Design & Typography
Photo of a young woman with blond ponytails, black lipstick, and a cigarette reading a colorful flyer in the midst of other people maybe waiting for a train
Last Updated July 27, 2025

Experimental & Boundary Pushing

from I Wonder by Marian Bantjes,
The Monocelli Press, 2010
Poster by Ed Fella
The End of Print by David Carson,
Chronicle Books, 1995
  1. Bantjes, Marion. I Wonder. New York: The Monacelli Press, 2010.
  2. Blackwell, Lewis and David Carson. The End of Print: The Graphic Design of David Carson. New York: Chronicle Books, 1995.
  3. Drucker, Johanna. The Visible Word: Experimental Typography and Modern Art, 1909-1923. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1994.
  4. Fella, Ed. Letters on America. Princeton Architectural Press, 2000.
  5. Harmsen, Lars and Andreas Ruhe, editors. Slanted Experimental Type 3.0Karlsruhe: Slanted Publishers, 2025. Explores the intersection of typography, technology, and social commentary, challenging conventional design norms through AI-generated typefaces and variable fonts.
  6. McLuhan, Marshall and David Carson. The Book of Probes. California: Gingo Press. 2003.

Robert Bringhurst

Book cover of "The Elements of Typographic Style" by Robert Brihnghurst
  1. Bringhurst, Robert. The Elements of Typographic Style. Vancouver, BC: Hartley & Marks Publishers, 1992, 1996, 2001 (v2.4), 2002 (v2.5), 2004 (v3.0), 2005 (v3.1), 2008 (v3.2), and 2012 (v4.0).
  2. Bringhurst, Robert. A Story as Sharp as a Knife: The Classical Haida Mythtellers and Their World (Masterworks of the Classical Haida Mythtellers. Vancouver, BC: D&M Publishers, Inc., 1999, 2011.
  3. Bringhurst, Robert. What is Reading For? Rochester, NY: RIT Cary Graphic Arts, 2011.
  4. Bringhurst, Robert. The Tree of Meaning: Language, Mind and Ecology. Berkeley, CA: Counterpoint Press, 2006, 2008.
  5. Bringhurst, Robert. Everywhere Being Is Dancing: Twenty Pieces of Thinking. Berkeley, CA: Counterpoint Press, 2008.
  6. Bringhurst, Robert. The Surface of Meaning: Books and Book Design in Canada. University of Michigan: CCSP Press, 2008.
  7. Bringhurst, Robert. The Solid Form of Language: An Essay on Writing And Meaning. “Drop a word in the ocean of meaning and concentric ripples form. To define a single word means to try to catch those ripples. No one’s hands are fast enough.” Kentville, Nova Scotia: Gaspereau Press, 2004.
  8. Bringhurst, Robert. “These Poems She Said.” The Beauty of the Weapons: Selected Poems 1972-1982. Canyon Press, 1982. (poem accessed 9/20/2020 on the Robert Bringhurst page, Poetry Foundation.)

———————-Self-love is an ending, she said,   
and not a beginning. Love means love
of the thing sung, not of the song or the singing.   
These poems, she said . . .
                                       You are, he said,
beautiful.
                That is not love, she said rightly.8

Robert Bringhurst

Before We Run, We Walk: Classic Starter Texts

  1. Williams, Robin. The Mac is Not a Typewriter, 2nd ed. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press, 2003.
  2. Williams, Robin. The PC is Not a Typewriter. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press, 1995.
  3. Williams, Robin. The Non-Designer’s Design Book, 4th edition. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press,  2014.
  4. Williams, Robin. The Non-Designer’s Presentation Book: Principles for Effective PresentationDesign (2nd edition). Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press, 2017. 
  5. Williams, Robin and John Tollett. The Non-Designer’s Web Book, 3rd Edition. CA: Peachpit Press, 2006.
  6. Williams Robin and John Tollett. J. Robin Williams Design Workshop, 2nd ed. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press, 2007.

