Thinking with Type: A Primer for Designers: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students [Paperback]

Ellen Lupton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 9, 2004 | ISBN-10: 1568984480 | ISBN-13: 978-1568984483

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).

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...written with warmth and clarity...destined to become an essential part of many typographers' and designers' librairies." -- Print, April 2005

"If you've ever wondered why you 'instinctively' buy one cake mix over the other, find out here." -- Florida Inside Out, April 2005

"dense enough to cover all vital type subjects...condensed enough for easy referencing." -- Step Inside Design, Dec. 2004

...worthy of adding to your library; it's essential if you salivate when you look at well-designed and well-chosen type. -- Technical Communication, August 2005

"If you've ever wondered why you 'instinctively' buy one cake mix over the other, find out here." --Florida Inside Out, 4/2005

"Ellen Lupton, one of America's best-known design educators, is director of the design program at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Baltimore, as well as curator of contemporary design at Cooper-Hewitt in New York. The author of several books, Lupton... use(s) her latest, Thinking With Type as a primer for her students." -- Alan G. Brake --Azure, January 2005

"Ellen Lupton, one of Americas best-known design educators, is director of the design program at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Baltimore, as well as curator of contemporary design at Cooper-Hewitt in New York. The author of several books, Lupton... use(s) her latest, Thinking With Type as a primer for her students." -- Alan G. Brake (January, 2005) --Azure

Review

"Worthy of adding to your library; it's essential if you salivate when you look at well-designed and well-chosen type."

"Design isnt just about how things look, the answer to a design challenge is more about discovering why certain things work. In steering projects toward visual solutions that deliver clear messages, we have to look at the very building blocks of design. Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, - Students aims to get at the heart of this issue." -- Brian E. Young (March 2, 2009)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press (September 9, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568984480
• ISBN-13: 978-1568984483
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.6 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #80,534 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #43 in Books > Arts & Photography > Graphic Design > Typography

More About the Author

Ellen Lupton is the author, coauthor, or editor of 13 books with PAPress, including Design Culture Now; Skin: Surface, Substance + Design; Inside Design Now; Thinking with Type; D.I.Y.: Design It Yourself; and D.I.Y. Kids. She is Curator of Contemporary Design, Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution, New York and Director, Graphic Design MFA Program, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore. she is hte recipient of numerous awards including I.D. Forty, 1992; Chrysler Design Award, 1996; and AIGA Gold Medal, 2007.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

118 of 123 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A much needed book May 21, 2005

By reader and maker

Format:Paperback

This is a well-structured and well-written text with refreshing examples from a wide range of designers. These examples reinforce the concept that successful design and typography come from critical thinking and that there is no one style or approach that is "correct."

I plan to require this book in the undergraduate typography class I teach, but because it is accessible even to a novice, I'd recommend it to anyone with an interest in type. One of the strengths of the book is its succinctness, but that may be one flaw as well. When a book is so well done, you want more... (Fortunately there is a website which does have supporting materials for those who want more.) Also if you want a meaty book on the specifics of type, then you should also get Robert Bringhurst's phenomenal book "The Elements of Typographic Style." It pairs so well with the overview and examples from Lupton's book.

It is a terrific value and well-produced.

181 of 193 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for the lost April 8, 2005

By Elizabeth M

Format:Paperback

Personally, this has probably been the most influental design book that I own. I felt like I was a better designer after having read half of it, without once touching my mac. i just knew that what I had absorbed was going to come out in my work, and it did. The book takes an overview look at design, and speaks in plain english about many things that I've heard or dealt with. But catagorizes stuff and explains things in a fluid manner so that the different bits of information come together and make sense. It is good for the novice and the struggling self taught. Full of great examples. It's too elementary for the serious designer. But for someone who did not go to Design School, but now works with design, its the perfect basic "education in a book".

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A must for new designers and those who have to work with designers October 29, 2006

By Shawna Forester

Format:Paperback

This book and some of the other books from the Design Briefs series, have become an integral part of my working resource library. Ellen Lupton's book has been one that I have used over and over again. I often reference it when I am faced with a blank page that I am having a hard time laying out.

The section on typography, the largest section of the book, was a very interesting read. I enjoyed learning about the history of printing and typography. Beginning designers will appreciate the categorizing of typefaces. This leads into the discussion of electronic typesetting and the limitations and challenges that has created for designers.

Lupton's book shed a lot of light on different strategies for organizing type, graphics, and pictures on my own layouts. Unlike many other books on graphic design, Lupton's book was down-to-earth and was easy for a non-designer (like myself) to understand. It used some meaningful practical examples, instead of relying on art school projects that have limited real-life applications.

The section on grids was one of the most easy to understand that I have ever come across. It also gave many examples of grids that can be incorporated for page layout. Lupton also gave a decent low-level overview on the golden section, but she did not give enough of examples of how the golden section can be used as a more flexible grid.

One of my favourite parts of her book is the section on proofreading where she has one of the best proofreader's marking charts that I have ever seen. I have used this resource on complex projects like annual reports with agency graphic designers. No more second-guessing edits, Lupton's list captures it all. In fact, a lot of the designers and account reps who have used it with me consider it to be a time (and money) saver.

This book is probably too basic for seasoned designers, but if you just bought a copy of InDesign, or you're working in a corporate communications department and expected to create some basic layouts, you will take away a lot of good ideas and principles from this book. It covers off on many of the principles of good design without leaving you feeling overwhelmed.