Home › Design › Designing Type

Designing Type

by Karen Cheng

A visual guide to the craft and structure of type design

Regular price $32.42 USD
Regular price $43.23 USD Sale price $32.42 USD
Save 25%

Paperback New English

Delivery to your door
In stock·Dispatches in 1–2 business days
Standard shipping* from $4.35
Standard shipping transit* 5–8 business days after dispatch

Faster options are available.

Rates and delivery estimates depend on your destination and item quantity. Estimates are informational only; the final shipping method and rate are selected at checkout.

Secure checkout
American Express Apple Pay DiscoverGoogle Pay Mastercard PayPalVisa
30-day eligible returns Returns & refunds policy

AlbakiReads Editorial

A visual guide to the craft and structure of type design

Karen Cheng’s second edition examines type design as both a technical and visual discipline, moving from letter anatomy and typeface classification to questions of structure, legibility, and optical adjustment. More than 400 diagrams, sketches, and finished examples make the book’s design principles concrete, while examples from classic and contemporary typefaces place those principles in a broader historical context. Updated for digital workflows, it also addresses the considerations behind designing fonts today, including accessibility and the changing role of technology in design methodology.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Graphic design students building a foundation in typography
  • Working designers seeking a reference on letterforms and font construction
  • Readers interested in the history, classification, and visual mechanics of typefaces

Themes

TypographyTypeface designLetterform anatomyLegibility and optical compensationDigital design processes

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

The now-classic introduction to designing typography, handsomely redesigned and updated for the digital age

In this invaluable book, Karen Cheng explains the processes behind creating and designing type, one of the most important tools of graphic design. She addresses issues of structure, optical compensation, and legibility, with special emphasis given to the often-overlooked relationships between letters and shapes in font design. In this second edition, students and professional graphic designers alike will benefit from an expanded discussion of the creative practice of designing type--what designers need to consider, their rationale, and issues of accessibility--in the context of contemporary processes for the digital age.

Illustrated with more than 400 diagrams that demonstrate visual principles and letter construction, ranging from informal progress sketches to final type designs and diagrams, this essential guide analyzes a wide range of classic and modern typefaces, including those from many premier type foundries. Cheng's text covers the history of type, the primary systems of typeface classification, the parts of a letter, and the effects of new technology on design methodology, among many other key topics.
Shipping & returnsShipping options, delivery timing, and our return policy.

In-stock items normally dispatch within 1–2 business days. The ZIP-code estimator on this page is informational only; the final shipping method, price, and availability are confirmed at checkout for your full order.

For the initial delivery estimate we use these transit windows after dispatch: Standard 5–8 business days, Expedited 2–4 business days, and Priority 1–2 business days. Holiday delays are not included.

Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in accordance with our return policy.

Customer reviews