Stephen Coles - The anatomy of type: A graphic guide to 100 typefaces

This book is all about looking at letters. Not just any letters, but the sets of letters that are designed together, in a systematic and harmonious way, to form a typeface.

What gives a typeface its personality? Why does one font appear bigger or clearer or darker or warmer than another? The answers to these questions can often be found by simply looking more closely at the letters themselves.

The performance of a Text typeface is best judged by viewing it and using it at its intended size in a passage of text. But just as typography (the use of type) is all about fussing over the details, the details of the typefaces themselves really do matter. Lets put it another way: a chef doesnt need to grow her own vegetables or raise her own cattle, but she can benefit from knowing how the ingredients were made.

When we enlarge a word or phrase that contains a typefaces most distinctive glyphs, we unearth all sorts of information about what makes that typeface tick. We discover how the space inside and between letters is as important as the strokes of the letters themselves, and how the shape of one letter affects the shape of the others. We learn that seemingly minor attributes can affect the personality of the typeface as a whole, and we can surmise the decisions a type designer made to improve the economy, legibility, or originality of the design.

Once this knowledge is acquired, it becomes a valuable and instantly accessible piece of a type users skill set. Graphic designers who can scrutinize and describe types nuances are better equipped to pick the right tool for the job and discuss those choices with colleagues and clients.

In the following pages, youll find visual and interpretive descriptions of 100 typefaces. The selections were made with an emphasis on versatility and practical use. There are certainly more popular typefaces out there, or those with a more historically significant background, but each of the families represented here is relevant and useful in contemporary design. There is a mix of classics, based on metal typefaces dating back as far as 500 years, alongside newer releases that are either thoughtful reinterpretations of the classics or completely original designs. A glossary is included on page 9 to help you with some of the most frequently used terms.

While the focus is on Text type, there are also Display faces for setting large and grabbing attention. These were not chosen as mere novelties, but rather for their flexibility of use in a wide variety of settings.

The selections represent a wide range of foundries and designers from around the world, and every typeface was vetted for quality and design integrity. They are organized in a pragmatic way, sorted in groups that borrow some aspects from traditional, history-based classifications but without relying too heavily on dated dogma. Typefaces with similar visual characteristics are placed near each other, making it easy to compare designs and seek alternatives.