Condensed fonts are narrower than the regular version in that typeface, extended just the opposite—they are wider.

Well, what do you think? That’s what counts, right?

Generally, I find extended cuts a little luxurious. At least the type setter has the luxury to waste space with wide letters. :^) Of course there are wide fonts that are not luxurious at all.

Maybe somebody knows are the extended fonts luxurious on their own or is just because their used on luxurious products.

Condensed cuts don’t convey that type of message to me. I think they’re more something that grew because they were needed, more text on a line or taller headlines.

http://www.designingwithtype.com/

bruce you misunderstood me :=. grot esque thanks for answer. I tought that exists some meaning in condensed types(for example, condensed light versions of didot, bodoni used on luxury magazines etc. :).

Sorry, garden. It depends in part on the design of the face. There are some truly elegant art deco fonts that are condensed. It does seem, though, that type set with additional space (wide letters, ample word and letter spacing, and extra leading) does have an air of luxury, generally speaking. And if done with letterpress, that much better. Of course there are always exceptions.

You can argue for historical associations for particular cases.

A grotesque face or a slab serif, by itself, probably doesn’t carry much baggage. Now, a headline set in a condensed grotesque starts to speak in the tones of mid-century newspaper typography. Really huge ultra-condensed slab serifs screaming across the page? We’re looking at 1800s advertising type. Palatino stretched in PageMaker so that it fills the width of the column? Why, it’s 1990 and we’re in the middle of the DTP revolution!

I’m being flippant. Partly. These cases are recognizable because of someone went to the trouble of choosing condensed or extended versions of otherwise unremarkable typefaces.

Hi, Garden.

I recommend stepping into Typophile’s very own TypoWiki to get started on those typography resources. :-)

Happy hunting!

I prefer to privilege function over allusion.
In other words, it’s how a condensed or extended face is used in a layout that determines its effect.

A condensed face may be considered horizontally compressed (narrow), or vertically stretched (tall). These convey two quite different feelings — either restricted or expansive.

Factors like how big the condensed form is in relation to the page, and other type and graphics on the page, determine what kind of a feeling, symbolism, or meaning, it conveys.

One thing: the amount of tracking (letterspacing) applied to a condensed face makes a huge difference to its effect, especially for all caps. But extended forms almost always look best set quite tight.

so if someone wants to apply something more luxurious for condensed type ( as I am requested for a logotype for a photographer) it is better to set it wider?

>could you post some links that are very good teaching and theory resources of typography.

see Resources. I just added some.

it is better to set it wider?

As I said, it is the layout as a whole that determines the effect.
So you have to take into consideration how big it is on the page/card, and its relation with the other type. Also, the weight and style of the face have some bearing on the matter. And be more precise in your analysis — does “wider” mean horizontally stretched, tracked out, or occupying more width?

Typography is a practical matter. Sure, you can follow Bringhurst’s “rules” as a starting point, but it only takes you so far. Beyond that, you have to try out variations and see what looks best. If you have no opinion as to whether one setting looks better than another, you should get someone else to do the job.

This story about a newspaper editor’s relationship with his work
has a wide relevance, and may be applied to typography also:
The process of editing was neatly articulated by Ralph Ingersoll,
who helped launch Life and Fortune magazines in the USA in the thirties:

“An editor may pass for print only what pleases him. It is his own taste
he must discover. If he then finds that people share his taste and like
or enjoy or approve of what his taste has chosen, then he is a successful
editor. If they don’t, then he had better choose another trade, for no man
can base his choice on what he imagines or reasons other people MIGHT like.”

Having said that, Ingersoll went on to launch his own daily newspaper
–- PM — in New York City. It failed. He became an author.