The power of typography | Mia Cinelli | TEDxUofM

Summary

The speaker shares the transformative experience of becoming a designer, akin to acquiring a 'superpower' that enables them to question and critique the world around them. With a focus on typography, the speaker recounts the process of creating a typeface inspired by beautiful handwriting found in a museum, highlighting the importance of kerning, leading, and glyph design. They emphasize the influence of typography on communication, demonstrating how typefaces can convey different messages and evoke emotions, ultimately urging the audience to be more mindful of the type choices they make.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The speaker likens becoming a designer to gaining a 'superpower' that allows them to constantly question and analyze the design of everything around them.
• 🎨 The speaker's fascination with typography led them to create a typeface from beautiful handwriting they discovered in a museum.
• 🔠 The difference between a 'typeface' and a 'font' is explained: a typeface is a series of letters designed to belong together, while a font is a specific group within a typeface.
• ✍️ The process of creating a typeface involves designing individual letter forms, considering serif or sans serif styles, and ensuring the letters work together cohesively.
• 📝 The importance of kerning, the spacing between letters, is highlighted as crucial for maintaining the illusion of cursive and ensuring legibility.
• 📚 The speaker's first typeface, 'Fet', was inspired by historical cursive handwriting and needed to consider ascenders and descenders for proper letter spacing.
• 📏 'Letting', the space between lines of text, is also an important aspect of typeface design, affecting readability and the visual impact of the text.
• 🔡 Beyond the alphabet and numbers, typefaces include glyphs, such as symbols, to be usable in various contexts.
• 🗣️ Typography has a significant impact on the message conveyed by text, influencing how it is perceived by readers, much like tone of voice in spoken language.
• 📜 The 'Fet' typeface was designed to evoke a sense of time, precision, and historical context, suitable for applications like historical fiction, museum design, or wedding invites.
• 👀 The speaker encourages the audience to adopt their 'design superpower' to critically assess typography in their daily lives, recognizing its influence on perception and communication.

Q & A

What is the 'design superpower' mentioned in the script?

The 'design superpower' refers to the unique ability of designers to constantly analyze and question the design and functionality of everything around them, from everyday objects to typography, and having the desire and capability to improve or create better designs.

What is the significance of the handwriting the speaker encountered at the FET historic town site and park?

The handwriting was significant because it was the most beautiful the speaker had ever seen, inspiring them to create a typeface from it. This encounter sparked the speaker's 'design superpower' and led to a project of designing a script typeface.

What is the difference between a 'typeface' and a 'font' as explained in the script?

A 'typeface' is a series of letters designed to belong together, like 'Bedoni', while a 'font' is a specific group of letters within a typeface, such as 'Bedoni Bold Italic'. All typefaces are made up of letter forms, and fonts make up typefaces in the same way chapters make up a book.

Why did the speaker choose to design a script typeface?

The speaker chose to design a script typeface because they were working from cursive handwriting that they encountered, which naturally lent itself to the flowing, connected style of script typefaces.

What is 'kerning' in typography, and why is it important?

Kerning is the space between any two letters that are close together. It is important because it affects the legibility and visual appearance of the text. Proper kerning maintains the illusion of cursive in script typefaces and prevents the text from appearing too cramped or too spaced out.

What is 'leading' in typography, and how does it relate to the design of the 'Fet' typeface?

Leading is the space between two lines of typed text. In the design of the 'Fet' typeface, leading was important to accommodate the ascenders and descenders of the letters, ensuring that the typeface was visually balanced and did not have 'sword fighting' ascenders and descenders.

What are 'glyphs' in the context of typeface design?

Glyphs are all the symbols that are included in a typeface, such as the at sign, number sign, and parentheses. They are necessary for a typeface to be usable in various contexts beyond just letters and numbers.

How does the design of a typeface influence the message it conveys?

The design of a typeface can convey different moods and tones, such as being authoritative, honest, organic, friendly, or childlike. This 'visual inflection' can influence how the content is perceived by the reader, much like tone of voice does in spoken language.

What is the purpose of the 'Fet' typeface designed by the speaker?

The 'Fet' typeface was designed to evoke a sense of time, precision, and a bygone era. It is intended for use in historical fiction, museum design, love letters, or wedding invites, where its unique characteristics can enhance the message and atmosphere of the content.

Why is it important for non-designers to understand the principles of typography?

