Uncommon Knowledge: 003

This one should be common knowledge and in a way I feel like I'm stating the obvious. But then I'm also aware that many designers still don't do this, so for what it's worth, here goes...

You see, whether we like it or not, most designers are accidental typesetters. Few of us ever set out to be typesetters, but we find ourselves in a time when as part of our daily work we're knocking out text on our Macs. It can be a big part of our day.

Problem is, lots of us are still doing just that, knocking it out. What do we know about the details of good typography/typesetting? In the old days (ah, the old days...cow gum for goal posts...) we had typesetters to take care of the details for us, details like this:

Of course, if you're from the US you might have a liking for the em-rule, but that's another story.

If you want to find out more about doing it the right way, buy a copy of Hart's Rules or Copy-editing, or both!

This kind of stuff reminds me of the Fletcher quote, "You can only muck about with language if you know what you're doing. Otherwise you're just being sloppy". I think the same goes for typography.

Comments

[davidthedesigner]

I must admit I wasn't sure about this little series when you started, Richard. I didn't think you could get enough meaningful information on those small cards to carry you through a series (I assume of a hundred?).

But this one, with the expanded explanation in the post, nails it - good shot.

I do have some responses, but - if you don't mind - I'm going to blog them, rather than detail them here.

[Richard]

David, to be perfectly honest I had serious doubts about it as soon as it started. In fact it's about the only thing I've blogged that has troubled me, and it has a lot. Firstly, I don't want to sound like a smart-arse. Secondly, I don't want to be stating "the bleedin' obvious". Thirdly, Ace Jet has a reasonably well defined reason for existing and perhaps this is at odds with it.

But then Ace Jet is about stuff I've found and a lot of it has helped me in my work. Isn't this stuff just a different kind of "found" stuff?

Also, it's stuff I find myself telling other, younger designers all the time, so why not spread the word?

Finally, I can always stop it and/or pull it down. And I've already considered that. But I've had some positive feedback so think I'll stick with it for a while at least.

Actually, really finally, I wouldn't want Ace Jet to become predictable or repetitive. Why not TRY something new? With the emphasis on "try".

Because of all this I really appreciate your comment, it took a while and your silence just fuelled my nervousness.

[davidthedesigner]

You should certainly stick with it, Richard. This is accumulated knowledge that you, I and countless other designers have absorbed over the years - and it deserves to be passed on. Just as others have passed on that same knowledge to us. That doesn't make you a 'smart arse' - far from it.

It also demonstrates to non-designers that there are countless small and informed decisions that we, as designers, take each working day. And that is no bad thing in itself.

For my own part, I've also been mulling over a 'series' of themed postings. Nothing that crosses over yours, but still something that I've been uncertain about. So you've spurred me on.

By the way, does this mean the demise of 'Found Type Friday'?

[Richard]

Thanks again David.

It's certainly not the end for FTF. FTF requires a bit of thought and collation and the day job's been getting in the way lately. Also, 18 month old son knocked my digital camera off a table and broke it, so I'm having difficulty getting new images together while it's being fixed. I'm deducting the repair costs from his pocket money, which he doesn't get yet He'll have to repay it when he's older, a bit like how student loans work nowadays.

I like the "themed" post thing. Go for it David!

[Brad Brooks]

Richard, please carry on with this series. You're not being a smart arse, you're imparting relevant information - isn't that what we're supposed to do as designers? And, Lord knows, we all need a refresher now and then!

[Richard]

Cheers Brad.

[elliot100]

Unfortunately, the medium – monospaced typeface without separate hyphen and dash –destroys the message!

[Richard]

The phrase, "learn the rules, then break them", springs to mind.

[Richard]

Hey elliot100, look again, I've fudged en-rules especially for you.

[davidthedesigner]

He certainly wouldn't get that sort of service from me.

[Richard]

Give, give, give; that's me.

[OutOfContext]

This kind of stuff reminds me of the Fletcher quote, "You can only muck about with language if you know what you're doing. Otherwise you're just being sloppy". I think the same goes for typography.

I thought the quote above was about sex, but your's makes sense too. I'm sloppy about all three in any case.

By the way, I should say I'm not a designer of any kind and I enjoy the blog for the very reason davidthedesigner mentions in his second comment.

[Richy]

Seeing a hyphen used when it should be an en dash really anoys me. When I was taught, it was to use an en dash with spaces either side in a sans serif font and an em dash without spaces either side in a serif.