The Complete Manual Of Typography

This title presents the history, concepts and how-tos of type-setting, presented in easily digestible chunks indexed for quick reference. Step-by-step instructions explain the mechanical processes behind aesthetically pleasing pages.

The origin of the ubiquitous typeface Celebrated printer and type designer Giambattista Bodoni set the standard for printing the alphabet with his Manuale Tipografico (1818). The two-volume set--published posthumously in a limited edition of 250--features 142 sets of roman and italic typefaces, a wide selection of borders, ornaments, symbols, and flowers, as well as Greek, Hebrew, Russian, Arabic, Phoenician, Armenian, Coptic, and Tibetan alphabets. Official printer for the Duke of Parma, Bodoni (1740-1813) declared that well-designed type derived its beauty from four principles: uniformity of design, sharpness and neatness, good taste, and charm. His typefaces display an unprecedented degree of technical refinement, and epitomize purity and grace. The culmination of more than four decades of work, the Manuale Tipografico represents one of history's greatest typographical achievements. The Bodoni typeface is still widely used even today, both in digital media and in print, and TASCHEN's meticulous reprint of Bodoni's masterwork gives readers a rare opportunity to explore the origins of the Bodoni typeface and learn about its creator.

Books depend on good design to communicate. This practical guide to typography explains the principles of good design, why they exist and when and how to put them into practice.

A hugely entertaining and revealing guide to the history of type that asks, What does your favorite font say about you? Fonts surround us every day, on street signs and buildings, on movie posters and books, and on just about every product we buy. But where do fonts come from, and why do we need so many? Who is responsible for the staid practicality of Times New Roman, the cool anonymity of Arial, or the irritating levity of Comic Sans (and the movement to ban it)? Typefaces are now 560 years old, but we barely knew their names until about twenty years ago when the pull-down font menus on our first computers made us all the gods of type. Beginning in the early days of Gutenberg and ending with the most adventurous digital fonts, Simon Garfield explores the rich history and subtle powers of type. He goes on to investigate a range of modern mysteries, including how Helvetica took over the world, what inspires the seeming ubiquitous use of Trajan on bad movie posters, and exactly why the all-type cover of Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus was so effective. It also examines why the "T" in the Beatles logo is longer than the other letters and how Gotham helped Barack Obama into the White House. A must-have book for the design conscious, Just My Type's cheeky irreverence will also charm everyone who loved Eats, Shoots & Leaves and Schott's Original Miscellany.

Explore the fundamentals of typography with this practical new guide. An instructional reader rather than historical survey, Design Elements: Typography Fundamentals uses well-founded, guiding principles to teach the language of type and how to use it capably. Designers are left with a solid ground on which to design with type. Limitless potential for meaningful and creative communication exists—this is the field guide for the journey!

For designers, non-designers, and desktop publishers. Fine typography is timeless; typesetting technology may change, but there is only so much a good computer program can do. Using type creatively has more to do with aesthetics and common sense than it does with how the type is set, who sets it, or how much it costs. For guidance we can no longer look to the professional typographer for help; we are now the typographers. Basic Typography explains clearly and simply how type works, so the designer and non-designer alike will be able to take full advantage of type's enormous potential. To help the reader find the necessary information quickly, the book is presented in a series of self-contained units that are grouped under three headings: Terminology, Design, and Copyfitting.