OpenType
Font
Variations
Digital Typography Revolution has just been announced
Hubert Mietkiewicz
MA Visual Communication
Royal College of Art
London, 2017
Words
Tutor
10 789
Adriana Cerne
Abstract
3
Substantial cognitive skills such reading, writing and learning are
dismantled and deformed to suit the nonlinear experience of a
digital text that is developed on and transmitted by singular medium
— device’s screen. The textuality within digital media urges for new
ways of information reproduction, dissemination and consumption.
Methods that, simultaneously are dealing with the burden of
information overload and the limitations inherited from previous
typographic media.
The advent of new typographic standard — OpenType Font Variations
appears as a necessary consequence and a natural drive towards a
redeinition of digital typography.
The relevance of this study is to speculate about conceptual
possibilities that arise, not realistic promises and the implicit
theoretical understanding of the processes that are collaterally
intertwined.
4
To beloved Natalia for mental support and serving
Thanks
Contents
Abstract
best dinners and desserts in the world.
Introduction
To IDM music genre and iced coffee for being with
Research questions
me for the last 2 weeks of hard work on that essay.
1
Traditional Typography
→ What is typography?
→ Why typography matters?
→ What deines successful typography?
2
Digital Typography and User Interface
→ Digital Typography and Web fonts
→ Introduction to User Interface and User Experience Design
Digital Typography is an Interface
→ Introduction to OpenType Font Variations
→ Promises versus reality
3
Digital writing and reading
→ How do we read?
→ How do we write?
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6
4
7
Conceptual possibilities of OpenType Font Variations
→ Idea #1 New Typography Accessibility
→ Idea #2 TrueTone & TrueText
→ Idea #3 Habitual Reading Enhancer
→ Idea #4 Extended Reading Experience
→ Idea #5 Typographic Buddy
5
Conclusions
Images
Bibliography
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Introduction
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“The world of electronic communication is one of
Substantial cognitive skills such reading, writing and learning are
textual overload, where the amount of writing
dismantled and deformed to suit the nonlinear experience of a
largely exceeds the reader’s ability to fully
digital text that is developed on and transmitted by singular medium
take it in”1
– device’s screen. The textuality within digital media urges for new
Roger Chartier
ways of information reproduction, dissemination and consumption.
Methods that, simultaneously are dealing with the burden of
information overload and the limitations inherited from previous
typographic media.
The advent of new typographic standard – OpenType Font Variations
appears as a necessary consequence and a natural drive towards a
In loose interpretation, the proliferation of digital media and the
redeinition of digital typography. Its functionality essentially offers
omnipresent technological innovations by allegedly improving our
letterforms that are more customisable to the purpose, capable of
capacities, performance and opportunities, disconnect us from
dynamic transformation upon context they are placed in and a new
experiencing these to real, inclusive capabilities. In other words,
kind of typographic accessibility that engenders satisfaction of its user
because of the absorption in technology and digital interfaces, being
in the irst place.
fully immersed in physical experience is lattened only to the elemental
– scratching the surface stimulations. Nearly ive hundred years of
As OpenType Font Variations are still in their infancy, we are in
typographic communication shaped the underlying theory which
the position empowering us to build the landscape for people to
constitutes our ways of perceiving the reality and on-going, prevalent
accept and embrace the typographic revolution that is yet to come.
digital revolution is consequently shifting and reconstructing them at
Transition, however, should occur gradually and resonate as inviting
the very moment.
rather than off-putting.
The ecosystem overarching OpenType Font Variations is in constant
1
Hoeks, Henk, and Ewan Lentjes, eds., The Triumph of Typography: Culture,
Communication, New Media (Arnhem: ArtEZ Press, 2015) pp 203 - Roger Chartier
lux and does not allow for its commercial implementation and release
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of typesetting or type drawing tools. Therefore, the relevance of
It is then in the hands of those who are engaged enough to engender
this study is to speculate about conceptual possibilities that arise, not
the revolution of not only digital typography and media, but all the
realistic promises and the implicit theoretical understanding of the
existent communication and cognition and what follows, surrounding
processes that are collaterally intertwined.
us reality. At the same time, keeping in mind that technology was
2
brought to life to serve us with the unconditional support, and it is the
Without being a typographic authority, I have allowed myself for
true harmony that we really crave, which instead of restricting us from
speculation about future of typography by investigation of its history,
full physical experience, is bringing us much closer to its quintessence.
importance within our society and impact it draws on the modern
modes of communication. Naturally, I have covered the only fraction
of typographic history, semiotics and technical details with the
intention to invite the nonexpert reader into the typographic universe
without overwhelming them with computing gimmicks and confusing
deinitions.
Consequently, this essay confronts traditional means of typographic
communication with just announced inventions that undoubtedly
beneit the urge for better lexibility, responsiveness, accessibility and
productivity. Technology is (nearly) there, possibilities, ambitions and
spirit are present as well.
2
said Dan Rhatigan during TYPO Lab Berlin in April 2017
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Research questions
1
How nearly ive hundred years of typographic design history
affected the contemporary communication, cognitive processes and
information reproduction?
2
Why reading from screen still feels abnormal and how the
introduction of socially engaged writing and reading paired with digital
typography revolution can drive a positive change?
3
How digital typography and user interface intertwine and
inluence one another?
4
What are the conceptual possibilities that lourished with the
arrival of new typographic technology – OpenType Font Variations?
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Traditional Typography
What is typography?
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Written word was known to humanity long before the coinage
of the term of typesetting or typography. The irst evidence of writing
systems stems from circa 3200 B.C. in which Sumerian scribes in
the ancient city-state of Uruk, southern Mesopotamia , were using
1
cuneiform writing pressed on wet clay tablets. Combinations of these
marks depicted syllables that could be laid out together to form
words. Joshua J. Mark, writer and co-founder of Ancient History
2
Encyclopedia, sums that “the Sumerians irst invented writing as
a means of long-distance communication which was necessitated
by trade” across his extensive articles on writing. Consequently,
3
1
present day Iraq
2
Editors, The, “The World’s Oldest Writing,” Archaeology Magazine <http://www.
archaeology.org/issues/213-1605/features/4326-cuneiform-the-world-s-oldest-writing>
[accessed 22 June 2017]
3
“Writing,” Ancient History Encyclopedia <http://www.ancient.eu/writing/>
[accessed 22 June 2017]
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they have been the irst civilisation recognising that typography or a
mark making in that case, might have an economic function beyond
decoration.However, people of Phoenicia civilisation – Phoenicians,
that stretched between present day Syria to Northern Israel, are the
ones that are credited with creating the irst alphabet around 1000
B.C, the same one that was later used by Greeks.
Later, the period of Middle Ages was the time where the hand-written
and well-illustrated manuscripts lourished, nonetheless calligraphy
itself has been used in ancient China already, around 200 BC. The
introduction of calligraphy together with page layout and lettering
occupied production of celebratory documents and books, including
calligraphy illustrated versions of Bible. The process although was
tedious, required a lot of time and craftsmanship which made the
books and knowledge inaccessible and expensive. Script style in which
scribes or monks written and copied the books was initially classiied
as “Uncial” , and then blackletter . Due to the tool limits imposed on
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their bearers and exiguous awareness about reading processes, they
did not account legibility as a signiicant element of writing.
The irst machine that used movable type printing system was invented
in China, around 1000 AC. However, it was Johannes Gutenberg, that
4
Uncial is script that uses capital letters only and was commonly used from 4th to 8th
century
5
Gothic script that often is referred to as German script, as it was used for German
language until 20th century
Fig.1 Cuneiform Tablet with Pheonician writing inscripited
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over 400 years later, invents his moveable printing press that changed
developed in 1949 by two Frenchmen, René Higonnet, and Louis
the way how we perceive books and printing today. Gutenberg
Moyroud. Phototypesetting used photosensitive paper, photographic
perfected printing process and for the irst time used the alloy mixture
process and personal computers to set the columns of text.
of lead, tin and antimony to create types that melted at relatively low
Phototypesetting did not stay for long as just over 35 years later; irst
temperatures and allowed for more economical casting and recycling
desktop publishing software became available along with the release
of matrices that already worn out. Together with print press getting
of irst personal computers — namely Apple Macintosh, and the
prominent, type classiication was deined, and the convention of
software Aldus PageMaker and then QuarkXPress.
reading from top left to bottom right and writing in straight lines was
permanently reinforced in Europe.
The introduction of personal computers with preinstalled fonts and
available software that enable its user to typeset, self-publish and
Over 100 years later, in France, Claude Garamont, designs Garamond
even design a typeface gradually revolutionised not only advertising
typeface that is recognised as the irst old-style serif typeface, and
and publishing industry but also largely opened the profession of
despite being nearly 500 years old now, its digitised version is still
graphic design. Jack Post, the lecturer at Maastricht University,
being used. Garamont worked as an engraver of punches that later
emphasise the importance of digital revolution:
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served as mould masters in the process of casting new metal types.
