Why Typography Is the Silent Voice of Graphic Design

Typography is the backbone of graphic design. It is the unsung hero of visual communication. Before a viewer even reads the first word, the typography has already spoken. It has already conveyed a sense of emotion, style, and function. The effective use of typography goes beyond just selecting a font and placing text in a design. It is about creating a clear typographic hierarchy to present information in a clear, concise manner. Proper use of typography will help a viewer navigate a design in an efficient manner, while incorrect use of typography can lead to confusion. Long paragraphs of text with no visual hierarchy can discourage a viewer from reading the text.

The reason for this is because every typographic element conveys a message. A headline tells the viewer that this is the most important information on a page. A subhead tells the viewer that this information is secondary to the headline. The copy or body text tells the viewer that this is the supporting information. Creating a clear typographic hierarchy will make it easier for a viewer to scan a design. A clear hierarchy allows a viewer to quickly identify which information is the most important and which information is the least important. This can be achieved through the use of different point sizes, line spacing, leading, font styles, colors, or even different fonts. The key is to be consistent. Consistency creates a clear visual language and makes the design easier to read.

The emotional quality of typography cannot be forgotten either. Different fonts convey different messages. A font with serifs is usually more traditional or conservative, while a font without serifs is usually more modern. Script fonts are elegant and typically used for formal events. The typography chosen for a project will largely depend on the target audience, purpose, or theme of the design. For example, a company that produces custom cars would most likely want a bold, edgy font to convey power and speed. On the other hand, a company that offers children’s birthday parties would probably choose a fun, playful font to convey excitement and joy.

It is also important to consider the spacing of text. Kerning, tracking, and leading all have a huge impact on the readability of text. Kerning is the space between two specific characters, while tracking is the space between a group of characters. In the past, designers would have to manually kern and track text, but new design programs such as InDesign have made it much easier. The program will automatically kern and track the text and designers can control the tracking of the text. Leading is the space between lines of text. There are many different techniques to determine the perfect amount of leading, but a good rule of thumb is to make the leading at least two points larger than the font size. If the text is too tight, it can be difficult to read, but if the text is too loose, the viewer may have trouble distinguishing one line from another. The goal is to find a happy medium between the two.

Typography is a very important part of graphic design. It is what makes graphic design graphic. Graphic designers work with type day in and day out and type should be taken seriously. Type is not just letters on a page, it is what communicates the message to the viewer. A good designer will be able to communicate the message clearly and in an effective manner. A good designer will understand how to create a clear visual hierarchy and be able to create visually appealing text. A good designer will understand the emotional quality of type and how to choose the right typeface for a project. In the end, typography is the medium that graphic designers use to communicate. It is what sets designers apart from artists. By understanding and mastering typography, designers will be able to create a clear and effective message that will communicate the intended message.