the Basic Principles.

Part 2: The Series on Kerning

More Ellen Lupton: InDesign Crash Course and Type Crimes

Hello!

INTERMEDIATE DESIGN
genevieve williams
spring 2010
egenevievewilliams@gmail.com
ta: elisa maezono
ehmaezono@gmail.com

My name is Elisa, I'll be your ta this semester.

This is the class blog where you'll find your assignments, inspiration, events, tips and resources.

Update your own blogs regularly with your progress and offer feedback on the work of your classmates.
[email me your blog addresses when you create them so I can add them to the list!]
**DISABLE WORD VERIFICATION in the settings of your blog (under comments at the bottom)**

This blog is a mine of resources - SPEND SOME TIME EXPLORING IT!
look back at old postings, check the side bar for loads of links to resources, our favorite fonts list, and older students' blogs for examples.

work hard and have fun!

-elisa

First Assignment and Thinking With Type

project one: type specimen book

research:
1) purchase ellen lupton’s book “thinking with type” and read it!
2) thorough understanding and application of the first two chapters, “letter” and “text” due 9.8, 9.10.
3) here’s a link to some of her students’ projects.
go there. download her students’ pdfs. have a look.

You can purchase Thinking with Type on Amazon or pick it up from Barnes and Noble or the Strand.

here's a link to the website for the book!



process:
1) design a sixteen page signature using twelve typefaces not found on your computer.
2) choose three serif display faces, three sans serif display faces, three serif text faces, three sans serif text faces.
3) use a text from a short story, part of a novel, long poem, or other text of your choice.
4) set (and kern properly) display faces and text blocks
5) be inventive with the form and binding of your signature

examples:

Check out David Barlow's Type Bureau Type Specimen book. Download it for your self and study it!!


student examples: