Ch 2 Reflection

Ch. 2 Reflection

Reading all of the basic typographic terms and definitions in Chapter 2 was helpful with the Typography Anatomy project. Normally, I'm very interested in knowing the specifics and terminology behind any particular subject, because I think that it helps not only in learning but also being creative. Bending and manipulating the "rules" for a specific project you're working on is pretty much impossible if you aren't aware of the rules in the first place, here specifically typographic anatomy.

In class last week someone mentioned during the typography dating game that sometimes it's best to go with your gut instinct and not over think when pairing typefaces. I thought about this statement while reading Chapter 2 because while it is important to consider kerning, leading, x heights, bowl shapes, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, it is impossible and not necessary to consider all of the properties of type at once when making a decision. Like mentioned in the text, it is a designer's job to figure out which typeface in which setting is best to achieve a desired effect, but the combinations of typefaces, widths, serifs, ascenders, stresses, and sizes are probably impossible to quantify. Therefore, while the basics of type are necessary to know and understand, a designer needs a creative edge, or else countless hours would be spent trying to choose aesthetically pleasing combinations.