Willi Kunz: Choice in Typographic Design

Notes from the introduction to Typography: Formation + TransFormation by Willi Kunz

Page 7: Although letters, numbers and punctuation marks are the basic material a designer works with, typography depends on additional elements , such as space, colour, and typefaces to convey meaning. These elements communicate on two interrelated levels: the macroaesthetic and the microaesthetic. The macroaesthetic level includes the primary visual components that are recognised first: the size and proportion of the space; form, composition and the colour of key elements; the structure as a whole; and the contrast between the primary components and the space around them.

The microaesthetic level encompasses the form, size, weight, and relationship of secondary elements: typeface characteristics; letterforms and counter forms; and the spacing between letters. words, lines , and other graphic elements.

The function of typography is to communicate a message's intellectual meaning as well as its emotional tone. both aspects are necessary for the message to be effective. letters and punctation, word sequences, and spatial relationships all perform a utilitarian function in conveying the 'facts' of the message. The nuances of a message, where the designer expands its intellectual content and introduces the desired emotional tone, comes primarily from the skilled and sensitive use of these elements. without utility, the message is useless because it cannot be comprehended. Without emotional tone, the message is ineffective because it does not engage the reader.

Page 8: Regardless of what style is pursued, an important criterion is clarity. Good typography is clear typography. The designer must speak with an unmistakable, clear voice that penetrates todays clamourous visual environment.

Clear typography is frugal and restrained; it is produced with an economic use of materials and resources. Too many typefaces, sizes, weights, alignments, space and colour lead to unfocussed, confusing results. Compared to the work produced today with unlimited resources and unprecedented technical finesse, the printed artifacts from the 1920s and 1930s - when materials were scarce - appear powerful and convincing. The simple means available then forced the designer to use his imagination and come up with new visual ideas.

To function effectively, the designer needs sound knowledge of communication theory, good grasp of design principles, an understanding of the intended audience, and a clear focus on the goals of communications. The more complete our knowledge, and the more fluent we are in the principles of typography, the more we can accomplish in a limited amount of time. The ultimate condition for good typography, however, is a good text.

Page 9: In typography the particular choices we make have a strong impact on design. A particular format, typeface, type size, interline space, composition, colour, type of paper, etc. contribute to the quality and expression of a design.

Having too many choices can be overwhelming. Today, the abundance of choices is most obvious in the ever-expanding variety of typefaces. many designers believe that by choosing a particular typeface the work will significantly change. variety in typography, however, is not so much determined by the chosen typeface as by the arrangement of text within the chosen format.

Making choices is difficult because good ideas and directions must sometimes be eliminated to arrive at a final solution. making choices is the moment of truth. In evaluating our work, we have to be honest about its qualities. Does it measure up to the highest standards? Is it the best result we can achieve? the final choice inevitably leaves us ambivalent because it is almost impossible to determine whether the chosen design is best.

Page 10: The typographic designer relies on divergent hinking as opposed to the routine thinking practiced daily by the average person. Routine thinking proceeds along a known path with a clear destination. the goal is to attain a predictable result with minimal effort in the shortest time. Divergent thinking is needed to deal with the economic, social, and technical demands that are difficult to define in advance and change often during the course of design.

Bombarded with propaganda, it is easy to assume that a computer, equipped with the right software is all that is needed to succeed. the typographic designer must resist thinking that with a computer, he can create solutions without much personal effort or engagement. the more sophisticated and powerful the electronic tools, the more carefully we must think about the impact they have on the way we design, and the more diligent we must be not to let the tools overrule human creativity, truth, knowledge, and vision.

Page 11: Survey of typographic variations. The choices we make determine the visual quality of typography, including legibility and readability.


Kunz, Willi (2003) Typography: Formation + TransFormation, Zürich, Verlag Niggli

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