Putting type in from of eager eyes: type for global audiences

Good UX requires great typeface design. Texts are the inescapable common denominator of, well, pretty much every interaction. So, how are fonts made, what makes some better than others, and how should you choose amongst the thousands of options? (And, yes: do we need more?)
This talk gave some insights into the small community of international type developers who rely on a combination of design skill, technical expertise, and research in languages and documents to create the fonts that live in our devices, or stream through our online services. The talk included a few nerdy bits, some important points about the global market, four tips, and at least one swipe at academics.

Transcript

1. Putting words in front of eager eyes: 

   type for global audiences
   Gerry Leonidas
   

   View Slide

2. .
   

   View Slide

3. What is a font?
   ( 1 )
   

   View Slide

4. View Slide

5. View Slide

6. View Slide

7. View Slide

8. View Slide

9. View Slide

10. View Slide

11. View Slide

12. Pro tip 1:
    font objects are being associated

    with channels of distribution
    

    View Slide

13. What is a font?
    ( 2 )
    

    View Slide

14. View Slide

15. View Slide

16. View Slide

17. View Slide

18. View Slide

19. View Slide

20. feature locl {

    

    # (Italic only)

    #-[italic] script latn;

    #-[italic] language SRB;

    #-[italic] sub ghe by ghe.ital;

    #-[italic] sub de by de.ital;

    #-[italic] sub pe by pe.ital;

    #-[italic] sub te by te.ital;
    

    View Slide

21. View Slide

22. View Slide

23. Riccardo Olocco MATD 2014
    

    View Slide

24. Gujarati orbital matras by Kalapi Gajjar MATD 2012
    

    View Slide

25. Bengali 1/3 by Neel Kshetrimauym MATD 2010
    

    View Slide

26. Bengali 2/3 by Neel Kshetrimauym MATD 2010
    

    View Slide

27. Bengali 3/3 by Neel Kshetrimauym MATD 2010
    

    View Slide

28. Juan Luis Blanco MATD 2014
    

    View Slide

29. View Slide

30. Pro tip 2:
    character sets and features are a business risk,
    or a competitive advantage
    

    View Slide

31. View Slide

32. What is a font?
    ( 3 )
    

    View Slide

33. View Slide

34. View Slide

35. View Slide

36. View Slide

37. View Slide

38. Pro tip 3:
    the context of use determines 

    the parameters for font choices
    

    View Slide

39. View Slide

40. View Slide

41. View Slide

42. View Slide

43. View Slide

44. View Slide

45. What is a font?
    ( 4 )
    

    View Slide

46. unde incendia oriantur Aetnae tuae :
    habe nunc quómodo etiam orta per -
    durent in
    : quo quidem nolo ego te il -
    lud admirari ,quod uulgus folet:magnū
    tantas flammas
    memoriam
    alerétur
    

    View Slide

47. Instapaper and De Aetna
    

    View Slide

48. ande
    ande
    

    View Slide

49. ande
    ande
    

    View Slide

50. ande
    

    View Slide

51. ande
    

    View Slide

52. adhesifny
    adhesifny
    Ebony by Type-Together
    

    View Slide

53. adhesifny
    adhesifny
    Fenland by Jeremy Tankard
    

    View Slide

54. Pro tip 4:
    identity in typeface design 

    builds on multiplied details
    

    View Slide

55. .
    

    View Slide

56. this is Source Sans, and
    this is Source Serif

    OFL typefaces for pretty
    much anything
    

    View Slide

57. this is Literata, 

    a typeface for
    PlayBooks
    

    View Slide

58. View Slide

59. this is Twinkl, 

    a typeface for school
    textbooks
    

    View Slide

60. View Slide

61. Bonus Pro tip:
    typography is a social enterprise
    

    View Slide

62. Thank you
    @gerryleonidas
    @typefacedesign
    [speakerdeck.com/gerryleonidas]
    

    View Slide