This is my personal list of recommended books on Typography and Printing, chosen to help the student, amateur printer, and the professional graphic artist learn more about type and design. I have selected these books because I think they are the best books on Typography and Book design, the most interesting books on Printing and Typography, and the most useful books on Typography and Printing. I've thrown in my favorite books on printing types and the history of printing, too. I've read all these books and I'd be happy to answer questions about them if I can help.
Part of the Green Dolphin Press website. [Contact Us] [Things We've Printed] [Letterpress FAQ]Table of Contents
- History of Printing
- Typography
- Book Design
- Printing Types
- Type Design
- Type Specimen Books
- Type Designers
- Letterpress Manuals
Books on History of Printing[return to top] | |
| A Short History of the Printed Word 2000-06-01, Hartley and Marks Publishers. ISBN: 0881791547 [686.209] (321344) This classic volume should find its place on every design student's bookshelf. Here is the history of the printed word, from the earliest alphabets through the evolution of the printing press. The contributions of the great printers and typographers are here. A new chapter by Robert Bringhurst takes up this history where Chappell put down his pen, covering the most recent developments in the printed word. Over 200 illustrations appear throughout. | |
| Five Hundred Years of Printing, Third Edition, Revised 1974-01-30, Penguin (Non-Classics). ISBN: 0140203435 [] (1225660) Steinberg's classic work covers the history of printing with movable type in the following periods: the creative century from 1450-1550 which witnessed the invention and beginnings of practically every single feature that characterizes the modern printing piece, the era of consolidation from 1550-1800, the 19th century in which the era of mechanization began the invention of lithography and ended with Morris's rediscovery of the Middle Ages, the heyday of the private presses from 1900-1950 and finally, the postwar world. Co-published with The British Library. | |
| The Printing Press as an Agent of Change (Volumes 1 and 2 in One) 1980-09-30, Cambridge University Press. ISBN: 0521299551 [686.2] (226868) Originally published in two volumes, The Printing Press as an Agent of Change is now issued in a paperback edition containing both volumes. The work is a full-scale historical treatment of the advent of printing and its importance as an agent of change. Professor Eisenstein begins by examining the general implications of the shift from script to print, and goes on to examine its part in three of the major movements of early modern times - the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the rise of modern science. | |
| A Dictionary of Book History
1987-04-16,
Oxford University Press, USA.
ISBN: 0195205200
[]
(1806681)
Books have been with us in one form or another since the dawn of civilization, and the general reader is often in need of information about the written and printed word. This dictionary is an indispensable tool for anyone who seeks quick and easy information on the history of the book, including articles on virtually everything the curious reader will want to know. It presents 650 alphabetically arranged articles of varying length and covers such diverse topics as: bibliographies and bibliographical societies; the history of printing, publishing, and bookselling; famous books, bestiaries, and bibles; and writing in the ancient world. A unique addition to the reference shelf, the work is a must for all those who use and love the printed word. | |
| Nineteenth-Century Printing Practices and the Iron Handpress 2004-06, Oak Knoll Press. ISBN: 1584561009 [686.209034] (2547981) | |
| Better Type 1989-03, Watson-Guptill Publications. ISBN: 0823004848 [686.224] (899689) | |
Books on Typography[return to top] | |
| The Elements of Typographic Style
2004-10-09,
Hartley and Marks Publishers.
ISBN: 0881792063
[686.224]
(6570)
This lovely, well-written book is concerned foremost with creating beautiful typography and is essential for professionals who regularly work with typographic designs. Author Robert Bringhurst writes about designing with the correct typeface; striving for rhythm, proportion, and harmony; choosing and combining type; designing pages; using section heads, subheads, footnotes, and tables; applying kerning and other type adjustments to improve legibility; and adding special characters, including punctuation and diacritical marks. The Elements of Typographic Style teaches the history of and the artistic and practical perspectives on a variety of type families that are available in Europe and America today. The last section of the book classifies and displays many type families, offers a glossary of typography terms, and lists type designers and type foundries. The book briefly mentions digital typography, but otherwise ignores it, focusing instead on general typography and page- and type-design issues. Its examples include text in a variety of languages--including English, Russian, German, and Greek--which is particularly helpful if your work has a multinational focus. | |
| Modern Typography, 2nd Edition 2004-02, Hyphen. ISBN: 0907259189 [760] (73160) Modern Typography, 2nd Edition is a completely updated and revised edition of Robin Kinross's classic survey of European and North American typography since 1700, first published in 1992. In addition to numerous new illustrations and revised text, Modern Typography has been re-scaled to a new, convenient pocket format. Kinross's overview breaks ground by focusing on the history of typography as an intricate web of social, technical, and material processes, rather than a parade of typeface styles. Eye magazine calls Modern Typography the book that tells "how modern typography got to be the way it is." Together, Kinross's clear, concise writing combined with his extensive knowledge of the history of typography create a gold standard for how design history ought to be written. | |
| The Thames and Hudson Manual of Typography (Thames & Hudson Manuals) 1992-04, Thames & Hudson. ISBN: 0500680221 [686.224] (795704) | |
| A Typographic Workbook: A Primer to History, Techniques, and Artistry
1999-01-04,
John Wiley & Sons.
