GA1220:03
Typography 1
Townsville
Inadmissable Subject Combination: GA1114 GA1115 GA1116 GA1124 GA2112 GA2131 VA1181 VA1182
13 lectures, 13 tutorials, 26 hours practicals. Second semester.
Available to students enrolled in the BCommunication Design degree.
Staff: Ms K Carter.
This subject introduces students to the creative, aesthetic and functional role of type in visual communication and design practice. Type and typefaces, written and pictographic systems of communication are examined from historical, cultural, technical and creative perspectives. Type history, anatomy and terminology is studied, along with page structures and layout techniques, type design, type selection for traditional, conventional and digital use.
The role of type as a design element in its own right, the function of words as images and the use of fully typographical solutions as a creative response to design tasks are areas studied in depth. In the second part of the semester, digital and screen based applications are analysed, leading on to an examination of contemporary and experimental typographical practice. Students will examine how type is managed in several computer design and publishing programs such as Quark, PageMaker, FreeHand, Illustrator and Word.
Learning Objectives:
- appreciate the role of type as a key element in the design of visual communications; recognise a range of type families and select and use appropriate styles;
- understand how type is managed in a range of key pre-press and design programs;
- use an understanding of typographical principles to enhance the legibility, readability and aesthetics of a range of text focussed documents;
- awareness of historical and contemporary trends in type design and typographical practice.
Assessment by tutorial presentation (20%); four practical assignments (80%). Attendance of less than 80% at practical workshops will render students ineligible for assessment unless prior written approval has been obtained from the lecturer, academic adviser or Head of College.