Facebook and where to begin for listing displeasure...

For some time now, and usually after much frustration, the reasons for being increasing dissatisfied with needing to use Facebook has left me wondering if I should vent my feelings on this or not.
     Of course there are the many reasons found by just following current news and too the many times over the course of many years that Facebook has made the news but not for good reasons. Quite frankly, the number of these instances are just too many to try to briefly list a few here as examples. Let's just say Facebook has a history of having problems.
    And too there are the many firsthand experiences with trying to effectively use Facebook for both personal and for professional reasons. Again the mess with this history of challenges is just too much to try to list here as part of this post. Lets just say there are many reasons for dissatisfaction relating to dealing with Facebook.
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COMMUNICATIONS

     Many years ago the only reason for me to personally sign up for having a Facebook account was for setting up a shareable page for promoting our bikeMS cycling team (for raising funds for the MS Society). This proved to be effective - at least for those within the Facebook community of connected friends. For beyond this community though (and not everyone is on Facebook), its effectiveness could be questioned.
     It is easy to notice that many businesses and organizations rely on having Facebook pages for their primary, and maybe only, online presence. It is understandable that not everyone would be inclined to have also a website for their business or organization. Facebook does provide a service for such public sharing. It sounds good except that the use of the word "public" is highly misleading.
     For those that are involved with managing Facebook content - such as for "public" Facebook pages - by default you need to have an account. And once you are on the inside, so to speak, it is easy to overlook what the experience is for anyone who visits your page who is not a Facebook person.
     The experience for those folks leaves a lot to be desired. It is not a good one. The animation below shows how relentless Facebook is for using your so called public page as an opportunity to convince anyone and everyone that they should be on Facebook. They flat out state that to "See more" of your content, the visitor needs to have an account and log in. Even if all your information is meant to be public, Facebook is telling folks that by not having an account that they may be missing out on something. In effect, Facebook is using your page to convince everyone that they need to join Facebook. Basically Facebook hides and holds your content in limbo so that they can advertise for themselves in very intrusive ways. And even if a visitor does select "Not Now" for opting out of logging into, or signing up for, an account - Facebook will not go away and will not take no for an answer. It is relentless in its efforts for using your content for its own benefit.

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STUCK WITH THE ABUSE.
    For myself I have no choice. If I am to continue with providing suggestions and assistance to others for being engaged in public ways I cannot simply delete my Facebook account and move away from it. Personally I would welcome the opportunity to do so and divorce myself from the Facebook experience, though this is contrary to what is generally suggested for anyone interested in providing content in public ways. Having a website can be nice, though that may not be the best solution for everyone. Though Facebook has been the biggest fish in the pond, there are other social media avenues and other online methods of expression that could be, and maybe should be, considered as alternatives for effective public sharing of your content.
     There is really no happy ending for this post. I guess that regardless of what avenue is chosen for online expression, it will come with challenges. And for being specific to Facebook's so called public pages, it is good to recognize what this really means for your visitors and what their actual user experience is. And to be aware of how efforts will be made by Facebook - using your content - to try and capitalize on those visiting and inquiring eyes.
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    So if there are options beside just using Facebook, I would strongly suggest pursuing them. For being able to separate yourself from an abusive situation, it is good to have options for not having all your communication eggs in one basket.
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GIF Files: Standing the Test of Time...

Animated GIF files are fascinating for oh so many reasons! Don't take my word for it; in the event this would be news to you, search online and see what you can find. Though many reasons for this could be stated here, to me, one of the most impressive aspects of GIF files is their longevity.
     Who would have thought many decades ago, prior to the Internet, in the dark-ages of computers where the idea of dealing with images as a file was in its infancy, that this file type would still be around today. The reasons then for creating this type of file were drastically different than its appeal now in our modern (a relative term) times.

     Some may find the popularity of these annoying, and maybe especially so for the ones that go on forever, and ever, and ever - distracting your eye from your reading (such as the ones provided here). Though to me - be it for adding life with motion to old photos, or for providing instructional visuals, or for whatever reason - the usefulness for these file types seems endless.

     All this being said, what I find maybe most impressive is the longevity of the file type itself. This is no small achievement. Over the years there have been so many file types, programs, ideas, notions, etc, that have gone by the wayside to oblivion and archives of the obsolete - lost in the dungeons of the abyss.
     I know this is to be expected though in many ways this can be a real problem. For example let's consider layout programs such as InDesign and Quark, or maybe Microsoft Publisher, and let's also consider the one that may be underappreciated but deserves much credit for getting "desktop publishing," and layout of text and images within a computer, started in the first place - way back when - PageMaker.
     When these programs, and their file types, become obsolete what is one to do? I have around fifteen years of work that was done with PageMaker, and thanks to Adobe who took ownership of the program to then abandoned it without a workable means of effectively converting the files forward - what is one to do? Files becoming obsolete can be a real problem.
     What of Office type files, such as Word, for something as basic as data or "word-processing"? When considering the different versions of the programs, the added "x" to the extensions, the "it may work or may not work features" (which depend on having the newest and latest version of the program), etc. (the list goes on) - again, what is one to do? Years ago, from Microsoft, I used their Works collection of programs. I now have files - you know - basic text and data - from the early 1990s that are no longer usable (at least that was my experience the last time I looked for a means for accessing them).
     For text, with some basic formatting, let's consider the file type RTF (Rich Text File). It has proven itself, to me, as a very stable file type which offers longevity. My hope is that generations from now these RTF files will still work for whomever would want to access them. This kind of longevity for a file type seems the exception rather than the rule.
     For another example, lets consider Flash. It was not that many years ago when it was the "way to go" for making websites inviting and visually more interesting. I now have content on sites (as I am sure many others do to) that is now obsolete and no longer working for many visitors and devices.
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     I am sure there are many other examples that could be mentioned, though my thoughts for what could be considered the most impressive feature of GIF files is that - wow - they really have survived the test of time where so many others have failed. For this I consider GIFs "most worthy" of my praise - and besides - in addition to being still very useful, they too can be fun.
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     (While looking for another example for showing - and with a homemade pizza just placed in the oven while drafting out my thoughts here - I found this GIF from earlier. I guess I will close with this one then - while wondering - maybe I eat too many pizzas! Enjoy; I know I will once the oven buzzer goes off.)

