1.3 Typographic Heirachy

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Basic Type Hierarchy

01 Primary level

The most noticeable text on the page, usually bigger and a brighter colour than the other layers of text. Because it’s so powerful, this level should be sparse – reserve it only for headlines and decks (known as ‘furniture’).

02 Secondary level

Less noticeable than the primary level, but more noticeable than the main content, the secondary level handles everything in between. This level features some minimal but distinct elements in size and colour, and typically includes subheads, captions, pull quotes, infographics, or supportive blocks of text separate from the main content.

03 Tertiary level

This is the main content, the most common, and the least noticeable. It should be simple and not flashy – the goal of the other layers is to attract attention; the goal of this layer is to encourage the reader to become immersed in the text, hence less distraction.

04 Other levels

Smaller levels of hierarchy can be created by sparingly applying italics, colour, bolding, underlining, and other effects to tertiary type. These levels might include underlined links, a few bolded words for emphasis within paragraphs, etc. Text that shows up in banners, logos, or other background graphics also fall in this category.

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Explore this Site and Watch this Video

 

 

https://standardsmanual.com/products/nyctacompactedition

NYCTA Graphics Standards Manual Compact Edition

 

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Look at the posters

https://yveludwig.com/yale-school-of-architecture-poster-series

Read about designer Michael Beirut

 

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Read

Read this short article

Graphic Design Thinking / Type Heirarchy / Ellen Lupton

Typographic Hierarchies / Smashing Magazine

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Watch

This guy has some great points about hierarchy.
(8minutes)

 

Post : Beirut Poster Analysis

Choose a Michael Beirut poster from the Architecture Series (link above and here) with powerful typography and briefly discuss the poster in the following way:

• What are the primary and secondary hooks?/ what do we see first and second?
• Count the levels of type. / Size / Weight / italics
• Discuss how it navigates. / eye travels without getting stuck
• What aspect of it creates energy? / Design is exciting to view
• How does it handle white space? / effective structural space
• What makes it work? / overall impression and how it achieves impact

Include an image of the poster you have chosen at the top of the post.

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Post due Wednesday, September 3

Category: 02 Type Poster Analysis