ISBN: 0471292370
[686.225]
(436339)
Quickly master the concepts and skills you need to successfully design with type a typographic WORKBOOK To help you gain a deeper understanding of the effects produced by various fonts and typographic techniques, designer Kate Clair takes you on a fascinating tour of the innovative potential of type. Extensive visual examples illustrate the use of type as an expressive communication tool. From selecting the right font, to spacing it, to the creative integration of fonts, she explains the decisions made by successful designers. At the same time, she provides step-by-step guidance and numerous practice exercises that help you develop the confidence and skills needed to put that knowledge to work in your own designs. In addition, a detailed history of type is included. A valuable professional resource for working designers and an indispensable training tool for graphic design students, A Typographic Workbook features: * A historical overview of type and typographic technologies * In-depth explanations of the formal qualities of different typefaces * Skill-building exercises and projects to sharpen your skills * Quizzes and review questions that help you gauge your progress * An overview of computer terms and principles | |
| The Case for Legibility 1979-03-15, The Bodley Head Ltd. ISBN: 0370301587 [] (4351423) | |
| Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students (Design Briefs)
2007-01,
Princeton Architectural Press.
ISBN: 1568984480
[686.22]
(1264)
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). | |
| An Essay on Typography 1993-01, David R. Godine Publisher. ISBN: 0879239506 [769] (221771) | |
| Designing with Type: The Essential Guide to Typography (Designing With Type)
2006-05-01,
Watson-Guptill.
ISBN: 0823014134
[686.22]
(34726)
• First published in 1971, used universally ever since • Access to lessons from distinguished typographers around the world through Web site: designingwithtype.com • "An excellent and useful introduction to the subject."—Milton Glaser
New information and new images make this perennial best-seller an even more valuable tool for anyone interested in learning about typography. | |
| Stop Stealing Sheep & Find Out How Type Works, Second Edition 2002-07-15, Adobe Press. ISBN: 0201703394 [686.224] (66639) Stop Stealing Sheep, Second Edition is a unique, entertaining, and educational tour through the most basic unit of written communication: type. World-renowned type experts Erik Spiekermann and E.M. Ginger explain in everyday laymen's terms what type is and how you can use it to enhance the legibility, meaning, and aesthetic level of your work. They elegantly touch on all aspects of typography, including the history and mechanics of type, how to train your eye to recognize and choose typefaces, and how to use space and layout to improve overall communication. Because type reaches across all boundaries and continually evolves, this edition is revised and updated to include new chapters on Web typography and other forms of online text display. You need no previous knowledge of typography to enjoy this book and apply its tenets to your daily work. A perennial bestseller since the first edition was published in 1993, Stop Stealing Sheep will draw you in with its beautiful design and layout, which makes liberal use of more than 200 illustrations and photographs. | |
| Letter Forms (Typophile Chap Books, 45.) 2000-06-12, Hartley and Marks Publishers. ISBN: 0881791369 [686.22409] (1172142) | |
| The New Typography (Weimar & Now: German Cultural Criticism)
1998-11-30,
University of California Press.
ISBN: 0520071476
[703]
(449653)
Since its initial publication in Berlin in 1928, Jan Tschichold's The New Typography has been recognized as the definitive treatise on book and graphic design in the machine age. At once a key theoretical document of Central European modernism between the world wars and an invaluable source of working principles for the practicing designer, this classic work enjoys the reputation among book artists that Le Corbusier's Toward a New Architecture has long held among architects. The book's legendary renown is certain to increase with the long-overdue appearance of this first English translation, published in a form that reflects Tschichold's original typography and design. Ranging from theoretical discussions of typography in the age of photography and mechanical standardization to practical considerations in the design of business forms, The New Typography remains essential reading for designers, art historians, and all those concerned with the evolution of visual communication in the twentieth century. | |
Books on Book Design[return to top] | |
| Design of Books 1993-03-01, Chronicle Books. ISBN: 081180304X [686] (871252) | |
| Type Spaces
2003-09,
Hyphen.
