Lesson

1 Text Information and Media

What’s In

Photo by Marten Bjork on Unsplash

People Media utilizes texts most of the time to deliver their messages, this is no
surprise since we can find texts anywhere, from books, television shows, websites, billboards,
newspapers, t-shirts or even in the sand if someone decides to write something on the beach.
This lesson will discuss what is text and how this media can be used effectively to
present our ideas and express what we feel. The topics include different font types, and
design principles and elements of text.

What I Need to Know

The great 1st century Roman orator, Quintilian, once wrote that
“After you have chosen your words, they must be
weaved together into a fine and delicate fabric”.
Quintilian’s metaphor can now the observed everywhere as we write and record our
words through texts in different platforms.
Texts are words in written, printed or on-screen format. It is a very powerful tool for
communication and information.

Did you know? The Latin for fabric is textum.

1
 What’s New

Activity 1.0: Imagine This

You receive a text from an unknown number:

This is your mother, I lost my phone and I need to call you. Please load this
number for at least 200.00. I don’t have much time. This is an emergency!

Wonder at this: As you read the text above:

1. How do you feel about the message?
Describe what you feel about the text message like alarmed, disturbed, encouraged, its
formality, or how genuine the message is.
2. What could be the reason that others might believe this message and follow what the
message instructed them to do?

Acitivity 1.1: Mapping

Roam around your house and look for the things in the list below. Check (✔) the box
(☐) in the right if you think the object can be used to write, print or display texts. You may add
your own list.

Task 1.1 Checklist

✔ (Example )Television Notebook Poster
Radio Paper Smartphone
Book Magazine Tarpaulin
Newspaper Journal Computer
Wall Pen Wood

Texts are the words in written or printed format. Today, it can also be found on screens
like TV and smartphones.

2
 What Is It

Activity 1.2: Find a Match

Find any printouts (like magazines and newspapers) that will match each type of font
and stick a sample in the space provided in the right. Please describe your example of how it
was used.

Task 1.2 Find a Match

Typeface Sample

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serif#/media/File:Times_New_Roman_
sample.svg
SERIF fonts have each character with small extra strokes
at the end of the vertical and horizontal stroke.
Use: for formality and its readability in any texts that printed
in small sizes like books and letters.
Examples: Times New Roman, Georgia, Rockwell
How your sample Serif font was used?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sans-serif#/media/File:Helvetica.svg
SANS SERIF fonts do not have serifs. Unlike the classical
serif fonts, sans serifs are new or modern.
Use: for elegance and its readability in any on-screen
display like monitors and portable computers.
Examples: Arial, Impact, Calibri
How your sample Sans Serif font was used?

3
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Script_typeface#/media/File:Cursive.svg
SCRIPT fonts are styles that mimics handwriting.
Use: for stylistic presentation of texts like weddings and
memories.
Examples: Brush Script, Lucida Handwriting, Comic Sans

How your sample Script font was used?

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Jim_Crow_
sample.png
DECORATIVE fonts have extreme features or exaggerated
serifs designed to fit into a theme or emotion.
Use: Titles, headlines
Examples: Chiller, Curlz MT, Jokerman

How your sample Script font was used?

4
 Below are the Design Principles and Elements of Text. Let us understand each.

1. Emphasis – Use different size, weight, color, contrast and orientation to present texts
with greater value.

Image: “Yay! Party!” by Jay Michael A. Calipusan

2. Appropriateness – Using the right font, content and tone of presentation based on the
target audience or event.

Image: “Congrats!” by Jay Michael A. Calipusan

3. Space – Use space to create focus and strategically make other texts stand-out.

Image: “Largest!” by Jay Michael A. Calipusan

4. Alignment –Use text alignment to set symmetry, formality or free style.

Image: “Felipenas!” by Jay Michael A. Calipusan

5
 5. Consistency –Use at least 2 or 3 colors, font styles and design styles for the whole
composition or content.

Image: “Free hugs!” by Jay Michael A. Calipusan

What’s More

Texts in digital format have different designs called Typeface, often called as fonts. It
consists of alphabets, numbers and special characters set.

Activity 1.3: Guess the Text

Explain each image if did or did not follow the design principles and elements of texts.
Task 1.3 Explanation

1. (Explain here)

2. (Explain here)

6
3. (Explain here)

What I Have Learned

Text, when used properly, is a powerful tool for communicating information, persuasion
and suggestion. Texts can be observed in formal platforms like newspapers, books, magazines,
advertisements and anything printed or informal platforms like online blogs, e-mails, text
messages, social media and anything on-screen.
Presenting information through fonts also require understanding of the different types
of fonts and design principles and elements of text.

What I Can Do

There are many type of file formats of fonts we can install in our computer. Search the
difference of True Type Font (.ttf), Open Type Font (.otf), Web Open Font Format (.webm), and
Scalable Vector Graphics (.svg).