“As long as the text was laid out digitally but
The process of the Gutenbergian press was improved at the end of
printed on paper, digital technology continued to
19th century by Mergenthaler Linotype Company by introducing their
merge seamlessly with the traditional production
“hot metal typesetting” that used the keyboard to typeset. Linotype’s
process. But even since the has been distributed
invention dominated the printing industry with new machines
digitally and read from a screen, the digital
that were more automated, worked more eiciently and partially
revolution has proven to be as radical as the
contributed to rising popularity of daily newspapers.
revolution that was triggered by the introduction
of movable type.”7
After nearly 100 years, however, Linotype machines were replaced by
offset printing and more importantly by phototypesetting machines
Jack Post
6
(Aldus Freehand software released in 1988)
7
Hoeks, Henk, The triumph of typography: culture. communication. new media
(Lannoo Publishers, 2015) pp 150 - Jack Post
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In 1989, Apple released TrueType outline font standard, that two
Basic typographic principles
years later was implemented for the irst time in Macintosh System
7. TrueType is digital font format and in the late 1980s was designed
Nevertheless, typography, despite being a complex ield with a few
to be the main competitor of Adobe’s PostScript Type 1. It became a
thousand years of history, may be eiciently explained in few simple
leading font technology due to a high degree of precision, scalability,
words. According to Matthew Butterick, the typeface designer,
eiciency, size savings and support of hinting.
lawyer and the author of “Practical Typography” , typography is
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everything that can be placed under the umbrella deinition of: “visual
OpenType, however, is the font format that was announced in 1996
component of the written word.” However, this deinition seems to be
by Microsoft and Adobe, which retains the structure of TrueType
too broad to be valuable tackling the research issues of contemporary
but is built to supersede it. OpenType is more robust, can contain
typography. Extended deinition proposed by Erik Spiekermann,
either TrueType or PostScript font outlines, has better multilingual
renowned information architect and type designer, extends Butterick’s
support, has numerous “OpenType features” (that no one is using)
thought and states
and has extended character storage capacities (up to 65,000 letter
outlines). OpenType is the most advanced font format available, and
”[Typography is…] the arrangement of
its new release from November 2016 – 1.8 introduces OpenType Font
prefabricated elements on a page. These elements
Variations technology. Version 1.8.1 was released in January 2017.
may include images, words, sentences and—above
all—the space between those elements. Ideally,
Except for the font kinds mentioned above, there is also Web Open
this arrangement visualises and thus reinforces
Font Format (WOFF) that is another format developed in 2009
the hierarchy of the message.”10
specially to handle web fonts, however it is essentially TrueType and
Erik Spiekermann
OpenType with better compression and extra storage for metadata.
8
“Hinting, or screen optimising, is the process by which TrueType or PostScript fonts
are adjusted for maximum readability on computer monitors.” “Font hinting,” Typotheque
<https://www.typotheque.com/articles/hinting> [accessed 22 June 2017]
9
Matthew Butterick, “What Is Typography? | Butterick’s Practical Typography”,
Practicaltypography.Com <http://practicaltypography.com/what-is-typography.html>
[accessed 30 March 2017].
10
Matthew Butterick, “Foreword | Butterick’s Practical Typography”,
Practicaltypography.Com, 2017 <http://practicaltypography.com/foreword.html> [accessed
30 March 2017].
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Interpretation suggested by Spiekermann seems more concise and
allows for locating it better in the context of actual type design, recent
technological development, relation to its history and speculation
about near future. Spiekermann recognises that typography does
not relate to text or letterforms merely, but to layout, white space
and general visual reception and tone that typography is capable of
expressing through their application.
There are four main categories of typefaces: serifs, sans-serifs,
scripts, and display fonts and every single of them have characteristics
that transmit semantic notions that are preconceived by us for the
reason of the historical and cultural baggage they are carrying.
Fig.2 Font classiication
As an example, according to studies compiled by Snap Agency in
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2016 serif fonts tend to be most trustworthy, rather traditional
and stable while sans-serif are perceived as more modern and
straightforward. Scripts fonts are likely to demonstrate femininity,
personality or humanity. Display fonts, however, are rather associated
as being more unconventional, quirky or experimental.
Fig.3 Boogie School font, designed by OrType — serif version
The majority of the commercially produced typefaces are part of
larger type families. A type family is a group of typefaces relating
to one another, most commonly through the similar design choices,
aesthetics and similar parameters such baseline, x-height, cap height,
11
“Persuasive Typography - What font is more trustworthy?,” Snap Agency, 2017 <https://www.
snapagency.com/blog/persuasive-typography-what-font-trustworthy> [accessed 22 June 2017]
Fig.4 SansSerif version of Boogie School, specimen available online
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ascender, descender and so on. These terms are illustrated by the
of verbal language have affected the perception of expression and
letterform deconstruction discussed below.
information transmission. Early forms of typography by lying at the
core of language and embodying communication allowed civilisations
Some type families include typefaces in different constructions, for
to develop and societies to grow. Every piece of either printed or
example, Boogie School typeface designed by Or Type foundry have
digitally displayed (text) media is carrying values and meanings that
both serif and sans serif version. Despite being contrasting styles, they
could not be legible, read, understood or processed without the use
work together well as they share similar parameters.
of typographic components. Hence, it structured the methods how we
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communicate, learn and even think. We use it every day as a building
block of our reality, and it affects our lives directly.
Except for the letterform construction, the typographic design also
constitutes to how these letters relate one to another and are laid
out in the paragraphs on the page. These parameters include line
spacing , line length , letter contrast and letter spacing & kerning .
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In summary, standardised type formats, the proliferation of advanced
digital type designing and setting tools, along with the advent of the
Internet changed digital text permanently. Typography is no longer
practised in publishing and advertising merely but forms the messages
we exchange between ourselves that require a more sophisticated
typographic application.
Therefore, through ages typography being a visual interpretation
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2017]
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15
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17
“Or Type,” Or Type <https://ortype.is/specimen/boogie_school> [accessed 22 June
Simply, distance between line of text in paragraphs
Number of words making a line of text
The difference between the thinnest and the thickest part of the letterform
Amount of white space between letters
Optical correction that adjust letter spacing applying to pair of letters
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Why typography matters?
27
Fig.5 Typography anatomy
One of the examples illustrating the importance of typography
is a redesign of 1940s typeface Highway Gothic that was used on
highway signs in the U.S, for the favour of Clearview, engineered
by Meeker Associates in 2004 . Clearview was designed to improve
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visibility and legibility issues that were occurring when the relective
material of sign was causing that letters such e, a and s appeared
as lowercase or illegible. Clearview font comprised opened up
letterforms and mixed lowercase and uppercase styles creating a
typeface that is perfectly comprehensible no matter of time of the day
and driving speed.
18
“Design for Public Safety | Meeker & Associates,” Design for Public Safety | Meeker &
Associates <http://www.meekerdesigns.com/typography-and-legibility/> [accessed 22 June
2017]
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Typography also is a vital instrument allowing not only for shaping
great irst impressions but for attracting and retaining the attention
of people that read or interact with it. Butterick says that written text
without a reader is just a “random string of a characters” , thereby
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writers and designers should treat reader’s attention as valuable,
Fig.6 Difference between Clearview and Highway Gothic
inite resource and not forget that typography and text are created
principally for the readers, not for writers or designers.
For instance, in the process such job recruitment, recruiters spend up
to few seconds browsing through resumes and applications seeking for
those that stand up. Documents shown below include same credentials
(except for the name), but the different application of typography.
Butterick argues that even for a literate person not skilled visually, the
impression of resume that demonstrates clarity and professionalism
are decisive while job hunting.
Fig.7 Highway Gothic font in road enviroment
Paul Watzlawick’s irst axiom of communication resonates “one cannot
not communicate” , hence because both good or bad typography
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communicates according meanings it would be fatal mistake to
disregard it in that case.
19
Matthew Butterick, “Why Does Typography Matter? | Butterick’s Practical
Typography”, Practicaltypography.Com <http://practicaltypography.com/why-doestypography-matter.html> [accessed 31 March 2017].
20
“Watzlawick’s Five Axioms,” Watzlawick’s Five Axioms <http://www.wanterfall.com/
Communication-Watzlawick%27s-Axioms.htm> [accessed 22 June 2017]
Fig.8 Clearview
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Fig.9 Resume with poor use of typography. (author Matthew Butterick)
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Fig.10 Resume design that considers principles of typography and demonstrate good habits
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What deines good,
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successful typography?
In summary, typography is deeply ingrained into our society,
“In the new computer age, the proliferation of
history and cognitive processes that in many cases their right and
typefaces and type manipulations represents a
wrong application may have a tremendous impact on the life of the
new level of visual pollution threatening our
individual. It affects matters from nearly all level of importance
culture. Out of thousands of typefaces, all we
starting with well-designed and coherent signage that improves safety,
need are a few basic ones, and trash the rest.”
through an effective and impressive resume to building fondness to
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Massimo Vignelli
reading amongst younger generations that can affect their future
life. It is of immense importance to acknowledge these facts, not
only by designers or writers but by all the people using typography
whatsoever.
