What is typography?

Modern typography is generally thought to begin with Johannes Gutenberg, the printing press and the development of moveable type, but its roots lie further back in handwritten letterforms which are the basis of type design.

In common usage, typography is the practical and artistic arrangement of type and printing with type. Although the term typography can also refer to the design and use of typefaces, from calligraphy to the use of digital type, as a means of visually communicating language through a series of characters. Typography in graphic design also involves the selection

of appropriate typefaces and their arrangement on the page.

Typography is sometimes seen as encompassing many separate fields from the type designer who creates letterforms to the graphic designer who selects typefaces and arranges them on the page.

Type is an ‘unconscious’ persuader. It attracts attention, sets the tone and feel of a document, and effects how
the reader interprets the document. Type has an effect on you even if you don’t notice it. You can use type to attract attention, strengthen a message and improve the way your message in interpreted.

Understanding principles of typography enable you to lay out text so that it can be read and understood easily.