Graphic Design & Typography

  • Book cover for "Design Workshop" by Robin Williams and John Tollett
  • Book cover for "Inside Paragraphs" by Cyrus Highsmith
  1. Barrett-Forrest, Ben. The History of Typography: Animated Short. Forrest Media: forrestmedia.org, 2013.
  2. Bringhurst Robert. The Elements of Typographic Style (4). Vancouver: Hartley & Marks, 2012.
  3. Craig, James. Basic Typography: A Design Manual. New York: Watson-Guptill, 1990.
    • Coles, Stephen. The Anatomy of Type: A Graphic Guide to 100 Typefaces. NY: Harper Design, 2012.

      Parts of a Letter

  4. Cullen Kristen. Layout Workbook: A Real-World Guide to Building Pages in Graphic Design. Beverly, Maine: Rockport Publishers, 2007.
  5. Cullen, Kristen. Design Elements, Typography Fundamentals: A Graphic Style Manual for Understanding How Typography Affects Design. Beverly, Maine: Rockport Publishers, 2012.
  6. Elam, Kimberly. Typographic Systems: Principles of Organizing Type. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2007.
  7. Felici J. The Complete Manual of Typography: A Guide to Setting Perfect Type. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press, 2003.
  8. Fili, Louise. Elegantissima: The Design and Typography of Louise Fili. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2012.
  9. Heller, Stephen and Veronique Vienne. 100 Ideas that Changed Graphic Design. London, U.K.: Laurence King Publishing, 2012.
  10. Heller, Stephen. The Education of a Typographer. New York: Allworth Press, 2004.
  11. Heller, Stephen and Louise Fili. Vintage Graphic Design: Type, Typography, Monograms & Decorative Design from the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries. New York: Allworth Press, 2020.
  12. Highsmith, Cyrus. Inside Paragraphs: Typographic Fundamentals. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2012, 2020.
  13. Hyndman, Sarah. Why Fonts Matter. Berkeley, CA: Gingko Press, 2019.
  • Cover for "Typography Workbook" by Timothy Samara
  • Book cover for "Thinking with Type" by Ellen Lupton
  1. Lupton, Ellen. Graphic Design: The New Basics. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2008.
  2. Lupton, Ellen. Graphic Design Thinking: Beyond Brainstorming. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2011.
  3. Lupton, Ellen. Thinking with Type, A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, and Students. 3rd Edition: Revised and Expanded.. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2024..
  4. Lupton, Ellen and J C Phillips. Graphic Design: The New Basics. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2008.
  5. Mafundikwa, Saki. Afrikan Alphabets: The Story of Writing in Afrika. Brooklyn, NY: Mark Batty Publisher, 2006.
  6. Meggs Philip B. Type and Image: The Language of Graphic Design. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1992.
  7. Orangeseed Design. Bringing Graphic Design In-House: How and When to Design It Yourself. Beverly, Maine: Rockport Publishers, 2004.
Book cover for "Afrikan Alphabets" by Saki Mafundikwa
  1. Mafundikwa, Saki. Afrikan Alphabets: The Story of Writing in Afrika. Brooklyn, NY: Mark Batty Publisher, 2006.
  2. McNeil, Paul. The Visual History of Type. London, U.K.: Laurence King Publishing, 2017.
  3. Meggs Philip B. Type and Image: The Language of Graphic Design. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1992. Orangeseed Design. Bringing Graphic Design In-House: How and When to Design It Yourself. Beverly, Maine: Rockport, 2004.
Pages from Design Elements by Timothy Samara
  1. Samara, Timothy. Design Elements: A Graphic Style Manual. Beverly, Maine: Rockport Publishers, 2004.
  2. Samara, Timothy. Design Evolution: Theory Into Practice. Beverly, Maine: Rockport Publishers, 2008.
  3. Samara, Timothy. Typography Workbook: A Real-World Guide to Using Type in Graphic Design. Beverly, Maine: Rockport Publishers, 2002.
Pages from "Make It Bigger" by Paula Scher showing her posters for "Bring in Da Funk, Bring in Da Noise" at the Public Theater in NYC
Pages from Make It Bigger by Paula Scher
  1. Scher, Paula. Make It Bigger. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2005.
  2. Thomas, David Dylan. Design for Cognitive Bias. A Book Apart: Brief Books for People Who Make Websites. Free download of first chapter in Design for Cognitive Bias available from A Book Apart.
  3. White, Alex H. The Elements of Graphic Design: Space, Unity, Page Architecture, and Type, 2nd ed. New York: Allworth, 2011.
  4. White, Alex H. Thinking in Type: The Practical Philosophy of Typography. New York: Allworth, 2005.
  5. White, J.V. Editing by Design: For Designers, Art Directors, and Editors, 3rd ed. New York: Allworth Press, 2003.
  6. Williams Robin and John Tollett. J. Robin Williams Design Workshop, 2nd ed. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press, 2007.