Said Massimo Vignelli on the poster advertising The Master
Series exhibition in March 1991. Since the beginning of typographic
history, type designers were boldly proposing that the typeface they
designed is an “ideal” one. No matter how hard they were trying there
is no “one-size-its-all” solution to solve complex design problems. It
is possible to assess which typeface is the most legible in print or is
more detailed comparing one to another. Although when comes to
digital text and reading, there are much more variables that need to be
considered. Largely for the reason that type designers cannot predict
the purpose typeface will be used for. Therefore, the successful
typography is dependent on many factors that are discussed below,
most of them are components or prompts for another;
21
“Eye Magazine,” Eye Magazine | Feature | The rules of typography according to
crackpots/Exp <http://www.eyemagazine.com/feature/article/the-rules-of-typographyaccording-to-crackpotsexp> [accessed 22 June 2017]
Cited in Eye Magazine
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Selection of right typeface for the given purpose is almost
devices, various format and ageing population (more readers with
the most substantial aspect of making a typography successful. For
poor acuity). Undoubtedly and most importantly, type legibility is an
instance, bold, display Google font named “Eczar” will be tiresome
ultimate benchmark that grounds every other “good typography”
to for the reader and therefore will not function well as a body
aspect as text that is not legible, as result of mistake or negligence
text in small paragraphs. It follows that text will not maintain
fails to communicate. Typographic pieces, however, that are rather
reader’s attention which might devastate content absorption
abstract or artistic and do not adopt rules of grammar, syntax or
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(and reading experience) and for instance, discourage readers
to visit the website where it would be applied. To illustrate the
point, these two sentences were set in Eczar Bold, however,
language are assessed by principles that are in likeness to those which
govern ine art critique.
much worse decisions could be made.
3
2
Legibility (individual letterforms) & readability (cluster of words
and sentences) Soie Beier, former Royal College of Art PhD Student,
Conveyance of the message. It is signiicant for the designer or
writer to understand the goal of the text. When this fact is recognised
and well considered, then extra effort can be made to use type in a
way that reinforces and supports the meaning of the text, or purpose
currently research assistant professor at the School of Design under
of design most eiciently and appropriately.
The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts published numerous indepth studies exploring the notion of legibility. One of them was her
PhD Thesis at RCA (2009) in which she has deined legibility as an
4
Ease of use and invisibility.
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inluence of familiarity on reading and familiarity as “the collective
inluence of previous exposure and the level of common letter
features” . Beier concludes that legibility primarily relies on reading
“Good typography often goes unnoticed, melting
into the background. Bad typography, on th e
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circumstances and cognitive performance. She also implies that it
is essential to understand that legibility means in the era of mobile
22
“Google Fonts,” Google Fonts (Google) <https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Eczar>
[accessed 22 June 2017]
23
Soie Beier, “Typeface Legibility: Towards Deining Familiarity” (unpublished PhD,
Royal College of Art, 2009).
24
“Soie Beier,” Soie Beiers RSS <http://soiebeier.dk/?p=272> [accessed 22 June
2017]
other hand, jumps out like a scary clown, making
a project look amateur, artless, or confusing.”25
Young Sun Compton
25
Lupton, Ellen, Type on screen: a guide for designers, developers, writers, and
students (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2014) Citation from Young Sun Compton
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Hence, good typography allows the user to forget about mechanics of
reading and is not tiring to use. In short, the longer attention of the
user on the text is maintained the bigger beneit for everyone involved
in the circle of communication.
Beatrice Warde introduced the concept of invisible typography during
her lecture “The Crystal Goblet” delivered to The British Typography
Guild in the early thirties. She formulated a metaphor of typography
as a window located between reader and the words. She argued that
reader should not look at the glass but through the window.
5
Usage of research established typographic rules, such right
point size for print and screen that according to the Butterick should
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be 10–12 point for former and 15–25 pixels for latter, line spacing
that works best as 120–145% of the point size. Line length that ideally
should count 45–90 characters per line or 2–3 lowercase alphabets.
While type size about 12 pt is claimed to the best for print, for reading
on a screen is too small.
26
Matthew Butterick, “Typography In Ten Minutes | Butterick’S Practical Typography”,
Practicaltypography.Com, 2017 <http://practicaltypography.com/typography-in-ten-minutes.
html> [accessed 31 March 2017].
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Digital Typography, Web fonts
Digital Typography and Web fonts
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and User Interface
“All text needs legible typefaces. But especially
at interfaces, our eyes need fonts that cooperate
rather than resist”27
Tobias Frere-Jones
Web fonts
The days where web and user interface designers used system
typefaces as they were limited by fonts availability and poor web
browsers rendering are gone. Web versions of legendary type families
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such FF Din or Univers by Adrian Frutiger are available, and they
function as well, if not better as in print. According to HTTP Archive,
the web traic analyser tool, as of June 2017 , 68% of all websites in
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the world uses custom fonts. As of today, Google Fonts offers 819
open-source font families that are specially designed for websites and
27
“The best UI typeface goes unnoticed,” Thomas Byttebier <https://thomasbyttebier.be/blog/
the-best-ui-typeface-goes-unnoticed> [accessed 22 June 2017]
28
Within web design, rendering is the process of translating code into interactive web
elements and graphics
29
“Trends,” HTTP Archive - Trends <http://httparchive.org/trends.
php?s=All&minlabel=Jun%2B1%2B2016&maxlabel=Jun%2B1%2B2017#perFonts>
[accessed 22 June 2017]
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can be used and modiied for free. As of June 2017, MyFonts , the
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biggest online font library, counts 25,973 web fonts, not considering
In the current state of the technology behind digital typography,
most of free, but decent fonts and small foundries that are not in the
letterforms are limited to certain ixed proportions, shapes,
database.
conigurations, widths, styles that are stored in the font ile format
(TrueType or OpenType). It means that every font family including
In theory, typefaces from Google Fonts database and the majority of
different styles require numerous separates iles (Regular, Italic, Bold
commercially produced, web-safe fonts are made to be displayed on
and so on), that need to be loaded or downloaded to user’s computer
the web. Thus their compression, hinting and implementation should
or mobile device. That fact restrains numerous possibilities in the
be optimised for the purpose. Unfortunately, it is not. Typefaces that
web and digital design. For instance, it makes the websites slower,
are hinted are a rare ind, numbers and symbols differ from the rest of
increases the cost of maintaining the servers, limits the accessibility,
typeface, and often they act unpredictably on different devices.
functionality and lexibility.
For example, some web fonts in conjunction with bad implementation
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It follows that the main challenges that web developers and web
or slow servers might cause the issue known to web developers and
designers are facing when implementing typography in the web
some users as “Flash of Invisible Text”. This issue is characterised as
or digital products are the ile size, scalability and combability of
the time when the typeface is loading, and all texts on the website are
rendering them. Downloading obviously, happens as a background
an invisible or a lashy conversion from default browser typeface to a
process, and is invisible to the user, however, often it can ruin the
custom font that is implemented in the web design. The issue occurs
experience of the web. Usually, font iles are small and downloading
in the irst few seconds when visiting the website, largely for the irst
them is not an issue, especially, in the oice or home environment,
time and in some cases, may even cause a shift of content or layout,
where Internet connection is fast and stable, the process of
being unsettling for the users. In the worst case, the behaviour might
downloading and displaying fonts is seamless and most users do not
lead to text that is permanently invisible until web page refresh or
realise that it is conducted.
browser reset.
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“Search Results for: *,” * « MyFonts <http://www.myfonts.com/search/*/>
[accessed 22 June 2017]
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Using heavy in sizes typefaces or too many styles that are needed
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However, the situation changes dramatically when the same website is
browsed on the portable devices, connected to the Internet via mobile
data connections, or in the places where Internet bandwidth is limited,
for example, when travelling abroad. In these cases, when font ile or
the whole website is loading too slow, users are given with the loading
animations, “please wait” messages or Facebook’s loading dummy that
according to the Google Analytics Data , are the reason of why over
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50% of all mobile site visits are abandoned. The Same study shows
that only 3 seconds are enough to discourage a visitor from browsing,
so to maintain interest and attention among users of the web, websites
need to load fast, work lawlessly and engage readers with content
that amuses both visually and intellectually.
Fig.11
Fig.12
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“Kissmetrics Blog,” How Loading Time Affects Your Bottom Line <https://blog.
kissmetrics.com/loading-time/> [accessed 22 June 2017]
Example of website in two versions; mobile and desktop
Comparison of poor and good rendering in the web browser.
From the left: Mozzila Firefox, on the right Google Chrome.
