"To the layman, all printing types look the same. But for typographers, graphic artists and others of that lunatic fringe who believe that the letters we look at daily (and take entirely for granted) are of profound importance, the question of how letters are formed, what shape they assume, and how they have evolved remains one of passionate and continuing concern. Lawson explores the vast territory of types, their development and uses, their antecedents and offspring, with precision, insight, and clarity. Written for the layman but containing exhaustive research, drawings and synopses of typefaces, this book is an essential addition to the library of anyone s typographic library. It is, as Lawson states, not written for the printer convinced that there are already too many typefaces, but rather for that curious part of the population that believes the opposite; that the subtleties of refinement as applies to roman and cursive letters have yet to be fully investigated and that the production of the perfect typeface remains a goal to be as much desired by present as by future type designers. Anyone aspiring to typographic wisdom should own and treasure this classic."--Amazon description.

The Geometry of Type explores 100 traditional and modern typefaces in detail, with a full spread devoted to each entry. Characters from each typeface are enlarged and annotated to reveal key features, anatomical details, and the finer, often-overlooked elements of type design, which shows how these attributes affect mood and readability. Sidebar information lists the designer and foundry, the year of release and the different weights and styles available, while feature boxes explain the origins and best uses for each typeface, such as whether it is suitable for running text or as a display font for headlines. To help the reader spot each typeface in the wider world, the full character set is shown, and the best letters for identification are highlighted. This beautiful and highly practical work of reference for font spotters, designers and users is a close-up celebration of typefaces and great type design.

The Anatomy of Type is the ultimate stylistic guide to the intricacies and design of 100 indispensable typefaces. A delightful, colorful, and visual reference guide created by Stephen Coles and Tony Seddon—two acknowledged pros in the font design world—The Anatomy of Type was developed with typographers, graphic designers, and font geeks in mind, graphically and visually expanding on the current font-mania initiated by Simon Garfields's Just My Type.

Just My Type is not just a font book, but a book of stories. About how Helvetica and Comic Sans took over the world. About why Barack Obama opted for Gotham, while Amy Winehouse found her soul in 30s Art Deco. About the great originators of type, from Baskerville to Zapf, or people like Neville Brody who threw out the rulebook, or Margaret Calvert, who invented the motorway signs that are used from Watford Gap to Abu Dhabi. About the pivotal moment when fonts left the world of Letraset and were loaded onto computers ... and typefaces became something we realised we all have an opinion about. As the Sunday Times review put it, the book is 'a kind of Eats, Shoots and Leaves for letters, revealing the extent to which fonts are not only shaped by but also define the world in which we live.' This edition is available with both black and silver covers.

In addition to examining the form and anatomy of every letter in the alphabet, punctuation marks and special characters, the book examines over 150 typefaces, their origins, and font characteristics, visually explained by full page tables including scale, weight, and useful alternatives. Cross-references allow typefaces to exist in a broader visual culture context, comparing important designs with seminal artpieces and movements, from Gutenbergrsquo;s era to today. Special attention is also given to the aesthetics of the digital age and the choice of the right typeface for a job. Rounding out the guide are an in-depth comparison between sans-serif and serif typefaces, an essay about measuring systems and indications, advice about typographic rules, plus a manual for developing digital fonts.

A field guide to typefaces. Includes interviews with designers such as Wayne Thompson, Freda Sack, Henrik Kubel, Jason Smith, and Frida Larios.

The fourth edition, fully revised enlarged and reset in 2012, further updated in 2017. Version 4.3 of the 4th edition (2019) includes many updates; see title page verso for a list of pages.