Eng. 658 – Week 8 Blog 2

Typography, huh… who’d have thought it could be so important to composition and design, and that a group of individuals passionately pursue new designs and re-imaginings of older one for the benefit of end-users. The essays in VRDW opened my eyes to elements of visual design that I had not pondered before, namely the impact certain typefaces have on a reader. As I read the essays, I realized I pay attention when making business cards or flyers, yet as I compose essays, I stick to Times New Roman without a second thought. In prior classes, I remember instructors telling students to stick with Times or something like it; however, I wonder about the advantages or disadvantages of experimenting with other typefaces? Could one select a typeface that fits the mood of a particular piece and have the typeface convey the underlying mood more poignantly? My initial thought would be yes, although we run the risk of alienating the reader if they are not open to new design elements. In class last week, a couple students noted that Sirc’s essay had the text set up in unusual designs that supported the thoughts he was conveying. Some students liked Sirc’s designs while others did not. So do we experiment or not? I think this last assignment offers an opportunity to do just that, to throw a mud-ball at the wall and see what sticks.