So I LOVE a fun fact. They are great to have in your back pocket when the conversation goes quiet and they spice up the standard meeting chit-chat that can be painful (especially over video). Usually, my fun facts are animal or history related but I thought this week, I would nerd it up with some fun design facts about the one and only – typography!
The OG Typeface
Fact: Johannes Gutenberg, the printing press pioneer, dropped the mic in the 15th century by creating the world’s first-ever typeface, aptly named “Gutenberg.”
Back then, every letter had to be painstakingly carved on individual blocks for printing.
But Gutenberg, being the genius he was, created a set of reusable metal typefaces that could be assembled to form words, sentences, and pages. It was like the birth of typography right there.
2. Lorem Ipsum: Ancient Roman Party Crasher
Fact: Ever wondered why “Lorem Ipsum” shows up all over the place in design drafts? Well, it’s like a secret code for designers, and its origins are more ancient than you’d think.
The phrase “Lorem Ipsum” itself is a placeholder text used in the printing and typesetting industry.
But the twist is that it’s actually derived from the works of Cicero, a wise Roman philosopher from way back when. It’s a bit like having a classy Roman guest crash the modern design party, and nobody even realises it!
3. The Ampersand’s Funky Name
Fact: Did you ever wonder why the “&” is called the ampersand?
The ampersand got its name from a phrase – “and per se and.” Yep, it’s as quirky as it sounds.
Back in the day, when reciting the alphabet, people would say “and” at the end, which naturally led to saying “and per se and,” meaning “and by itself and.”
Eventually, this mouthful got smooshed together into the word “ampersand,” and it stuck!
4. Fonts with Superpowers: Memory Boosters
Fact: Ok here is one you (hopefully) won’t forget – Fonts, my friend, have a sneaky power – they can impact our memory.
Turns out, easy-to-read fonts not only look good, but they’re also memory wizards – having a sneaky way of making our memory work overtime.
Think about it: when you read something in a font that flows effortlessly, your brain doesn’t have to work extra hard to decipher each letter. It can focus on understanding the content.
This ease of reading translates into better retention. It’s like the font is secretly helping your memory stay sharp.
5 . Fonts: The Emotion Whisperers
Fact: Fonts have a knack for stirring up feelings. Yep, it’s like they’re sending subtle emotional signals through the design.
Serif fonts (those with those little flourishes) shout “tradition,” while script fonts whisper “elegance and creativity” It’s like a typeface emotion party
Summary
So there you have it—5 nifty typography nuggets to keep in your back pocket, ready to impress at your next design gathering!! May these quirky facts and hidden powers of fonts inspire your creativity and infuse your projects with an extra touch of magic.