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Summary of Thinking With Type 

4.6 . 2186 reviews

Short summary

Arranging text on a page is about more than just choosing a font that is pleasing to the eye. It goes far beyond that. You need to think about typography as a whole story in order to create a look that grabs attention, is easy to read, and sums up the content you’re presenting. Thinking With Type is the must-have companion for any graphic designer to help with understanding the nuances of the craft. Written by Ellen Lupton, Senior Curator of Contemporary Design at Cooper Hewitt — a Smithsonian Design Museum based in New York — this is a must-read for those who want to take their work to the next level, avoiding common mistakes along the way. Originally published in 2004, the book has been updated for the digital age.

Table of content

  • Summary of Thinking With Type
  • About the author
  • What is Thinking With Type about?
  • Who should read Thinking With Type
  • Topics in Thinking With Type
first key point

Typography adds meaning to visual content

Listen the first key point
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Typography is not a subject with many books dedicated to it because much of it is taught in college, online, and learned by practice. However, for graphic designers wanting to hone their work to the highest possible level, understanding the smaller details is key. Not understanding the finer points of spacing, choosing the right type font, and how these relate to spaces around the words can make your work look slightly ‘off.’ This might not be glaringly obvious to a reader, but when adorning large banners for advertising, small mistakes can stand out.
Typography is a complicated subject that requires attention to detail. Small mistakes can take the meaning of a block of text and reduce its effects.
Ellen Lupton was annoyed at the lack of suitable books on the subject of typography. For a long time, she searched for the ideal choice, something small enough to digest easily but containing enough information to be worthwhile. In the end, she decided to create that book herself, having failed in her mission to find it elsewhere.

Focusing upon the rules of typography, with creative license thrown in for good measure, Thinking in Type is also about why typography is structured in the way it is and not merely stating the rules. The bottom line is that when typography is used in a creative and sensible way, it adds value to the words and gives them structure, allowing the meaning to be conveyed in a more concise and impactful manner.
Using the rules of typography to great effect can have a significant impact on a message.
second key point

A letter is never just a letter

Typography allows you to arrange words and blocks of text in a way that not only looks pleasing to the eye but also conveys a message in the right way. Choosing the right fonts can add more impact, but the wrong font can turn a serious message into something entirely comical. For this reason, typography as a whole isn’t just about choosing the right font; it’s also about knowing the rules that allow you to use fonts in the right way. For that reason, one letter is never insignificant; it’s part of the puzzle.
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third key point

Understanding the history of typeface

fourth key point

Font size is a key decision for designers

fifth key point

Add capitals with caution to avoid scale issues

sixth key point

Expand your font library for more options

seventh key point

Text positioning is more in-depth than you may realize

eighth key point

The importance of proofreading to ensure great quality work

ninth key point

Conclusion

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What is Thinking With Type about?

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