Parts of a Letter Reflection

    Learning the vocabulary and origin of typography is essential to design. Knowing the letterform component parts can make it easier to identify and correctly use specific typefaces. Serif fonts illustrate the largest range of these terms. The three different types of serifs are traditional, modern, and slab. To identify a font as a serif font notice the short strokes that finish off the major strokes of the letterform and identify the brackets, or curving joints between the serif and the stroke.

   Each font has a base line, which each letter sits on, and a cap height, the measurement of the upper case letters, taken from the base line to the top of the character. Fonts are also measured by X height. The X height is the height of the lowercase X starting from the base line. Letters that rise above the measurement of the X height are called ascenders and letters that fall below it are called descenders.

   The different parts of each letter also have a specific vocabulary. The horizontal bar in capital letters like A and H is called a crossbar and the middle, top of capital letters that come to a point like A and W is called the apex. Capitol letters such as C have what is called a barb at the top end of the letterform. The final, the front and beginning stroke of a letter, and the terminal the bottom and end stroke of a letter, characterizes lower case letters. In lowercase letters like p and c the lower curve of the letter is called the counter and the upper curve is called the bowl.

   After reading Parts of the Letter I have a better understanding of letterforms and the vocabulary they entail. This will help me identify fonts and discuss the specific parts of them that I like or dislike and explain my views with intelligent reasoning.

Steven Heller - Graphic Designer

 

 

Steven Heller

   Steven Heller was born in 1950 and is the author and co-author of over 100 books focusing on illustration, typography, pop culture, and design. His most notable achievements are being an art director for the New York Times for 33 years, receiving the AIGA Medal for Lifetime Achievement in 1999, the Art Directors Club Hall of Fame Special Educators Award in 1996, the Pratt Institute Herschel Levitt Award in 2000, and the Society of Illustrators Richard Gangel Award for Art Direction in 2006. He is currently co-chair of the MFA Designer as Author Department, Special Consultant to the President of SVA for New Programs, and writes the Visuals column for the New York Times Book Review. He also lectured for 14 years on the history of illustration in the MFA Illustration as Visual Essay program at the School of Visual arts.

  

Condense

con·dense

[kuhn-dens] verb, con·densed, con·dens·ing.

verb (used with object)

1.

to make more dense or compact; reduce the volume or extent of; concentrate.

2.

to reduce to a shorter form; abridge: Condense your answer into a few words.

3.

to reduce to another and denser form, as a gas or vapor to a liquid or solid state.

verb (used without object)

4.

to become denser or more compact or concentrated.

5.

to reduce a book, speech, statement, or the like, to a shorter form.

6.

to become liquid or solid, as a gas or vapor: The steam condensed into droplets.

Prototype Interviews

   The interviews about the first prototype, conducted by Naomi and I, showed that the new product appealed to most demographics. Only three out of ten participants said that this product did not appeal to their
demographic. The adjustments to the handles are rope also received a mostly positive reaction. Doug commented that the “handles really feel good, [but the rope] needs to have a little more inertia” and Christina, 27 stated, “the handles [and string] are a good size.” Although most reactions to the handles were positive, Jason, 21 felt that the handles were “too big.” Isaac, 18 felt that the overall feel of the rope was good saying, “its pretty good physically [and] its long enough for me.”
   When asked their opinion of the added features, the speakers and LED lights, all participants reacted positively. The new features received
reactions like, “that’s pretty awesome,” Isaac, 14, “that’s pretty beast,” Isaac, 18.
   The conclusion the group reached after reviewing the new interviews was that we needed to make the handles lighter and less bulky to match the weight of the rope. We then went about finding a different material to put on the ends of the handles to lessen the weight. We also found that we had successfully reached our target audience.

Origional Object Interviews

   The interviews about the original object, conducted by Naomi, Kylie, and I showed an overall consensus that the rope was cheap and flimsy. Erik, age 18 remarked that the rope was “just terrible quality.” The two other main complaints were that the rope was too short, according to the adults, and that it became tangled, according to Lenora, age 10. The rope was only an appropriate size for Dayton, age 8. Erik stated that if the length problem was fixed by making the rope adjustable both he and his shorter sister could share it.
   Most adults said that they rarely used jump ropes, with the exception of Ben, age 23, who claimed that he uses them “probably once every five years.” When asked what could make the rope better or encourage them to use it Shiela, age 63, suggested a rope made of wooden links and Ben stated that if there was a jump rope party he “would be down.” Bryan, bodybuilder, age 19, suggested that if the rope had lights and speakers he would consider using it after previously stating that he “never” uses jump ropes because he “doesn’t do cardio.”
   The conclusion that our group reached after reviewing the interviews was that the quality, weight, balance, and length of the rope needed
to be improved. We also took Bryan’s suggestion into consideration
when thinking of ways to make the rope more appealing to young
adults. After reviewing these interviews, we decided to make young
adults our target audience.

   In chapter two of “Understanding Comics” “The Vocabulary of Comics” a cartoon narrator discusses how humans are able to see icons in realistic pictures. As an object becomes more simplified we respond in a different way emotionally. By simplifying an image we also simplify its meaning and describe it in a way realism cannot. Cartoons call this “amplification through simplification.” He goes on to say that objects are an extension of ourselves and become an extension of our bodies.
   In chapter five “Living in Line” the narrator further discusses how visual objects effect us emotionally. He states that in the world of comics the emotional or sensual response that an object or picture evokes in us is crucial.
   After this reading I realized that overly complicated designs are not always the most effective. The concept of “amplification through simplification” really resounded with me and I was especially interested in the emotional response simplifying objects can evoke.

Writer's Toolbox Response

   After reading “Writer’s Toolbox” I now know of many different ways to better my writing skills. Mind maps are the visual representation of ideas. They help to organize and expand on a central idea. Concept maps allow for a more in depth look into conceptual ideas. To make a concept map you begin with a central topic and then add prepositional phrases that describe the topic around it. Free writing allows you to get out every idea you have about a topic, without organization or thought. To free write you simply write for a set time without stopping. Brain writing allows all members of a group to take turns writing about an idea, adding to the diversity of ideas and shared work loads. Word lists lend new ideas about a topic through word association from a central topic. These different ways of brainstorming can help solve problems with a creative mind-set and approach and encourage outside-the- box thinking.