Structural Forms & Devices

On page 65, Bringhurst discusses headings in a layout. Headings are important to section out the text and let the reader understand what they will be reading. He also explains that since they are important you need to make sure they are formatted in a way that doesn’t overwhelm the overall layout. He gives us

Shaping the Page

On page 163, Bringhurst tells us that the shape of the column of text is important. This is something that never occurred to me but once explained made sense. He elaborates and says that if there are a lot of words then you should make thinner taller columns. This is because it keeps the reader

Choosing & Combining Type

On page 99, Bringhurst he explains that it is important to choose a typeface that matches the overall aesthetic of the design. For example, if you are designing a poster to represent the 1800s then you might want to use a typeface that has an older look to it. He also explains that we should

Alphabetic Symbols

When thinking about fonts, I don’t think most people worry about the symbols that are provided and instead focus on the letters. However, there are many variations of alphabetic symbols across many typefaces. I was surprised when Bringhurst suggested, “If you are tempted to redesign an existing font… the hyphen is a good character to

Harmony and Counterpoint

Scale is important in typography since it lets you have more variety in a typeface. If there are no scales then the viewer focuses more on other aspects of the typeface. Now, it is standard for every font to be able to vary in size, but this wasn’t always the standard. In the early Renaissance,

Rhythm and Proportion

Consistency is key to having a good font and font family. A way to make sure everything looks related is by checking the proportions of the letters and seeing if they flow nicely together. One way to keep a typeface consistent is by checking the kerning, the space between letters. Something I found interesting was

The Grand Design

On page 17, Bringhurst says, “Typography at its best is a visual form of language linking timelessness and time.” I think he is saying that good typography can be read at any time, even in the future, and still be understood. Despite this, it can also show the reader the time period it was written

Forward, Historical Synopsis, and Historical Interlude

In the forward, the author makes the point that humans are creative, unique individuals, so it can be difficult to make rules in a field that is itself creative. Bringhurst explains that this won’t be a forced rulebook everyone needs to follow but rather a guide that can help people form their own thoughts. We