lesson 1

• Text


  A simple and flexible format of presenting information or conveying ideas whether hand written, printed or displayed on screen
• Text


  • It is very powerful as well as disseminating information, providing and giving suggestions
• Sources of text

  • Formal (news articles, published Books, newspapers, magazines, advertisements, research works, etc.)
  • Informal (blogs, personal e-mails, SMS or text messages, online messengers, Social media platforms, etc)
• Formal text-based materials


  • Created and distributed by established institutions (such as publishing companies, news agencies, etc.) and go through a rigorous process of editing or evaluation and are usually governed by censorship of the state
• Informal text-based materials


  • Come from personal opinions or views on different issues, processes, etc
• Text


  Can be as short as a single sentence or phrase, or as lengthy as news articles or investigative reporting. It is always carefully written with the intent of sending a very specific message to the target audience
• Questions to ask as a consumer of text media and information


  • Who or what institution is sending this message?
  • What techniques are used to attract and hold attention?
  • What is the language used by the writer?
  • What views are represented? Are they balanced?
  • How might the message be interpreted in different ways?
  • What is omitted, slurred or added in the message
• Media and information design framework for producers


  • Target audience
  • Author or sender
  • Key content
  • Purpose
  • Form/style
  • Format
• Typeface


  The representation or style of a text in the digital format, usually comprised of alphabets, numbers, punctuation marks, symbols and other special characters
• Types of typeface

  • Serif - connotes formality and readability in large amount of texts
  • Sans serif - brings a clean or minimalist look to the text
  • Slab serif - carries a solid or heavy look to text
  • Script - draws much attention to itself because of its brush-like strokes
  • Decorative - caters to a wide variety of emotions or themes
• Serif fonts


  • Usually used for the body text of books, newspapers, magazines and research publication. Also, they give a classic or elegant look when used for title or heading
• Sans serif fonts


  • Used for clear and direct meaning of text such as road signage, building directory or nutrition facts in food packages. Also, they give a modern look and are used primarily in webpage design
• Slab serif fonts


  • Can be used for large advertising sign on billboards
• Script fonts


  • Must be used sparingly and not to be used in large body text. Usually used in wedding invitation cards or other formal events
• Decorative Display or decorative fonts


  • Cater to a wide variety of emotions (such as celebration, fear, horror, etc.) or themes (such as cowboys, circus, holidays, summer, kiddie, etc.)
• Design principles and elements

  • Emphasis
  • Appropriateness
  • Proximity
  • Alignment
  • Organization
  • Repetition
  • Contrast
• Emphasis


  Refers to the importance or value given to a part of the text-based content. Can be achieved through making the text bold, italicized, have a heavier weight, darkened or lightened, or enlarged
• Appropriateness


  Refers to how fitting or suitable the text is used for a specific audience, purpose or event
• Proximity


  Refers to how near or how far the text elements are from each other
• Alignment


  Refers to how the text is positioned in the page, such as left, right, center or justified
• Organization


  Refers to a conscious effort to organize the different text elements in a page, such as by creating a framework or compartments
• Repetition


  Concerns consistency of elements and the unity of the entire design, by repeating some typefaces within the page
• Contrast


  Creates visual interest to text elements by making two elements different from each other, such as large font with small font, serif and sans serif, thin and thick elements, cool and warm colors