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

by Ellen Lupton
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Editorial Reviews

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).

Customer Reviews

Highly overrated, badly designed., 2009-11-07
by Lisa S (Puerto Rico)
After reading all the glittering reviews (and realizing that I could probably do with a little more typeface history and design knowledge), I purchased this book from Amazon. To be honest, I found the inside of the book to be laid out in a very ADD manner, with varying multi-colored, different-sized, intersecting sections of what-not COMPETING FOR ATTENTION. The information itself was good, but to be honest it was so badly laid out that it hindered me from reading any further, and had to force myself to read to the 20th page. As a Master's level Graphic Design student, I am APPALLED at the design or lack thereof of the pages of this book (with the exception of the cover), and even more shocked that this is considered one of the best typeface textbooks there is (and even more so that it was written by a PROFESSOR who is currently teaching in this field). There has to be a MUCH better and reader-friendly textbook on type out there.
great review, 2009-09-28
by J. Aversa (Coral Springs, FL)
Good learning material. I needed it for my class and i like the ease of reading it and the useful amount of knowledge it has. since i am a graphic design major, i found it helpful. Good condition when i bought it as well.
A Good Primer, Comprehensive It Is Not, 2009-06-25
by W. Baker
A great book, for the right person. For someone wanting to know about typography, or someone just getting started in the field of typography or graphic design, this book is for you. It covers a broad spectrum of subjects, all very relevant to today's world of design.

However, it is sorely lacking in content for anyone who wants to get serious about design. It is a primer, an introduction, but in no way fulfilling of its hype. The Grid section is especially vague and almost uninformative. For worthwhile instruction and something to dwell in, I strongly recommend The Elements of Typographic Style It covers the same subjects as this book, going far more in-depth with practical instruction and advice covering every aspect of typography.
ehmm...., 2009-05-05
by L. Wieczorek
Required book for my typography course, and to be frank I absolutely hated it. When it comes to typography I'm very pick and this book tries to be organized but unfortunately becomes ADHD, hah.

It has lots of great info, but fails to tie it all together. it will show lots of cool stuff, but it all seems oddly extraneous, since it never comes back to the IDEA of typography. It's like those conversations that are really exciting because everyone is hopped up on coffee and no one knows where its going and you get people saying "what where we talking about?" every 5seconds.
It's a typography book alright., 2009-04-02
by V. Hill (USA)
if you are taking typography and this is your required text, then I highly recommend it!

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