The Elements of Typographic Style - Second Edition - A Typographers'Bible

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by lilac

Typography is treated as a practical craft grounded in philosophy, history, and careful judgment rather than mere personal expression. The text presents a structured exploration of design principles such as rhythm, proportion, harmony, and structural form, supported by discussions of type selection, page shaping, specimen books, and historical context. The author also addresses symbols, typographic reasoning, and reference material, positioning the work as essential guidance for practitioners and those seeking the “reasons” behind typographic decisions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages176

Reading Time4 h 31 min

AccessFree to download

Foreword

Historical Synopsis

The Grand Design

Rhythm Proportion

Harmony Counterpoint

Structural Forms Devices

Choosing & Combining Type

Shaping the Page

The State of the Art

Prowling the Specimen Books

Appendix A: Sortsé Characters

Appendix B: Glossary of Terms

Appendix C: Type Designers

Appendix D: Typefoundries

Appendix E: Recapitulation

Appendix F: Further Reading

Afterword to the Second Edition

Index

GCCCC3C℃CcCCCCCCCCCCCC(CCCcC(2CCCCcCcCC(c) LL desktop typographers should study this book.It is notjust one more publication on typography,like so manyothers on the market.It is,instead,a must for every-body in the graphic arts,and especially for our new friends en-tering the field.Written by an expert,Robert Bringhurst's book isparticularly welcome in an age where typographic design issometimes misconstrued as a form of private self-expression fordesigners.As Bringhurst puts it:‘Good typography is like bread:ready to be admired,appraised and dissected before it is con-sumed.'I wish to see this book become the Typographers'Bible.” “It is rare to find a book on typography that successfully com-bines the personal with the practical,the philosophical with thetruly useful.But Bringhurst has brought both worlds together inwhat is sure to become a typographic classic,a book for bothpractitioners of the typographic arts and those who wish toknow the reasons behind what Stanley Morison called 'the mostconservative of all the crafts?” "A classic in the field." “Wonderfully comprehensive.”-Aldus “A lovely and thought-provoking look at typography today.” “A milestone in bookmaking and book history.” "It'sbeautifully produced.It'slucidly written.It's full of wisdom.Itwas an honor to read it."-The Editorial Eye ROBERT BRINGHURST is one of Canada's most highly regarded typogra-phers and book designers,as well as one of its most respected and best-known poets.He has taught literature,art history and typographic history atseveral universities and held fellowships from the Canada Council and theGuggenheim Foundation. HARTLEY MARKs,Publishers1SBN 0-88179-133-4$34.95 in the usA /$39.95 in Canada THE ELEMENTS OF TYPOGRAPHIC STYLE ROBE RT BRINGHURST ABTHECDELEMENTSJKLOFUVWTYPO-XG RAPHICQSTYLEZá à aǎáæ aa äåap Robert Bringhurst ðS E C O N D E D I T I O N -HERMANN ZAPF 一DAVID R.GODINE -Library Journal -Step-by-Step Graphics 9780881\#791334 H&M 9 THE ELEMENTS of The Shipwright's Log·1972Cadastre·1973Bergschrund·1975Tzuhalem's Mountain·1982 PROSE: Visions:Contemporary Art in Canada (with Geoffrey James,Russell Keziereó Doris Shadbolt)·1983 TYPOGRAPHIC STYLE second edition (CcCCCCcCCCCCCCCCCCccCCCCCcCCCCCCCCcCCC-nc POETRY: The Beauty of the Weapons:Seected Poems 1972-82·1982The Blue Roofs of Japan·1986Pieces of Map,Pieces of Music·1986Conversations with a Toad·1987The Calling:Selected Poems 1970-1995·1995Elements(with Ulf Nilsen)·1995 Ocean/Paper/Stone·1984 The Raven Steals the Light(wth Bill Reid)·1984Shoves,Shoes and the Slow Rotation of Letters·1986The Black Canoe(with photographs by Ulli Steltzer)·1991A Story as Sharp as a Knife: An Introduction to Classical Haida Literature·1997 Robert Bringhurst )((●CCCC()G(C()(((○(C(O()○CO(CC) Copyright ◎1992,1996,1997 by Robert Bringhurst Second edition 765432 All rights reserved.No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission from the publisher(or in the case of photocopying in Canada,without a licence from Cancopy,the Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency).Critics, however,are welcome to quote brief passages by way of criticism and review. HARTLEYdMARKS,PUBLISHERS ·Po Box 147 Point Roberts,WA 98281 USA ·3661West Broadway Vancouver,BC v6R 2B8 Canada Typeset in Canada; printed &bound in the usA. 00 This printing of the second editionincorporates additions andcorrections to the following pages: (((C)C)CCC)()((())())-( 87,91,147,186,193,207,228,232,233,240,252,254,256,264,270,277,279,301,313,316,317,333,335,336,340,345. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data: Bringhurst,Robert. The elements of typographic style/ Robert Bringhurst.- 2nded. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN O-88179-133-4(cloth): $34.95.- ISBN O-88179-132-6(pbk): $24.95 1.Layout(Printing) 2.Type and type-founding. 3.Book design. 1.Title. Z246.B74 1996 686

FAQs

What is the main focus of this book on typography?

The book focuses on typographic style as a craft combining practical guidance with philosophical and historical reasoning behind design choices.

Which core topics are covered in the main chapters?

It covers principles such as rhythm, proportion, harmony, structural form, choosing and combining type, shaping the page, and the state of typographic practice.

What reference sections are included for further study?

The book includes multiple appendices such as sorts of characters, a glossary of terms, information on type designers and typefoundries, recapitulation, and further reading.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by lilac