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Introduction to User Interface
45
and User Experience Design
“While myriad screen sizes and resolutions can
rattle the user experience, designers employ
interactions, from static visuals, wireframes and mock-ups into fully
functioning and responsive to user’s input application.
a range of techniques to maintain a pleasant
reading environment in a future-friendly way”33
Young Sun Compton
User Interface Design is a complement of User Experience Design
(UXD) that focuses on simply enhancing the user’s satisfaction with
the interaction. It uses a conglomeration of tasks that focuses on
optimisation and making the product more enjoyable to use. It is often
described as a philosophy that fundamental principle is to put the
end-user needs at the centre of the design. UXD is also responsible for
the process of research, prototyping, testing and so on. It is a cognitive
science occupation that, in theory, is non-digital. Nonetheless, it is
User Interface is a visual part, presentation of the software
that enables the user to communicate and interact with the device computer. It is used for visual guidance to the application’s functions
using interactive elements across all platforms and devices. Emil
Lamprecht explains that User Interface is also responsible for
“transference of a product’s development, research, content and
layout into an attractive, guiding and responsive experience for users.”
Therefore, User Interface Design is a computing profession occupied
largely by the development of digital products and translation of
brand’s traits into a useable, visual software. User Interface Designers
work closely with developers and coders, that can program the
33
Lupton, Ellen, Type on screen: a guide for designers, developers, writers, and
students (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2014) Citation from Young Sun Compton
active and deined largely within digital industries since it developed
along personal computer boom in the early 1990s. As it is a scientiic
process, it could be applied nearly to every other industry that focuses
on the interaction between a potential or active customer and a
company.
46 Digital Typography is an Interface
47
“When it comes to successful UI design, there is
“Grammar rules force a speaker, a writer or
no room for poor typography. Text that scales
typographer to articulate words in a structured
well and is lexible enough to be used in a
manner. This is why text communicates meaning
variety of circumstances is key to the luidity of
with more precision than images”35
Matthias Hillner
uses’ viewing experience with your design.”34
Nurit Bahat
Similarly, to the printed matter, typography in the interface and
web design provides an essential communication and interaction
channel through which each user experience interactive text or
interface to its full capabilities. To emphasise, digital typography
commences cognitive processes including learning, reading, writing,
higher reasoning, memorising that would not be possible without its
participation.
Typography within User Interface and Experience Design
functions as a preeminent vehicle of communication and clarity.
Some User Experience Evangelists even say that typography, in fact,
is a user interface. For a reason being, graphical elements of the
interface namely icons, buttons, sliders, images are intended to make
the user interface more engaging and intuitive. They are not, however,
suicient enough in their appearance to indulge users immersively in
the experience of using more complex interfaces.
34
“Improving UI Design Through Better Typography,” Awwwards - Website Awards Best Web Design Trends <https://www.awwwards.com/improving-ui-design-through-bettertypography.html> [accessed 22 June 2017]
Fig.13
This is how my facebook wall looks without typography
35 Hillner, Matthias, Virtual typography (Lausanne: Ava, 2009) pp 118-123 pp 8-9
48
49
As possible interactions between human and computer are growing in
Why designers and creators serving as shapers of substance are left to
importance and quantity, the user of the text-interface is becoming a
struggle with such basic matter and major building block of reality that
design partner as his decisions and preferences directly impacts the
is typography?
way how the interface is designed. Hence readers employ a new role
To answer those urgent questions, in September 2016, at ATypI
of - interface shapers.
conference in Warsaw, OpenType Font Variations, digital typography
Sorin Pintilie in her pre font variations article from January 2016
revolution has been announced.
“Generative Typography” concludes:
“Basically, as you write, the typeface changes
in real-time to match the style of your writing.
No superluous, visual interface. Your writing
is the interface. You want a more ragged look,
write more raggedly. If you’re looking for a soft
look, tone down your voice. The system is there
only if you need it, acting as your own aesthetic
assistant, if you will.”36
Sorin Pintilie
Thereupon, in conjunction with growing omnipresence of interfaces
and devices that use them and web fonts being not satisfactory,
lexible or eicient enough, questions arises, what kind of mediation
has to be formed to facilitate a visible for average users improvement?
36
Pintilie, Sorin, “Generative typography – Sorin Pintilie – Medium,” Medium (Medium,
2014) <https://medium.com/@sorpeen/generative-typography-e55d64fa096b> [accessed
22 June 2017]
Fig.14
ATypI Conference in Warsaw, 2016
50
Introduction to OpenType
51
Font Variations
designer prepared it. Moreover, many typefaces are not meant to be
shown small, or very large, for instance on Apple Watch, or at the
50x50m projection on the building.
Bianca Berning, font engineer, in her article “Typographic Potential
of Variable Fonts” explains how OpenType Font Variations differ
38
from traditional font formats. She says that at the moment, typefaces
function on the base of coordinates, in other words, vector shapes or
39
points, that are stored in the font ile deine the glyph outline.
40
Every single weight of the font then needs separate coordinates that
are stored in separate iles and separately downloaded and displayed.
A collaborative effort of four creative and computing giants of
For example, if the website uses nondefault font, such Roboto
the current age: Apple, Adobe, Google and Microsoft is coming across
Italic, Bold and Regular, they would need to be downloaded in the
with new solution. This gathering of eternal ‘frenemies’ is meant to
background when browsing the website. These three weights only,
revolutionise the digital typography and introduce the letterforms that
make up of 476 KB.
are more dynamic, lexible, lighter in size and capable of being more
interactive to user’s or data’s input. They called it: OpenType Font
Berning continues that “to differentiate semantic elements within a
Variations.
text and to achieve hierarchy and introduce clarity to the information
37
in written text we need different styles and weights of a typeface
Whereas responsive typography and web fonts are commonly used
family”. Thus, web designers often use more than one typeface to
in the user interface; they are far from being perfect as they require
make content not only more attractive but also clearer and with more
exact instructions at many steps, their rendering is unstable and
distinguishable hierarchy. It means that three weights of Roboto fonts
varies dependently on the web browsers, operating systems and how
37
In this essay named as variable fonts, variable typography or variations, not to be
mistaken with responsive, interactive, digital or web typography.
38
“Typographic Potential of Variable Fonts,” Alphabettes, 2017 <http://www.
alphabettes.org/responsive-variable-fonts/> [accessed 22 June 2017]
39
Vector - Bezier curves are used in vector graphics to create smooth paths
40
Letterforms outlines saved in font format ile
52
53
for body text (476 KB) and two weights of Elephant font (100 KB) font
for headlines build up to 576 KB of data that needs to be downloaded.
Most common example are the separate fonts for headlines, for body
text and for small text such image captions and dates. It is worth to
mention that often typefaces used on the desktop do not work that
successfully on mobile, as a result of nonpredictable screen size,
Fig.15
New Yorke Times website, June 2017
Fig.16
Photo of New Yorker Times website on my mobile phone. Web
browser: Google Chorme. Mobile: Xiaomi Redmi Note 4
resolution, pixel density and the way how mobile web browsers render
particular typeface.
International companies occupied in journalism such online articles
or news, often have their website available in different languages,
formats and sizes, might beneit from reduced font ile sizes and larger
customizability. The example demonstrated below.
New York Times, American daily newspaper ranked 18th in the world
by circulation, undoubtedly needs a website that relects its acclaim
and content. Digital version of NYT is the 127th in the global ranking
of most visited websites and currently is available in 3 languages:
As of June 2017, New York Times website uses four typefaces; their
English, Chinese and Spanish. Also, it supports most of the digital
breakdown follows: NYT Cheltenham is used throughout the website,
formats and web browsers.
but its main function are headlines. It appears in four weights: Light,
Regular, Bold and Bold Italic. Then, the body text is displayed in
Georgia Regular. Captions, navigation and meta information are
41
set in NYT Franklin, Regular and Bold. For more impactful headlines
and names of categories, NYT Karnak is used. It sums up to seven
41
Captions, dates, tags et al
54
55
weights that require download upon visiting the website. (Georgia is
preinstalled) Chinese version uses largely Arial and Georgia but with
alternated web page layout, whereas Spanish one is utilising same
typeface selection and layout, but different content. OpenType Font
Variations propose to reduce the number of font iles needed as all the
weights of one typeface could be embedded in one ile.
For company such New York Times, it could mean economic growth,
not because of the money savings from server maintenance but
because the step between devices, screen and resolutions would be
more gradual as it would be achievable with ine tuning implemented
in variable typography. Hence, for users and readers, it would mean
enhanced reading experience, faster loading website and greater
Fig.17
Vector points — coordinates of letter “T” and its possible interpolation
Fig.18
Illustration of interpolation, intermediate design, between light and black.
personalisation of text within the content-absorbing environment.
