About the book /
Explorations in Typography: Mastering the Art of Fine Typesetting (A Visual Textbook for Intermediate to Advanced Typography) is a vast collection of beautiful typesetting examples. Page after page, a brief article by Erik Spiekermann has been set in hundreds of different ways in hundreds of different typefaces, creating an extended visual taxonomy of typesetting that allows you to “learn by looking.”
With complete type specifications on every page and examples set in hundreds of faces (many from the FontFont library), the aggregate effect is an ersatz type catalog as well as an extensive resource of typesetting ideas. Explorations in Typography is sure to be instructive and inspirational to students and professionals alike.
About the authors /
Carolina de Bartolo has taught typography at the university level for over ten years. She developed the Exploration exercises in this book as a way to help her students practice typesetting both “in sport and in earnest” and eventually discover their passion for the art and craft of fine typesetting. Explorations in Typography: Mastering the Art of Fine Typesetting is her first book.
Erik Spiekermann is a widely-acclaimed type designer, information architect and author of books and articles on typography. In 1979 he founded MetaDesign, Germany’s largest design firm with offices in Berlin, London and San Francisco. In 1988 he started FontShop. He currently runs EdenSpiekermann with offices in Berlin and Amsterdam. His many accolades include: the Gerrit Noordzij Award (2003), Federal German Design Prize in gold (2006), honorary doctorate from Art Center College of Design (2006), Hall of Fame by the European Design Awards for Communication Design (2007) Royal Designer for Industry by the RSA in Britain (2007) and Ambassador for the European Year of Creativity and Innovation by the European Union (2009). His typographic primer for Adobe Press, Stop Stealing Sheep and Find Out How Type Works, is in its second printing.
About this website /
Webfonts by Typekit. Designed and built by Gregory Cadars.
Credits /
Explorations in Typography: Mastering the Art of Fine Typesetting (A Visual Textbook for Intermediate to Advanced Typography) is published by 101 Editions, LLC, San Anselmo, CA, USA. For more information, please visit us at 101editions.com. This project would not have been possible without the generous support of the people at FontShop International who graciously licensed us the FontFont Library of typefaces. Visit FontShop.com to purchase any of the FontFont webfonts used on this site or any of the typefaces shown in the book.
Copyright /
Concept, text and book design, copyright ©2011 Carolina de Bartolo. “Type Builds Character” first published in Stop Stealing Sheep and Find Out How Type Works, copyright ©2002 Erik Spiekermann. All rights reserved. Legal notice.
- 9.25 x 12 inches (oversize)
- casebound with ultra-thin bookboard, so it’s lightweight despite being oversize
- FontShop yellow gilded edges
- 188 pages
- 2 colors throughout
- Oversize format (9.25 x 12 inches) allows all typesetting to be shown at full-size. You can therefore clearly see and evaluate exact point sizes, leading, tracking and all other details of proportion, spacing and alignment that distinguish fine typesetting.
- Each setting has complete typographic specifications on the same page.
- Sidebars explain key visual features that make each setting work.
- Sidebars also provide historical and background information about each typeface.
- Specifically designed for intermediate to advanced typography, this textbook assumes the reader has prior knowledge of material typically covered in a level 1 typography course. This basic typographic information is widely available from a variety of excellent sources elsewhere.
- The sample text is an article on typography by Erik Spiekermann. “Type Builds Character” was first published in Stop Stealing Sheep and Find Out How Type Works (Adobe Press).
- Discount code for 20% off any single purchase of one or more FF fonts.