June 2, 2010

Typography is a designer’s most valuable tool. We are taught to admire it, notice the details, have a reason for it and most importantly follow the rules. As a recent graduate, I know that typography errors in my work are unacceptable; I will not be hired if I don’t turn my ligatures on, or leave my copy hanging with widows and orphans. Then again, when you do break the rules amazing things can happen!

When I think about graphic design and typography I am reminded of my goals as a graphic designer, communicate the message in a clear interesting way and eliminate visual clutter which does not strengthen the concept or message. But how do I achieve my goals when grammatically correct typography is visual clutter? For example, the colon.

Over the past two years I have come to despise this simple mark of punctuation because often, I feel that typography, along with visual hierarchy, eliminate the need for a colon.

According to Wikipedia the correct usage of a colon “informs the reader that what follows proves and explains, or simply provides elements of, what is referred to before.” A title of a list, for example, would have a colon following it to indicate to a reader that the items underneath belong together under a common goal or subject, ie. Things To Do Today: go to post office, pick up dry cleaning, feed neighbors cat, etc. All of the items following the colon are all things that need to get done today.

BUT since every designer should be equipped with a working knowledge of both typography and the principles of visual hierarchy, then why do colons still appear in headlines of brochures, magazines and other publications? Why not use weights of a typeface to establish visual hierarchy? Or color? Or line breaks? Or indentations? Granted, when colons are used in body copy as a way to establish a short list, or break up the sentence in a grammatically correct way, I have no issue, the headlines and headers with colons are my biggest pet peeves.

Establishing hierarchy through typography was one of my very first lessons in Intro to Typography. The  exercises included establishing hierarchy with line spaces, weight and thresholds.

As I consider my goals as a designer, and one of the very first typographical exercises I completed at RIT, I often wonder why I still see colons in headers and headlines. Yes, most of the time their usage is grammatically correct, but can’t we as designers, break those rules in favor of visual aesthetics and simplicity?

I offer a comparison. Are they necessary? Do they make the message more clear? Doesn’t the typography and hierarchy of the layout replace the need for a colon?

Most recently, my biggest typography pet peeve was placed in my hand at RIT. A promotional item for the new Vignelli Center of Design at RIT.

Why was this chosen as the final design? The interaction between the colon and the tittle of the lowercase i are a visual distraction!

What are your typography pet peeves?

Filed under: Typography by admin