#lang pollen

◊(define-meta title "what is typography?")
◊hanging-topic[(topic-from-metas metas)]{The visual component of the written word}

◊em{Typography} is the visual component of the written word.

A text is a sequence of words. A text stays the same no matter how it’s rendered. Consider the sentence “I like pizza.” I can print that text on a piece of paper, or read it aloud, or save it in a file on my laptop. It’ll be the same text, just rendered different ways — visually, audibly, digitally.

But when “I like pizza” is printed, typography gets involved. All visually displayed text involves typography — whether it’s on paper, a computer screen, or a billboard.

For example, what’s the difference between these two signs: the text or the typography?

◊indented{◊image{roadsign-standard.jpg}}

◊indented{◊image{roadsign-script.jpg}}


Is typography an art? That’s like asking if photography is an art. Some photographers and typographers use techniques that raise their work to the level of art. But at their core, both photography and typography have a utilitarian function. The aesthetic component is separate. Being an effective typographer is more about good skills than good taste. And you can learn the skills.


◊btw{
  Don’t infer from this highway-sign example that ◊em{typography} is another word for ◊em{font}. Typography encompasses all the considerations about the visual appearance of type. Fonts are one part of that.

}