Color with Old Photos...

Having had my eyes worked on (previous post) now has me thinking about old photos and adjusting for color.
     There is great variety with what can be found with old photos, The colors fade and change in different ways depending on the chemistry used in the originak photographic process. Usually this is with how well the photographic prints have held up over the years, though too this could relate to the original negatives or color slides (if available). Basically with color photography, longevity (be it with the film or prints) is often not its strong suit. Black and white photography, by comparison, often offered much more stability for aging over course of decades or even centuries.

 

     The photo above (left) did not hold up that well, which w ass taken in winter of 1978/79. This was not that long ago (though, depending on your age, maybe it was!). It can be disappointing to see personal photos loose their appeal in such a way. With some color adjusting though, some of the original colors can be brought back to life.

     For the above example, this photo is actually about a decade older though the issue is not so much the deterioration of the photo itself but is with the scan, which was limited in tonal range. The original scan (on left) was very pale with limited contrast. Though contrast can be added by expanding the tonal rage, very often this throws off and distorts the colors. Adjusting the colors for hue and also for saturation can bring it back to the way I remember it from when I took the picture in my youth (it was an overcast and rainy day). And rather than try to turn it into something that looks like may have just been shot, some of the "old photo" character is not lost.

     I included this one (above) for several reasons. It was actually photographed in color though so much has been lost, it looks mostly monotone. The color that is found are those that are from its deterioration. Though a lot was tried (from left to right above) the end result is really not that different. The main thing I like about this photo IS its colorization through deterioration, its uneven fading, its distortion of color, etc. This - its aged look - is its appeal.

     And for the above photo (school in Renova, PA) this is from those years when black and white photography was the only option. And even though the photo was scanned only in grays (left) it does not have the look and feel of being an old photo. In this instance, colorization was done to try and have it look more like the original aged print. And note too, with decades old photos very often as they age there is variety with how they become colorized. Some take on yellow and orange colors, others more green, and yet others more violet and dark blues. Variety can also be found within the different tonal ranges within an individual photograph - with lighter tones taking on one color, while dark tones with different colors.
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     There is something really enjoyable about old photos, and when scanning and capturing these as digital records, it's nice see the variety that can be found and work on adjustments that can either revive their original glory, or enhance their aged charm.
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Calibration...

This is a notion that I have not thought about in a while. Years ago (or should I say decades) I had looked into what was involved with calibrating computer monitors for color accuracy for sake of optimal conditions for adjusting colors and tones with images. In the end, I had found a workaround that seemed reasonable (without the need to invest in high end equipment). Flashing forward to the current day, it has become very evident to me that there is a very different calibration that could also be considered for the accuracy of what is seen.

     It was a surprise a few months ago to find out that I would need cataract surgery. At the time I had thought this only relates to clarity of focus for what is seen, though now (after having one eye worked on) I realize there is much more to this. Colors are very different. At the moment, and for those few days to come prior to my other eye being worked on, I have the unique opportunity to close one eye, and see the before (with old eye) and then close the opposite eye and see the after (with the "new" eye). The difference between the two is noteworthy.
     For what seems to be years, there has been "discussions" at our house about: is it green or is it blue? We rarely ever agreed. My thought was that these arguments (friendly ones) were related to how much yellow does it take for blue to become green? I now realize that we were actually seeing different things. My eyes were seeing more yellow! This difference on perception should not be a surprise for me. I know we all see things differently (literally). Decades ago I had taken a color test for judging ones accuracy with distinguishing colors. This test was one my father used for evaluating employees and potential employees for work in a dye lab as colorists (within the fabric industry: carpet manufacturing). At the time, I passed this test with "flying colors." (See what I did there?)

This photo was taken because of the post-it note I was wearing for trying to work at the computer by covering one eye. The differences in colors with the two frames within this animation is my attempt at showing what my two different eyes are seeing. 

     I do not think having less than perfect eyes, or less than perfect computer setup, should be a dis-qualifier for anyone. My workaround for the monitors I have used over the years has been to have an example of a good image at hand (on screen) for making comparisons to for the others I am working on for making corrections. Typically this has been for grayscale images (for printing in black only) and often for images that were old in nature (such as old photos for use in books with historical topics). So by way of example, the image for comparing to would be one that was adjusted "by the numbers" for having darkest and most black tones to be around 92-95% (allowing for dot gain on the press which would make these areas darker once printed); highlights and white areas to be no less than 3-6% gray (because anything less would not print); and for having midtones to be decreased to a level that may appear light or pale (on screen) though once printed, will be darker (with details found in midtone grays preserved and not plugged up becoming excessively dark). All of this (by the numbers) is contingent on the paper being used or type of press being used for the printing (with some situations needing different target numbers for tones).
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     So in the end, it becomes a bit of a judgment call as how to adjust tones, and even under the best situations (for equipment and for eyes) some mental adjustments are being made. What is seen on screen (for how something should look) is being mentally adjusted for being correct - even if it appears a bit pale, light or with less contrast.
     The same could be said for color images. Having a well adjusted image handy - for on-screen comparison - can be helpful while working on color corrections. Also with color, of course we can have printed color swatches for referring to. These are formulated for showing very specific colors with CYMK (cyan, yellow, magenta, black) values, and for showing what these color formulas look like once printed on paper.

