simple rules for good typography

[angelize]

Another good rule, and this is something that is touched on in the comments section of the article is consistency in headings or headlines. Whether you are doing a web page or a printed page this is important. If you start out capitalizing all words in your headings don't switch to just capitalizing the first word on a new section.

[Gare]

I can't think of many times one would run a headline in all caps, except for a garage sale sign.



Initial Caps, Like I'm Typing Right Now, is accepted in desktop publishing as are small caps, which unfortunately I can't do using HTML.

-g-

[angelize]

I meant Initial caps just like your example Or a another acceptable form is to capitalize the main words only like this: The Fonts and Typography Group is Growing!

[Gare]

You have me curious now; I'm going to have to research what this capitalization form is called. I think, but am not sure it's called Proper Case.

-g-

[angelize]

I'll be interested to know what you find out

[Soquili]

I don't recall what it is called but I've seen it in Book and Movie Titles for decades.

[Soquili]

According the wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_...ication_titles

House Styles vary by publisher.

[jon404]

Here's my Rule One for body text, in an ad, brochure, or book: I don't want the reader to ever be aware of it. If the font design is noticed, even slightly, it takes away from the selling message -- or from the author's story.

How not to be noticed? Go with familiarity, with what people are used to. On the web, Arial/Helvetica is AMAZINGLY enduring, what, 60 years now? And Times Roman, though not the most readable book face because of its narrow characters, sure fades into the background for readers, particularly with some extra line-spacing (leading).

Too restrictive for graphic designers? Sure. But in business, it's about sales -- so treat your viewers with maximum readability, and restrict your design side to headlines.

And here's Rule Two -- never, NEVER, reverse out body text in an ad or brochure or web page. Light body text on a dark background is horrible. Because when you make me work at reading, sorry, I'm off to somebody else's commercial.

[Gare]

Hi Jon, and thanks for your take on typography rules.

Can you qualify reverse text any better than "horrible"?

When I was in advertising, I actually interviewed with David Oglivy & Partners (finally landed at Saatchi instead, this was circa 1977), and they had a house rule against reverse text, and I asked why. And the best answer the Senior Art Directors could give me was because David said so.

"Font transparency" is a good goal. The other thing is: when you don't have anything to say, sing it...old adverting proverb—and that's the time to break out the weird fonts. Helvetica, yes, enduring. Times has also stuck around because of its eminent legibility, but dark text on a light background for the web and for print is a pair of handcuffs for a designer, and I don't even know the officer who is handcuffing me.

My Best,

Gary