The web is quite a popular hang out these days. Couples meet, fall in love and live happily ever after. Bands make the big time with their cult, internet hit album that catapults them to the cover of Rolling Stone. An actor/comedian falls from grace as his racist outburst is caught on tape and video cast across cyberspace. These days, a consumer does not make a major purchase without consulting the web first. So with all the responsibilities and importance internet plays in our lives, why is the presentation of that information somewhat of a second thought. Web graphics are rapidly developed and implemented by programmers for designers and finally to general users but what about the meat and potatoes of web design...the Text? There's so much focus on speed of accessing information but what about speed of processing said information? These thoughts along with a personal interest in the subject have lead me to wonder; Should we hold web typography to the same standards as we would a poster or printed book?
Web typography is those combinations of letters we click to navigate through sites, purchase goods and generally take part in e-commerce. It is also the text-based button we push to print a document. At a macro level, web type is used for standard reading purposes however at a micro level, all digital media is developed from the ground up via binary code; so where do we draw the line, categorically? The focus of my query is based on that with an intended display or what you see is what you get. The concept was developed by Microsoft, in the early 80's and titled "wusiwug" as explained by Ted Nelson (inventor of hypertext) in his presentation to Google about future alternatives to the world wide web. This is where I put my line in the sand.
What are these standards?
First we should take a look at and figure out what are these print standards we’re potentially comparing? Since the mid to late 1920’s, many designers /printers/typographers began their typographic development and took their cues via a well-known book by Jan Tschichold; the New Typography. This book begins to dive into the do’s and don’ts of typography and layout. The new typography is based on creating standardization for the print industry.
A few of the new standards were, “Asymmetry is the rhythmic expression of functional design. It is essential to give pure and direct expression to the contents… , It is up to the typographer to express relationships clearly… through type sizes, weights…”
Another interesting concept that certainly rings true today was, “We no longer read line by line, but glance quickly over the whole, and only if our interest is awakened do we study it in detail.”(keeping in mind this was written at the turn of the 19th century) The overall idea behind Tschichold’s concept of the new typography was that “a logical organization of the text is needed, through the use of different type-sizes, weights, placing in relation to space, color, etc.”
(the New Typography – Jan Tschichold : 1902)
Today’s modern reader recognizes all these characteristics subconsciously. He or she does not say to himself or herself “ wow, look at the leading of that business card! It sure is tight.” Instead, they tend to chalk these things up to credibility. In other words, if the leading is handled appropriately at a glance, the information is more likely true and may be worth a read. If it looks like it was put together by a child, then that is probably who it’s intended for.
Do they share the same logistical characteristics?
So what about web typography? When a designer creates a site and incorporates a little commentary about the business, it’s probably in his best interest to make it look credible, right? Would said designer center all the text on every page? In Tschichold’s comment about expressing relationships via type-sizes and weights; it is possible to make a pretty clear connection between this and web site navigation via text-based buttons.
In an effort to clearly define what makes a “good” web design I researched a few books and periodicals on the subject. Everything I read seemed to point back to one very popular book, “Don’t Make Me Think (by Steve Krug).”
His book was a very informal approach to smart web design using a very familiar concept of what I know as the emotional bank account. He calls it “the reservoir of goodwill.” This concept simply says, “each problem we encounter on a site lowers the reservoir.”
Steve continues to explain how text incorporated as navigation helps users get from one page to another but also contains hidden attributes. These hidden attributes include giving the visitor something to hang on to and cluing the visitor in on just what the site contains. If anything, these attributes clearly reflect the requirements of the printed word based on Tschicholds explanation of purpose while simultaneously exemplifying the magnitude of importance web typography plays in the overall effectiveness of a web site.
Do they share the same technical characteristics?
When a designer begins a poster project, he or she will have to consider an infinite number of possibilities while simultaneously trying to create some kind of order out of the possibilities. Luckily, this mental battle won’t be an empty handed one. The available tools for editing and formatting the printed word include, leading kerning, paragraph format, type-face selection, size, color, columns, grids, white space, and page size (among others). Best of all, if something doesn’t suit the needs, one can always go back and create whatever is required including everything from font design to a simple paper cutter. The manipulability of all these features could be viewed simply as a stepping-stone in the process of trying to express information to another through the medium of the printed word.
