How Yesterday’s Type Has Inspired Todays Styles

In todays modern world the term 'typography' is used very loosly and you could argue that, since the digital age, typogrophy is no longer a specialized occupation. Furthermore, it is performed by anyone who arranges type such as comic book designers, graffiti artists, art directors, clerical workers and graphic designers. There are many instances where the modern typography we use today was inspired by old styles. In this article we will take a look at how yesterdays type has inspired todays styles.

Initial

The large letter that is often seen at the beginning of a chapter or paragraph in printed publications such as novels and newspapers is referred to as the 'Initial'. The name initial comes from the latin initialis which means 'standing at the beginning'.

Going back to the very early history of printing the initial would be added to a manuscript or text by a scribe or minature painter annd not by the typesetter; The typesetters just left the necessary space so the Initial could be added later.

There are several different types of Initial, the first type is the one you will normally see on a computer, sat on the baseline and flush with the left margin. The other type of Initial you might see in html is in the left margin with the text to the right and indented.

The last, and probably the most common, type of initial seen in newspapers, magazines and novels is the drop cap, where it runs several lines deep with the text wrapped around so the left and top margins are all flush.

Old Style Typefaces

Often reffered to as Humanist, the 'old style' typefaces are inspired by the hand lettering of scribes before the modern typefaces we're introduced; The very first old style fonts we're produced in the early 1500's.

The thick to thin transitions that can be seen in the old style typefaces highlights its relation to calligraphy and they look very much like they have been drawn with pen and ink. If you we're to draw a line between the thinnest parts of the character you can see that 'the stress' is always diagonal and the serifs on old style fonts are very angled.

Old style fonts are generally best suited to pages with lots of body text on as they are very easy on the eye and are often found in magazines, newspapers and books. One of the most common used sans-serif old style fonts used in the web today is 'Times New Roman'.

Modern Style Typefaces

The modern style typefacesare often referred to as 'Didone' and despite the name 'modern' it is not a new typeface. Going back to the eighteenth century when new advanced printing methods came to to light and when the paper qualkity drastically improved there we're changes in how typefaces we're created.

Compared to the old style typefaces the Didone have thin and very long horrizontal serifs, the stress is vertical rather than diagonal and the thick and thin transitions syle is much more clear cut and a dramatic difference compared with old style typefaces.

These fonts can be very eye catching when used in large sizes and are not suited to pages with lots of body text due to their thick lines becoming too powerful and the thin parts been nion impossible to see. The modern style fonts are best suited to titles, headings and sub-headings and common ones you will see on the web today are Didot, Onyx and Times Bold.

This article was produced on behalf of PrinterInks - suppliers of printer cartridges, toners and stationary services throughout the UK and Europe.

40 Guidelines for Composing a Landscape Painting

When creating artwork, finding the flaws in your own work can be difficult.  Furthering your understanding what works and what doesn't can make this process far less frustrating.  The tutorial on art destination site and forum Wetcanvas has demystified the most common problems. From the article, by Johannes Vloothuis:

"I have put together a series of “ rules” (I’d prefer the word, tips) of composition that when used properly should reduce the flaws in your landscape paintings. These are a compilation of what appears in most books on composition plus some of my own ideas. A word of caution; do not allow these to hinder your work. They are to help you out when you are in doubt on where to place diverse elements in your work. Rules are made to be broken, in which case you should at least know what rule you are breaking and why and not err due to insufficient knowledge. There are 23 pages so get a cup of coffee and prepare yourself for a long haul."

Landscape Composition Rules (wetcanvas.com)

Do Web Designers Need to go to a Technology College?

Photo: Blog Redesign by Vancouver Film School

Being a self-starter is a valuable tool as a web designer. Many designers learned their skills on their own time through trial and error and personal research. While there are probably hundreds of web designers holding good jobs who never attended college, that number is shrinking as web design becomes a more structured career. Today, companies are looking for web designers who have diplomas to back up their talent.

Competitive Job Market

One of the simplest reasons for a web designer to go to college is that there is so much competition in the web design market today. Anything you can do to make your application more impressive than the next person's application is worth looking into. Employers like to hire college graduates because that degree provides proof that the applicant is able to begin a task and complete it in the required amount of time. Many jobs in the computer field are quickly becoming closed to anyone who does not have the appropriate degree to compete.

Benefits of Structured Education

Spending time focused on web design through college courses can be valuable for you and your future employers. College gives you an opportunity to work directly with instructors who have been in the field and know what skills you really need on the job. You will be faced with a wide range of topics regarding web design that will give you an extra set of tools to fall back on when you encounter a problem in the real world. College also gives you a chance to learn about the most cutting edge technology as it is released.

How Employers View Degrees

When someone has earned an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree in their chosen field, it tells an employer that the applicant is dedicated to gaining as much knowledge as possible about their work. Employers also understand that it is impossible to graduate from college without learning how to meet deadlines with quality work. When facing a choice between a talented web designer without a degree and one with a degree, the degree will almost always win. College provides a structured study of web design that depends on a stable approach to studies over a series of years. Many employers appreciate stability in an employee as much as they admire creativity and skill.

Finding the Right School

When you are looking for a good web design school, make sure that you choose one that holds accreditation in the United States. Schools with accreditation are required to meet certain educational standards so that students who graduate are guaranteed to have a good quality education. If you are trying to choose between a 2-year degree and a 4-year degree, opt for the 4-year degree whenever possible. The options for web design schools range from technical colleges to online degree programs. It is not hard to find a school that fits your schedule.

Jessica Bosari believes technology will eventually save the world. She writes about technology colleges for technology-colleges.info.

Introducing the Uncanny Creativity Podcast

Last week, the first episode of the new Uncanny Creativity Podcast was released.  It's a productivity podcast for artists, designers and other creative professionals. This is a rebranding and update of the SketcheeBook Podcast, so technically this is episode 21 and I've kept the old numbering scheme.  You can subscribe to the show for FREE through iTunes or in a reader by rss.

If you're not familiar with podcasts, check out my article on how to listen to podcasts. 

Artists, Designers & Illustrators: Share your Experiences (Survey)

Creative professionals, let us know a bit about your work and experience. Help out those just starting out by filling out one or more of the interview questions in this survey. Your answers will be shared in a future blog post or podcast. Make sure you include a link to your portfolio or twitter so people will know how to find you and thank you for your help.

If you know any artists or designers who may want to help, please share this survey with them

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