Understanding typography is important for everyone because it influences how we perceive and interpret written content. Good typography can enhance communication, persuasion, and evoke emotions, making it a critical aspect of effective messaging across all professions.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 The Designer's Superpower: Seeing the World Through Typography

The speaker describes the unique perspective that comes with being a designer, akin to having a superpower. Designers constantly analyze and question the design of everything around them, from the mundane to the extraordinary. The speaker's focus is on typography, the arrangement of letters in space, which they discovered in a preserved ghost town. The speaker was captivated by the beautiful handwriting in a museum and decided to create a typeface from it, despite never having done so before. They had to learn the difference between a typeface and a font, and the importance of letter forms and serifs in type design.

05:01

🎨 Crafting a Typeface: The Journey from Handwriting to Script

The speaker embarks on the process of creating a script typeface from the handwritten samples found in a museum. They initially attempted to trace the letters but soon realized that this approach was insufficient for a functional typeface. The speaker then learned from other type designers and started with the lowercase 'A', iterating until they found a design they loved. From there, they used this base to create other letters that share similar shapes. The importance of kerning, the spacing between letters, is highlighted, as well as the need for proper letter spacing to maintain the illusion of cursive handwriting. The speaker also recounts a humorous story from seventh grade about bad kerning altering a message, emphasizing the impact of typography on communication.

10:02

📜 The Impact of Typography: Beyond Letters to Visual Communication

The speaker discusses the broader implications of typography, explaining that it's not just about designing letters but also about the space between lines (leading) and the inclusion of glyphs to make a typeface usable. They emphasize that typography is important for everyone, not just designers, as it influences how we perceive and interpret text. The speaker uses the example of a babysitter advertisement to illustrate how different typefaces can convey different messages and influence decisions. They conclude by sharing their motivation for creating the 'Fet' typeface, which was to preserve and carry forward the essence of a place and time that no longer exists, and to encourage the audience to be more mindful of the type they use in their own communications.

Keywords

💡Designer

A designer is a professional who creates visual elements and solutions to various problems, often with a focus on aesthetics and functionality. In the video, the speaker likens becoming a designer to gaining a superpower, as they are constantly analyzing and questioning the design of the world around them. This ability to observe and critique the design in everyday life is central to the video's theme of the importance of typography and design in communication.

💡Typography

Typography is the art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible and appealing when displayed. It is a fundamental aspect of graphic design. The video emphasizes the omnipresence of typography in our lives and the speaker's personal journey of creating a typeface from a unique handwritten sample, highlighting the intricate process and the impact of typography on perception and communication.

💡Typeface

A typeface is a set of characters designed to have a consistent style and size, including letters, numbers, and punctuation marks. The video clarifies the distinction between a typeface and a font, explaining that a typeface is a collection of fonts, and is integral to the speaker's project of creating a new typeface inspired by beautiful handwriting.

💡Font

A font, in the context of the video, refers to a specific size, weight, and style of a typeface. The speaker explains that while most people use the terms 'typeface' and 'font' interchangeably, a font is actually a subset of a typeface, and understanding this distinction is important when designing and using typefaces.

💡Serif

A serif is a small line or stroke regularly attached to the end of a larger stroke in a letter or symbol within a typeface. The video discusses the design choice between serif and sans serif typefaces, with serif typefaces having these 'feet' at the bottom of the letterforms, which can influence the readability and aesthetic of the text.

💡Sans Serif

Sans serif is a typeface design without serifs, meaning the letters do not have the small lines or 'feet' at their ends. The term 'sans' is French for 'without'. In the video, the speaker contrasts serif and sans serif typefaces, noting that sans serif typefaces can have a more modern and clean look.

💡Script Typeface

A script typeface is designed to resemble handwriting or cursive writing. The video details the speaker's process of creating a script typeface from a sample of beautiful handwriting, emphasizing the challenge of translating the fluidity and elegance of script into a digital typeface.

💡Kerning

Kerning is the adjustment of space between characters in a proportional font, usually to achieve a visually pleasing result. The video explains the importance of kerning in maintaining the illusion of cursive in the speaker's typeface, 'Fet', and how improper kerning can affect the readability and message of the text.

💡Letting

Letting, also known as leading, is the space between lines of type. The term originates from the strips of lead used in traditional typesetting to separate lines. In the video, the speaker discusses the importance of letting in the design of the 'Fet' typeface, particularly in dealing with ascenders and descenders to ensure a balanced and legible layout.

💡Glyphs

Glyphs are the visual elements of a typeface, including letters, numbers, and symbols. The video mentions that designing a typeface involves more than just the standard alphabet and numerals; it also requires the inclusion of glyphs to make the typeface versatile and functional for various applications.

💡Visual Inflection

Visual inflection refers to the way in which the design of type can influence the interpretation of the text, similar to how tone of voice can affect spoken language. The video uses the concept of visual inflection to illustrate how typefaces can convey different moods and messages, impacting the reader's perception of the content.