Typography Animated Tutorial

Grid Systems

Book cover for "Geometry of Design" by Kimberly Elam
  1. Bibliografik. Grid Systems Without Sound.
  2. Elam, Kimberly. Geometry of Design: Studies in Proportion and Composition. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2001. “At last, a mathematical explanation of how art works presented in a manner we can all understand.” (Google Books)
  3. Elam, Kimberly. Grid Systems: Principles of Organizing Type. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2004.
  4. Hass, Alex. “Chapter 3.4: Organizational Principles.” Graphic Design and Print Production Fundamentals. BC Campus Open Textbooks, 2015.
  5. Samara, Timothy. Making and Breaking the Grid: A Graphic Design Layout Workshop. Maine: Rockport Publishers, 2002.
  6. Tondreau, Beth. Layout Essentials: 100 Design Principles for Using Grids. Beverly, Maine: Rockport Publishers, 2019.

Grid Systems without Sound by Bibliografik

Kimberly Elam: Grid Systems: Principles of Organizing Type

Download

Color

  1. Adams-Morioka and Terry Stone. Color Design Workbook: A Real-World Guide to Using Color in Graphic Design. Beverly, Maine: Rockport Publishers, 2006.
  2. Albers, Josef. Interaction of Color, 50th Anniversary Edition. London, U.K.: Yale University Press, 1963, 2013.
  3. Itten, Johanes. .Trans: Ernst Van Hagen. The Elements of Color. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1961, 2003.

Presenting with & Without Slides

  1. French, Katy. “Eleven Tips for Beautiful Presentations.” Visage, November 24, 2016, accessed August 30, 2020. https://visage.co/11-design-tips-beautiful-presentations/.
  2. Reynolds, Garr. Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery, 4th edition. Berkeley, CA: New Riders, 2020.
  3. Reynold, Garr. The Naked Presenter: Delivering Powerful Presentations With or Without Slides. Berkeley, CA: New Riders, 2011.Reynolds, Garr. Presentation Zen Design: A Simple Visual Approach to Presenting in Today’s World. Berkeley, CA: New Riders, 2014.
  4. Reynolds, Garr. “Top Ten Slide Tips.”GarrReynolds.com (n.d.) accessed August 30, 2020. http://www.garrreynolds.com/preso-tips/design/.
  5. Rosling, Hans. Gapminder.org, accessed August 30, 2020.
  6. Williams, Robin. The Non-Designer’s Presentation Book: Principles for Effective PresentationDesign (2nd edition). Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press, 2017.

DIY: Design It Yourself

  1. Lupton, Ellen. (ed) D.I.Y.:Design It Yourself. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2006.
  2. Lutpon, Ellen. Indie Publishing: How to Design and Publish Your Own Book. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2008.
  3. Lupton, Ellen and Miller A. Design Writing Research. London: Phaidon, 2006.
  4. Shea A. Designing for Social Change: Strategies for Community-Based Graphic Design. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2012.

ALL CAPS & Readability

  1. Dehaene, Stanislas. Reading in the Brain: the Science and Evolution of a Human InDvention.  New York: Viking, 2009.
  2. Enneson, Peter. “Bouma as Bounded Map.” Typophile. http://typophile.com/node/154329/29/2010  (accessed 3/8/2015).
  3. Enneson, Peter. “Bouma Slam.” Typophile, December 20, 2010. http://typophile.com/node/77618 (accessed 3/8/2015).
  4. Larson, Kevin. The Science of Word Recognition. Advanced Reading Technology, Microsoft Corporation 2004. http://www.microsoft.com/typography/ctfonts/WordRecognition.aspx (accessed 3/8/2015).
  5. Robb, Alice. “Netiquette of Capitalization: How Capital Letters Became Internet Code for Yelling.” New Republic.  http://www.newrepublic.com/article/117390 (accessed 3/14/2015).
  6. Sacks, Oliver. The Mind’s Eye. The Mind’s Eye. New York: Random House, 2010.
  7. Saenger, Paul. Space between Words: The Origins of Silent Reading. California: Stanford University Press, 1997.
  8. White, Alex W. Thinking in Type: The Practical Philosophy of Typography. New York: Allworth Press, 2005.
  9. McCulloch, Gretchen. “The Meaning of All Caps in Texting and in Life.” Wired. July 23, 2019. Accessed January 17, 2021. https://www.wired.com/story/all-caps-because-internet-gretchen-mcculloch/

