What is typography?

Typography is concerned with the composition of text, including the choice of typeface, size, line spacing, line width, alignment and styles. Although mainly associated with printed literature, it is now equally relevant in digital media and on screen. Typography acts as a guide to the use of typefaces to create harmony and variation in structure.

Typography - definition
The term "typography" comes from the French word "typographie", meaning the study of the design and presentation of primarily textual messages.

Traditionally, typography was a craft with its own job title, which came with the art of letterpress printing. Today, typography is often practiced by graphic designers, but in the past, typographer was a person who specialized in working with typographic typefaces.

Why is typography important?
The purpose of good typography is to present text in a way that makes it understandable and effective. Knowledge of typography in visual communication is essential to make texts easy to read, coherent and appealing.

Examples of typography
Good typography is important in several contexts to communicate effectively and create a visual expression. Some examples of where typography plays an essential role include:

• Websites
• Advertisements, posters and brochures
• Books
• Presentations
• Signs
• CV and application