     For both gray tones (for black only printing) and too for color, it becomes not so much what it looks like beyond your nose (on the screen) but what will it look like once printed to paper.
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     Now back to my eyes... I think I may enjoy these days of being able to wink one and then the other to see the before and afters. Maybe there will be some more animated GIFs to create for trying to show the difference, and for providing me with a reminder of what I am currently experiencing. I know at some point my brain will adjust my interpretation of what is seen to create a new "normal" for me - and this will all then become a fuzzy memory!

    Thanks... and enjoy those colors....
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For more, see:  
     Tonal Adjustments & Shadows
     Tones: Highlights
     Halftone Grays & Dot Gain
     Elements of Color
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Hidden in Plain Sight: Sound Mixing and Setting Type

Okay the mixer above is for sound and we are speaking of controlling text when typesetting. What could these possibly have in common. For me not sure if this idea hit me when doing sound for groups at our church or from when considering the goal for me when setting type. In both ways the idea of being hidden and not seen seems to apply, and in some ways, asking that your efforts be a "thankless" job, and to be not noticed, may seem a bit odd.
     Years ago I visited a church and heard a group in an outdoor setting in a courtyard. I could not get over how incredible they sounded and this was not for their singing or for the instruments. The quality that I was hearing was as if I were listening to them from a studio recorded CD rather than from a live event which comes with all kinds of equipment and acoustical changes. Afterwards I complemented those doing the sound; they were surprised that someone would think to acknowledge their efforts. It seems when things go well when doing sound (for them evidently, and for me) you generally are not noticed, though on the other hand if something is not quite right it becomes clear the problem is with the mix, or setup, or some other aspect of what is needed to have it sound good. This is not a complaint on my part as much as it is just an observation. I am very comfortable with this way of looking at it, and with having the goal of being hidden.
     For typesetting, this same point can be made. For me the main goal is to clearly provide the words, support the text, complement and enhance when you can for how it looks, while also trying to have your efforts be not noticed - to not distract, and to not interfere with the reading of the words. When something is wrong, or distracting, this will be noticed. When it goes well, my wish is that it goes unnoticed. After all, if someone enjoys the reading of an article, a book, an essay, etc. it is not like they are going to reach the end and say - hey, that was easy and pleasant to read because if its typesetting, or its layout, design, etc. To me, when these work well, then it seems good to be not noticed.
     While wrapping up my thoughts on this it crossed my mind that it may not be so simple. Maybe I've missed something, such as: what of personal preferences and the notion that you can’t please everyone! Yes there are conflicting opinions. Some may say the volume's not right, or too much bass, or a vocal was loss, etc. And some may disagree with a font selection, or setting justified, or hyphenation level, etc. Even so, even though the means of accomplishing this may not be so simple, the premise for the goal seems legit: to try and be not noticed and to make as few waves and distractions as possible.
     With humility, I’m just offering a few of my quick two-cent thoughts here…. Yes feedback (both kinds) can be a growing pain, and may be needed from time to time for making improvements…. And to borrow from (and maybe abuse) yet another phrase, yes content (the music, the author’s words) can be treated as king.
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What’s So Funny About Typography?

For an “on the lighter side” topic, my idea was to share a few whimsical thoughts on typography, fonts and such. To get the ball rolling I was going to suggest you do a web search for the word “humor” with some different font names, such as Comic Sans, Arial, and Helvetica - and then peruse the results. And then after doing this myself (as a reminder of what could be found) it dawned on me - where’s the humor in this?
     Judging on some opinions on picking a font, you would think this was a topic of grave importance. Say or do the wrong thing, then out comes the trolls and nasty comments. On one hand the popularity of Comic Sans, by virtue of its availability and its casual look, is looked on with ridicule and disdain. And at the same time, the use (and I could argue overuse) of Helvetica is treated as an ideal. It is almost as if the ground that Helvetica walks on is to be treated as being hallowed. Then you get into the preferences for, and subtle differences between, the fonts Arial and Helvetica - and oh my - another controversy! (And on this issue too, I may find myself out of sync with what other designers and typesetters may offer as an opinion on the matter.)
     Where does this leave us? I think the main point is that - yes - there are wrong times and there are right times for using a given font. The distinction though is that this is a statement that could apply to all fonts. Some fonts are better for titles - where it may be helpful to have the font’s style and its personality match and complement the topic of what is being written about. Get too illustrative and whimsical though, and the risk increases that it may become distracting to the reader, and maybe too, that the first obligation of a font may be lost - and that is for it to be readable.
     And some fonts are better for setting larger amounts of text (the main text, paragraphs, etc.). When there are many words to be read, then it seems fair to say that the goal becomes more than just for it to be readable, and that it should be also as easily to read as reasonably possible (function over form). It is recognized that serif fonts are easier to read than letters without serifs. Those little shapes at the ends of the letters makes them more easily recognized and more unique looking. There are exceptions though and this is not a hard and fast rule. There are times where sans-serif fonts would be preferred over those with serifs. For web publishing for example, screen resolutions can limit how well these fine details (serifs) will appear. This may too depend on the font's size and how the text fits within the rest of the layout. (Aside from font selection, and size, there are also many other considerations - such as line spacing, margins, column widths, set justified or rag, etc. - for allowing the text be as easy to read as possible.)
     So, in an attempt to be brief about something that I thought would be maybe humorous, I guess I may have failed. For ending thoughts then, I would say that though there are some cautions to consider when making decisions on what font to use or how best to set the type, that there is also plenty of room for having personal opinions and preferences for what you think works well and looks good.... Let’s not let the trolls take away from what can be fun and enjoyable!
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Typesetting with Visible Characters

Our earlier post referenced three types of hidden characters that can be typed into a document (spaces, tabs, and paragraph returns). Now looking again at the keyboard we can also highlight those characters that actually leave a visible mark once typed. It is noteworthy that there are rather few keys available. And even expanding this by using the Shift Key, we only come up with a total of 94 visible characters to choose from on the keyboard. Depending on the font style being used, this can be a mere fraction of the total number of font characters that may be available.

