$30 off During Our Annual Pro Sale. View Details »

The Science of Typography

Bram Stein
November 13, 2015

The Science of Typography

This is going to be a weird talk. You’ve probably all seen automated “design” software and algorithms come and go. They promise the sky but often restrict you and produce bland and generic results. Should you not use such software at all? What if there are tools that analyse and guide you to create better designs? This talk will explore typographic analysis and what we as designers can learn from math and computer science.

Bram Stein

November 13, 2015
Tweet

More Decks by Bram Stein

Other Decks in Design

Transcript

  1. @bram_stein
    the
    SCIENCE
    typography
    of 2em
    glyph box
    0.5em
    0.5em
    baseline
    kerning
    x-height

    View Slide

  2. View Slide

  3. View Slide

  4. View Slide

  5. In olden times when wishing still helped
    one, there lived a king whose daughters were
    all beautiful; and the youngest was so beautiful
    there lived a king whose daughters were all
    In olden times when wishing still helped one,
    beautiful; and the youngest was so beautiful that
    In olden times when wishing still helped
    one, there lived a king whose daughters were
    all beautiful; and the youngest was so
    beautiful that the sun itself, which…
    there lived a king whose daughters were all
    In olden times when wishing still helped one,
    beautiful; and the youngest was so beautiful
    that the sun itself, which…
    In olden times when wishing still helped one,
    In olden times when wishing still helped
    one, there lived a king whose daughters were all there lived a king whose daughters were all beautiful
    In olden times when wishing still helped one,
    Hyphenation & Justification
    Math Typesetting
    Font design

    View Slide

  6. 1978 2005

    View Slide

  7. The web was (and to a large extend still is) not
    a good platform for high quality typography.

    View Slide

  8. View Slide

  9. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
    JavaScript

    View Slide

  10. Typeset
    A small and fast hyphenation engine
    written in JavaScript. Can be used in
    Node.js and the browser.
    github.com/bramstein/hypher
    Typeset is an implementation of the
    Knuth and Plass line breaking algorithm
    using JavaScript.
    github.com/bramstein/typeset
    Hypher
    Web Font Loader
    Web Font Loader gives you added control
    when using linked fonts via @font-face.
    github.com/typekit/webfontloader

    View Slide

  11. View Slide

  12. Fill-in-the-gaps Automated Design

    View Slide

  13. Fill-in-the-gaps Automated Design

    View Slide

  14. Fill-in-the-gaps Automated Design

    View Slide

  15. View Slide

  16. View Slide

  17. Fill-in-the-gaps Automated Design

    View Slide

  18. View Slide

  19. View Slide

  20. View Slide

  21. View Slide

  22. View Slide

  23. View Slide

  24. a a
    a
    Acumin Pro Madre Script Futura PT

    View Slide

  25. a

    View Slide

  26. a

    View Slide

  27. View Slide

  28. Type

    View Slide

  29. aexpd

    View Slide

  30. Geogrotesque Gill Sans Arial
    a
    In olden times when wishing
    still helped one, there lived a
    king whose daughters were
    all beautiful, but the
    youngest was so beautiful
    that the sun itself, which has
    seen so much, was
    astonished whenever it
    shone in her face.
    In olden times when wishing
    still helped one, there lived a
    king whose daughters were
    all beautiful, but the youngest
    was so beautiful that the sun
    itself, which has seen so
    much, was astonished
    whenever it shone in her
    face.
    In olden times when
    wishing still helped one,
    there lived a king whose
    daughters were all
    beautiful, but the youngest
    was so beautiful that the
    sun itself, which has seen
    so much, was astonished
    whenever it shone in her
    face.
    a a

    View Slide

  31. a a
    a
    In olden times when wishing
    still helped one, there lived a
    king whose daughters were
    all beautiful, but the
    youngest was so beautiful
    that the sun itself, which has
    seen so much, was
    astonished whenever it
    shone in her face.
    In olden times when wishing
    still helped one, there lived a
    king whose daughters were
    all beautiful, but the youngest
    was so beautiful that the sun
    itself, which has seen so
    much, was astonished
    whenever it shone in her
    face.
    In olden times when
    wishing still helped one,
    there lived a king whose
    daughters were all
    beautiful, but the youngest
    was so beautiful that the
    sun itself, which has seen
    so much, was astonished
    whenever it shone in her
    face.
    Geogrotesque Gill Sans Arial

