Designing with Type: The Essential Guide to Typography

by James Craig, William Bevington, Irene Korol Scala

The classic Designing with Type has been completely redesigned, with an updated format and full color throughout. New information and new images make this perennial best-seller an even more valuable tool for anyone interested in learning about typography. The fifth edition has been integrated with a convenient website, www.designingwithtype.com, where students and teachers can examine hundreds of design solutions and explore a world of typographic information. First published more than thirty-five years ago, Designing with Type has sold more than 250,000 copies—and this fully updated edition, with its new online resource, will educate and inspire a new generation of designers.

Genres: Design, Art, Nonfiction, Reference, Art Design, Technical, Textbooks

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

Reviews

[Marc]

Incredibly well-organized and designed. Excellent balance between historical and practical information. Great examples. Only drawback may be it feels dated in terms of not really mentioning the challenges of typography in the 21st century (designing for multiple display types; online platforms requiring flexible designs and/or giving up some control; screen-based typefaces; etc.). Overall, a very solid primer that would be well-paired with a class.

[Lindig]

When I was a typesetter, this was the bible, not for everyday look-ups but for reading to learn the basics and for guidelines and for ways to think about the box and the rules and how and when to flout them.

[Pavel Starozhuk]

В качестве первой книги про типографику — именно то, что нужно.

Конечно, я должен был прочитать понтовых Чихольда, Шпикерманна или Брингхерста.
Но перспектива читать по 200 страниц про железные оттиски и ОЧКО ШРИФТА — хуёвая.

Крейг рассказывает об основах и истории кратко и о главном, а дальше переходит к описанию приёмов с тоннами живых примеров использования типографики в дизайне, объясняя что, зачем и почему круто или не круто.

Я читал пятое издание, в нём книгу обновили и добавили полезностей про веб-типографику, что тоже порадовало.

Если ты не типографичный лошара, то книжка будет интересна и полезна.

[Tracy]

On the plus side, contains a quick overview of typography history and has plenty of graphic examples. Discusses key terms and gives an overview of typography standards.

On the con side, contains too much information that is outdated to digital producers of content. Leave it as a history lesson, not something to be practically absorbed, unless the student wants to. Also found three typographic mistakes, which is hardly encouraging in a book about typography.

[DeAnna Knippling]

Absolutely stellar. After trying to sort through some other books on graphic design and typography, this one was a pleasant, clear, insightful read that didn't just give the rules of design but explained them so I could both understand and start brainstorming.

[Sirajum Munir Galib]

Loved all the basics and history of typography. Only one objection is why a book like this introduces some basic terms related to computer, like CPU, RAM, Disk and so on? I think those who is reading this book have ordered this from Amazon or reading the digital copy. I think in the next edition these junks will be eliminated.

[Jon]

Good overview.

[Yokusun Basi]

Designing with Type: A Basic Course in Typography by James Craig (1992)

[Nat]

Given my profession, I was unsettled by this practical recommendation on p.138:

"Try to avoid spending excessive amounts of time discussing or philosophizing about what you might do, since this is a highly developed form of procrastination and reflects an uncertainty of just how to proceed".

And I wonder why the authors feel entitled to the following dogmatic statement on the same page, given their ability throughout the rest of the work to outline general heuristics for good type design:

"Keep in mind that, as impressive as computer-aided design may appear, it will never be a substitute for human creativity".

I submit that given enough time, computing power, and interest in replacing human workers, computer-aided design will indeed one day be a substitute for human creativity.

[Kathy Bateman]

Even if you don't consider yourself much of a designer you will certainly get a bunch of useful information out of this book. Anybody and everybody could use a little help making their Word Documents and other digital text be more readable.

Designing with Type even includes a selection of exercises to help you practice what you learn.

I learned so much from this book that when I got to the end I just kept reading all the way through the glossary item-by-item to make sure I absorbed every piece of information provided.

[Kay Deal]

This was my typography Bible in art school in 1978-1980 … I long ago lost track of my copy … my DIL recently found a copy in a funky antique store in Philadelphia - what memories came flooding back (I always loved typography - pre computer era) … probably not as relevant with the advent of technology since it was originally published but it still holds a special place in a young designer’s reference library

[Bella]

I had to get this book for my typography class and I found this to be very informative, and the background on some of the most used typefaces helped. But at times I found the book to be rather dry and boring.

[Nourhan Saad]

It was a very interesting and informative book to me specially that I have just started my typography studies. As for the eBook edition, the illustrations was very poor quality although I think the publisher tried to makeup for that by the website content.

[Kristian Ignatov]

This book serves as both a very compressed history of typography as well as a glossary of type terms every designer should know. It is a must read for the beginner and a great stepping stone for the veteran.

[Peter]

I'm actually reading the 3rd edition, and it looks from this that they're up to the 5th by now, so my impressions won't be entirely up-to-date...

[Taylor Xavier]

pretty basic, but good information

[Steven]

Useful exercises and a clear, excellent primer on typography and how it can be used in graphic design.

[Dawn]

Randomly picked this up at the library. Surprising learned quite a bit.

[Brett]

Non-fiction,Graphic Design

[Kathryn]

A great introduction to the basics.

[Sonia]

If you've never studied typography, then this is definitely the book for you.

[Vitaliy]

+

[Jean Marie Angelo]

All the basics.

[Leonard Houx]

More basic than I was expecting. For me, the most interesting part was the section on line spacing, which gave some great practical advice.

[Overlord]

Good introductory book, nothing mind blowing.

[Maggies Daisy]

Layout is outstanding, I was able to learn very quickly from this book.

[Erin Pieronek]

I lot of good information well laid out. Good reference information. This was the text for my Typography I class at Otis.

[Carmen Cardoza]

Great reference book for best practices in typography.

[Steve Anthony]

Great book for anyone interested in type