     Probably the most familiar font character used that is not found on the keyboard would be bullets. These characters are really no different than a "2" or a "B" - it is just that it is not so easy to add these when one is needed. In addition to various bullet characters, there are also long dashes (en- and em-dashes), ellipsis characters, copyright symbols, dingbats, fraction characters, etc. This expanded set of characters can be extensive though this may be somewhat dependent on what can be found within the font style being used.

     Using Arial font as an example, the above image shows some of the expanded characters that are available. By scrolling down through these I count in excess of 1,400 individual characters. This though is an extreme example given that many of these characters are foreign (which is probably for enabling the computer's operating system to be configured for different languages). That being said, for certain words (such as moiré) maybe some foreign letters would be needed. This will depend on what style decisions are made for the project being typeset. For me, I tend to stay with the language I am writing in - which would be without the accent mark (spelled as "moire," as found throughout our post on Moire Patterns).
     Let us focus on some other common expanded characters, such as dashes (verses hyphens); ellipses (versus periods); prime marks (verses quotation marks); and fraction characters. Some of these characters may be found within the font set (as shown above); others are added in other ways. And let us also consider when to use superscript characters for setting type.
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Hyphens or Dashes:
     The use of grammatical dashes - as part of a sentence's structure - to divide out independent thoughts contained within a single sentence is tricky. This is not so much from the standpoint of using them in writing (which I would be no expert on) as it is for how they should look once used. And more specific to this, how they should all look. Once a preference is made, care is needed to see that they are all done in the same way.
     Traditionally for publishing, the longer em-dashes have been used. Also noteworthy is that this would be without a space character before the dash, and none after the dash. Another option that is becoming more common is to use the shorter en-dash along with a space before and after the dash. The commonality of this may partly be due to certain programs doing this for you automatically as you type. Magically a typed hyphen turns into an en-dash. For examples of grammatical dashes found on this blog site, you will see that actual hyphens are being used (with spaces before and after). Again the main goal is for consistency throughout. And for printed and published works, the preference should be for using either en-dashes or em-dashes.
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Ellipses or Periods:
    Ellipses too can be tricky - and again with no thanks given to those programs that will try and include these for you. When typing three periods in sequence, we may end up with some uninvited intervention which replaces them with a single ellipsis character. The difference is that an ellipsis character will show more space between each (as shown above). And yet another option is to do these as a typed period, then a space, then a second period, then a space, and then the third period (which places even more distance between all of the periods). Again the goal is to first establish a preference, and then for consistency throughout, see that they are all the same.
     If we were to state a preference, it would be for just the periods without any of the added spacing. Aside from liking the more compact look, there is also the very practical reason for also needing to consider how these will look when accompanied by other added punctuation - such as an actual period, a comma, etc.
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Fraction Characters or Numbers with Slashes:
     There is a theme with all of these examples. When typing with certain programs it seems they feel compelled to try and do things for you without your asking! Typing a simple fraction of 1/2 as a "1" followed by a slash, followed by a "2" should be enough. There is no reason why this should be turned into a single character for this fraction (shown above). By checking your font characters you will see that very few fractions are listed as being available to you, which means that if you then type "7/8" it may remain as "7/8" in appearance. Again the goal is for consistency for how all fractions appear.
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Quotation Marks or Primes:

     Quotations marks may be the exception for being appreciative towards what programs will do for you when typing. If you notice on the keyboard, single quotes and double quotes are actually prime characters. They are straight up and down lines; they do not have the characteristic curl to the right (for starting a quote) and curl to the left (for ending a quote). Though for math symbols for indicating feet (single prime) or inches (double prime) some may object to the default curls. (See above for examples of the various marks.)
     With quotation marks, it is good to also look for those instances where the wrong mark has been inserted. If a space is accidentally typed prior to an ending quotation mark, a beginning mark rather than a closing mark may be the result.
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Superscript or Set Normal: 

     Though this does not directly relate to fonts and expanded characters, the use of superscript text has a shared concern for doing so consistently. Again thanks to certain programs, you will find that as you type "st" or "nd" or "rd" that they may end up being set as superscript letters. I am not sure who this would be helpful to. The small letters add to the challenge of reading easily and are rather unappealing when found mixed in with the rest of the text. Also, it becomes very difficult to then look through all of the text, for a given project, to see if they all are set in this way. Try a word search on the letters "st" and see how many results you will find that have nothing to do with numbers. Generally it is our recommendation that superscript be only used for source note numbers.

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     Wow! It seems I may be coming across a bit bitter towards all those programs that seem to know what we want when we are typing. In most instances, rather than helping, they seem to compound the challenge of having overall consistency with the text. The good news though is that once decisions are made on preferences for how things are to look, there are ways to get things to be as they should be throughout. Find-and-replace tools are very handy for looking for, and then resolving, inconsistencies. 

     As noted on our introductory page on Text & Typography, many observations and refinements offered when typesetting a project may be similar to, though also very different than, those offered by others. Such scrutiny for matters of font characters probably best fits the tasks and goals of the one who would be doing the final typesetting. As a typographer, for me, it is comforting to then rely on the expertise of others, such as editors and proofreaders, for matters such as the content of what is written and its grammar. Hopefully this way all basses are covered.

