Description

Book Synopsis

The bestselling introduction to designing the written word

Typographic Design: Form & Communication is the definitive reference for graphic designers, providing a comprehensive introduction to the visual word. Done well, typopgraphy can communicate so much more than the words themselves. Typographic design determines how you feel about a message, the associations you make, and ultimately, the overall success of the communication. Typographic design extends from the page to the screen, and is a critical element of almost any graphic design project. This book provides essential guidance on everything related to type: from letterforms and negative space, to messaging, processes, and history, aspiring designers will find great utility in mastering these critical concepts.

This new seventh edition has been fully updated with new coverage of contemporary typography processes, updated case studies, and new examples from branding, print, web, motion, and more. On

Table of Contents

Foreword, Rob Carter viii

Introduction ix

1 The Evolution of Typography 1

From the origins of writing to Gutenberg’s invention of movable type 2

Typography from Gutenberg to the nineteenth century 7

The nineteenth century and the Industrial Revolution 12

Typography in the twentieth century 18

A new century and millennium begin 27

2 The Anatomy of Typography 33

Letterforms analyzed 34

The typographic font 37

Historical classification of typefaces 40

The type family 44

Typographic measurement 48

Measuring type on screen 51

3 Legibility 53

Basic principles of legibility 54

Typographic details 64

Legibility and digital typography 66

Rendering type on screen 68

Reading on screen 70

Selecting typefaces 71

Other legibility factors for on-screen typography 74

4 The Typographic Grid 77

Background 78

Structure and space 79

Proportion 80

The square 81

Single-column grids 83

Multicolumn grids 86

Modular grids 91

Improvisational structures 96

The grid and type on screen 97

5 Syntax and Communication 99

Typographic syntax 100

Typographic space 109

Visual hierarchy 112

ABA form 118

6 The Typographic Message 123

A multidimensional language 124

Verbal/visual equations 127

Function and expression 130

7 The Evolution of Typographic Technology 133

Hand composition 134

Machine composition 135

Phototypesetting 137

Digital typesetting 140

Digital typeface file formats 142

Screen-based typography 144

Generative typography 148

Hybrid typography 151

8 Typography in Time and Motion 153

Background 154

Using type in time-based media 157

How type changes and moves 161

Legibility factors 166

Expression 167

9 Case Studies in Typographic Design 169

Poster design: Integrating type and image 170

Book design: VAS: An Opera in Flatland 174

Type in motion: Process and presentation 178

Identity system: Exhibit Columbus 182

Information design: Bloomberg 186

Identity system: 17th Street Farmers’ Market 190

Interaction design: Helmut Schmid: Design Is Attitude 193

10 Typographic Design Education 195

Letter/digit configurations 196

Inventing sign systems 196

Comparative relationships: type and image 197

Sequential typographic forms in space 198

Unity of form and communication 199

Onomatopoeia in motion 200

Type chronology booklet 201

Typography in the browser 202

Typographic hierarchy 203

Calendar deconstruction 204

Experimental compositions with found typography 205

Directional poster: from your house to the university 206

Type, texture, tone and poetry 207

New York Times grid analysis 208

Type interface 209

Banknote design 210

Observing systems in our surroundings 211

Typographic cubes 212

Blending Latin and non-Latin typographic forms 212

Type and image in the third dimension 213

Typezine: my favorite typeface 214

Typeface design: mind/machine 215

Experimental typographic system 216

Expressive typography: form amplifies message 217

Type as metaphor 217

The book project: giving shape and voice to the typographic page 218

11 Typographic Design Process 219

A traditional model 220

Exploring typographic permutations 227

Exploring typographic transformation 232

Ludd: a typographic expedition 239

Composites 246

12 Type Specimens 251

Old Style 252

Garamond 254

Additional Old Style fonts 260

Sans serif 262

Franklin Gothic 264

Univers 270

Meta 276

Futura 282

Additional sans serif fonts 288

Transitional 290

Baskerville 292

Additional transitional fonts 298

Modern 300

Bauer Bodoni 302

Additional Modern fonts 308

Egyptian 310

Serifa 312

Additional Egyptian fonts 318

Selected Decorative fonts 320

Glossary 322

Bibliography 328

Credits 330

Index 334

Typographic Design

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    £53.96

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    RRP £59.95 – you save £5.99 (9%)

    Order before 4pm today for delivery by Tue 16 Jun 2026.