    View Slide

  32. a a
    a
    In olden times when wishing
    still helped one, there lived a
    king whose daughters were
    all beautiful, but the
    youngest was so beautiful
    that the sun itself, which has
    seen so much, was
    astonished whenever it
    shone in her face.
    In olden times when
    wishing still helped one,
    there lived a king whose
    daughters were all beautiful,
    but the youngest was so
    beautiful that the sun itself,
    which has seen so much,
    was astonished whenever it
    shone in her face.
    In olden times when wishing
    still helped one, there lived a
    king whose daughters were
    all beautiful, but the
    youngest was so beautiful
    that the sun itself, which has
    seen so much, was
    astonished whenever it
    shone in her face.
    +7% -8%
    Geogrotesque Gill Sans Arial

    View Slide

  33. n
    A apple a day kee

    View Slide

  34. View Slide

  35. View Slide

  36. n
    A

    View Slide

  37. n
    A apple

    View Slide

  38. n
    A apple a

    View Slide

  39. n
    A apple a d y
    a

    View Slide

  40. n
    A apple a

    View Slide

  41. n
    A apple a
    d y
    a

    View Slide

  42. n
    A apple a
    d y
    a keeps

    View Slide

  43. n
    A apple a
    d y
    a keeps t e
    h

    View Slide

  44. n
    A apple a
    d y
    a keeps

    View Slide

  45. n
    A apple a
    d y
    a keeps
    t e
    h

    View Slide

  46. n
    A apple a
    d y
    a keeps
    t e
    h doctor

    View Slide

  47. n
    A apple a
    d y
    a keeps
    t e
    h doctor away.

    View Slide

  48. n
    A apple a
    d y
    a keeps
    t e
    h doctor

    View Slide

  49. n
    A apple a
    d y
    a keeps
    t e
    h doctor
    away.

    View Slide

  50. n
    A apple a
    d y
    a keeps
    t e
    h doctor
    away.

    View Slide

  51. n
    A apple a
    d y
    a keeps
    t e
    h doctor
    away.

    View Slide

  52. n apple a
    d y
    a keeps
    t e
    h doctor
    away.
    A

    View Slide

  53. n
    A apple a
    d y
    a eeps
    t e
    h octor
    away.
    k
    d

    View Slide

  54. n
    A apple a
    d y
    a keeps
    t e
    h doctor
    away.

    View Slide

  55. n
    A apple a
    d y
    a keeps
    t e
    h doctor
    away.

    View Slide

  56. n
    A apple a
    d y
    a keeps
    t e
    h doctor
    away.

    View Slide

  57. View Slide

  58. 1. Typeface
    2. Font size
    3. Line length (measure)
    4. Line height (leading)
    5. Typesetting

    View Slide

  59. View Slide

  60. 1. Typeface
    2. Font size
    3. Line length (measure)
    4. Line height (leading)
    5. Typesetting

    View Slide

  61. http://sizecalc.com/

    View Slide

  62. 1. Typeface
    2. Font size
    3. Line length (measure)
    4. Line height (leading)
    5. Typesetting

    View Slide

  63. Anything from 45 to 75 characters is widely
    regarded as a satisfactory length of line […]
    The 66-character line (counting both letters
    and spaces) is widely regarded as ideal.
    Robert Bringhurst

    View Slide

  64. Imagine a vast sheet of paper on which straight Lines, Triangles,
    Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons, and other figures, instead of
    remaining fixed in their places, move freely about, on or in the
    surface, but without the power of rising above or sinking below
    it, very much like shadows — only hard and with luminous
    edges — and you will then have a pretty correct notion of my
    country and countrymen.
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper on which straight Lines, Triangles, Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons,
    and other figures, instead of remaining fixed in their places, move freely about, on or in the
    surface, but without the power of rising above or sinking below it, very much like shadows — only
    hard and with luminous edges — and you will then have a pretty correct notion of my country and
    countrymen.
    Imagine a vast
    sheet of paper on
    which straight
    Lines, Triangles,
    Squares,
    Pentagons,
    Hexagons, and
    other figures,
    instead of
    CPL: 100
    CPL: 66
    CPL: 20