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Typesetting with Hidden Characters

     When setting text for a project often it becomes a challenge to describe what is involved with working with, and for cleaning up, those hidden elements that are found mixed in amongst the actual words. Without first addressing these, there is very little that can be done for setting up controls for how everything will look in the end. A quick look at your keyboard can offer a glimpse at what characters we are speaking of. The Space Bar, the Tab Key, and the Enter Key all have their effect on the text being typed into a document. And though not easily seen, they all end up being actual typed characters mixed in with all of those words, sentences, headings, and paragraphs.

     Many programs allow these hidden characters to be seen if certain settings have been enabled. The image above shows these in a pale blue color. Spaces, as small dots, of course are needed between words though the question often comes up; how many? Paragraph returns are the backwards looking "P" symbols that are used primarily for defining paragraph breaks. Tabs too are used for controlling where words appear. The problem becomes that often these hidden characters are also used in other less than ideal ways. For optimal quality for typography, and for providing consistences throughout for how the text appears, and for being able create and use certain global controls for managing all of the text found in a project, these hidden characters often need to be cleaned up and refined. This could be considered as a form of "editing" of the text - though rather than as editing of the characters that you read, it is editing of the hidden characters that you do not see.
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     For spaces, the first issue that often comes up relates to disagreements over if one or two spaces should be used between sentences, after colons, etc. For typesetting for printed and published works, there really is only one answer to this question. I hesitate stating this so emphatically. A quick web search on the topic may give you some indication of how heated of a topic this can be. (A similar intense difference of opinion, by way of example, can also be found on the topic of Oxford comas!) It is surprising how strong opinions can be for such matters. So for single or double spaces, let me delicately say that there are very specific reasons why single spacing is the preferred treatment. Before trying to justify this in detail at this point, let us also look at other ways that spaces are found within documents, and at other hidden characters.
     Spaces are often used in ways that are very much less than ideal. Many times I have received documents where multiple spaces were used for indenting the first lines of paragraphs. Also at times I have seen spaces used for making lines of text appear centered within a column. Also multiple spaces may be found for aligning text within tables, lists, etc. I realize that using spaces in "creative" ways can be helpful at times. Even as I type these thoughts for sake of making this online post, I am using five spaces (and hopefully not more or less) to start each paragraph. This being said, for typesetting as it relates to preparing text for printing and publishing, spaces are really only needed (one in each instance) as separations between all the words and numbers found within the text.
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     Paragraph returns (those hidden backwards "P"s) are also often used in ways beyond their main function - which is for separating all of the paragraphs. If extra space is needed between paragraphs, or for after a heading or title, or between items in a list, etc. paragraph spacing settings - rather than multiple returns - provides for much better control. In some instances too, documents have been received where multiple returns were used to force page breaks, and also used to force line breaks within paragraphs. In all these instances, by use of other controls, there are improved ways for managing paragraph spacing, forced line breaks, page breaks, etc. without the use of multiple returns.
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     Tabs, our third example of hidden characters, have many uses and are very versatile for controlling the spacing and positioning of text. As with paragraph returns, they are also often used in less effective ways. For the most part, the use of tabs depends mostly on if they are used for creating indents at the start of paragraphs. Paragraph indents can be done in two different ways. The tab character could be used, or the indent controls could be used. Often when documents are received for typesetting, I first look at how indents are created. Ideally they should all be the same though this is often not the case.
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     So to wrap up this story about hidden characters, let me close by stating that of course it cannot be expected that every document received for typesetting will be clean in advance. The main point with this post is to highlight some of what is involved for "editing" of all those hidden characters - and the reasons for needing to do so. As stated earlier, for best results for typography - the appearance of how all the text appears - these hidden characters need to be taken into account. And being that they are hidden from view, their shyness does not help when trying to convey their significance.
     In musical terms, I have heard it said that "music" can be expressed with the silence found between the sounds. Thus for aesthetics with typography, it could then be said that beauty can be found in the voids (the negative space) between everything that can be seen - otherwise it would all be gibberish, or at the very least, less appealing to the eye. It is by these hidden characters and other formatting controls that this negative space in typography is tuned.
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Logos (and Image File Types)

