The The Non-Designer's Type Book, 2nd Edition

Book Description

Seven years is a long time in any industry, but when it comes to the worlds of design and technology (and particularly the point at which the two merge), it's an eternity! No wonder, then, that you (and about a million other readers!) have been eagerly awaiting this latest update to Robin Williams' enormously popular Non-Designer's series. In these pages, Robin defines the principles that govern type as well as the logic behind them so that you learn not just what looks best but why on your way to creating effective print and Web pages. Each short chapter in this thoroughly updated guide (which includes new coverage of typography in Adobe InDesign and Mac OS X) explores a different type secret or technique, including understanding legibility and readability; tailoring typeface to a particular project; mastering pull quotes and captions; working with spacing, punctuation marks, special characters, fonts, and justification; and more. The nonplatform- and nonsoftware-specific approach and Robin's lively, engaging style make this a must-have for any designer's bookshelf!

Customer Reviews:

A MUST for type lovers.......2007-09-20

Contrary to the reviewer below, this book is most definitely a book about type for non-designers. I too love typography. Mantis neglects to mention, in his diatribe about underlining, that Ms. Williams makes it perfectly clear that a rule (line) integrated into the typographic design is entirely different from the underline feature that you hit with a keystroke. She advocates never hitting that keyboard shortcut, and she is correct. Ms. Williams also makes it clear she is creating guidelines for non-designers who need clear boundaries when they first begin, and that once you know the rules, you can break them with glee. Like Helvetica -- a very skilled designer can override the 1970s look that inevitably comes with Helvetica, just as a very skilled designer can work with art deco fonts and create a new look with them. But beginning designers aren't there yet, so Robin suggests some boundaries.

I found this book to be much more practical for the millions of people who are just discovering that there is more to type than "block text." Bringhurst's book is beautiful and philosophical and something to aspire to, but for nuts and bolts and clear guidelines that work on the page, The Non-Designer's Type Book is a must!

Wonderful intro to the world of type..........2006-02-15

As an avid reader and (some would argue) somewhat-successful writer, I spend a lot of time looking at the printed word. But I don't have a full appreciation behind the effort and thought that goes into how that word gets transferred from writer to reader on paper. Robin Williams has a great book for those of us who are not professionals in the world of typesetting... The Non-Designer's Type Book.

Contents: Centuries of Type; The Art of Readability; The Art of Legibility; Quotation Marks - Or Not?; Hang that Punctuation; Punctuation Style; Shift that Baseline; OpenType & Expert Sets; Small Caps; Oldstyle Figures; Ligatures; Condensed and Extended Type; Display Type; Kerning; Linespacing (leading); Paragraph Spacing; Alignment; Headlines and Subheads; Pull Quotes; Captions; Emphasizing Type; Line Breaks and Hyphenation; Swash Characters; Initial Caps; Typographic Color; Ornaments & Dingbats; Pi & Picture Fonts; Don't be a Wimp!; Evocative Typography; Choose a Typeface; Telltale Signs of Desktop Publishing; Trends in Type; Typographic Terms; Listen to Your Eyes; Font and Product Vendors; Special Characters; Index

It's easy to look at something written and get an immediate impression as to whether it looks good or not. But it's really hard sometimes to know exactly why. Williams demystifies the whole world of print design in such a way that even a novice like me starts to "get it". Her explanation of font styles and when to use what should be required reading for everyone putting words to paper. Just because you can use 10 fonts in a report doesn't mean you should. Going a little deeper, you learn about kerning (spacing between letters) and how that can be adjusted for the best visual results. All of these subjects continue to build on each other, and by the end of the book you have a solid foundation on the subject. What makes the book even better is that her writing style is conversational and somewhat irreverent, and there are an abundance of examples on nearly every page. Even if you already know a particular rule (such as using smart quotes or hanging punctuation), the visual nature of her writing can be used to glean ideas for your own work. Reference and inspiration in a single volume is a hard thing to accomplish, but she pulls it off with ease.

This is another one of those books that will stay close at hand. This will probably be more of a "stay at home" book, as that's where a lot of my writing takes place. But it's guaranteed to get slotted in next to all my other volumes that allow me to make-believe I'm a writer. Great book...