    View Slide

  65. Characters per line
    0 100
    66

    View Slide

  66. 1. Typeface
    2. Font size
    3. Line length (measure)
    4. Line height (leading)
    5. Typesetting

    View Slide

  67. Longer measures need more lead than short
    ones. Dark faces need more lead than light
    ones. Large-bodied faces need more lead than
    light-bodied ones.
    Robert Bringhurst

    View Slide

  68. Longer measures need more lead than short
    ones. Dark faces need more lead than light
    ones. Large-bodied faces need more lead than
    light-bodied ones.
    Robert Bringhurst

    View Slide

  69. Imagine a vast sheet of paper on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons, and other figures,
    instead of remaining fixed in their places, move freely about,
    on or in the surface, but without the power of rising above or
    sinking below it, very much like shadows — only hard and
    with luminous edges — and you will then have a pretty
    correct notion of my country and countrymen.
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper on which straight Lines, Triangles, Squares, Pentagons,
    Hexagons, and other figures, instead of remaining fixed in their places, move freely
    about, on or in the surface, but without the power of rising above or sinking below it,
    very much like shadows — only hard and with luminous edges — and you will then
    have a pretty correct notion of my country and countrymen.
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper on
    which straight Lines, Triangles,
    Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons, and
    other figures, instead of remaining
    fixed in their places, move freely
    about, on or in the surface, but
    without the power of rising above
    or sinking below it, very much like
    Line height: 1.4
    Line height: 1.3
    Line height: 1.2

    View Slide

  70. Longer measures need more lead than short
    ones. Dark faces need more lead than light
    ones. Large-bodied faces need more lead than
    light-bodied ones.
    Robert Bringhurst

    View Slide

  71. Imagine a vast sheet of paper on
    which straight Lines, Triangles,
    Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons,
    and other figures, instead of
    remaining fixed in their places,
    move freely about, on or in the
    surface, but without the power
    of rising above or sinking below
    it, very much like shadows —
    only hard and with luminous
    edges — and you will then have
    a pretty correct notion of my
    country and countrymen.
    Line height: 1.2 Line height: 1.4
    Line height: 1 Line height: 1.6
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper on
    which straight Lines, Triangles,
    Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons,
    and other figures, instead of
    remaining fixed in their places,
    move freely about, on or in the
    surface, but without the power
    of rising above or sinking below
    it, very much like shadows —
    only hard and with luminous
    edges — and you will then have
    a pretty correct notion of my
    country and countrymen.
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper on
    which straight Lines, Triangles,
    Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons,
    and other figures, instead of
    remaining fixed in their places,
    move freely about, on or in the
    surface, but without the power
    of rising above or sinking below
    it, very much like shadows —
    only hard and with luminous
    edges — and you will then have
    a pretty correct notion of my
    country and countrymen.
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper on
    which straight Lines, Triangles,
    Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons,
    and other figures, instead of
    remaining fixed in their places,
    move freely about, on or in the
    surface, but without the power
    of rising above or sinking below
    it, very much like shadows —
    only hard and with luminous
    edges — and you will then have
    a pretty correct notion of my
    country and countrymen.
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper on
    which straight Lines, Triangles,
    Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons,
    and other figures, instead of
    remaining fixed in their places,
    move freely about, on or in the
    surface, but without the power
    of rising above or sinking below
    it, very much like shadows —
    only hard and with luminous
    edges — and you will then have
    a pretty correct notion of my
    country and countrymen.
    Line height: 1.8