Highlights

Designers possess a 'superpower' of constantly questioning and analyzing the design of everything around them.

Typography is the visual arrangement of letters in space and is omnipresent in our environment.

The story of discovering beautiful handwriting in a museum in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, inspiring the creation of a typeface.

The distinction between a typeface, which is a series of letters designed to belong together, and a font, which is a specific group within a typeface.

Serif and sans serif typefaces have different aesthetic and functional characteristics.

Script typefaces are designed to mimic cursive handwriting and require careful design to ensure legibility and connection between letters.

The process of creating a typeface involves tracing and refining letterforms to achieve a cohesive look.

The importance of starting typeface design with the letter 'A' due to its foundational role in forming other letters.

Kerning, the adjustment of space between letters, is crucial for maintaining the illusion of cursive in a typeface.

Letting, or leading, is the space between lines of text and affects the readability and aesthetic of a typeface.

Glyphs, including symbols and punctuation, are essential for a typeface to be fully functional and versatile.

Typography has a significant impact on the message conveyed by text, influencing perception and interpretation.

Typefaces can evoke different emotions and characteristics, such as authority, honesty, or friendliness.

The practical application of typography in real-life scenarios, such as choosing a babysitter based on the typeface used in their advertisement.

Soet, the typeface inspired by the handwriting found in Michigan, is designed to evoke a sense of history and precision.

The importance of typography extends beyond designers to everyone, as it influences how we read and interpret text.

The speaker's personal journey of creating a typeface to preserve and carry forward a piece of history.

The newly acquired 'design superpower' of the audience, enabling them to critically analyze and appreciate typography in their daily lives.