Get the "The Non-Designer's Design Book" instead.......2006-01-17

I'm a big fan of the author, but I feel this is not one of her best books. She clearly illustrates all the important type concepts, but the book felt too long for the amount of information presented.

I love her "The Non-Designer's Design Book" which concisely covers some of the same information. I've recommended the "Design Book" to lots of people but cannot think of anyone I'd recommend the "Type Book" to. I would have preferred it as a quick reference companion to the "Design Book", maybe at half its current size.

Great Guide to help get your message into print........2005-10-08

I have been reading Robin Williams' books since "The Mac is Not a Typewriter" came out.
This author gives great, clear information that will help with the look of anything that you produce in print. (Or on the web)
If you aren't a designer, or aren't particularly artistic, like me, you will benefit from this book because she gives clear examples of how to catch the reader's eye, and gives examples of pitfalls to avoid.
There are also some who are a little too artistic for their own good. This book will help them avoid over-embellishing to the extent that their message doesn't get accross.
A good buy for anyone who has to communicate in print. It doesn't matter if it's ad copy, a report for the boss, or your book, web site or menu.

I don't love typography.......2004-04-25

I generally find typography one of those dry, tedious details I have to know to as part of my job. But THIS book makes it approachable, understandable, interesting, and even entertaining. As titled, this is a book for NON-designers - people who aren't usually interested in this stuff unless compelled to be, and who don't have a lot of time to learn it. If you're looking for something edgier or for "breaking the rules," this is not the book to start with. However, if you're one of those people with a thousand fonts on your computer and only about 3 you ever use, this book will open your mind to the possibilities.

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An A-Z of Type Designers
Neil Macmillan
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0300111517

Book Description

This handsomely illustrated volume features a comprehensive listing of outstanding type designers from around the world, ranging from Johann Gutenberg (c. 1394–1468) to the present day. Arranged alphabetically by designer, the book features the work of more than 260 figures in type design, many of whom are among the field’s most renowned—including Morris Fuller Benton, Matthew Carter, Adrian Frutiger, Claude Garamond, Eric Gill, Frederic W. Goudy, Bruce Rogers, and Hermann Zapf—as well as entries on lesser-known designers whose contributions to typography are substantial. Entries are illustrated by examples of the designers’ work taken from posters, private press editions, magazine covers, book designs, and rare archival specimens.

An A–Z of Type Designers also features eight essays by leading contemporary typographers Jonathan Barnbrook, Erik van Blokland, Clive Bruton, John Downer, John Hudson, Jean François Porchez, Erik Spiekermann, and Jeremy Tankard. These authors discuss different aspects of contemporary type design, including typeface revivals, font piracy, and designing fonts for corporate identities.

A comprehensive account of the figures who shaped the history and evolution of typography, this book is an essential reference for both graphic designers and students.

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Two typographic icons
It's great....but...

Jan Tschichold: A Life in Typography
Ruari McLean
Manufacturer: Princeton Architectural Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1568980841

Amazon.com

Jan Tschichold's design breakthroughs in typography were two fold. He was the first typographer to apply the aesthetics, in his day, of the Bauhaus to ordinary, day-to-day printing. Secondly, his great flexibility of vision allowed him to relinquish those design principles of asymmetry and articulate a wider vision after his exile from Nazi Germany. The Bauhaus had a tendency, after all, to use type as an element of abstract art, and Tschichold would never be swayed from his conviction that typographical design must serve communication. He would incorporate the dash and elegance of Bauhaus form, but never sacrifice legibility for flair. Function, in his case, would always follow form. His aesthetic, however, was indelible. With his early training in lettering and calligraphy, Tschichold "... became the first to offer a coherent philosophy of design by which all typographic problems ... could be tackled in ways that were rational, suited to modern production techniques, and aesthetically satisfying."

Jan Tschichold: A Life in Typography offers both the design student and the experienced designer such enlightened summaries, placing the typographer's vision firmly in the rich cultural context of his times. In his concise biography Ruari McLean, the world's leading Tschichold scholar, offers an interpretation of the significant design innovations, with analyses of Tschichold's writings, theories and manifestos. A substantial as well as a handsome volume, enriched with annotated illustrations of Tschichold's work, and including the now famous series of film posters for Munich's Phoebus-Palast Cinema, Jan Tschichold is as satisfying to the eye as any of Tschichold's clean, lean designs.