ISBN: 0907259197
[720]
(601018)
Type Spaces examines pages of books printed and published by Aldus Manutius in Venice around 1500. By measuring the word-spaces, author Peter Burnhill discerns a system of measurement at work and comes up with the surprising suggestion that this printing shows a unified system of dimensions: of type size, of "leading" or line-increment, of line length, and of text area. He argues that the exceptional figures of Manutius and his punchcutter, Francesco Griffo, used a set of "in-house norms." This system of unified measurement has a rationality that can apply to any process of type design, in any age, and with any system of production, making the book relevant even for contemporary designers. Since the passing of metal type, we have had no clear method of measuring type size and Burnhill's work suggests a new (or very old) approach to measurement in typography. | |
| Printing poetry: A workbook in typographic reification /by Clifford Burke 1980, Scarab Press. ISBN: 0912962011 [] (2504238) | |
Books on Printing Types[return to top] | |
| Letters of Credit: A View of Type Design 2003-12, David R. Godine Publisher. ISBN: 1567922406 [760] (255727) | |
| Anatomy of a Typeface 1990-07, David R. Godine Publisher. ISBN: 0879233338 [686.224] (233908) | |
| Printing Types Their History Forms and Use: A Study in Survivals 1980-06, Dover Pubns. ISBN: 0486239292 [686.224] (1279895) | |
| Counterpunch: Making type in the sixteenth century, designing typefaces now
1997-12-01,
Princeton Architectural Press.
ISBN: 0907259065
[686.2210944]
(655266)
Counterpunch is both an explanation of the 16th-century method of?cutting metal type and an impassioned plea for contemporary designers to incorporate the lessons of history as a means of creating typography in our digital age. Smeijers sees the counterpunch technique as essential for ensuring the regularity of form, repeatability, and speed of production necessary for rational design.? ?Smeijers traces the history of letterform design to discover how technique influenced the shape of type, whether the metal punches of the past or today's computer-generated forms. Counterpunch is generously?illustrated with drawings by the author, examples of early type specimens, and detailed photographs of punches. | |
| An Introduction to the History of Printing Types: An Illustrated Summary of the Main Stages in the Development of Type Design from 1440 Up to the Present Day : An Aid to Type Face Identification 1998-07, Oak Knoll Press. ISBN: 1884718442 [686.221] (1448934) This work offers an authoritative account, well illustrated, of the evolution of type design from the earliest blackletters to present day forms. For those concerned with the proper use of hundreds of type faces now available, this book provides an essential framework on which can be built an appreciative understanding of the rich heritage of expressive letter design that lies in the printer's case. It simplifies the problems of identifying unfamilar types. Co-published with The British Library. | |
Books on Type Design[return to top] | |
| A Tally of Types: With Additions by Several Hands ; And With a New Introduction by Mike Parker 1999-05, David R. Godine Publisher. ISBN: 1567920047 [686.224] (93217) | |
| Type: The Secret History of Letters 2004-04-24, I. B. Tauris. ISBN: 1850433976 [686.22409] (611966) "Good typography should be invisible", so goes the old maxim--the typeface should carry the message, but not distract with its own personality. But if you've ever wondered how type was developed, exactly what a Goudy Friar is, or if Baskerville has anything to do with Sherlock Holmes, then Type will answer these questions and more. This is the story of the faces behind type, letters and typography: it tells of the passions and obsessions of its creators, of war, persecution and political upheaval, of business and technological breakthrough, of rivalry, death and disinterment. With the skill of a novelist, Simon Loxley weaves the story of letters through the history of our time. From Gutenberg's first moveable type to the internet, type has grown out of ambition, jealousy, desire, treachery and love. Never again will you look at your letters, your bank statements or your books in the same way. | |
Books on Type Specimen Books[return to top] | |
| American Metal Typefaces of the Twentieth Century 1992-06, Oak Knoll Press. ISBN: 0938768395 [686.224] (710641) | |
| Typographic Specimens: The Great Typefaces 1993-12-01, Wiley. ISBN: 0471284297 [760] (239804) Specimens of 38 of the finest type families in the world are brought together in Typographic Specimens: The Great Typefaces, making it an invaluable reference tool for graphic designers, editors, art directors, production managers, desktop publishers, and students. Each type family is shown in display and text specimens with complete fonts including italic and bold variations; extended families such as Futura and Univers include additional type weights and widths. Each type family's section opens with a full-page experimental design, created by an outstanding graphic designer to demonstrate its potential. The specimens are accompanied by a concise discussion of each type family's origins, charactertistics, and usage. Typographic specimens provide an opportunity to study typefaces, to select and plan typography, and to