Typographical Printing Surfaces

Methodology and definitions; Legibility of letters and digits; Kinds of type; Size of type; Width of line; Leading and relationship of leading, type size, and line width; Spatial arrangements of the printed page; Color of print and background; Printing surfaces; Cumulative effect of combining nonoptimal typographical arrangements; Newspaper typography; Formulas and mathematical tables; Special printing situations; Illumination for reading; The hygienic reading situation.

"Sections ... relating to composing machines, motive power, and to printing machines, have been revised and brought up to date. [This edition] also includes the various examination papers which were set for the years 1907 to 1912." -- p. [vii].

An innovative examination of typography as a medium of communication rather than part of print or digital media. Typography is everywhere and yet widely unnoticed. When we read type, we fail to see type. In this book, Kate Brideau considers typography not as part of "print media" or "digital media" but as a medium of communication itself, able to transcend the life and death of particular technologies. Examining the contradiction between typographic form (often overlooked) and function (often overpowering), Brideau argues that typography is made up not of letters but of shapes, and that shape is existentially and technologically central to the typographic medium. After considering what constitutes typographic form, Brideau turns to typographic function and how it relates to form. Examining typography's role in both the neurological and psychological aspects of reading, she argues that typography's functions exceed reading; typographic forms communicate, but that communication is not limited to the content they carry. To understand to what extent the design and operations of the typographic medium affect the way we perceive information, Brideau warns, we must understand the medium's own operational logic, embodied in the full diversity of typographic forms. Brideau discusses a range of topics--from intellectual property protection for typefaces to Renaissance and Enlightenment ideal letterforms--and draws on a wide variety of theoretical work, including phenomenological ideas about comprehension, German media archaeology, and the media and communication theories of Vilém Flusser and others. Hand-drawn illustrations of typographic forms accompany the text.

Discover the timeless art of letterpress printing in this essential volume exploring the rich history, techniques, and tools of this captivating craft. First published in 1948, this comprehensive guide details the different methods of printing using letterpress, as well as the history of the trade and its gradual development into a hobby. Covering bookbinding, photo engraving, advertising, and publishing, this volume provides both creative inspiration and practical tips to help you bring the art of letterpress printing to life. The contents of this book include: A Short History of Printing The Printing Trade Composition Spacing Material Type Cases Elementary Composition Locking-Up Presswork