Assignment 1BIntroduction to letterforms

Art 264 01 Mon & Wed 3:305.20 Green Hall, Room 210

class wiki-pagehttp://art.yale.edu/264F12

instructorJulian Bittiner julian.bittiner@yale.edu

teachers assistantJessica Svendsenjessica.svendsen@yale.edu

The successful spacing of letters is a combination of learned optical judgement (developing an eye) and logical systematization. However the eye should always be the final arbiter.

Carefully space the letters and words provided on the work sheet in the order indicated below using Walter Tracys methodology as a guide:

letters with a straight upright stroke:B D E F H I J K L M N P R U b d h i j k l m n p q r u

letters with a round stroke:C D G O P Q b c d e o p q

triangular letters:A V W X Y v w x y

the odd ones:S T Z a f g s t z

For spacing serif lowercase letters, use the n as a basis. Measure the width between the two vertical strokes, then assign half that width as the space on the left side of the letter, and slightly less on the right side (to account for the arched corner that adds space). Set four ns with this spacing so that the distance between all the vertical strokes is even ( nnnn ) . Adjust as necesary, then assign these spaces to the vertical strokes of the other letters per the table on the reverse (e.g. the left side of b, the right side of d, etc.) .

Next tackle the o. Place two copies between two pairs of correctly spaced ns ( nonon ) . Also test another combination ( nnoonn ) . When the spacing looks even, subtract the space belonging to the n; the remainder is the correct spacing for the o. The rest of the letters can now be spaced relative to the n and the o.

For spacing uppercase serifs, use the H and O as a basis and follow the same logic as above.

(Note that the space between any letters should never be greater than the space inside the lowercase n or the capital H) .

Due: Wednesday, September 12

spacing letterforms

A View of Type DesignWalter Tracy

Source: Walter Tracy, Letters of Credit (Boston: David R. Godine, 2003), 7475.