Description

Typography is the art and techniqueofarranging type to make written language legible, readable,andappealing when displayed. The arrangement of typeinvolvesselecting typefaces, point sizes, line lengths,line-spacing(leading), and letter-spacing (tracking), and adjustingthe spacebetween pairs of letters (kerning[1]). The term typographyis alsoapplied to the style, arrangement, and appearance of theletters,numbers, and symbols created by the process. Type design isaclosely related craft, sometimes considered part oftypography;most typographers do not design typefaces, and some typedesignersdo not consider themselves typographers.[2][3] Typographyalso maybe used as a decorative device, unrelated to communicationofinformation.

Typography is the work of typesetters (also known ascompositors),typographers, graphic designers, art directors, mangaartists,comic book artists, graffiti artists, and, now, anyone whoarrangeswords, letters, numbers, and symbols for publication,display, ordistribution, from clerical workers and newsletterwriters toanyone self-publishing materials. Until the Digital Age,typographywas a specialized occupation. Digitization opened uptypography tonew generations of previously unrelated designers andlay users,and David Jury, head of graphic design at ColchesterInstitute inEngland, states that "typography is now somethingeverybodydoes."[4] As the capability to create typography hasbecomeubiquitous, the application of principles and bestpracticesdeveloped over generations of skilled workers andprofessionals hasdiminished. So at a time when scientifictechniques can support theproven traditions (e.g. greaterlegibility with the use of serifs,upper and lower case, contrast,etc.) through understanding thelimitations of human vision,typography as often encountered mayfail to achieve its principalobjective: effectivecommunication.