Transcripts

something incredible happens when you

become a designer that I liken to

gaining a

superpower most people are walking

around the world thinking about what

they want to eat for lunch or what

they're doing at work but designers are

walking around the world looking at

everything and asking why does it look

the way it does and work the way it does

and who designed it and the great part

about this ability is that as a designer

I can do something about it the

obnoxious part about this ability is

that it's happening all the time I can

never shut it off and for me this is

happening particularly with

typography typography is the visual

arrangement of designed letters or type

in space and type exists everywhere

even if you find yourself in the middle

of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where

I'm from at fet historic town site and

park where I found myself in the summer

of

2012 I was there on a whim and what fet

is is it used to be a town where they

smelted iron ore that was Min what that

means is it's made into a more refined

version before it gets shipped off to be

made into steel and so this was a

company Town it was a really cool cool

bustling place where they did this for

about 20 years at the end of the 1800s

until it proved unprofitable and the

whole town kind of trickled out and now

it's a ghost town it's been really well

preserved as this architectural kind of

framework uh that now you can go visit

and they have a cool Museum there that

has artifacts from the town you can see

how people used to live there and in

this Museum they have these white framed

pieces of paper that were kind of up

against a wall which from a distance

looked entirely unremarkable but as I

got closer to them I was totally

floored this was the most beautiful

handwriting I had ever seen in my entire

life it was graceful and it was swooping

and it was Swift and it was fantastic

and suddenly like a ton of bricks my

design superpower caught up with me and

I knew in my heart of hearts that I

needed to make this into a type

face the problem was I had never

actually done this before I had worked

as a graphic designer and used a lot of

type but hadn't made a lot of type and

so I knew there were a couple things

that I was going to have to consider

moving forward if this is a project I

wanted to

do so the first thing to know I needed

to know is that a type face is different

than a font now most people use these

interchangeably but there actually is a

difference a type face is a series of

letters that are designed to belong

together so bedoni is a type face now

bedoni bold italic is a font which is a

specific group of letters within a type

face so fonts make up type faces in the

same way that chapters make up a

book all type faces are made up of

letter forms letter forms is the individ

ual design of any one letter and when

you're designing these letters you have

to consider if you want it to be a serf

or a sand serif type face so what seraps

are are these like great little feet

that exist on the bottom of letter forms

like you can see on the Century

F and Sans serif type uh San from the

French word meaning without uh doesn't

have these little wings or feet and so

they read a bit more like table

legs then there is script type faces

which is made to look a bit like cursive

and so when you design the letter forms

you have to add this cool little tail

onto what you're designing so that they

can connect with each other and read

like cursive and I knew because I was

working from cursive handwriting that I

needed to design a script so I thought

I've got this right I'm just going to

trace the letters and it's G to

work it really

didn't so I had this and this would have

worked really well for historical

preservation but what went on is that

these letters weren't even enough to

actually work as a type face and so then

I was kind of back to the drawing board

going all right uh how am I going to

actually do this and so I thought about

how other type designers had done this

before me and many of them start with

the letter A now I have to preface I

absolutely love lowercase A's which is

like a little weird and obsessive I

realized saying this in front of a very

large group of people but lowercase A's

are fun they're humble they're in just

about everything and so I started by

tracing this a which looked really funky

and the second a looked really funky and

probably somewhere until like the 39th a

also looked really funky but when I

finally got to this a that I loved I

knew it was a really great place to

start and I knew why other people

started there because once you have that

letter form you can use that to make an

o and a g and a p and a Q and A D and A

B because they all sh share that same

basee

shape similarly once you design an N the

m and the U come really quickly as does

the w and an H because they borrow each

other's

forms now once you've designed these

letters it's important to space them

correctly that's just as important and

so kerning is the space between any two

letters and letters uh that are close

together are tightly kerned and letters

that are far apart are widely kerned and

for fet which is what I call the tight

face Super Creative name I

know these have to be properly cured so

that it maintains this illusion of

cursive and that it reads really nicely

because if things are too tightly cerned

then it turns into this crunchy

mess and if it's too widely cerned then

you've completely uh ruin the illusion

of cursive and kerning is important not

just for believability or legibility but

because it can actually change what it

is you're trying to say and my first

lesson in bad kerning was not in art

school but was actually in the seventh

grade with Mr Stewart this guy Loved

Bird Watching so he got up and he wanted

to share this with us so he got up on

the board and he wrote down the name of

a bird called the yellow bellied flicker

but he wrote it really quickly and his

letter spacing was just slightly off and

this completely changed the message

this is a true

story other things to consider is about

letting and letting is the space between

any two lines of typed text and it's

called letting because when type was

made of like movable metal they'

literally put chunks of lead between to

designate that space and for fet this

was really important because I had to

deal with ascenders and descenders so

what an Ascender is is it's the part of

the letter form that comes up and over

the x height which is the top of

lowercase letters and then there's the

uh descenders which come down below

What's called the Baseline which is

where lowercase letters sit and so if

something is too tightly Leed then you

end up with these like sword fighting

ascenders and descenders and that's

generally Bad News Bears

other things to consider is that when

you're designing a type face it's not

just 26 letters and 10 numbers you have

to deal with things called glyphs which

are all of the symbols that you have to

have in a typ face like the at sign and

number sign and and parentheses right so

that your typ face is actually

usable so there's at least like one

person in this audience right now who's

like good for you lady you made a tight

face

what's the

point there's one of you I know

it what's the

point the point is that typography is

important not just for designers and

type nerds like myself but for everyone

in this audience because everything you

ever read is in some kind of type face

and all tight faces are designed to say

something specific

and so when something is typed in a type

face then what is said is influenced by

how it is set and I call this a kind of

visual

inflection so just like when we speak

our tone of voice gives meaning to the

words we're trying to say so does type

so if I were to say I hope you all have

a great time today at tedex you know I

mean that because of the tone of my

voice right but if I were to

say I hope you have a great time at

tedex you know that I don't actually

mean that because of the inflection of

my voice and type works really

similarly type can be

authoritative it can be

honest it can be

organic type can say I'm friendly or I'm

childlike and if you're still not buying

this

let's imagine that you're going out on a

date and you need to get a babysitter

for your child so you go online and you

look up babysitter and this shows

up okay set in

Baskerville it's cool it's calm it's

professional it's collected this is

probably a person that you'd give a call

and say hey can you watch my kid tonight

but let's say that this situation has

changed slightly so you get online you

look up babysitters and this shows up

this is probably not the person you want

to leave your kid

with so in this way type should never be

an afterthought because it can persuade

and evoke and help us make choices

consciously or

unconsciously and

soet is a nice type face and I'm

obviously like a tiny bit

biased but it's not for

everything it works really well for

things like historical fiction or Museum

design or love letters or wedding

invites because it speaks of time of

precision and a Time Gone by but it's

not what you'd write like your Master's

thesis

in and that truthfully that wasn't the

point right I didn't design it to be the

end all be all of tight faces I designed

it to say something about a place that

used to exist and doesn't anymore and a

person who had a voice and doesn't

anymore and that swiftness and that

beauty and some way trying to preserve

that and carry a tiny bit of that from

the past to the present and hopefully

into the

future and so for all of you now having

heard this talk you now absorbed a

little bit of this design superpower

which which means when you leave you're

going to go look at all of the type

around you and you're going to wonder

who made it and why it looks the way it

does and what it means and you're also

going to see bad kerning Now everywhere

I'm so

sorry but you're all going to be able to

go into your chosen professions and

handle type A little better than you

could before because you can think about

what you want to say and how you want to

say it and you can make cont ious

deliberate decisions about the medium of

your message not just from the words you

choose but from the type you

choose thanks

[Music]