Typography is the art of manipulating the visual form of language to enrich and control its meaning. It’s an essential area of skill and knowledge for graphic designers. Typography predates modern graphic design by around 500 years; it is rich in rules, conventions, and esoteric terminology—but it remains an exciting space for invention and expression.
In this rigorous introductory course, we will study, name, and measure the characteristics of letterforms. We’ll consider the pragmatic concerns involved in selecting and combining type. We’ll peek into the
rich historical, cultural, and aesthetic histories of familiar typefaces. We’ll discuss time-tested conventions and best practices in setting type, as governed by principles of hierarchy and spatial organization. And we’ll explore the expressive, meaning-making potential of type.
Informative lectures will be complemented by a series of three peer-assessed assignments, culminating
in an opportunity to design a full-scale typographic poster.
Please note that this is not a software course; a basic working knowledge of Adobe InDesign or other
page layout software will be assumed. You will need access to a computer and page layout software, such as InDesign, to complete the assignments.
This course is part of the Graphic Design Specialization
Introduction to Typography
Offered By
55,552 enrolled
About this Course
57,652 recent views
What you will learn
Conduct a peer-reviewed typesetting exercise
Design of a full-scale typographic poster
Explore how typefaces tell stories and understand the historic evolution
Review the terminology and measuring system used to describe type
Skills you will gain
Adobe IndesignHistoryCreativityGraphics
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week
11 hour to complete
Week 1: Talking Type
This week, we’ll take an up-close look at typefaces, both as physical artifacts and as works of design.
We will study the formal elements that define and give character to type, and understand where they came from and why they look the way they do. We will review the terminology and measuring system used to describe type, and look at the way the form and proportion of letters relate to the practical concerns of selecting and combining typefaces. The week will wrap up with a graded quiz.
6 videos (Total 21 min), 5 readings, 2 quizzes
6 videos
Font versus Typeface4m
Stroke and Proportion4m
Type Anatomy2m
Measuring Type3m
Choosing a Typeface4m
5 readings
About this Course5m
About the Assignments5m
Course Tools5m
Additional Resources10m
Reviewing key terms5m
2 practice exercises
Type Terms12m
Describing Type20m
Week
22 hours to complete
Week 2: Typefaces and their Stories
This week, we’ll explore the way typefaces express connotative meaning—tell stories—through their association with different time periods, aesthetics, and ideas. Through six short case studies, we
will look at the way a typeface’s connotations are shaped by its context, understand the historic evolution of typographic forms, and familiarize ourselves with the way typefaces are classified. You’ll extend
your exploration through some independent research into a typeface of your choosing.
7 videos (Total 26 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz
7 videos
Bembo: Humanist Letters3m
Didot: Enlightened Refinement3m
Clarendon: Type for the Masses3m
Futura: the Typographic Avant-Garde4m
Helvetica: International Modern3m
Scala Sans: Typographic Remix3m
2 readings
Prepare Yourself1m
Research Sources5m
Week
32 hours to complete
Week 3: Putting Type to Work
This week, we will engage the visual principles and conventions of typesetting. We will look at how the spaces between letters, lines, and blocks of type can be manipulated to refine the appearance and control the meaning of type. We’ll explore the ways typographic hierarchy and grid systems can further organize and clarify type. And we’ll survey the rules and conventions that can add polish to your typesetting. You’ll apply your skills and knowledge in a peer-reviewed typesetting exercise at the end
of the week.
6 videos (Total 26 min), 1 quiz
6 videos
Typographic Space5m
Page Space5m
The Grid4m
Creating Hierarchy3m
Typographic Conventions5m
Week
43 hours to complete
Week 4: Making Meaningful Type
In our final week, we’ll examine the ways typographic form can dramatically shape the meaning of written language. We’ll survey and analyze possibilities for type treatments—from subtle typesetting choices
to dramatic manipulations—by looking at examples of expressive and unconventional typography. At the end of the week, you’ll bring together and apply everything you have learned in this course in the
design of a full-scale typographic poster.
4 videos (Total 17 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz
4 videos
Typesetting with Expression5m
Beyond Typesetting4m
The Typographic Poster4m
1 reading
Course Credits2m
4.8
497 Reviews30%
started a new career after completing these courses
34%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
Top Reviews
Loved that the main typeface study was carried out throughout this course. Loved beginning with the writing assignment and then evolving into a full on typographic poster. Very fun and informative
Very organized and detailed about the basic, history, characteristics of typography.\n\nI really enjoyed it and wish there were other courses by the same lecturer.\n\nThanks for the great course!!
Instructor
Anther Kiley
Faculty, Program in Graphic DesignSchool of Art
About California Institute of the Arts
CalArts has earned an international reputation as the leading college of the visual and performing arts in the United States. Offering rigorous undergraduate and graduate degree programs through six schools—Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music, and Theater—CalArts has championed creative excellence, critical reflection, and the development of new forms and expressions.
About the Graphic Design Specialization
Graphic design is all around us, in a myriad of forms, both on screen and in print, yet it is always made up of images and words to create a communication goal. This four-course sequence exposes students to the fundamental skills required to make sophisticated graphic design: process, historical context, and communication through image-making and typography. The sequence is completed by a capstone project that applies the skills of each course and peer feedback in a finished branding project suitable for a professional portfolio.
The goal of this specialization is to equip learners with a set of transferable formal and conceptual tools for “making and communicating” in the field of graphic design. This core skill set will equip learners for formal studies in graphic design, and a starting point for further work in interface design, motion graphics, and editorial design.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
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