    View Slide

  72. Imagine a vast sheet of paper
    on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares,
    Pentagons, Hexagons, and
    other figures, instead of
    remaining fixed in their
    places, move freely about, on
    or in the surface, but without
    the power of rising above or
    sinking below it, very much
    like shadows — only hard
    and with luminous edges —
    and you will then have a
    pretty correct notion of my
    country and countrymen.
    Line height: 1.2 Line height: 1.4
    Line height: 1 Line height: 1.6
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper
    on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares,
    Pentagons, Hexagons, and
    other figures, instead of
    remaining fixed in their
    places, move freely about, on
    or in the surface, but without
    the power of rising above or
    sinking below it, very much
    like shadows — only hard
    and with luminous edges —
    and you will then have a
    pretty correct notion of my
    country and countrymen.
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper
    on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares,
    Pentagons, Hexagons, and
    other figures, instead of
    remaining fixed in their
    places, move freely about, on
    or in the surface, but without
    the power of rising above or
    sinking below it, very much
    like shadows — only hard
    and with luminous edges —
    and you will then have a
    pretty correct notion of my
    country and countrymen.
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper
    on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares,
    Pentagons, Hexagons, and
    other figures, instead of
    remaining fixed in their
    places, move freely about, on
    or in the surface, but without
    the power of rising above or
    sinking below it, very much
    like shadows — only hard
    and with luminous edges —
    and you will then have a
    pretty correct notion of my
    country and countrymen.
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper
    on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares,
    Pentagons, Hexagons, and
    other figures, instead of
    remaining fixed in their
    places, move freely about, on
    or in the surface, but without
    the power of rising above or
    sinking below it, very much
    like shadows — only hard
    and with luminous edges —
    and you will then have a
    pretty correct notion of my
    country and countrymen.
    Line height: 1.8

    View Slide

  73. x x

    View Slide

  74. x x

    View Slide

  75. Imagine a vast sheet of paper
    on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares,
    Pentagons, Hexagons, and
    other figures, instead of
    remaining fixed in their
    places, move freely about, on
    or in the surface, but without
    the power of rising above or
    sinking below it, very much
    like shadows — only hard
    and with luminous edges —
    and you will then have a
    pretty correct notion of my
    country and countrymen.
    Line height: 1.2 Line height: 1.4
    Line height: 1 Line height: 1.6
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper
    on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares,
    Pentagons, Hexagons, and
    other figures, instead of
    remaining fixed in their
    places, move freely about, on
    or in the surface, but without
    the power of rising above or
    sinking below it, very much
    like shadows — only hard
    and with luminous edges —
    and you will then have a
    pretty correct notion of my
    country and countrymen.
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper
    on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares,
    Pentagons, Hexagons, and
    other figures, instead of
    remaining fixed in their
    places, move freely about, on
    or in the surface, but without
    the power of rising above or
    sinking below it, very much
    like shadows — only hard
    and with luminous edges —
    and you will then have a
    pretty correct notion of my
    country and countrymen.
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper
    on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares,
    Pentagons, Hexagons, and
    other figures, instead of
    remaining fixed in their
    places, move freely about, on
    or in the surface, but without
    the power of rising above or
    sinking below it, very much
    like shadows — only hard
    and with luminous edges —
    and you will then have a
    pretty correct notion of my
    country and countrymen.
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper
    on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares,
    Pentagons, Hexagons, and
    other figures, instead of
    remaining fixed in their
    places, move freely about, on
    or in the surface, but without
    the power of rising above or
    sinking below it, very much
    like shadows — only hard
    and with luminous edges —
    and you will then have a
    pretty correct notion of my
    country and countrymen.
    Line height: 1.8

