Design Principles//Visual Literacy//Letter Hierarchy

Legibility, Readability and Hierarchies


To improve the understanding of type and layout, the task set asks to identify three magazine spreads, three posters and three newspaper spreads that portray good typography, awful typography and one in between. It is based on legibility and readability. 

Magazine layouts

1. Vice 
This magazine was chosen to express good typography 

The overall page layout is simplistic yet elements within in, display attention to detail. The uncluttered spread only contains a few different typefaces which makes the page easier to read. The black and white effect also allows the photographic, big type face to really stand out and make an input.  The old-fashioned aesthetic mixed with a modern edge makes the overall layout very eye catching. 

2. Wavelength 
This magazine was chosen to express average typography. This magazine layout has obviously been thought about and use of colourways with the type has been addressed. A variation of type faces have been considered and fit in well with the theme of the surfing magazine. Overall the layout and type looks stylish and presentable but it doesn't really stand out. 

3. Heat 

This magazine was chosen to express awful typography. The combination of bright colour ways and stand out type causes a very overcrowded and intense layout. Each image and tagline looks very randomly placed making the reader not really knowing where to begin. The main type that has been chosen is incredibly hard hitting therefore hoping to draw attention. 

Posters 

1. Dew tour 

This magazine was chosen to express good typography. The header is in a strong typeface and it has been layered with a photographic image. The typefaces chosen tie in well with the sport being communicated. 

2. Ripcurl Boardmasters

This poster was chosen to show average typography. The type chosen is very powerful and has a certain retro feel to it. The white works really well against the green and black background. Also the small typeface stands out in a simple yet bold font. The lime green works better that originally thought, drawing attention to the smaller details of what the poster is trying to communicate. 

3. Child line 

This poster was chosen to represent bad typography. The bubbly typeface and badly hand-written style font is not very effective and not very legible. Also, the colours applied on the typeface don't exactly help. The bright yellow is blinding. Equally the blue and white colour combination does not communicate a strong message. 

Newspapers 


1.
This newspaper was chosen to display good typography. It is very simple and spaciously laid out. This is what makes it effective. Their are not too many typefaces used making it very legible. Also the typefaces chosen are quite stylish and not overpowering continuing to make it easy to read. Little colour had been applied which is good, not making it too blinding or lacking direction. 

 

2. The Independent 

This newspaper was chosen to portray average type. It is a pretty standard layout with medico typefaces. In a way it is quite boring but at the same time it is east to read, easy to know how the stories are divided and delivers the information with little fuss. Colour is added to the typefaces where needed. 

3. The Sun 

This newspaper was chosen to communicate bad typography. The overcrowding of multiple typefaces and mixture of weights and colours does not attract at audience. It make the layout hard to read and lacks any real direction. The bright colours are a distraction from the content. overall, the typefaces chosen add even more chaos to this already chaotic newspaper layout.