Product Description: The organization of letters on a blank sheet -- or screen -- is the most basic challenge facing anyone who practices design. What type of font to use? How big? How should those letters, words, and paragraphs be aligned, spaced, ordered, shaped, and otherwise manipulated? In this groundbreaking new primer, leading design educator and historian Ellen Lupton provides clear and concise guidance for anyone learning or brushing up on their typographic skills. Thinking with Type is divided into three sections: letter, text, and grid. Each section begins with an easy-to-grasp essay that reviews historical, technological, and theoretical concepts, and is then followed by a set of practical exercises that bring the material covered to life. Sections conclude with examples of work by leading practitioners that demonstrate creative possibilities (along with some classic no-no's to avoid).
A Good Primer, Comprehensive It Is Not A great book, for the right person. For someone wanting to know about typography, or someone just getting started in the field of typography or graphic design, this book is for you. It covers a broad spectrum of subjects, all very relevant to today's world of design.
However, it is sorely lacking in content for anyone who wants to get serious about design. It is a primer, an introduction, but in no way fulfilling of its hype. The Grid section is especially vague and almost uninformative. For worthwhile instruction and something to dwell in, I strongly recommend The Elements of Typographic Style It covers the same subjects as this book, going far more in-depth with practical instruction and advice covering every aspect of typography.
ehmm.... Required book for my typography course, and to be frank I absolutely hated it. When it comes to typography I'm very pick and this book tries to be organized but unfortunately becomes ADHD, hah.
It has lots of great info, but fails to tie it all together. it will show lots of cool stuff, but it all seems oddly extraneous, since it never comes back to the IDEA of typography. It's like those conversations that are really exciting because everyone is hopped up on coffee and no one knows where its going and you get people saying "what where we talking about?" every 5seconds.
It's a typography book alright. if you are taking typography and this is your required text, then I highly recommend it!
Not definitive, but a worthy handbook of the larger typographic discussion Design isn't just about how things look, the answer to a design challenge is more about discovering why certain things work. In steering projects toward visual solutions that deliver clear messages, we have to look at the very building blocks of design. Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students aims to get at the heart of this issue. If the cover seems familiar it might be because I mentioned this book before in my article Gifts for Graphic Designers: A Wish List, but it's time for a more thorough review. The book's aim is to be as practical as possible while providing a logical and historical foundation. It's a field guide for professionals to deal with type. This book comes from Ellen Lupton, a professor at my home state's Maryland Institute College of Art.
Choosing type isn't just about whim or feeling. This book deconstructs type into basic elements helping you make informed design decisions. The book is divided into three sections: Letter, Text and Grid plus an appendix of definitions, hints and warnings. History is weaved between practical information in a way that is more narrative and entertaining than the typically dry text book lesson. In one moment you're reading about the purpose of body text; the author switches abruptly into the history of written manuscripts. In a short few paragraphs we're in the digital age of dynamic text. In talking about spacing, the history of written type translated onto evenly made printing blocks is transformed into the modern purpose of controlling visual space in body copy. The sections might be considered essays more than a longer narrative, which makes for an easy read.
The examples are as integral to the book's narrative as the history itself. The design of the pages often split the text liberally with examples. The layout of the book has great play with type itself. When is justified text good or bad? The answers are stated with justified text. Makes sense. Many of the other examples are just fun type tricks and explainations on when and why they work or don't.
Effectively conveyed is type styles' effectiveness in different mediums. Helvetica is a font designed for print, Verdana works well for web. The writer doesn't just force you to memorize this kind of information, but instead she explains why. So you can look at type with fresh eyes and see that Verdana's large x-height and simple curves work well for the pixel display of the computer system. The layout grid is discussed like most things, with it's origin with printing press. The focus is clearly intended to steer the reader into the uses of the modern grid in magazine, book and web design.
There are some negatives. Purposefully functional,the history isn't fully explored. It's the backdrop for basing modern uses of type. The essay format drives the points forward and then simply moves on. This is possibly ideal for the busy modern pros that the book must be aimed to, but for those looking for a long form and in-depth view you'll have to go elsewhere. The modern model of dynamic typography that changes with context is in full effect and some readers might not like some of the more magazine styled layouts.
I suspect that the average reader will learn a lot from this text. It can serve as a good guide during the design process. The short page count of the book can be seen as a much appreciated conciseness. The format is almost web-like in it's sections and pieces which appeals to a young and tech-savvy designer such as myself. Will the average writer or editor appreciate this information as much? Perhaps not. It may not be what everyone is looking for, but it will appeal to many design professionals who need a quick reference and crash course.
Great book! This book is full of stuff. Once you start you really don't want to put it down. It is fun to read. One of the easiest I have ever read, almost like a childrens book, but better. It is filled with historical and present typographic trends and styles and common rules and systems that are used throughout the history of type, and much much more.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Trevor
