Designing with Type, 5th Edition: The Essential Guide to Typography [Paperback]

James Craig (Author), William Bevington (Author), Irene Korol Scala (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 1, 2006 | ISBN-10: 0823014134 | ISBN-13: 978-0823014132 | Edition: 5

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.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Part textbook and part reference work, the fifth edition of a typographic classic begins with a thumbnail history of the development of written language and ends with a glossary; in between are in-depth looks at five classic typefaces, lessons on designing with text type, display type and color, and plenty of project assignments. Though Craig, the former design director for Watson-Guptill, touches on the way that type design can be akin to fine art, most of his focus is on the subtle ways in which typeface affects "mood," and letter shape and spacing influences readability, emphasis and even meaning. Even though technological advances have made innovative text design ever simpler, readers—of books, brochures, cereal boxes and subway advertisements—still tend to prefer their type to be "invisible"—in other words, "to serve as a quiet vehicle for enhancing the meaning of a text." While best suited for a beginning graphic design student, this clear, readable book should also intrigue those interested in how the look of a sentence has an impact on the way we read it. 100 color and 500+ b&w illus. (May)
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Review

"An excellent and useful introduction to the subject." - Milton Glaser"

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Watson-Guptill; 5 edition (May 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823014134
• ISBN-13: 978-0823014132
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.5 x 11 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #106,130 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #38 in Books > Arts & Photography > Graphic Design > Typography

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars New Fifth Edition is Even Better June 16, 2006

By John Matlock

Format:Paperback

This is the new fifth edition of this classic book on typography that first began in 1971. Since then it has become a standard of the industry. It's real strength is how it describes fonts from the standpoint of conveying feeling, readability, aspects of fonts that you wouldn't normally think about.

Type is an important part of graphics art. It is likely that in most projects type is what covers most of the page. Through the use of the proper type face, size, and special effects type can be used to assist in the conveyance of information which is what graphics art is all about.

This book has been around for some thirty-five years. It is the standard text in design schools around the world. For this fifth edition it has been redesigned, printed in full color and had much new material added without omitting features that have made the book such a valuable tool.

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars pleased typography student September 15, 2006

By N. J. Kwiatek

Format:Paperback

I am a second year Communication Design student at a prestigious (pretentious) art school in New York City. This year marks my first foray into typography, and this book was the first recommendation on my to-buy list.

Anyone who is at least vaguely familiar with the concept of typography knows that most type enthusiasts range from "I didn't realize there was that much involved" to "Oh my god, you even named your child after a typeface." (I didn't know that's what they meant by "font family.") But seriously, folks: for those not yet versed in the trials and tribulations contained within passionate pursuit of the perfect sans-serif, typography can be very intimidating.

When I bought DWT 5 -- because I had to, remember -- I expected a tome comparable to the tedious scrolls of a monastery scribe; typography was to be my new religion and I was ok with that. Thankfully, that's not how my experience with DWT played out at all.

First of all, it's actually a book, complete with pleasing cover that isn't obnoxiously heavy and is able to withstand backpack fare. It's solid and smooth and looks good on my shelf -- apparently an improvement over earlier editions. But this is hardly the reason for my enthusiastic review.

The truth of the matter is, the "hands-on" way this book approaches the art of teaching typography is beyond superb. In fact, it's so superb, it makes me want to jump into a rambling anecdote -- so bear with me.

I once had a beyond awful chemistry teacher. Awful because he was dryer than a saltine and refused to get off his wrinkly behind to put some damn liquid over a Bunsen and show us the magic of the science. Don't get me wrong here -- chemistry is and should be treated with academic respect and precision.... It is surely a very "logical" subject, in that the math-based reasoning behind the formulas and the calculations and the diagrams and the nomenclature is all very structured. But the propensity by which one can dive into the circuitous lexicon of chemical confoundry makes it easy to forget that a chemist is actually dealing with the stuff that makes up our physical world. Being a visual person, it would kill me to sit for an entire hour and a half doing worksheets and readings and spar in lofty conversations without doing so much as one experiment to demonstrate. I mean, it was pretty simple -- I wanted to SEE what the hell it was we were talking about. And sure enough, when we WOULD actually do an experiment, I was able to link the lofty ideas with the visual responses, and it would all be clear as day.

This is the hands-on approach I describe as being taken on by DWT. Craig makes no mistake in realizing that typography IS the book, and uses this to his advantage by creating ACTUAL TYPOGRAPHIC EXAMPLES to explain the principles of type. It's one thing to be told that Bodoni is much easier to read because of its simplified serifs, but to actually SEE Bodoni set in multiple iterations makes the difference between remembering and absorbing. It's as if Craig is stopping in the middle of his lecture, walking over to you, and drawing for you on your paper exactly what he means. Not to mention he does it in a clear and simple layout that it probably unique to edition 5.

I was ready to dread my typography readings, expecting them to be a series of formulas. Now I look forward to seeing all the neat explosions and chemical reactions, and to wondering how I'll fit them into my next layout. But don't go too fast with it Craig, take it slow -- this is introductory level, after all, and I'm not ready to put Helvetica on the birth certificate yet. Read more ›

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars New edition and companion website are great for typography classes. September 9, 2006

By M. Shoemaker

Format:Paperback

This new edition (5) is a great textbook for the beginning typography class; thorough, well-written and illustrated, highlighting the most important things a beginning designer must know. It is very engaging and easy to read. Students will benefit greatly not only from using the book in class, but having it in their design library for the future. Professors will find it a great resource, along with it's wonderful companion website, which contains a vast resource of lecture material, visual samples, links and project assignments with examples of student work.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Designing with Type: The Essential Guide to Typography January 9, 2007

By Roy or Marie Zucca

Format:Paperback

I have used this book for a number of years, along with a number of other books on typography, as primary reading for my Typography 1 class that I teach at a design school. It is an excellent resource for the student who is just starting out and learning the fundamentals of design.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Pretty thin, really January 15, 2013

By Mick McAllister

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought this book thinking I would get a "contemporary" alternative to Looking Good in Print. Hardly. This book may work as a classroom supplement with a professional typesetter teaching, but as a stand-alone, it is extraordinarily superficial. One simple case in point: There two pages on grids, consisting of the explanation that you can use one-column, multi-column, or no-column grids (duh). How to use them? Barely a word. Ironically, one illustration shows "classic text proportions," but the only text referencing it says to make your outside margin larger than the inside margin, and the top smaller than the bottom. Well, I learned that in typing class.

I was looking for a book that would actually help me improve the professional look of my printed documents. This isn't it. I should have known better. A book on typography that uses Helvetica body text on glossy paper? What did I expect?

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic primer July 8, 2009

By Eric C. Williams

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book covers an amazing amount of ground in relatively few pages. It feels like a whirlwind introduction to the entire universe of typography and type design, and I think it is therefore one of the best primers available on the subject.

For me, this book served as a jumping-off point to delve into more specific areas that I was personally interested in. Other books I have read (Bringhurst comes to mind) assume the reader has some background eduction in the subject. This book will give it to you.

It's also just a beautiful book: It's large, comfortable to hold and read, and set wonderfully.

The book contains a number of projects that seem like they would be useful in a classroom setting, but are of modest value to the individual reader.

Overall, I highly recommend this book, particularly as an introduction to the subject.