When working with logos, one of the main challenges (other than the design itself) is with creating and managing the many different file types and variations that would be needed for the logo image. There is no one file type that is going cover all the bases. A logo may need a collection of many different files on hand, with each being unique to the different ways that the logo is to be used. With this post we hope to briefly describe three categories of logo usage: 1) web/low resolution; 2) print/medium quality; and 3) press quality.
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     Web publishing is limiting for the types of files that can be used for images. JPGs are probably most common, though GIF, PNG, and other types may also be found. Also, resolution for images is greatly diminished due to display screen limits (see web limitations). JPGs are great for photos on a web page, though for logos, they can be lacking in quality due to the compression being used. Even at the highest setting for JPG quality, pixels are degraded for quality (see JPG compression). Since logos often consist of typography and areas of high contrast, this degrading of pixel quality may be a concern. At times the logo may be improved if saved as a GIF file. The tricky thing with GIF files is that the color pallet is altered in such a way as to customize the colors used in the file to what best suits the colors used in the image. GIF files use the adjusting of the color pallet, rather than the altering of the pixels, for maintaining optimal small file sizes. GIF files also offer the ability to add animation and movement for a logo. Though it would be easy to think that these details would only be of concern for "web-designers," it is good to also note that images posted to other sites (such as social media, networking, as ads, etc.) would present similar challenges for providing optimal levels of image quality.
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    "Print quality" (as it relates to printing to office/desktop type printers) represents in improvement over the low resolution of web images. Most inkjet and laser printers output in the range of 300-600 DPI (dots per inch) which is considerably higher than screen resolutions of web published images. Aside from resolution, another consideration is with how the logo is to be used within different programs for creating documents. Most programs allow for the placement of images though this is limited to specific types of image files. Generally (for reasons of quality and for compatibility with programs) logos as TIF files will work fine. There are some instances though where a totally different type of file may be better (for sake of image quality). TIF files (as with JPG, GIF, and many others) are bitmap images. The alternative to this would be vector images. EPS image files, for example, allow for vector defined images (see vectors and bitmaps). Though EPS files are very common for logos (and are very versatile as a file type), there may be some challenges. One potential problem may be compatibility with the programs used for creating documents, and maybe too, the printers used for printing documents.
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     "Press quality" represents an even higher level of quality for logo images. In this instance logo files are being sent to individual printing companies with requirements specific to their equipment and production processes. Though the term "press" may imply to just printing with ink onto paper, it is not limited to just that. Other examples, to name a few, would be companies whose specialty is with digital printing (toner on paper), sign printing (cut vinyl signs, vehicle signage, billboards, etc.), and specialty/screen printing (tee shirts, mugs, etc.).
     Sometimes a TIF file (at an appropriate level of resolution) may be all that is needed. Other times a vector image (such as EPS) is what is required. For example, for large printings where dimensions are measured in feet rather than inches (signs, posters, etc.), resolution dependent images may be inadequate. Vector defined images can be enlarged to whatever size is needed without loss of quality.
     For some printing processes (such as screen printing, vinyl cut signs, etc.) the logo's design may actually need to be simplified. A less detailed version of the logo's design may be needed. For example, if gradients are used in the logo image this may need to be replaced with areas of only solid colors. (Logos with photographic components or ones that include very fine detail can be especially challenging.) Though it may seem extreme to change a logo's design to this extent, depending on how it is to print, this is what may be needed. A simplified version of a logo's design does not necessarily imply an image of lesser quality. On the other hand, it could be said that quality is increased by the tailoring of the logo image (simplifying) to better match the process being used for printing.
    Another consideration is with color. For a logo consisting of multiple colors the colors may be defined in several different ways. Where RGB (red, green, blue) defined colors (such as within a TIF file) may be good for the home/office printer, it is not adequate for sending to a print shop for printing in "process" four colors (CMYK) with inks or toners of the colors cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (see elements of color). Aside from using process CMYK colors, at times printing is done with Pantone colors which is with inks that are formulated to specific colors (per Pantone matching swatches). In all instances, the logo image file would need to "color separate" into the specific colors needed for the printing process being used.
     When creating and deciding on a logo's design, it is good to keep in mind all the various ways that the logo may need to print. An overly detailed or colorful logo, may also, at times, need to be expressed in much simpler terms.
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     Having an appropriate collection of logo files on hand ultimately is the goal. Depending on who would be using these files, it is often helpful to also prepare a document with guidelines relating to the logo's usage and the merits of the different files available. Hopefully this post can serve as an introduction to some of what is involved with creating an effective collection of logo files specific to the different ways that the logo may be used.
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Logos (and Typography)

While working on ideas for a logo design today it crossed my mind to introduce this as a topic for this site. Though this can get quite involved, it seems it would make sense to first speak of the many different image variations and file types that would be needed for the completed logo (dependent on the different ways that the logo would be used; see Logos and Image File Types).
     Second to this, by way of introduction, would be to speak of how often logo designs are more a matter of typography rather than of those iconic looking illustrative images that may first comes to mind. While taking a break from my work I then noticed, in today's news, articles about YAHOO! launching a new logo. Wow, what better way to make this point by taking a look at what was involved with their logo. It is all about typography! (And for the web version of their logo, the animated explanation point is a nice touch.)

 
     For those of us with much less globally-recognized names, much more than just one word may be needed as part of a logo's design. In addition to this, consideration may be needed for how the logo will be used with other accompanied text (such as when part of a letterhead, business card, webpage, branding on social sites, advertisements, signage, posters, etc.). It can become a whole package deal consisting of many typesetting and layout considerations. First and foremost though, a logo's main purpose is for helping establish a memorable "identity" for a company or organization. A familiar face; to be recognized in a crowd.
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Anti-Aliasing

Anti-aliasing of images is a bit tricky to describe, though for compensating for low resolution images, it is a helpful trick to be aware of. As described in an earlier post relating to limitations with resolution for web images, sometimes things can look more clear by being more blurry. Anti-aliasing works in a similar way.
     Aliasing refers to the unwanted "jagged" look that can be seen with pixels in high contrast areas of an image. The closeups below show a comparison between an image (top) with aliasing, and one (below) with anti-aliasing. Though the resolution (pixels per inch) is the same for both of these, the one with anti-aliasing appears more clear.

The terminology and methods used for enabling anti-aliasing may differ depending on the program being used. This may be found as an option within paint programs, layout programs, PDF generating settings, settings for merging layers, as filters, as effects, etc. Regardless of how it is found within the programs, the main point of this article is to point out its positive effect when used for certain types of images.
    The examples below is from a scanned document which consists primarily of only high contrast text and graphics. By name, "anti-aliasing" was not used through any of the tools or options available to me in the paint program I was using. What was done instead was to adjust the tones of the image in such a way as to manually have less aliasing in the image.

The sample above (top) is with tones adjust to soften the edges between the areas of black and white. Basically some of the gray is allowed to remain as a thin layer of division between the two contrasting colors. If this is removed (second example above), and the tones are adjusted for more contrast between the black and the background white, the image becomes much more "jagged" and rough looking. (And in addition, as seen in the illustrative areas of the image, some detail is lost.)  

Above is an even closer view that more clearly shows the tones being used between the areas of high contrast. As noted earlier, even though the resolution (pixels per inch) remains the same for each, the illusion of added clarity seems greater for one over the other. It is odd to think that the blurry looking one ends up appearing more clear and detailed. 
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Note, earlier post on sharpening filters also relates to perceiving added clarity through seemly odd ways. The two of these kind of go hand-in-hand, and are of interest for both web publishing (where resolution of images is limited) and for print production (for optimizing image quality).    