Differences between the web and variable fonts
The most exciting functionality introduced in OpenType Font
Variations can be concluded in one clear sentence: “One OpenType
variable font ile can contain the equivalent of multiple individual
fonts” . It does not mean, however, that they are similar to classic
42
.zip or .rar compressed formats . Font Variations allow for the new
43
42
“Typographic Potential of Variable Fonts,” Alphabettes, 2017 <http://www.
alphabettes.org/responsive-variable-fonts/> [accessed 22 June 2017] Bianca Berning
43
.zip and .rar are the ile formats that may contain one or more iles inside and are losslessly
compressed
56
57
deinition of information storage and bring new taxonomies how this
Axis Praxis created by Laurence Penney is variable fonts playground
information can be retrieved, displayed or manipulated.
where the user can manipulate fonts that are “variations ready” and
experience how they function in reality. Examples above demonstrate
Thereby, OpenType Font Variations allow drawing parallels between
typeface AmstelvarAlpha with modiied optical sizing, weight, grade,
coordinates above using the instructions that are altogether stored in
contrast et al. (illustration next page)
just one ile. Therefore, user, designer, developer or writer can access
these coordinates and instructions and change, for instance, the
Whereas typefaces could be designed with immense precision and
weight of the font using the slider in the typesetting software.
craftsmanship before, and then even subtly manipulated by optical
sizing, typeface design never reached that level of interactivity and
Variable fonts also enable typographers or users for interpolation
lexibility before. OpenType Font Variations technology equip its
between extremes and intermediate designs. For instance, attribute
users with access to ine, micro grading options that will be available
such font weight can be interpolated between ultra-thin to ultra-bold
dynamically and above all, automatically instructed by separate
and is dependent to the designer to decide where to stop between
software or context that facilitates their behaviour.
those. In that case, weights and style can be created that are nonexistent, but entirely customised for the purpose intended, albeit
“The end result will be richly expressive
working more eiciently than traditionally deined weight. What is
typography customized in accordance with the
more, the functionality of variable fonts is not limited only to free
aesthetic intentions of the designer of the
manipulation of font weights, but it can affect every single part of
typeface itself—no more ill-informed modiications
glyph construction.
using the brute force of vector editors”44
Dan Rhatigan
To demonstrate the above, the designer might decide that on the
screens larger than 5 inches but smaller than 8 inches, x-height
parameter should be increased by 10 pixels, spacing by 25 pixels as
it would increase legibility of particular typeface on particular screen
and resolution (context).
44
says Dan Rhatigan in an interview with Khoi Vinh. “Dan Rhatigan on Variable Fonts and
the Future of Typography,” Subtraction.com, 2017 <https://www.subtraction.com/2017/06/08/danrhatigan-on-variable-fonts-and-the-future-of-typography/> [accessed 22 June 2017]
58
Fig.19
59
Axis-Praxis website and use of Amstelvar Alpha in original state.
Fig.20
AmstelvarAlpha with modiied ParaWeight, Serif Rise, Width, Weight, X-Height and Optical Size. There is a
possibility of seing how fonts transform when one’s clicks on parameter button
60
61
Additionally, it seems that optical size may be supported by variable
fonts and have a great comeback. Optical size is a variation of one
typeface that alters the spacing, proportions, weight and other
parameters for optimal legibility. It was used as long as Gutenberg’s
matrices but technology did not allow for its practical implementation.
Marianna Paszkowska during TYPO Lab 2017 presented an
45
example of how font variations can alter optical sizing to enhance
the readability dynamically. The demo was developed by Volker
46
Ronneberger, Bernd Volmer, Johannes Abendroth as is available to
experiment with .
47
45
“TYPO Talks » Blog Archiv » Typographic Wonderland,” TYPO Design Talks
<https://www.typotalks.com/videos/typographic-wonderland/> [accessed 22 June 2017]
46
“FF Clifford Variable Font,” FF Clifford Variable Font <https://www.fontshop.com/
variablefonts/#/home> [accessed 22 June 2017]
47
font variations as of June 2017 require developer versions of browsers – Google
Chrome Canary on Windows and Safari WebKit Nightly on MacOS.
62
Promises versus reality
63
He compares it to the global use of network latency giving an example
of YouTube and Netlix that altogether are using 48% of Global
Internet Bandwidth (2015) and says that it could matter 20 years
51
ago, but not now. Looking at the font iles from that perspective, they
seem to be almost non-existent in global usage of network latency.
However, he gives examples from Western countries where the
Internet is cheap and fast, without considering that some regions of
the world are still not developed in that matters. His statements were
met with instant critique, for instance, Nick Heer comments that
52
loading the article with Buttericks’ claims (“The Scorpion Express”)
Matthew Butterick looks closely at variable fonts in his article “The
cost him $0.13 as he pays $65 for 2GB of mobile transfer.
Scorpion Express” in September 2016 and argues that similarly to
48
its precedent TrueType GX or Multiple Master is expendable for
Thereby, initial, exemplary proposition made by Microsoft in
numerous reasons. One of them is the fact that this new technology
OpenType Font Variations speciication, in September 2016 of
will allegedly impose a new cost on type designers, will not bring
reducing Segoe UI font family ile size from 656 KB to 199 KB can
obvious improvement for users and will beneit an only small group of
make a difference. Especially when using mobile Internet which tends
wealthy corporate sponsors. He further argues that the ile size and
to be slower, more expensive and less accessible, however, used more
performance advantages that are meant to be introduced in OpenType
and more often recently.
49
50
53
Font Variations are not realistic.
48
“The scorpion express | Butterick’s Practical Typography,” The scorpion express
| Butterick’s Practical Typography <http://practicaltypography.com/the-scorpion-express.
html> [accessed 22 June 2017]
49
Apple’s TrueType GX and Adobe’s Multiple Master where the prototypes of variable
fonts, developed in 1990s. They did not receive endorsement due to lack of practical use and
limitations imposed by the technology.
50
Matthew Butterick, “The Scorpion Express | Butterick’S Practical Typography”,
Practicaltypography.Com, 2017 <http://practicaltypography.com/the-scorpion-express.html>
[accessed 30 March 2017].
51
Matt Rosoff, “Netlix And Youtube Are America’s Biggest Bandwidth Hogs”, Business
Insider, 2015 <http://uk.businessinsider.com/which-services-use-the-most-bandwidth-201512?r=US&IR=T> [accessed 31 March 2017].
52
Heer, Nick, “Nick Heer (@Nickheer),” Twitter (Twitter, 2017) <https://twitter.com/
nickheer?lang=en> [accessed 22 June 2017]
53
Samuel Gibbs, “Mobile Web Browsing Overtakes Desktop For The First Time”, The
Guardian, 2017 <https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/nov/02/mobile-webbrowsing-desktop-smartphones-tablets> [accessed 31 March 2017].
64
65
Experiments with dynamic text that changes or follows readers face
models that are constantly changing. He argues that designers have
have been done long before the introduction of font variations.
enough issues to consider during design process such audience,
For example, Marko Dugonjić, founder of user experience agency
communication, branding, budgets, deadlines and the use of
“Creative Nights” and a member of editorial staff at Smashing
typography and fonts should be the least complicated part of the job.
Magazine, conducted an experiment with face recognition software
He continues that if designers and developers behind OpenType Font
to change text size accordingly to the distance between reader’s face
Variations do not play it well, all the potential will be lost. So, it is vital
and screen. Thus, the further user is from the screen; the larger text
to make this technology inviting rather than off-putting or distracting,
is displayed. Bianca Berning argues that even if this is possible with
and it is entirely dependent not on some “designers and developers
new features included in OpenType Font Variations, the experience of
mystic elite”, but all the creative people and typography passionates
reading is uncomfortable. For a reason being, that text constantly
which accordingly take responsibility for the future of interface,
relows, line length and kerning varies, so the position of letterforms
typography and the people they design for.
54
55
changes as well. While this experiment fails to provide text that is
convenient to read; subtle and precise manipulation achieved by ine
To summarise, even if at the current stage of development of
tuning of the glyphs parameters might be more successful.
OpenType Font Variations appear to be expendable and have a small
impact on digital typography, it will gradually change. Comprehension
During TYPO Berlin 2017 conference, Dan Rhatigan, head of
of working with typography that meets the demands of the 21st
Adobe Typekit, says that for 20 years of his experience in designing
century is lexible, dynamic and responsive will unfold with time. |
56
typefaces, teaching and talking about them he noticed that people
rather treat typography as a tool. They want it to be simple,
Additionally, Rhatigan adds that functionality of variable fonts will be
straightforward, functional. He sees that designers, writers and
so extensive and revolutionary to the degree that even if it will not be
students are already annoyed with the licensing and functional
used commercially and by the public, variations will surely ind a niche
within the design or arts industry. Variable fonts are created not only
54
“Responsive Typography Demo,” Responsive Typography Demo <http://webdesign.
maratz.com/lab/responsivetypography/> [accessed 22 June 2017]
55
56
FontShopTV, “TYPO Labs 2017 | Dan Rhatigan | Variable Fonts: Progress Report,”
YouTube (YouTube, 2017) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOUWDGsT8DE&t=8s>
[accessed 22 June 2017]
by Adobe, Apple, Google and Microsoft but by the congregation of
creators that share their tools and open-source experiments online.