    View Slide

  76. Imagine a vast sheet of paper
    on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares,
    Pentagons, Hexagons, and
    other figures, instead of
    remaining fixed in their
    places, move freely about, on
    or in the surface, but without
    the power of rising above or
    sinking below it, very much
    like shadows — only hard
    and with luminous edges —
    and you will then have a
    pretty correct notion of my
    country and countrymen.
    Line height: 1.2 Line height: 1.4
    Line height: 1 Line height: 1.6
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper
    on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares,
    Pentagons, Hexagons, and
    other figures, instead of
    remaining fixed in their
    places, move freely about, on
    or in the surface, but without
    the power of rising above or
    sinking below it, very much
    like shadows — only hard
    and with luminous edges —
    and you will then have a
    pretty correct notion of my
    country and countrymen.
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper
    on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares,
    Pentagons, Hexagons, and
    other figures, instead of
    remaining fixed in their
    places, move freely about, on
    or in the surface, but without
    the power of rising above or
    sinking below it, very much
    like shadows — only hard
    and with luminous edges —
    and you will then have a
    pretty correct notion of my
    country and countrymen.
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper
    on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares,
    Pentagons, Hexagons, and
    other figures, instead of
    remaining fixed in their
    places, move freely about, on
    or in the surface, but without
    the power of rising above or
    sinking below it, very much
    like shadows — only hard
    and with luminous edges —
    and you will then have a
    pretty correct notion of my
    country and countrymen.
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper
    on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares,
    Pentagons, Hexagons, and
    other figures, instead of
    remaining fixed in their
    places, move freely about, on
    or in the surface, but without
    the power of rising above or
    sinking below it, very much
    like shadows — only hard
    and with luminous edges —
    and you will then have a
    pretty correct notion of my
    country and countrymen.
    Line height: 1.8
    (1)
    (1.1)
    (1.2)
    (1.3)
    (1.4)

    View Slide

  77. Line height (normalised)
    0 4
    1.3

    View Slide

  78. Longer measures need more lead than short
    ones. Dark faces need more lead than light
    ones. Large-bodied faces need more lead than
    light-bodied ones.
    Robert Bringhurst

    View Slide

  79. Imagine a vast sheet of paper on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons, and other
    figures, instead of remaining fixed in their places,
    move freely about, on or in the surface, but without
    the power of rising above or sinking below it, very
    much like shadows — only hard and with luminous
    edges — and you will then have a pretty correct notion
    of my country and countrymen.
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons, and other
    figures, instead of remaining fixed in their places, move
    freely about, on or in the surface, but without the power
    of rising above or sinking below it, very much like
    shadows — only hard and with luminous edges — and
    you will then have a pretty correct notion of my country
    and countrymen.
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons, and other
    figures, instead of remaining fixed in their places, move
    freely about, on or in the surface, but without the power
    of rising above or sinking below it, very much like
    shadows — only hard and with luminous edges — and
    you will then have a pretty correct notion of my country
    and countrymen.
    Line height: 1 Line height: 1 Line height: 1

    View Slide

  80. Imagine a vast sheet of paper on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons, and other
    figures, instead of remaining fixed in their places,
    move freely about, on or in the surface, but without
    the power of rising above or sinking below it, very
    much like shadows — only hard and with luminous
    edges — and you will then have a pretty correct notion
    of my country and countrymen.
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons, and other
    figures, instead of remaining fixed in their places, move
    freely about, on or in the surface, but without the power
    of rising above or sinking below it, very much like
    shadows — only hard and with luminous edges — and
    you will then have a pretty correct notion of my country
    and countrymen.
    Imagine a vast sheet of paper on which straight Lines,
    Triangles, Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons, and other
    figures, instead of remaining fixed in their places, move
    freely about, on or in the surface, but without the power
    of rising above or sinking below it, very much like
    shadows — only hard and with luminous edges — and
    you will then have a pretty correct notion of my country
    and countrymen.
    Line height: 1.2 Line height: 1.3 Line height: 1.4

    View Slide

  81. 1. Typeface
    2. Font size
    3. Line length (measure)
    4. Line height (leading)
    5. Typesetting

    View Slide

  82. View Slide

  83. View Slide

  84. View Slide

  85. View Slide

  86. View Slide

  87. View Slide

  88. View Slide

  89. View Slide

  90. Typographic pressure exists when text is set in
    a sub-optimal way. Pressure increases and
    decreases with distance from the ideal setting.

    View Slide

  91. View Slide

  92. View Slide

  93. View Slide

  94. the
    SCIENCE
    typography
    of 2em
    glyph box
    0.5em
    0.5em
    baseline
    kerning
    x-height
    Twitter: @bram_stein
    Set in Acumin by Robert Slimbach
    “Metal Movable Type” by Willi Heidelbach
    Thank you.

    View Slide