increase one's knowledge of letterforms. Drawing and tracing specimens remain excellent ways to understand type and create logos and other typographic designs. Study of specimens aids in the selection of fonts to be purchased for the font library. Typographic specimens introduce unfamiliar typefaces in printed form and aid in the development of connoisseurship. Comparative analysis of similar faces in printed form becomes possible. Over one hundred prominent designers and design educators were sent a ballot listing all major typefaces and were asked to vote for the type families that best fulfilled their personal criteria for typographic excellence. The typefaces contained in this book represent the results of this poll, providing a compendium of excellent typefaces that have stood the test of time. Typographic Specimens: The Great Typefaces will provide information, inspiration, and a keener knowledge of typography. Akzidenz-Grotesk American Typewriter Baskerville Bembo Bodoni Bookman Caledonia Caslon Centaur Century Schoolbook Cheltenham Clarendon Didot Folio Franklin Gothic Frutiger Futura Galliard Gill Sans Garamond Goudy Old Style Helvetica Janson Kabel News Gothic Optima Palatino Perpetua Plantin Sabon Serifa Stone Sans Stone Serif Stymie Times New Roman Trump Mediaeval Univers Zapf Book | |
Books on Type Designers[return to top] | |
| Stanley Morison displayed: An examination of his early typographic work 1976, F. Muller. ISBN: 0584103522 [] (3976535) | |
Books on Letterpress Manuals[return to top] | |
| General Printing: An Illustrated Guide to Letterpress Printing 2006-09-01, Liber Apertus Press. ISBN: 0978588142 [] (68063) General Printing is a comprehensive guide to letterpress printing. With 300 photos and 140 illustrations, it offers detailed step-by-step visual instruction. Key topics include: handsetting type, taking proofs, mitering rules, locking up a form, adding packing and make-ready, feeding a platen press, advanced composition, design, typography, and tricks of the trade. "The best all-around introductory book for traditional letterpress printing, this manual is profusely illustrated with detailed and useful photographs and should occupy a prominent place on the shelf of every letterpress printer. It will serve as the next best thing to an apprenticeship at the feet of a master printer, and is certain to be used as a handy reference throughout your printing journey." --David S. Rose, Introduction to Letterpress Printing | |
| Printing Digital Type On The Hand-operated Flatbed Cylinder Press 2004-10, Bieler Press. ISBN: 0931460395 [686.2312] (274178) This monograph provides a wealth of detailed information on printing digital type with proof presses such as the Vandercook, Challenge, and Asbern. Subjects covered include digital type, computer practices, configuring digital type for letterpress (includes a simple font modification sequence), magnetic bases and how to make them, photopolymer plates and equipment, the photopolymer platemaking process, plate registration, plate travel, impression, cylinder packing and makeready, rollers and inking, presswork, press practices, and a word or two about ink and paper. Included is a source listing of manufacturers and distributors of equipment, materials, and supplies. | |
| Printing on the Iron Handpress
1997-09,
Oak Knoll Press.
ISBN: 188471840X
[686.2253]
(1883700)
A master printer, Richard-Gabriel Rummonds has written a work destined to become a standard text on the art of fine printing. Students, printers, and printing historians will find the new book enlightening and extremely instructive. Filling the need for a systematic, step-by-step manual for using this time-honored piece of equipment, the award-winning printer presents how to print on the iron handpress in comprehensive and thorough detail. This work contains over 430 illustrations and technical diagrams meticulously drawn by George Laws, and 37 photographs of famous, historical and contemporary fine printers at their presses. End material include a glossary/index, bibliography, and a list of suppliers. | |
| Printing for Pleasure 1976-06, Bodley Head. ISBN: 0370104439 [686.2] (438997) John Ryder's book is a primer for the amateur, from the choice of press and the purchase of type, paper, and ink to the planning, designing, and production of the printed material itself. | |
| Hand Bookbinding: A Manual of Instruction
1996-07-02,
Dover Publications.
ISBN: 048629157X
[686.302]
(21810)
Expert guide to creating fine books by hand. Thorough, detailed instructions, with over 270 helpful illustrations, cover materials, tools and equipment, making a slipcase, rebinding an old book, more. Also, 8 specific projects: dust jacket; blank book, single signature; folio; manuscript binding; music binding, 3 more. Introduction.
| |
| Practical Typecasting 1993-08, Oak Knoll Press. ISBN: 0938768336 [686.221] (2773892) Section One covers typecasting machines and techniques and contains chapters on the basic principles of casting type and the hand mold, pivotal casting machines, monotype display machines, the Thompson caster, and foundry automatics. Section Two deals with the service crafts and contains chapters on finishing type, maintenance of equipment, matrix engineering, the Benton engraver, the Gorton engraver, electros, making matrices from type, and design guidelines. | |