"To the layman, all printing types look the same. But for typographers, graphic artists and others of that lunatic fringe who believe that the letters we look at daily (and take entirely for granted) are of profound importance, the question of how letters are formed, what shape they assume, and how they have evolved remains one of passionate and continuing concern. Lawson explores the vast territory of types, their development and uses, their antecedents and offspring, with precision, insight, and clarity. Written for the layman but containing exhaustive research, drawings and synopses of typefaces, this book is an essential addition to the library of anyone s typographic library. It is, as Lawson states, not written for the printer convinced that there are already too many typefaces, but rather for that curious part of the population that believes the opposite; that the subtleties of refinement as applies to roman and cursive letters have yet to be fully investigated and that the production of the perfect typeface remains a goal to be as much desired by present as by future type designers. Anyone aspiring to typographic wisdom should own and treasure this classic."--Amazon description.

The Anatomy of Type is the ultimate stylistic guide to the intricacies and design of 100 indispensable typefaces. A delightful, colorful, and visual reference guide created by Stephen Coles and Tony Seddon—two acknowledged pros in the font design world—The Anatomy of Type was developed with typographers, graphic designers, and font geeks in mind, graphically and visually expanding on the current font-mania initiated by Simon Garfields's Just My Type.

The Geometry of Type explores 100 traditional and modern typefaces in detail, with a full spread devoted to each entry. Characters from each typeface are enlarged and annotated to reveal key features, anatomical details, and the finer, often-overlooked elements of type design, which shows how these attributes affect mood and readability. Sidebar information lists the designer and foundry, the year of release and the different weights and styles available, while feature boxes explain the origins and best uses for each typeface, such as whether it is suitable for running text or as a display font for headlines. To help the reader spot each typeface in the wider world, the full character set is shown, and the best letters for identification are highlighted. This beautiful and highly practical work of reference for font spotters, designers and users is a close-up celebration of typefaces and great type design.

Just My Type is not just a font book, but a book of stories. About how Helvetica and Comic Sans took over the world. About why Barack Obama opted for Gotham, while Amy Winehouse found her soul in 30s Art Deco. About the great originators of type, from Baskerville to Zapf, or people like Neville Brody who threw out the rulebook, or Margaret Calvert, who invented the motorway signs that are used from Watford Gap to Abu Dhabi. About the pivotal moment when fonts left the world of Letraset and were loaded onto computers ... and typefaces became something we realised we all have an opinion about. As the Sunday Times review put it, the book is 'a kind of Eats, Shoots and Leaves for letters, revealing the extent to which fonts are not only shaped by but also define the world in which we live.' This edition is available with both black and silver covers.

Although grid systems are the foundation for almost all typographic design, they are often associated with rigid, formulaic solutions. However, the belief that all great design is nonetheless based on grid systems (even if only subverted ones) suggests that few designers truly understand the complexities and potential riches of grid composition.

In addition to examining the form and anatomy of every letter in the alphabet, punctuation marks and special characters, the book examines over 150 typefaces, their origins, and font characteristics, visually explained by full page tables including scale, weight, and useful alternatives. Cross-references allow typefaces to exist in a broader visual culture context, comparing important designs with seminal artpieces and movements, from Gutenbergrsquo;s era to today. Special attention is also given to the aesthetics of the digital age and the choice of the right typeface for a job. Rounding out the guide are an in-depth comparison between sans-serif and serif typefaces, an essay about measuring systems and indications, advice about typographic rules, plus a manual for developing digital fonts.

The now-classic introduction to designing typography, handsomely redesigned and updated for the digital age In this invaluable book, Karen Cheng explains the processes behind creating and designing type, one of the most important tools of graphic design. She addresses issues of structure, optical compensation, and legibility, with special emphasis given to the often-overlooked relationships between letters and shapes in font design. In this second edition, students and professional graphic designers alike will benefit from an expanded discussion of the creative practice of designing type—what designers need to consider, their rationale, and issues of accessibility—in the context of contemporary processes for the digital age. Illustrated with more than 400 diagrams that demonstrate visual principles and letter construction, ranging from informal progress sketches to final type designs and diagrams, this essential guide analyzes a wide range of classic and modern typefaces, including those from many premier type foundries. Cheng’s text covers the history of type, the primary systems of typeface classification, the parts of a letter, and the effects of new technology on design methodology, among many other key topics.

A comprehensive and beautifully illustrated guide to fonts, essential for anyone who engages with type in their daily lives Have you ever wondered which typeface is used for airport signs? Or about the history behind the Times New Roman font? We are constantly engaging with type, yet many of us struggle to use it effectively or simply to understand the basics. This beautifully illustrated, easy to use companion is the perfect guide to everything typographic. Tony Seddon provides an essential lexicon that explains the history and functionality of 140 type terms and 20 unique typeface classifications. The book also features a timeline of typeface classification from the mid-15th century to the present day, and concludes with a chapter detailing over 40 important typeface families that reflect the history of typeface development and typographic style from the earliest days of movable type. Essential Type will help to build your knowledge of type and typeface use with a clear and comprehensive "what is it" and "why use it" approach to the subject. Five chapters explore topics including the anatomy of type, glyphs, typeface classification, and typefaces ranging from serif to sans serif to script and display. The chapter on typefaces pays particular attention to highlighting key design features and, along with illuminating backstories and tips to aid identification, makes this book the perfect companion for all type enthusiasts and practitioners.

A field guide to typefaces. Includes interviews with designers such as Wayne Thompson, Freda Sack, Henrik Kubel, Jason Smith, and Frida Larios.

The Visual History of Type is a comprehensive, detailed survey of the major typefaces produced since the advent of printing with movable type in the mid–fifteenth century to the present day. Arranged chronologically to provide context, more than 320 typefaces are displayed in the form of their original type specimens or earliest printing. Each entry is supported by a brief history and description of key characteristics of the typeface. This book will be the definitive publication in its field, appealing to graphic designers, educators, historians and design students. It will also be a significant resource for professional type designers and students of type. Reviews "A mind–blowing catalogue of typefaces and type history… a fantastic, heavyweight compendium of letterforms that's a firm WIRED art department favourite." – WIRED magazine "The Visual History of Type is a comprehensive, detailed survey of the major typefaces produced since the advent of printing…This book will be the definitive publication in its field, appealing to graphic designers, educators, historians and design students." – Against The Grain "Accessible, highly readable and, moreover, a type book to pore over and simply enjoy as the history of the medium evolves chronologically from page to page." – Creative Review "This exquisitely produced, extensively researched and extraordinarily comprehensive work is a definitive study of the history of type." – New Design "The Visual History of Type is a beautiful book. Its arranged into hundreds of short chapters invites one to peruse it haphazardly for pleasure. Beneath its coffee–table appearance lies a genuine reference work." – The Times Literary Supplement