    A Paperback / softback by Rob Carter, Sandra Maxa, Mark Sanders

    1 in stock

      Trusted by thousands of customers. See 2,385+ Customer Reviews

      View other formats and editions of Typographic Design by Rob Carter

      Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc
      Publication Date: 13/03/2018
      ISBN13: 9781119312567, 978-1119312567
      ISBN10: 1119312566

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      The bestselling introduction to designing the written word

      Typographic Design: Form & Communication is the definitive reference for graphic designers, providing a comprehensive introduction to the visual word. Done well, typopgraphy can communicate so much more than the words themselves. Typographic design determines how you feel about a message, the associations you make, and ultimately, the overall success of the communication. Typographic design extends from the page to the screen, and is a critical element of almost any graphic design project. This book provides essential guidance on everything related to type: from letterforms and negative space, to messaging, processes, and history, aspiring designers will find great utility in mastering these critical concepts.

      This new seventh edition has been fully updated with new coverage of contemporary typography processes, updated case studies, and new examples from branding, print, web, motion, and more. On

      Table of Contents

      Foreword, Rob Carter viii

      Introduction ix

      1 The Evolution of Typography 1

      From the origins of writing to Gutenberg’s invention of movable type 2

      Typography from Gutenberg to the nineteenth century 7

      The nineteenth century and the Industrial Revolution 12

      Typography in the twentieth century 18

      A new century and millennium begin 27

      2 The Anatomy of Typography 33

      Letterforms analyzed 34

      The typographic font 37

      Historical classification of typefaces 40

      The type family 44

      Typographic measurement 48

      Measuring type on screen 51

      3 Legibility 53

      Basic principles of legibility 54

      Typographic details 64

      Legibility and digital typography 66

      Rendering type on screen 68

      Reading on screen 70

      Selecting typefaces 71

      Other legibility factors for on-screen typography 74

      4 The Typographic Grid 77

      Background 78

      Structure and space 79

      Proportion 80

      The square 81

      Single-column grids 83

      Multicolumn grids 86

      Modular grids 91

      Improvisational structures 96

      The grid and type on screen 97

      5 Syntax and Communication 99

      Typographic syntax 100

      Typographic space 109

      Visual hierarchy 112

      ABA form 118

      6 The Typographic Message 123

      A multidimensional language 124

      Verbal/visual equations 127

      Function and expression 130

      7 The Evolution of Typographic Technology 133

      Hand composition 134

      Machine composition 135

      Phototypesetting 137

      Digital typesetting 140

      Digital typeface file formats 142

      Screen-based typography 144

      Generative typography 148

      Hybrid typography 151

      8 Typography in Time and Motion 153

      Background 154

      Using type in time-based media 157

      How type changes and moves 161

      Legibility factors 166

      Expression 167

      9 Case Studies in Typographic Design 169

      Poster design: Integrating type and image 170

      Book design: VAS: An Opera in Flatland 174

      Type in motion: Process and presentation 178

      Identity system: Exhibit Columbus 182

      Information design: Bloomberg 186

      Identity system: 17th Street Farmers’ Market 190

      Interaction design: Helmut Schmid: Design Is Attitude 193

      10 Typographic Design Education 195

      Letter/digit configurations 196

      Inventing sign systems 196

      Comparative relationships: type and image 197

      Sequential typographic forms in space 198

      Unity of form and communication 199

      Onomatopoeia in motion 200

      Type chronology booklet 201

      Typography in the browser 202

      Typographic hierarchy 203

      Calendar deconstruction 204

      Experimental compositions with found typography 205

      Directional poster: from your house to the university 206

      Type, texture, tone and poetry 207

      New York Times grid analysis 208

      Type interface 209

      Banknote design 210

      Observing systems in our surroundings 211

      Typographic cubes 212

      Blending Latin and non-Latin typographic forms 212

      Type and image in the third dimension 213

      Typezine: my favorite typeface 214

      Typeface design: mind/machine 215

      Experimental typographic system 216

      Expressive typography: form amplifies message 217

      Type as metaphor 217

      The book project: giving shape and voice to the typographic page 218

      11 Typographic Design Process 219

      A traditional model 220

      Exploring typographic permutations 227

      Exploring typographic transformation 232

      Ludd: a typographic expedition 239

      Composites 246

      12 Type Specimens 251

      Old Style 252

      Garamond 254

      Additional Old Style fonts 260

      Sans serif 262

      Franklin Gothic 264

      Univers 270

      Meta 276

      Futura 282

      Additional sans serif fonts 288

      Transitional 290

      Baskerville 292

      Additional transitional fonts 298

      Modern 300

      Bauer Bodoni 302

      Additional Modern fonts 308

      Egyptian 310

      Serifa 312

      Additional Egyptian fonts 318

      Selected Decorative fonts 320

      Glossary 322

      Bibliography 328

      Credits 330

      Index 334

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