66
Digital writing and reading
World’s interconnectivity and collaborative platforms such GitHub
57
give the opportunity to people from every part of the world to shape
OpenType Font Variations in a way we need, and readers need them.
Obviously, leading developers work from the oices of Apple, Google,
Microsoft or Adobe but they listen carefully to the creators and
contributors and encourage to experiment, dismantle and play with
the tools available.
57
“Build software better, together,” GitHub <https://github.com/> [accessed 22 June
2017] GitHub is a software buidling collaboration plaftorm.
67
68
How do we write?
69
“Digital text is mobile, malleable and open.
but the entire network of systems and sources. The Internet allows for
Unlike with manuscript or printed text, in the
the dissemination of our thoughts and reaching to potential readers
digital world, the reader himself can intervene
with ease. There are myriad of platforms and ways to do that, such
in the text by shifting and rearranging.”58
an online blog, publishing platforms like Medium , Twitter or even a
62
Roger Chartier
Facebook.
The majority of available sharing platforms are free and have
embedded functions such rate, review, search, excerpt, highlight that
facilitated democratisation of tools and critical thinking and by that
essentially let everyone to be a writer. Abilities of constant sharing,
Writing is substantially the process of creating a “sequence
improving, collaboratively thinking and creating transformed the
process of writing into social activity and certainly gave us the room
of letters, words or symbols marked on surface” . Jeff Scheur,
59
teacher, educational entrepreneur during TEDxGunnHighSchool in
for deeper, critical relection over the creative process. As a result, our
January 2014 adds that the main reason why we write is to share
written work is acknowledged as more collective and characterises
ideas and promote creativity. The advent of personal computers
participatory equality rather than the former hierarchical distinction
and Internet changed the way we write and meant that “when a
between author and reader. Authority and Authorship evolved
person writes something, there is already an embedded system, or
permanently changing the relationship between writer and reader.
60
mediation, integrated into the process of writing.” states Anna
61
Ridler. Whereas Ridler is right, it is worth to extend that thought and
Consequently, we seek for new methods of engagement and
add that person is not only integrated into the system or mediation
interaction with readers. Digital editorial and web design give the
options of customised layout, extensive typographic choice and
58
Hoeks, Henk, and Ewan Lentjes, eds., The Triumph of Typography: Culture,
Communication, New Media (Arnhem: ArtEZ Press, 2015) pp 203 - Roger Chartier
59
“Oxford Dictionaries” Writing <https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/deinition/
writing/> [accessed 22 June 2017]
60
TEDxTalks, “Why schools need technology to teach writing: Jeff Scheur at
TEDxGunnHighSchool,” YouTube (YouTube, 2014) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_
BhVkubCEtQ> [accessed 22 June 2017]
61
Ridler, Anna, “Do What I mean,” 2016, Royal College of Art
certain, immersive experience that might satiate their desire for
information discovery.
62
“Medium – Read, write and share stories that matter,” Medium <https://medium.
com/> [accessed 22 June 2017]
70
How do we read?
Applications such as “iA Writer” imitate blank paper, uses typewriter
71
Words and letters recognition
63
alike typeface and features the minimal use of formatting options
to create more natural, but highly focused writing environment that
Herman Bouma, in 1973 discussed the concept of “word shape” in
is emulating analogue writing. Publishing platforms such Medium,
his paper “Visual Interference in the Parafoveal Recognition of Initial
Ghost or Wordpress simpliied the process of content dissemination,
and Final Letters of Words” . He discovered that back part of the eye
allowing the reader to comment, give feedback, excerpt and share
called fovea is responsible for depicting objects in detail. Parafovea is
with the prospective audience. Equally, providing writers with better
the area that surrounds fovea and is responsible for peripheral vision.
opportunities for relection over their work, dynamic revision and
Bouma for the irst time claimed that while reading, we look at the
constant learning process. Writers, supported by their community,
centre of the word and use our peripheral vision to recognise letters.
are entitled to tell stories that are more credible, clear and ultimately
Mattias Hillner in Virtual Typography, explains that it means that text
more compelling.
is perceived word by word and not letter by letter, and then words are
64
seen as clusters of letters, similarly to logotypes. As a result, words
65
are not analysed precisely but recognised by its overall shape outline.
Fig.23
63
2017]
Fontshop’s demo website where font variations in conjuction with optical sizing might be tested
“IA Writer. Plain. Text.,” IA RSS 20 <https://ia.net/writer/> [accessed 22 June
Fig.24
Fontshop’s demo website where font variations in conjuction with optical sizing might be tested
64
65
Hillner, Matthias, Virtual typography (Lausanne: Ava, 2009) pp 118-123
Hillner, Matthias, Virtual typography (Lausanne: Ava, 2009) pp 118-123
72
73
In 1989, the parallel letter recognition was developed, and it assumes
that all the letters in a word are registered and analysed at the same
time. Furthermore, foveal recognition discovered by Bouma states that
even if words or letters are out of optical focus, we still recognise and
register them, but not as clear as those in focus.
These two theories are supported by the discovery of saccadic eye
movements that was found out thanks to the advent of eye tracking
technology that offered precise measurement and monitoring of our
eyes’ movements. Saccadic eye movements are the jumps that our
eyes perform while we read, they jump from the word, syllables to
Fig.25
Saccadic eye movement
syllables. They also ixate, for a span of 200-250 milliseconds and
are regressive now and then. Regressive saccades are measured
as ten to ifteen percent of all jumps and are deined by our eyes
jumping backwards, while reader needs to verify the assumptions or
struggle with understanding the text and double checks the meaning.
Meanwhile, forward saccades skip one or more words.
Knowledge about processes and habits of human body, in that case
— eyes, might function as a foundation for conceptual software or
typographic system that considers saccadic eye movements while
reading a digital book. That program would gather data about the
individual eyes movement habits using eye tracking device (or in the
future – front camera or webcam) and morph the letterforms and
change the layout of the text in the advantage of making reading
experience less tiring and text more legible or comprehensible.
74
75
This may be caused by the radical rupture of medium continuity that
Reading the screen
digital revolution introduced. Jack Post in “Triumph of Typography”
Jakob Nielsen, the co-founder of Nielsen Norman Group, Danish web
explains it as a breach in the traditional relationship between the
consultant and holder of PhD in human–computer interaction granted
medium and the suricial inscription during reading and writing
by the Technical University of Denmark , did numerous tests on web
processes. As writing is no longer performed to the material surface
usability and readability. In the study, he conducted in 2008, using
but to the virtual computer storage where it cannot be perceived with
eye-tracking device showed that only 20% of the online content is
senses .
66
carefully read and not just skimmed.
68
67
That follows the idea suggested by Roger Chartier discussing textual
According to the same research, when comes to reading on the
continuity within the digital medium which confuses the reader by
screen, people tend to scan and skim the page looking for highlighted
the lack of distinguishable genres . Chartiers observes that before
keywords, short paragraphs and bullet points. Average of the users
the arrival of digital, different kinds of texts were divided into distinct
do not digest content carefully but rashly absorb the information that
objects, where nowadays, they are produced and displayed within a
is relevant to them. Therefore, they read word by word only when
single medium. Readers are then disturbed by the situation that feels
content lies in their very interest, or when they are enforced to, as,
abnormal.
69
when reading terms of conditions, homework, work documents and
so on. Apparently, web readers do not look for the depth or narrative
Therefore, Chartier suggests that considering various forms of text as
of the online content unless required to. They look, however, for
equal is a fundamental mistake because reader attributes meaning to
clarity of information and demand instant gratiication in the form of a
a text not only basing on the semiotic content of the book but on the
precise answer to their inquiry.
physical form in which text is published, disseminated and consumed.
66
“Jakob Nielsen, Ph.D. and Principal at Nielsen Norman Group,” Jakob Nielsen,
Ph.D. and Principal at <https://www.nngroup.com/people/jakob-nielsen/> [accessed 22 June
2017]
67
“Nielsen Norman Group,” How Users Read on the Web <https://www.nngroup.com/
articles/how-users-read-on-the-web/> [accessed 22 June 2017]
68
Hoeks, Henk, and Ewan Lentjes, eds., The Triumph of Typography: Culture,
Communication, New Media (Arnhem: ArtEZ Press, 2015) pp 162 Jack Post
69
Hoeks, Henk, and Ewan Lentjes, eds., The Triumph of Typography: Culture,
Communication, New Media (Arnhem: ArtEZ Press, 2015) pp 204 Roger Chartier
70
Hoeks, Henk, and Ewan Lentjes, eds., The Triumph of Typography: Culture,
Communication, New Media (Arnhem: ArtEZ Press, 2015) pp 206 Roger Chartier
70
76
77
Young Sun Compton beneits this discourse with the statement that
future of the book is social. Online reading as well as writing evolved
and are no longer linear experiences but complex social activities.
71
Roger extends that readers use keywords and themes to ind fragment
needed, namely an article or passage in a book from which the only
snippet is extracted without acknowledging the overview of the textual
whole.
