The Complete Typographer

Type is presented here as the most important single element in the communications industry. It can make or break a design - it can be the design itself - adding mood, style and texture to the overall impact. It also has a visual fascination of its own. This is an illustrated survey of type from its beginnings to the present, and a practical guide to its users. It starts by outlining the basic story of type and its manufacture, from the time when typesetting was a handcraft, through to hot and cold metal typesetting and electronic photocomposition, focusing on notable landmarks in the history of type. The story is taken right up to the present, with examination of the freedom and flexibility that electronic typesetting has brought to typography and the impact of DTP, which has brought the power of type to a much wider market-place. The visual directory of typefaces follows, the book concluding with practical advice and guidance on how to use type to best effect.