Job:03171 Title:Typography Referenced (Rockport)
Page: 49
030-051 03171.indd 49 9/22/11 11:53 AM
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Type Design and Development
Text
Job:03171 Title:Typography Referenced (Rockport)
Page: 49
Non-native Speakers
Can a non-native speaker design a
typeface for a language? A typeface
arises in response to a client’s brief,
which taps into wider design problems.
For example, many of the con-
ventions surrounding newspapers
apply regardless of the market; the
constraints on the typographic spec-
ifi cation can be deduced from the
general qualities of the script and the
language. Can the typeface include
hyphenation? How long are the words
and sentences? With what range
of word lengths? What is the edito-
rial practice in the region in terms of
article structure, levels of hierarchy
(), and headline composition?
Only after establishing the typo-
graphic environment can we examine
the written forms of the language
and the tools that have determined
the key shapes. In this matter most
scripts other than the Latin (and to
some degree Cyrillic) maintain a close
relationship between writing and
typographic forms. Writing exercises
and a structural analysis of examples
can help the designer develop a feel
for the script before reading the words.
More importantly, when working
with a language or alphabet that is
not his or her own, analysis of the
script’s structure and the relationship
between mark-making tools and type-
forms can help the designer to develop
criteria for evaluating quality.
Typographic history is well popu-
lated with designers excelling in the
design of scripts they could not read.
Encouraging students to address the
complicated design problems inherent
in non-Latin scripts is not only a way
of enriching the global typographic
environment, but also is a superb
means of producing designers who
can tackle a higher level of diffi culty
in any aspect of their design.
This is the italic style from Khajag
Apelian’s Arek typeface, a new
Armenian and Latin design and one of
the fi rst to introduce a more fl owing
style to the Armenian italic, hinting
at the scope of typographic invention
possible in non-Latin scripts.
Titus Nemeth’s Aisha typeface is
a new Arabic that draws on North
African infl uences and tradi-
tions. This area has been relatively
ignored by recent developments,
but promises a wealth of material
that can inform new designs.
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