Typography is an important component of the Word as Image Project, because it is integral to the way we receive and process written information. Just as posture, inflection, and facial expressions alter the meaning of the words we speak, the font that words are written in can drastically change how readers perceive what is being said. This font is called Architect's Daughter and it gives a very different impression than Times New Roman, which is a ubiquitous serif typeface that conveys a serious, authoritative, and professional tone. Helvetica is also ubiquitous to the point of being like air—we barely notice it, even though it is literally everywhere because graphic designers consider it a go-to typeface. Most people are familiar with Comic Sans, and have a visceral reaction to this outdated font. Online, sans serif fonts like Arial are standard for legibility. Canvas uses Lato as the default font, and this sentence is actually a different font than the preceding sentence! Note how similar it is to Arial; there is hardly a discernable difference. The shape of the letters affects the meaning just as much as the sound of the vowels and consonants. Watch this fourteen and a half minute TEDx video for a more in depth understanding of the topic.
So, we've been talking about typography and typefaces, fonts, kerning, and serifs, but what exactly is typography? You might already have a good idea of what these terms mean, or you might have only the vaguest notion. This short six and a half minute video concisely sums up everything you need to know about typography for this assignment.
Ask yourself what you think your word sounds like. Is it round, sharp, bold, italic, old fashioned, simple, cramped, or something else? Perhaps it is an interconnected script like cursive, or fancy like calligraphy. Sound out the shape of the vowels, the impact of the consonants. Do they pop or hiss? Are they brittle or supple? Consider onomatopoeia, and what makes a the phonetics of a word imitate the meaning of itself. Many words have this, but many don't, so don't worry if this doesn't apply for you. However, if it does apply, be sure to incorporate it into how you shape your word.
Sometimes, the arrangement of the letters can resemble the meaning. Take "bed" for example; it looks rather like a side view of a bed with a headboard and footboard. Below you will find a video by Ji Lee, who uses animation and the size, shape, negative space, angle, and position of letters to convey meaning. Note that he has chosen a simple sans serif font for all of his words, and uses a minimal amount of color. For our project we are going beyond this to create three dimensional words that take into account materiality. We will discuss this more in class, and in the Word as Image Materials page. Just keep in mind that you will likely not have a kinetic element to your piece, and the font and color(s) will convey important information about your word.