72
many references, hyperlinks, images and other text iles embedded
into one corpus. It also transforms the passive reader into a co-author
“who chooses texts, writes, make additions, indexes, annotates,
copies and moves text around, according to his own preferences” .
73
Consequently, the release of the book does not translate into the
termination of the publishing process, but contrary, once the text
is available online, readers inluence its content through sharing,
excerpting, highlighting and unlocking by archiving and rearranging.
71
Lupton, Ellen, Type on screen: a guide for designers, developers, writers, and
students (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2014) Young Sun Compton pp 79
72 74
Hoeks, Henk, and Ewan Lentjes, eds., The Triumph of Typography: Culture,
Communication, New Media (Arnhem: ArtEZ Press, 2015) pp 204 Roger Chartier
73
Hoeks, Henk, and Ewan Lentjes, eds., The Triumph of Typography: Culture,
Communication, New Media (Arnhem: ArtEZ Press, 2015) pp 163-164 Jack Post
74
Fig.26
example illustrating the idea of selective - multilinear reading with
Google Books and selecive reading. Seearch engine highlights the fragment of the digitally available book
Google Books and Google search engine serves as an excellent
78
Conceptual possibilities
79
of OpenType Font Variations
However, turning to typography, Peter Bil’ak, Slovakian graphic and
When comes to speculation about technology and future,
typeface designer, asserts that reading experience of the digital
results often end up being dystopian visions where robots and artiicial
text is still substandard as digital book creation tools limit designers
intelligence ousted humanity and used us as an energy source.
78
from creating truly engaging digital products. Hence, he continues
that technology is ahead of the vision of the creators. Bil’ak also
The concepts bellow are not that extreme but represent conceptual
adds that typography still bears the burden inherited from previous
possibilities of OpenType Font Variations paired with peripheral
media. He then gives an example of Neue Haas Grotesk or Helvetica
devices, mobile phones sensors or even artiicial intelligence. It is
typefaces that has been just recently updated removing redundant
worth to mention that these are prompts and theories that allowed
75
limitations that have been imposed by phototypesetting technique.
76
with time are feasible to some extent. Concepts are organised
from the easily achievable and realistic to the most futuristic and
With this in mind, it is crucial to realise, that “the power of new
hypothetical.
media,however, lies not in the imitation of old media.” Bil’ak’s
77
statement greatly translates into present day circumstances, where
If you are a scientist, biologists, physicians, humanist, artist or
we are about to witness another revolution of digital typography.
whoever and have a theory how your discipline could be enhanced by
However, this time, we are equipped with extensive knowledge about
variable fonts, share these with other communities! Most of the genius
the capacity of onscreen text and tools that allow us for shaping the
ideas started from the urgent need for improvement, as they say,
revolution collectively and consciously.
necessity is the mother of invention.
73 76 75
wHoeks, Henk, and Ewan Lentjes, eds., The Triumph of Typography:
Culture, Communication, New Media (Arnhem: ArtEZ Press, 2015) pp 321-322
78
Nathan, Ian, “EMPIRE ESSAY: The Matrix,” Empire (Empire, 2016) <http://www.
empireonline.com/movies/empire-essay-matrix/review/> [accessed 22 June 2017]
80
Idea #1: New Typographic
81
Accessibility
adjust these parameters automatically to suit the user. As an example,
letterforms would have opened counters at small sizes, opened
terminals and extended tails to help elderly readers read small text on
the mobile device or laptop. The interface also could vary depending
on the competency of the user to suit users with lower computer
literacy.
OpenType Font Variations have the capacity of helping people with
dyslexia by the subtle animation of how letters are drawn, their
emphasis – standing out from the complete word and few more tweaks
such as distinguished b, q and b (not the mirror images), rounded g as
Each of us has different cognitive capabilities of adapting,
in handwriting, increased letter spacing.
learning, memorising, maintaining focus, communicating and so on.
Obviously, we also differ regarding our body responsiveness, acuity,
Adjustments would happen automatically according to the preferences
technical precision, muscle endurance and much more. In 2008, UN
set in the operating system, web browser or writing software or could
World Population Prospect forecasted that until 2050, the percentage
be based on data gathered during the eye-tracking study or visual
of the population after 65 will rise to 16% (for 2017, around 8%).
acuity test.
79
Modern interfaces need to relect that and proceed accordingly.
FontSmith prepared an infographic showing what can be done to make
fonts more accessible . Using variable fonts, text and interfaces might
80
79
“World population projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050 | UN DESA Department
of Economic and Social Affairs,” United Nations (United Nations) <http://www.un.org/en/
development/desa/news/population/2015-report.html> [accessed 22 June 2017]
80
“A study in typographic accessibility from Fontsmith,” Typograph.Her <http://www.
typographher.com/blog/2016/10/6/a-study-in-typographic-accessibility-from-fontsmith>
[accessed 22 June 2017]
82
Idea #2 TrueTone and TrueText
83
Viewing conditions and the environment has an enormous impact on
legibility and reception of the content. OpenType Font Variations are
capable of dynamic adjustment that would happen dependently on
lighting surrounding the reader, location, time-of-the-day, screen sizes
and resolution or quality of the Internet connection.
Apple’s technology of adjusting the white balance and brightness of
the screen called TrueTone serves as the ideal basis for that example.
The same sensor that is responsible for diagnosing light levels can
control letterforms that would change, for instance, its optical sizing,
contrast or width according to lighting environment. The function
would be paired with changing the screen white balance for the
optimal and natural experience of the text.
Modern smartphones are equipped with plenty of sensors such
accelerometer, barometer, magnetometer, proximity sensor, GPS
or simply a microphone. Most of these can have an innovate usage
coupled with variable fonts.
Fig.27 Infographic designed by FontSmith showcasing signiicant typgraphy accessibility
84
Idea #3: Habitual Reading Enhancer 85
Fig.28 TrueTone technology introduced by Apple that adjust white balance according to surrounding light
Our reading habits are easily discoverable with eye tracking
technology, especially that their availability and kind spectrum
increases. For example, Tobii , a global leader in eye-tracking and
81
assistive technology offers eye-tracking as either peripheral device
that can be added to the computer screen, glasses - Tobii Pro Glasses
2 and also specially designed computer with eye-tracking devices
implemented.
Therefore, using Tobii’s technology while we read, data about our
reading habits such as saccades, regressive saccades, ixations, diicult
wording and (in future) issues with understanding the context would be
gathered and stored. The process would be automated by meticulously
81
“Power to be You,” Tobii Dynavox - Power to be You - Tobii Dynavox <https://www.
tobiidynavox.com/> [accessed 22 June 2017]
86
87
crafted algorithms that recognise reading patterns, existent problems
and areas that need improvement. These patterns and data would be
converted into actions by implementing the adjustment in letterforms,
paragraphs and layout to enhance skills and experience of the reader.
Additional software would take into our account vision and perceptual
span82 (method how our eyes work focusing on a particular object,
word83 to revolutionise digital reading by making it more dynamic and
Fig.29 Rob McKaughan explains visual and perceptual span
comfortable. Rob McKaughan during TYPO Berlin 201784 prepared
brilliant visualisation and explanation how that functionality can be
implemented using OpenType Font Variations. He suggests typeface
adjustments that are low-resolution ready and it for peripheral vision:
increased x-height, prominent apertures and low contrast. Then,
McKaughan performed visualisation of the concept pretending to
be reading the text using eye-tracker. In result, reading the text is
surprisingly comfortable and effortless.
Fig.30 Adjusted x-height, opened aperture and increased contrast
82
Rayner, Keith, Timothy J. Slattery, and Nathalie N. Bélanger, “Eye movements, the
perceptual span, and reading speed,” Psychonomic bulletin & review (U.S. National Library of
Medicine, 2010) <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3075059/> [accessed 22
June 2017]
83
foveal recognition mentioned before
84
FontShopTV, “TYPO Labs 2017 | Peter Constable & Rob McKaughan,” YouTube
(YouTube, 2017) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81cUE3yj70I&t=227s> [accessed 22
June 2017]
Fig.31 Word being in the middle is in the optical focus.
88
Idea #4: VR Extended Reading
89
Experience
How about virtual reality experience that coupled with eye tracking
device visualises the context of text we are currently reading
dynamically, on-the-go? How about reading the Lord of the Rings and
being in the middle of Mordor when Frodo is about to throw the ring
into to red-hot lava? Alternatively, to experience ups and downs of
a real romance, and immerse deeply into the narrative of Pride and
Prejudice? This concept would compromise the detail of description
and language that written text brings with cinematic visuals and
sounds that would revolutionise the reading experience.