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Compression

Compression of images is something that is done in different ways (depending on the file type) to reduce the size of image files. Without compression, image files tend to be very large which can be a problem. This is especially true of images for web publishing where keeping the file sizes small improves how well, and how quickly, the pages load for the reader's web browser. Compression of images is also a consideration for customizing PDF files for posting on websites. Sizes of image and PDF files also becomes a consideration for sending as email attachments, and for posting to sites that may have limitations on file sizes for uploading online.
     Relating to images, the method used for compression depends on the file type being used for saving the image. For various reasons compression with JPG files is probably the most common type found. Images from digital cameras and images for web publishing are typically as JPG files. JPG compression also has the feature of providing a means to control and tailor how aggressively compression is used. The higher the setting for compression, the lower the quality for the saved image.

The above sample is with limited JPG compression (medium/high setting for quality). Even at the highest quality setting, you will see pixels being affected through the process of compression. Some of the dark pixels found in what should be a clear blue sky, and some of the "splotchy" looking pixels in the masonry areas of the photo, are due to compression.

This second sample is with an extreme level of compression being used (very low setting for quality). In addition to seeing dark colored pixels showing in the sky, you are now seeing a very pronounced grid of odd colorization due to the compression drastically changing the color pallet available to specific areas of the image. Though using compression to this extreme is very rarely needed, it does proved an exaggerated sense for what compression does to the quality of an images.
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A note about file sizes:
     Terminology used by digital cameras may vary, though for a 1,600 x 1,200 pixel image (width x height) this is often called a 2 megapixel image. For a total, this means that 1,600 times 1,200 equals a total of 1,920,000 pixels for the image (almost 2 million pixels). Each of these pixels has an assigned color which is defined as values for red, green, and blue. With 8 bits (1 byte) being used for assigning a number for each of these values, and by multiplying this by three for each color, this would mean that at least 5,760,000 bytes of memory is needed just for recording the color values of all of the pixels. Seeing that most digital cameras, and many smart phones and other devices, capture much larger images, it becomes clear that compression can become a matter of necessity. This is not just a consideration for web publishing of images. Files sizes of these images are also an issue for the camera and its own internal memory, for transferring files from one device to another, for emailing, for posting to social sites, for storing and backing up of files to your computer or cloud, etc.
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Summary:
     A note of caution with all of this - and the main point of this blog post - is the realization that though there is a need for compression there is also the need to use it carefully, and to be aware that it comes at a cost relating to its affect on image quality. Using aggressive settings for JPG compression should be reserved only for those instances where it is truly needed and for when the sacrifice of image quality can be justified.
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Postscript:
     There are some instances where JPG files should not be used at all. This is especially true for curtain types of images used for print production. Generally for print, TIF files are recommended for saving of images - which has a different and less quality sacrificing method for offering file compression.
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Web Images and Resolution Limitations

Web publishing of images can serve as an example for the many challenges of working with images with limited resolution. One of the most extreme instances is with favicon images. These are the small "Favorite Icons" that can be customized for your site, and that web browser programs use in different ways for displaying your content.

This small icon (the small "K" seen above) is only 16 x 16 pixels in size. From a distance it seems clear enough, though once zoomed in for a closer look it is interesting to see how something that is readable from a distance can be so odd and almost unrecognizable up close.

For web publishing, the standard for image resolution typically has been described as 72 pixels per inch (PPI). At this scale and size, these pixels are rather large though our eyes tend to blend them together in ways that seems to add clarity. By comparison, for print production, most print shops require a minimum resolution of 300 PPI for grayscale and color images (photographic type images), and for line art images (such as high contrast one color images without gradients of tones; without grays), much higher resolutions are needed. So in comparison, it would be accurate to describe web images as low resolution, and as such, as images of lesser quality for detail.
     The reason for this can be explained by considering the devices being used for displaying web content. Computer monitors are limited by the mechanics of the actual screens, and the number of screen pixels that can be packed together as individual spots of red, green, and blue lights. (Image pixels being the square shaped spots in the digital image, as seen with the "K" above, and screen pixels being the physical pixels within the device's screen.) Computer monitors typically limit image resolutions to about 72-96 pixels per inch. (The photo below was taken of the surface of my LCD monitor.)

With the advent of smart phones and tablets, and more specifically their screens, the density of screen pixels has greatly increased. Screen pixels are now available at densities of 200 to 300 plus per inch. (The photo below was taken of my tablet's display, which I believe has a count of 216 PPI.) Even though this advancement with screen capability kind of makes the "per inch" distinction rather obsolete, it is still fair to say that web content and images is limited for resolution. Though the density of the screen pixels has increase, keep in mind that the overall size of these displays are considerably smaller than that of a monitor. Even with a large tablet, the total number of pixels that is available (left to right; top to bottom) is limited and all content needs to be able to fit within the overall screen dimension.