Book Description

German type and book designer Jan Tschichold (1902Ð1974) revolutionized modern typography through his bold, asymmetrical designs and use of sanserif typography, both inspired by the work of the Bauhaus. He proclaimed his new design philosophy through a series of articles and books, including Die neue Typographie, published in Berlin in 1928. His international renown came largely as a result of his redesign of Penguin's entire series of paperback novels just after World War II. Any graphic designer practicing today owes a debt to Tschichold's innovation.?

?Jan Tschichold: A Life in Typography offers a concise biography of Tschichold, accompanied by numerous examples of his vast body of work. It serves as an introduction to Tschichold for those who are unfamiliar with his influential style, yet for the experienced designer it is an excellent collection of the wide range of his designs. ?Ruari McLean's books on graphic design include Modern Book Design (1958) and Typographers on Type (1995). He is also the translator of Tschichold's The New Typography and the author of various books on Tschichold's work.

Customer Reviews:

Two typographic icons.......2006-08-18

The late Ruary McLean has deligted the world of typography with many seminal books on the subject. "Jan Tschichold: a life in typography" is but one good example of his prodigious output. McLean uses his personal acquaintance with Tschichold to good effect in a delightful essay about this important 20th century type designer. The essay evaluates the work of this controversial figure who started as a convential designer, espoused a radical change, and then reverted to a more classical view of typography. The book contains many examples of Tschichold's work from all three stages of his development. An excellent reference.

It's great....but..........2000-10-05

First the good. "Life in Typography" is a beautifully illustrated paperback containing gorgeous, intriguing scans of pages and illustrations from the work of typographer/illustrator Jan Tschichold. Fortunately, a number of reprints in the book are reprinted actual size, to give the viewer a distinctly real vantage point into what the originals actually looked like. So unless you've got the cash to buy out-of-print books, this is by far the most sane route. And it's not too expensive either.

But the only problem I had with the book is that I wanted to learn more about the artist himself. Tschichold's bold, at times abbrasive tone comes out in his pen sketched notes on a number of reprints and in-house drafts, leading the reader to believe he was probably one obnoxious, colorful, temperamental character. Instead, "A Life in Typography" sheds little light on the 'life' of Tschichold, and focuses instead on images with little explanation.

Were there no interviews with Tschichold that could have been reprinted? A larger window into his persona would have really helped understand his persistance and drive for typographic perfection.

But of everything reprinted in the book, quite possibly the most stirring, worthy part is a four page reprint of "Composition Rules" written by Tschichold and distributed to employees of the Penguin Book company. It's forceful, blunt, and essential reading for anyone involved in typesetting. He explains in detail how to treat capitals, italics, paragraph indents and punctuation marks. His thoughts and opinions about typography leap off the page.

So if you need a quick reference of his work, or are someone who just discovered the name Tschichold, this is a must have for your design library.

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Excellent advice and a fine collection of fonts

Mediorcre book with inflated reviews.

Should be called the digital type bible

This is a high quality book on typography and a great value!

A stunningly beautiful book about fonts.

Digital Type Design Guide: The Page Designer's Guide to Working With Type
Sean Cavanaugh , and Ken Oyer
Manufacturer: Hayden Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Typography | Graphic Design | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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The Elements of Typographic Style

Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students (Design Briefs)

Designing Type

The Complete Manual of Typography

ASIN: 1568301901

Customer Reviews:

Excellent advice and a fine collection of fonts.......2002-01-03

I'm only giving this excellent book a four star rating as it was published in 1995, so some of the information about using software to manage fonts and compose text is out of date, and although there is a chapter on e-mail, there's nothing on the WWW. However, this is only a small fraction of the body of this very valuable book. In addition to being an outstanding and clearly explained guide to typography, the companion CD contains a very superior and diversified collection of finely executed fonts. I've been using them professionally and personally since I first acquired a copy when the book was published.

Both the book and the fonts are well worth the investment. I hope this fine volume will be updated.