For many people accustomed to the tangibility of the book, printed
It certainly would not have been that extreme and advanced, but
matter cannot be superseded by electronic, often plastic devices,
VR environment that relects the emotional context of the book
or far off screen that does not carry the physicality and atmosphere
or chapters by the relevant colour scheme, soundscape or simple
of the touchable object. However, how about reading a “real book”
visualisations is entirely possible.
in virtual reality? The scenario would happen inside virtual reality
environment, and the main character would hold a “real book”. To
Extended Reading Experience would ind purpose not only in
execute that concept, VR would need fonts that render brilliantly at
entertainment but could also be used in education. Reading about
all resolutions and are lexible enough to adapt to constant changes
the diicult subject would be so much more comprehensible when
that happen in VR. It is a perfect opportunity for advanced use of
illustrated with live examples that stimulate the cognitive processes,
OpenType Font Variations and dynamic typography.
memorising and create emotional attachments through practical
However, the most exciting of VR technology is the opportunity of
learning.
“travelling without moving” , being in another times and places while
85
in reality not leaving home.
85
Acid-funk-jazz song released by Jamiroquai. “Travelling Without Moving”
90
Idea #5: Typographic buddy
91
impeccable mirror of person that is essentially its parent-protoplast.
Typeface DNA, in other words, vast amounts of data, would be
inheritable and breedable by which type families would be created.
Practical use of them would be akin to present day analogue signage,
online avatar/identity. An essence of individual’s personality, life
and habits, trademark recognisable by others. When used online,
it could also responsively react and illustrate current emotional or
psychological state of his human-prototype. That typographic buddy
would accompany his precursor through all steps of school and life
always morphing as an ideal typeface for the essays, academic writing
Future may bring typeface that evolves along with the human and is
and inancial reports. The death of the typeface-friend would happen
self-aware of its purpose and existence. The concept essentially brings
together with the passing of the human, pre-empted by jointly written
a combination of science, biology, sociology, computing and typeface
will that echoes back the whole journey through the lifetime leaving
design into one super-intelligent algorithm.
tangible reminiscence of computer-human harmony.
Various data would be gathered since the early age of the participant
focusing on behaviour patterns while using technology, language,
the category of interests, habits of reading and writing, ethnicity,
gender, technical and cognitive skills, visual acuity, age et al. Almost
every aspect of the life of the human could be stored and analysed.
According to with growth and intellectual development of a person,
typeface would evolve demonstrating every stage of a (life) journey
precisely and with distinguishable manner. The result would be
typeface-robot-machine having own consciousness and being an
92
Conclusions
93
“New media, like most innovations is often
This shift resulted in new modes of writing and reading which beneits
accompanied with a promising interpretation. It
participatory equality and locate the reader on the creative pedestal,
is widely claimed that new media have contributed
next to the writer. Reader, by highlighting, excerpting and sharing,
to spreading democracy. Related to the narrower
actively contributes to the digital publication which despite being
context of typographic communication it is often
released and theoretically complete, is in constant, revisionary lux. As
claimed, too, that new media have liberated
a result of this evolution, new kinds of interactions are urging for new
designers.”86
methods of production and consumption that will satiate demands of
Peter Bil’ak
the digital reader.
Font standards and book formats despite being constantly developed
and improved since the late eighties, still bear the burden inherited by
Methods of visible communication and writing prototyped by our
their predecessors and restrain the experience of the digital corpus to
ancestors paved the way how we perceive and consume text today.
its full capabilities.
Inscriptions to the material surface in the form of stone and later
paper permanently affected how our civilisations and societies
What is more, from the beginning of typographic design existence,
developed.
creators faced challenges where limitations of technology
compromised their vision. OpenType Font Variations have inherent
Textuality and tangibility that books used to semiotically convey for
ability to change that once and for ever introducing a format that has
nearly ive hundred years, confuse the contemporary reader who
so little boundaries that choice overload, in fact, might outshine its
is not yet able to recognise them in an information-packed, digital,
opportunities.
singular medium amid performing a nonlinear activity that is reading
from a screen.
The arrival of new media or inventions is often anticipated in positive,
promising light. This time is not different, however, what elevate our
chances this time is global interconnectivity and simpliied process of
86 Hoeks, Henk, The triumph of typography: culture. communication. new media (Lannoo
Publishers, 2015) pp 319 Peter Bil’ak
collective, critical inquiry.
94
Scientiic studies that are available for everyone enable creators
95
Further reading
to envision the conceptual possibilities of variable fonts, which are
endless. In conjunction with external software, artiicial intelligence,
automation and peripheral devices such as eye-tracking technology
These three books were exceptionally beneicial when writing this
or mobile phone sensors, possibilities of new adaptable, self-aware
study. Hence I sincerely recommended these. They provide deep
typography emerge.
insight into typographic technicality, semiotics, cultural values and
relations with the digital. These books extend the reading and might
Digital typography revolution has just been announced, and it lies in
answer some of the questions arisen after reading this essay.
our hands to not just witness it but actively contribute to the event
that will introduce new quality of interhuman communication.
→ Hoeks, Henk, The triumph of typography: culture. communication.
new media (Lannoo Publishers, 2015)
→ Hillner, Matthias, Virtual typography (Lausanne: Ava, 2009)
→ Lupton, Ellen, Type on screen: a guide for designers, developers,
writers, and students (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2014)
Citation from Young Sun Compton
96
Images
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Avaiable at <hhttps://userscontent2.emaze.com/images/9da7f618-5722-471fba4d-7d03b8d72ccc/9ea3b92d-d22a-4cf6-b4de-199284a9dae5.png> [accessed
22 June 2017]
97
[accessed 22 June 2017]
Fig.12 Webbrowser font rendering comparison, Ryan DeBeasi, 2011
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com/0217-05_no_hardware.jpg> [accessed 22 June 2017]
Fig.2 Font classiication, Author and Date Unknown
Fig.13 My facebook without text, Hubert Mietkiewicz, 2017
Avaiable at <https://untilsundaypost.iles.wordpress.com/2013/04/classiication.
jpg> [accessed 22 June 2017]
Fig.14 ATypI Typography conference Warsaw, Typenetwork, 2016
Fig.3 Boogie School sans serif, Or Type, 2016
Avaiable at <https://www.typenetwork.com/news/article/atypi-warsaw-2016-day-2the-return-of-the-multiple-master> [accessed 22 June 2017]
Avaiable at <https://ortype.is/specimen/boogie_school> [accessed 22 June 2017]
Fig.15 New York Times website screenshot, Hubert Mietkiewicz, 2017
Fig.4 Boogie School sans serif, Or Type, 2016
Fig.16 New York Times website on mobile phone, Hubert Mietkiewicz, 2017
Avaiable at <https://ortype.is/specimen/boogie_school> [accessed 22 June 2017]
Fig.17 Vector points, Bianca Berning, 2017
Fig.5 Anatomy of typography, Chris Koch, Date Unnkown
Avaiable at <http://www.alphabettes.org/responsive-variable-fonts/> [accessed 22
June 2017]
Avaiable at <https://ckgd.net/wp2/wp-content/uploads/anatomy-of-typographydesign-letter-features-ckgd.jpg> [accessed 22 June 2017]
Fig.18 Interpolation from light to bold, Monotype, 2016
Fig.6 Differences between Clearview and Highway Gothic, Mekker Assosciates,
2004
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Avaiable at <https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcErxwBWAAAKWHX.png> [accessed
22 June 2017]
Fig.19 Axis Praxis, Amstelvar Alpha, original state. Tool by Laurence Penney.
modiied by Hubert Mietkiewicz, 2017
Fig.7 Highway Gothic, Mekker Assosciates, 2004
Fig.20 Axis Praxis, Amstelvar Alpha, modiied. Tool by Laurence Penney. modiied
by Hubert Mietkiewicz, 2017
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a03134b81/2a0f1b77a.png> [accessed 22 June 2017> [accessed 22 June 2017]
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a03134b81/2a0f1b77a.png> [accessed 22 June 2017> [accessed 22 June 2017]
Fig.9 Poor typography, Matthew Butterick, Practical Typography, Date Unnkown
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[accessed 22 June 2017> [accessed 22 June 2017]
Fig.10 Good typography, Matthew Butterick, Practical Typography, Date Unnkown
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Fig.11 Responsive website design, Author and Date Unknown
Avaiable at <https://typecast.com/images/uploads/modernscale-one-scale.jpg>
Fig.21 Optical sizes of Century Expanded, comparison by Bianca Berning, 2017
Avaiable at <http://www.alphabettes.org/responsive-variable-fonts/> [accessed 22
June 2017]
Fig.22 Font Shop font variations demo. Website by FontShop. Screenshot by
Hubert Mietkiewicz, 2017
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Fig.23 iA Writer, iA
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Avaiable at <https://media.24ways.org/2012/tan/ig1.jpg> [accessed 22 June 2017]
98
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102
Design
Space Mono. Open-source font from Colophon. (headings)
https://www.colophon-foundry.org/goods/spacemono-specimen/
HK Grotesk. Open-source font from Hanken Design Co. (body text)
https://hanken.co/product/hk-grotesk/
Solide Mirage. Open-source font from
velvetyne.fr
http://velvetyne.fr/fonts/solide-mirage/
103
104