The Web: Design & Typography

  1. Chimero, Frank. The Shape of Design. New York: 2012, 2015, 2020.
    Not about typography, grids, or logos, this small book is focused on storytelling and craft. It is a book about why and how great work is done, objectives, and big questions: How does it feel to make things for other people? And how can we do so in a meaningful, engaged way? (My favorite read for 2022)
  2. Santa Maria, Jason. “How We Read” Chapter 1 of Jason Santa Maria’s book On Web Typography published at New York, New York: A List Apart: Brief Books for People Who Make Websites, August 05, 2014. Accessed October 8, 2020. https://alistapart.com/article/how-we-read/.
  3. Santa Maria, Jason. On Web Typography. New York, New York: A Book Apart: Brief Books for People Who Make Websites, 2014. Free download of first chapter available from A Book Apart website.
  4. Santa Maria, Jason. “On Web Typography.” A List Apart, November 17, 2009. Accessed October 8, 2020. https://alistapart.com/article/on-web-typography/.
  5. Thomas, David Dylan. Design for Cognitive Bias. New York, New York: A Book Apart: Brief Books for People Who Make Websites. Free download of first chapter in Design for Cognitive Bias available from A Book Apart.

Imaginative & Conceptual

  1. Doret, Michael. Growing Up in Alphabet City. San Francisco: Letterform Archive, 2024.
  2. Expect Nothing Appreciate Everything. Karlsruhe: Slanted Publishers, 2024.
  3. Expressive Type Today. London: Counter-Print, 2024.
  4. Yearbook of Type #7. Amsterdam: Slanted Publishers, 2024.

Culturally Provocative & Critical

  1. Cinelli, Mia. Giving Type Meaning. London: Bloomsbury Visual Arts, 2024.
  2. Kochkina, Inna. One Shape of the Language. Amsterdam: San Serriffe, 2024.
  3. Klevgaard, Trond. New Typography in Scandinavia. London: Bloomsbury Visual Arts, 2024.

Miscellaneous

  1. Shoaf, Jeremiah. Review of the Best Typography Books for Designers. Typewolf. January 2020.
  2. Typewolf What’s Trending in Type.
  3. Why Comic Sans Works So Well on the I Can’t Breathe Shirts?
  4. Doyald Young, Logotype Designer. Blog: LetterCult.
  5. John F. Vachon, Photographer, Farm Security Administration and U.S. Office of War Information. Grand Grocery photograph source.
  6. Pratik Mhatre, Architect. Institute for Public School Initiatives, University of Texas at Austin. Urban Planning Blog.
  7. Juan Pablo Cambariere, Sculptor, Designer.
  8. Robb, Alice. “Netiquette of Capitalization: How Capital Letters Became Internet Code for Yelling.” New Republic.  
  9. Larson, Kevin. The Science of Word Recognition. Advanced Reading Technology, Microsoft Corporation 2004. 
  10. Enneson, Peter. “Bouma as Bounded Map.” Typophile. September 29, 2005
  11. Enneson, Peter. “Bouma Slam.” Typophile, December 20, 2010.
Top photo by Chris Slipski on UnSplash

2 thoughts on “Resources”

  1. Since my blog name is The Good Page, and this comes from the Robert Bringhurst quote, I should certainly have included his book in my first reading list. Thanks for making me aware of this oversight. His Elements of Typography is now in the list.

    Reply

  2. This is a great list! Thanks for sharing.

    If I can suggest an addition, Robert Bringhurt’s Elements of Typographic Style is helpful to writers and designers alike! It acts as a reference manual, but does contain a lot of history and rationale. It’s the book I continue to take off my shelves as I work in setting type.

    Reply

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