Though this post as been primarily about using images to describe resolution limitations with web content, it is worth noting that this also relates to typography and fonts used for web content. As seen in the examples above, when viewed up close letters and words are really rather nondescript and rather lacking in detail. In web publishing the general recommendation is that sanserif and simple looking fonts be used for main text, and that ornate fonts be reserved for instances where their size can be greatly increased, such as for titles, headings, etc. (There are of course many other considerations for web typography; for now just focusing on how this relates to pointing out the limitations of devices for showing detail.)
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For web images, it is good to remember to treat them all as low resolution versions of their originals (be it from scans, cameras, etc.) and to maintain a separate collection of the originals with their full resolutions. These too would be the ones to use in the event that images are needed for print production where much higher resolutions are needed.  
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Elements of Color

When defining the elements of color for images one of the trickiest things to get used to is the thinking of colors as "adding" of light to blackness (the absence of light).
     This is a complete reversal of what we are used to. From earliest of times, as a child with a box of crayons, we have grown to see color as something that we "add" to white (such as to a blank piece of paper). This is actually called "subtractive color" due to the fact of rather than adding color (with a crayon for example), we are decreasing the amount of light that is reflecting back to us from the paper's surface. We are subtracting light. If we were to subtract light evenly for all colors we would be yielding darkening shades of gray working our way towards black. If we were to subtract light for only certain frequencies of the visual spectrum, we would yield different opposing colors reflecting back to us from the paper's surface.
 

  

For cameras (film and digital), for scanners, for computers, etc. the colors we are capturing, defining, and reviewing are colors of light. These images are defined by using different shades of three primary "additive colors" - RGB (Red, Green, Blue). Through varying the values of these three colors of light, we can build a broad range of combinations yielding a seemingly endless selection of colors. 

The negative view of this image (above) is another way of looking at this. Areas that are the darkest in this reversed image (such as the clouds) is where light is the strongest. The reversed image also shows the image using opposing colors (such as orange being the opposite of the blue, as found in the sky).

It is tricky to think of colors in reverse. It is tricky to see something that is white (such as the clouds) as being full of color (100% red + 100% green + 100% blue). It is difficult to think of the blue sky as the absence of red and green.
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     When adjusting colors for images, prior to preparing for print production, it is good to keep your images as RGB color values. At some point though this will need to be converted to a different "subtractive color" palette. The image file will need to be converted from RGB colors to CMYK colors. Printing equipment, printing with inks or toners onto paper, will need color values defined for the colors of inks or toners being used. "Four color printing" is with cyan, magenta, yellow and black colors ("process colors"). The images (below) show the different CMYK colors and once these are printed and layered one on the other, they will yield a printed photo with the colors blended.

The process for making this conversion may be as simple as making a specific selection within the photo/paint program being used for the image. Usually TIF files are used for images in print production, though there are also other image file types that can recognize colors defined as CMYK values.
     For making adjustments to images, since this should be done prior to the conversion to CMYK, there are many different programs that could be used for making refinements (while it is in its original RGB state). For making the final conversion though, some programs are limited and may not provide the option of then switching to CMYK.
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     There are other considerations for refining images for production, and color images in particular, can be extra challenging. Other posts to this blog site have related to adjusting grayscale images though in time, would like to offer more information relating to working with color.
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Photo source: One taken while cycling the roads of Cumberland County, PA, just northwest of Carlisle.
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Moire Patterns & Scanning

Regarding problems relating to moire patterns, lets consider the challenges related to scanning previously printed items which consists of halftone dots. As is seen (above) in the foreground road and lawn areas there is a  problem with this scanned image of a color printed postcard. Below is another example from a different scan of the same item.

When scanning printed items there are two different patterns that mostly likely will conflict with each other. One pattern is the rows of halftone dots on the item being scanned. The extreme closeup (below, left) of the postcard reveals the halftone dots that are being used in the printing process. The second pattern is with the rows of pixels that the scanner creates (below, right) as it scans the item and assigns colors to each pixel. Chances are great that the two patterns will conflict with each other creating an unwanted moire pattern. (For further description, see earlier post on Moire Patterns.)

When scanning, these small halftone dots are actually the subject matter to be most concerned about (not the building, the sky, the lawn, etc.). The goal is to try and scan the dots accurately. To do this, higher settings are needed for resolution due to the smallness of the dots. The example shown (above, left) was scanned at 600 pixels per inch.

    Aside from scanning at higher resolutions, another trick is to try scanning the item by laying it on the scanner at different angles. Since the unwanted moire is coming from a conflicts with two different patterns of rows (of dots, and of pixels), sometimes the difference between the angles will make matters worse, other times it will make things better. This generally will work (trying different angles) more successfully with items that were printed originally in only one color. Multi colored items will consist of different halftone angles for each of the different colors being printed making it a bit more challenging to find an angle for scanning that does not conflict with any of the different colors. 

For judging quality of the scans, here is another example (above). The scan (left) captured the halftone dots reasonably well. It was scanned at a higher resolution and at an angle. The scan (on the right) captured none of the halftone dots, and consists of a pronounced and unwanted moire. 

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A note of caution: When judging scanned images for quality, this really needs to be done only by zooming in close enough for seeing the actual halftone dots. This is to avoid yet another instance where moires can occur. The computer being used for scanning and viewing your images, has a pattern all of its own built into the display. Even with a good scan of an item, with good capturing of the printed dots, when viewed at different zoom sizes, you will see different odd looking moire patterns appear on your screen. The odd (and cool looking) pattern seen in the above example is only due to the size I was viewing it on screen. It was due to a conflict of patterns with my monitor. If I were to zoom in close though, the quality of the halftone dots would be evident. 

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Now that quality dots have been scanned, the next step will relate to what we now do with them to avoid a problem that can occur during print production. Subsequent posts will related to how to refine these types of images for production. 

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In spite of the problems and challenges that come from these patterns, I do find them to be fascinating and fun when found in the "real world." This comes to mind almost every time I travel the PA Turnpike and drive under one of the many bridges with large screened fences on both sides of the road above. Between the motion of my travel, and the conflicting patterns of the two screens above, I get to watch a constantly changing and moving moire. 

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Photo information: The color postcard is of Lamberton High School, Carlisle PA. The second photo is the interior of the "A Street Church" (home of Carlisle Brethren in Christ Church from 1920-1952) scanned from a dedication booklet published by the Planning and Development Committee in 1972. 

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