Spacing Letterforms - Julian Bittiner

spacing letterforms
Assignment 1B
Introduction to letterforms
The successful spacing of letters is a combination of learned optical judgement
(‘developing an eye’) and logical systematization. However the ‘eye’ should
always be the final arbiter.
Carefully space the letters and words provided on the work sheet in the order
indicated below using Walter Tracy’s methodology as a guide:
letters with a straight upright stroke:
BDEFHIJKLMNPRU bdhijklmnpqru
letters with a round stroke:
CDGOPQ bcdeopq
triangular letters:
AVWXY vwxy
the odd ones:
STZ afgstz
For spacing serif lowercase letters, use the n as a basis. Measure the width
between the two vertical strokes, then assign half that width as the space on
the left side of the letter, and slightly less on the right side (to account for
the arched corner that adds space). Set four ns with this spacing so that the
distance between all the vertical strokes is even ( nnnn ). Adjust as necesary,
then assign these spaces to the vertical strokes of the other letters per the
table on the reverse (e.g. the left side of b, the right side of d, etc.).
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Art 264 01
Mon & Wed 3:30–5.20
Green Hall, Room 210
class wiki-page
http://art.yale.edu/264F12
instructor
Julian Bittiner
julian.bittiner@yale.edu
teacher’s assistant
Jessica Svendsen
jessica.svendsen@yale.edu
Next tackle the o. Place two copies between two pairs of correctly spaced
ns ( nonon ). Also test another combination ( nnoonn ). When the spacing
looks even, subtract the space belonging to the n; the remainder is the correct
spacing for the o. The rest of the letters can now be spaced relative to the n
and the o.
For spacing uppercase serifs, use the H and O as a basis and follow the same
logic as above.
(Note that the space between any letters should never be greater than the
space inside the lowercase n or the capital H).
Due: Wednesday, September 12
A View of
Type Design
Walter Tracy

Source: Walter Tracy, Letters of Credit (Boston: David R. Godine, 2003), 74–75.