Letterform Research: an academic orphan

Authors

  • Sofie Beier

Abstract

This paper looks into the history of letterform research and discusses why the discipline has yet to make the big break within design research. By highlighting two of the most popular focus areas (letter distinctiveness and the role of serifs) and by discussing various forms of methodological shortcomings, the paper suggests that future research into letterforms should (1) draw on results from the field of reading research (2) be based on test material informed by design knowledge and (3) move away from the former tendency of looking for universal answers.

Author Biography

  • Sofie Beier
    Sofie Beier is a type designer and associate professor employed at the School of Design under The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, where she is the head of the MA programme in Type & Wayfinding. She holds a PhD from the Royal College of Art in London and is the author of the book "Reading Letters: designing for legibility". Her current research is focused on improving the reading experience by achieving a better understanding of how different typefaces and letter shapes can influence the way we read. Several of her typefaces have been published through Gestalten Fonts, among these the Karlo and the Ovink families. The typeface Karlo received a Creative Circle Bronze Award in 2015.

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Published

2016-08-01

Issue

Vol. 50 No. 2 (2016): special issue: reflecting on 50 years of Typograph

Section

Journal Article