The printed word was later considered the digital word with the invention of the world-wide-web (WWW.). Interestingly enough, Ted Nelson (the inventor of hypertext) gave a speech to Google corp. about the future of the web. In this lecture, he explained that the original development of the web was based on the concept of “imitating paper.” I immediately began a detailed look at the Dreamweaver and Flash bible and uncovered a few very interesting facts about web typography development. Web designers and developers do have the ability to edit all of these same typographic characteristics when developing web sites. While a site is still in the sketching stage, grids and columns are developed along with type selection, size, color, leading kerning, etc. A common complaint among designers has been “web typography is frustrating because even if I pick a really nice font for my clients site, it will probably end up being converted to the default face because the visitor doesn’t own Sabon.” As it turns out, since the mid 80’s, designers have had the ability to imbed a font (similar to image imbedding) so that this is a void issue.
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I approached a design student about the recent discoveries I had made and began by explaining my frustration with conflicting assumptions and facts of recent research. I finally asked him, if you were meeting a possible employer for a portfolio review, would you print out your web design or would you show them on the computer? His answer was an immediate “on the computer.” I then asked, “why?” He followed with, “Cause it looks bad.” (thank you - Brian Grosemann)
Wait… If the web was designed to imitate paper, and a designer can edit the web typography with all the same “print” characteristics, why does it “look bad?” I believe this is a problem. This is part of the responsibilities of the design profession. ¬
Why should we clean up the mess?
The responsibility of the design profession stems from the perspective that it is a designer’s duty to make sure their profession “escapes from the cul-de-sac” into which graphic design has meandered. The design profession is roughly 60 years old born out of yet very separate from Architecture, Engineering, and the Crafts. A designer must exit school not as a “skillful performer” but instead being “able to think out solutions in a logical and creative way.” (Looking Closer III – Herbert Spencer)
More over, there is a mounting concern within the design profession that the act of designing is being passed off to programmers and flash developers. In a sense, designers are making pretty layouts but have no idea how to actually develop them past computer sketches. This concern of designers neglecting technological advances is unfortunately nothing new. In fact, it’s starting to look like a cycle. Herbert Spencer described a situation within the print industry in the mid 1930’s. The print industry had quickly become oversaturated with an influx of display faces, dingbats, gimmicks, etc. Herbert explained that within no time, typographers and printers had totally lost all notions of technique. Spencer added later, “the flippant and irresponsible use of important technical innovations debased late 19th century printing.” (Looking Closer III – Herbert Spencer)
Given the data delivered, one may accept to consider the web and web typography the natural technological evolution of the poster or other printed design. With this in mind, a comparison can be developed that clearly shows that current web typography and its application is clouded by an overabundance of technology. It is also apparent that designers are generally under educated on the subject of web development. Like our predecessors, the unfortunate solution has been to simply neglect typography instead of coming up with “logical creative solutions.”
One designer commented, “perhaps the reason web typography is so bad is because it is so quickly disposable.” Disposable – referring to speed of general access, impact compared to all the other web sites one could visit next and the viewers attention span. I believe the answer lies in the root of general typography composition that not only should the composition be appropriate but it must also contain the appropriate pace. It is true that all web design is disposable but simultaneously all web design is archive-able. Web typography should still be held to high standards because it’s importance lies in not just speed of access but also in speed of comprehension.
Okay, so how do we fix it?
The solution is in the new generation of designers and the schools that guide their understanding of design contribution. “The designers’ contribution should be not only to the economy but also more directly to the health and happiness of our society” (Looking Closer III – Herbert Spencer). The solutions to this dilemma are only limited by the imagination.
Web typography should be taken out of it’s current realm. It should not be applied to the web as an imitation of paper. The web is not paper. What is it? It is pixels and it is infinite. The world from a distance is round but when you rub noses with it, it appears infinitely flat. Ted Nelson later offered a proposition, “can we improve on paper?” With institutions moving out of the realm of skilled performers and back into the process of developing high impact creativity one can only have great expectations. The understanding that the web is still very much the wild-west is an exciting concept for young savvy designers to begin to tackle.
In conclusion to my original question, should we hold web typography to the same standards as we would a printed poster or book? I say yes… as long as we’re imitating paper. If we improve web design to exclude restrictions of paper, our expectations of web typography should only naturally increase.
Dynamic Graphics