Mediorcre book with inflated reviews........1999-11-18

I hate when there are nothing but overly-ecstatic reviews for a particular book. You should be skeptical too. The first few chapters of this book are a good reference for designers who have little experience working with type on computers. There is also a chapter on "The Rules of Digital Typography" that offers a great deal of help for the novice, but will nauseate the experienced. It contains a chapter on creating juvenile Photoshop treatments such as "Type in flames." 100 out of the 271 pages of this book are spec sheets for the imitation fonts included with the CD. The overall design of the book is substandard for a design book. Overall, the book is a good resource for those who lack fundamental graphic design education (which includes typography), but of little use to the experienced designer.

Should be called the digital type bible.......1999-09-07

This is the best treatment of digital typography I've ever seen. Sean has not only addressed both technical and aesthetic issues, he has done it in a refreshing and witty tone that had me laughing out loud. Unlike many computer graphic design books on the market today, this one is NOT written for Mac users only; PC users will find this book immensely helpful in dealing with cross-platform problems that crop up when dealing with service bureaus. I consider this my most valuable reference book. With its wealth of technical info, beautiful typography, and solid design technique--not to mention the CD-ROM full of fonts!--it's a steal. I'd urge everyone from design pros to administrative assistants to buy this one.

This is a high quality book on typography and a great value!.......1999-05-05

As a college professor who has taught typography for the past 12 years, I have been waiting for a book & CD like this. The type history, technique tutorials, font handling tips and specimens are good overviews for my students and the font library is great. These fonts are good quality, and better yet, the CD contains both IBM & Mac in two formats for cross platform work. This is a good complete font library for beginners who are stuck using that long list of bad novelty display fonts which loaded with a word processing program. Also, any outdated info in the technical section (re: versions of software) is updated on the author's website.

A stunningly beautiful book about fonts........1999-01-25

This book contains all sorts of great information about fonts. As a bonus, the book design is gorgeous and the book comes with some wonderful fonts on CD-ROM. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in design and typography, especially those who strive to put a slightly higher level of quality and detail into their work.

Gudrun Zapf Von Hesse: Binds, Handwritten Books, Typefaces, Examples of Lettering and Drawings

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Gudrun Zapf Von Hesse: Binds, Handwritten Books, Typefaces, Examples of Lettering and Drawings

Manufacturer: Mark Batty Publisher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Calligraphy | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0971568707

Book Description

This book is the first major retrospective publication illustrating the work of Gudrun Zapf von Hesse-an important German lettering artist, type designer and bookbinder. This book features 150 color plates and is a visual essay of her accomplishments in bindings, handwritten books, typefaces, lettering and typography, drawings, and other art works. An introduction written by the noted Professor Hans A. Halbey reviews her lifework.

Type and typography: The designer's type book

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Type and typography: The designer's type book
Ben Rosen
Manufacturer: Van Nostrand Reinhold Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0442270208

Designer's Guide to Typography: A Step-By-Step Publishing Book

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Designer's Guide to Typography: A Step-By-Step Publishing Book

Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0823013081

True to Type: An Autobiography of Ruari McLean

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True to Type: An Autobiography of Ruari McLean
Ruari McLean
Manufacturer: Oak Knoll Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

This well-written autobiography of the renowned book designer, author and typographer captures a fascinating life and a remarkable era in British publishing. McLean's compelling story begins with his birth in the Scottish lowlands, and describes his school days at Oxford, the war years as a British officer on a French submarine, and his introduction into the London publishing scene. Along the way, we meet the "movers and shakers" of Britian's post-war publishing world as he built his career.

Book Description

One of the most influential black South African leaders of his generation, Alfred Bitini Xuma has been praised, criticized, obscured, and now partly forgotten.

After receiving a missionary education in the Transkeian territories, Xuma traveled to the United States in 1913 to continue his studies, returning to South Africa fourteen years later to enter the cultural and political world of the educated African elite. In December 1940 he became president of the African National Congress. Xuma's leadership revived the ANC and helped bring about a dramatic resurgence in African protest politics. In 1949, however, a new generation dedicated to mass action gained control of Congress and swept Xuma from power.

In this political biography, Steven Gish situates Alfred B. Xuma's life within the context of black South African nationalism, and explores the impact of African-American ideas on Xuma's political thought, as well as the degree to which Xuma reshaped these ideas to fit the South African political climate of the 1930s and 1940s. By tracing Xuma's reaction to white paternalism and "trusteeship," Steven Gish demonstrates that the philosophy of "Africanism" had earlier roots than previously thought.

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